Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions and Steamed Asparagus with Orange Pistachio Butter

I love pork tenderloin because it cooks super fast, is very lean and can be seasoned a variety of ways.  Asparagus that is pencil thin is so tasty simply steamed with a little salt & pepper, but for this dish, I dress it up with some chopped pistachios and orange zest.  

Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions and Steamed Asparagus with Orange Pistachio Butter

1# pork tenderloin
Citrus seasoning blend
Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil

1# thin asparagus, ends snapped 
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
zest from 1 orange

Place the asparagus in a microwave safe dish.  Add a splash of water, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender.  Drain.

Clean any silver from the tenderloin and cut into 8 pieces.  Use the flat of your palm to flatten the medallions into equal thickness.  Season generously with the citrus seasoning, salt and pepper.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the coconut oil and sear the pork medallions for 2-3 minutes, turning the heat down if the pork browns too much before cooking halfway up the sides.  Turn and cook another 2 minutes, or until edges are completely white.  Remove to a plate to rest.

In the same pan over medium heat, place the asparagus, butter, pistachios and orange zest. Toss to combine, while the asparagus reheats and the nuts toast.  Serve immediately with the pork medallions.  Serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are.

A Lasagna and Eggplant Parm Baby

As I was perusing Pinterest - who doesn't use Pinterest?? - I saw a butternut squash lasagna recipe and an eggplant parm recipe, which got me thinking, and craving Italian food. The dilemma was how to make without cheese? or pasta?  Solution: spaghetti squash and a raw nut sauce! I found the recipe for the raw sauce on the blog What Runs Lori, and followed it pretty closely.  I included my version of the recipe below, and you can check out her blog for the original.  

A Lasagna and Eggplant Parm Baby

For the raw nut sauce - the cheese replacement:
3/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 large shallot, peeled
1 Tbsp Coconut Nectar, or raw honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
1 Tbsp miso paste
1/2 - 1 cup water

In a powerful blender (Vitamix!) or food processor, place all the ingredients, starting with 1/2 cup water at first.  Puree until very smooth, adding more water as needed. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

For the casserole:
2 eggs
1 spaghetti squash
1 eggplant, peeled and cut in thin rounds
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, diced
4 links spicy Gianelli turkey sausage, casings removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
optional: Daiya Mozzarella style shreds

Whisk the 2 eggs into the raw sauce.  Cut the stem end off the spaghetti squash, then slice in half top to bottom.  Scrape the seeds and membranes out of the squash and wrap each half in plastic wrap.  Microwave for 10 minutes and let sit in there while you prepare everything else.

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and arrange the eggplant in a single layer.  Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned.  

In a large non-stick skillet, saute the onion and fennel in the olive oil until soft.  Season with a little salt.  Add the sausage, breaking up as it cooks.  When mostly done, add the garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add the can of tomatoes, turn heat down and simmer for 5- 10 minutes.

Remove the spaghetti squash from the microwave and drain any liquid.  Use a fork to pull the strands of squash out into a bowl.  

To assemble: spray a glass baking dish with non-stick spray.  Put a layer of eggplant slices, then tomato sauce, a layer of spaghetti squash and pour about 1/2 cup or so of the raw sauce, spreading it into the squash.  Sprinkle with the mozzarella style shreds if using.  Repeat the layers, reserving some tomato sauce to spread on the top.  Sprinkle with shreds if using. Bake in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly.  Let sit 10 minutes or so before cutting.

Corn, Poblano and Potato Chowder

I made this with corn and potatoes from the farmer's market, and the poblanos are from our garden.

4 slices bacon, diced
2-3 medium poblanos, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups corn kernels, cut from 3-4 ears
2 cups diced red potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
shredded cheese for serving - cheddar, Mexican or taco blend

In a large pot, saute the bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon to paper towel to drain; in the the remaining fat, cook the onion and peppers until soft.  Add the garlic and corn, sauteing until fragrant.  Add the potatoes and broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender.  Add heavy cream, then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle each serving with crispy bacon and shredded cheese.

Chili Mac & Cheese

Think hamburger helper taken up several levels.  This is a re-done version of a recipe I saw in Taste of Home.  I think this would also be great with either some black beans or chili beans added before baking.

1 (7oz) box mac and cheese
1 # 90/10 ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic salt or salt
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes with chilies or jalapenos
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce - I LOVE Goya Spanish style
1/4 c or more drained canned jalapenos (add to your spicy level)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup + 1 large handful shredded Mexican cheese blend
Panko crumbs
opt toppings: sliced green onions, cilantro, sour cream, hot sauce

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles for 2-3 minutes LESS than the box says.  If the noodles are cooked like normal, they will be mushy after baking.  By under cooking them, they will absorb some of the liquid while baking and be perfect when served.  Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the beef and onions.  Add the garlic, chili powder and garlic salt/salt.  Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.  Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and jalapenos.  Stir to combine and turn off the heat.  Stir in the sour cream, shredded cheese blend, cheese packet and noodles.  Check seasoning and spicy level.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle top with shredded cheese, then panko, pushing the panko into mixture slightly.  Place into the oven and turn to 350.  Cook until bubbly and crumbs are browned, 20-30 minutes.  Serve with optional toppings.

Tomato Pesto Tart

This is a super fast meal that uses pie crust for the base and a pesto instead of tomato sauce, so the crust doesn't get soggy.  You can use store bought pesto if you don't fee like making your own.







1 refrigerated pie crust
1/3 cup mayo
3 Tbsp pesto*
1 large handful + 1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
pepper
3 Roma tomatoes thinly sliced, or 1 pt small tomatoes halved

Preheat oven to 400. On a lightly floured cutting board, roll the pie crust out a little more so it fits on a baking sheet.  It doesn't have to be a perfect rectangle.  Use your knife to cut 2 opposite sides so that it fits on the baking sheet.  Flute edges (you can see mine are just done with my 2 left fingers and 1 right finger pressing between to make the edge).  Bake for 6-8 minutes or until edges are starting to brown.

Meanwhile, mix the mayo, pesto, a large handful or mozzarella and the Parmesan together.  Season with  lots of pepper.  Spread mixture onto the crust.  Top with the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.  Bake for an additional 10+ minutes until the cheese has melted and the edges are a deep golden brown.  Serve immediately.

* Pesto recipe

Haricot Verts with Tomatoes and Almonds

Quick and easy, haricot verts (french green beans) have a slightly nutty taste and cook more quickly than green beans.  Paired with tomatoes and almonds, these veggies go well with grilled meats.

1# haricot verts
1 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 pt cherry tomatoes
1/4c chopped almonds
1/4c water
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, put the olive oil, water and haricot verts.  Cover with a lid or foil and cook over high heat, allowing the beans to steam, for about 5 minutes, or until beans are crisp-tender.  If water cooks out before beans are done, add a little more.   Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until slightly wilted and beans are tender.  The water should be about cooked out at this point.  Add the almonds, cook another minute and season with salt and pepper.

Tandoori Chicken Thighs

Spiced chicken thighs are quick to cook on the grill

or baked in the oven. Serve with Steamed Haricot Verts with Tomatoes and Almonds.  

This marinade will easily cover 4-6 thighs; you can double the recipe for 8-12 thighs:

1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

1/2 onion, grated

1 Tbsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp turmeric

3-5 garlic cloves, minced or microplaned

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients.  Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs and stir and turn to make sure that the chicken is well coated on both sides.  Let sit for 30 - 45 min on the counter, or refrigerate for 2 hours.  Heat the grill and spray with non-stick spray OR place foil on the grill OR heat an oven to 350.  Scrape off the excess marinade and sprinkle chicken with salt.  Grill on each side about 6 minutes, or bake for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through.  

Red Coconut Curry Sauce with Vegetables

This sauce is great with the Asian Meatballs, but without is a delicious vegetarian option. You can substitute your favorite veggies.

1 red bell pepper
2 stalks celery
1 onion
2 swirls olive oil
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 Tbsp. red curry paste
1 can coconut milk - NOT light
1-2 pkgs udon noodles
salt, soy sauce or fish sauce to taste
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
Asian meatballs, if using

Cut the red pepper into small, bite size pieces. Slice the celery thinly on the bias.  Dice the onion.  In a large skillet, heat the 2 swirls of olive oil.  Add the cut veggies and saute until crisp-tender.  Add the curry paste and stir to coat the veggies.  Cook for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant.  Add the water chestnuts and coconut milk.  If using two packages of udon noodles, add half a can of water to the pan.  Cook until hot, bubbly and thickened.  Stir in the udon noodles and stir gently to separate.  Check the seasoning and add either salt, soy sauce or fish sauce. I  prefer the fish sauce - not only does it add a little saltiness, but layers of flavor.  At the last minute, stir in the chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

If using the meatballs hot out of the oven, place them in the bowls and ladle the noodles and sauce over the top. If using them frozen, add the meatballs to the sauce BEFORE the udon noodles.  Add a little extra water, reduce heat and cover.  Simmer until heated through.  Then gently add the noodles, stirring around the meatballs. Season with fish sauce to taste.  Place into bowls and sprinkle the cilantro on top.

Lemon Basil Vinagriette

I was trying to copy Uno's lemon dressing when I made this.  It is close and was very satisfying. Pictured is a salad of mache mix, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers with the dressing.

For the dressing:
1 large handful basil leaves
1 garlic clove
Kosher salt
1 lemon
Olive oil

Chop the basil and put in a mixing bowl.  Smash the garlic with the flat side of your knife, mince it, then sprinkle with a little kosher salt.  Use the flat of your knife blade to rub the salt into the garlic so that it makes a paste. I go back and forth between mincing and pasting with the blade.  Doing this ensures that no one gets a chunk of garlic while eating and mellows the garlic flavor.  Scrape the garlic off the board and add to the basil.  Zest the lemon with a microplane over the basil. Juice the lemon and add to the bowl.  Sprinkle in some kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.  Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil and whisk.  If you want a thicker dressing, whisk in more oil.  Check the seasoning and serve.

Super Crispy Fried Chicken

So, before tonight, I had not actually made fried chicken.  However, I've seen it done many times, so I went for it!  This was so crispy and delicious, I don't think I can ever do KFC again...well, maybe the biscuits ;)

6 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
3 eggs
1/2 c or so flour
1 cup or so Panko bread crumbs
Rotisserie chicken seasoning - or something similar
salt and pepper
Vegetable oil or Peanut oil

To prepare the thighs, trim the excess fat from the thighs, but leave the main covering on.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  On one plate, put the flour with a tablespoon or so of the chicken seasoning and mix.  One a second plate, crack the eggs and whip with a fork.  On a third plate, pour the Panko.

In a large deep skillet, pour half an inch (or enough to go halfway up the chicken) of oil and get it going over high heat.  Use a thermometer to check that the oil is around 375.  The temperature will drop when you add the chicken.  If the oil gets too hot while you are preparing the chicken, turn the heat off.  Just make sure that it is back up to temp when you add the chicken in.  This allows a crust to form, which will prevent grease from soaking into the chicken and give you a super crunchy crust.

Dredge the chicken in the flour, then egg, then flour, then egg, then Panko.  The flour helps the egg stick, which then helps the Panko stick.  I do a double dip to get a thick crunchy crust.  Gently place the thighs into the hot oil.  Don't crowd the pan - I cooked mine in two batches. Cook until a deep golden color on one side - about 8 min - and then carefully flip.  Continue cooking until a thermometer inserted in the thick part away from the bone reads 140.  Remove the thighs to paper towels to drain.  They will continue cooking while they rest - I let the first batch rest while I cooked the second, and they were perfect - clear juices, hot inside and crispy on the outside.

I served this with a simple salad of mache mix, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers with lemon basil vinaigrette.  Delicious!

Wild Rice Salad

This recipe is so versatile. You can add just about any veggies to it, as well as cubed cheese.  Check out the variation ideas listed after the main recipe.

For the dressing:
1 lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane or smashed with your knife
1 bunch green onions, finely sliced, white and green parts
2 Tbsp or so of rice vinegar
1/4 - 1/2c olive oil
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
1 or 2 boxes Wild Rice - make sure the seasoning packet is separate since you don't want the spices
1 pt cherry tomatoes - halved
1 small bunch parsley - finely chopped
4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Cook the rice according to the directions, omitting the seasoning packet.  Once cooked, pour the rice onto a cookie sheet and spread it out so it can cool slightly.  Whisk the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. If you like a thick dressing, use more olive oil. Taste, season accordingly, then mix in the herbs, tomatoes and cheese.  Once the rice has cooled some, add to the marinating tomatoes and stir to combine.  Chill for several hours before serving so the rice can absorb the dressing.

Variations:
Italian - Add 20 basil leaves thinly sliced and replace the feta cheese with fresh mozzarella pieces. Or, use pesto thinned with the lemon juice and rice vinegar instead of the dressing above.

Super Greek - Add fresh oregano and/or marjoram along with the parsley.  Add sliced pitted kalamata olives and chopped cucumber.

Mexican - Use fresh cilantro instead of parsley, omit feta and use either cotija, queso blanco or queso fresco.  Add in some drained and rinsed black beans if you like.  I also add some chopped pickled jalapenos!

Stuffed Poblanos

Poblano peppers can vary in heat. This batch was zippy! If you like really spicy dishes you can add a diced jalapeno to the meat mixture.  The meat mixture cooked as patties would make awesome sliders!


For the Stuffed Peppers:
4 large poblano peppers
1# ground pork
1 egg
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, reserve a few tablespoons for the top
3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1 large handful cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fine oat bran
Couple pinches salt
8 oz can tomato sauce, divided
1 small can green enchilada sauce

Under a broiler set to high, lightly char the peppers on all sides. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to steam for 15 min. Once cool enough to handle, gently peel the skins off; cut a small slit on one edge and remove the seeds.

In a large mixing bowl, put the pork through the salt. Add 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce. Put the remaining red sauce in the bottom of a glass pan big enough to hold the peppers.  Gently but thoroughly combine the meat mixture. To check your seasoning, you can cook a little bit of the mixture in a small frying pan as a patty - it only takes a minute on each side.  Carefully stuff the meat filling into the peppers. Put into the pan seam side up.
Spoon some green enchilada sauce over each pepper and sprinkle with reserved cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 min. Serve with a side of black beans and rice and spoon the sauce over.

Mustard Maple Marinated Chicken Thighs

An easy marinade that doubles as the dipping sauce.  The hubby had it with baked beans.

For the marinade:
1/2c spicy brown mustard
1/4c sugar free maple syrup
2 Tbsp yellow mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar or Splenda
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
8-10 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.  For each person you have eating, put 2 tablespoons marinade in a ramekin or little dish.  Add the chicken to the big bowl and stir to coat the chicken on all sides.  Let sit for 1 hour.

Line 2 cookie sheets with foil and spray with Pam.  Spread thighs out on sheets, scraping off excess marinade.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until thighs are cooked through.  Serve with the reserved sauce.  I also put out blue cheese dressing to dip in - what a great combo!

Osso Bucco in Red Sauce

The hubby and I look at the meat section at Wegmans every Sunday.  If we see veal shanks on sale, we snag them and nix whatever we were going to have for dinner.  This dish takes time, but is easy to prepare and comes out so rich and sumptuous it is worth the effort!

For the Veal Osso Bucco:

2 - 4 pieces veal shank

4 swirls EVOO, divided

1 large onion, large dice

1/2 bag baby carrots, whole or large dice

2-3 ribs celery, small dice, including any leaves

at least 3 garlic cloves, more if you like garlic

1 sprig rosemary

1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup good red wine

1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes

Kosher salt and pepper

Heat oven to 350 while preparing the ingredients.  In a large oven proof skillet, heat 2 swirls EVOO over medium high heat.  Sprinkle both sides of veal with salt and pepper.  Carefully place in skillet and cook until browned on both sides.  Don't try to lift up and peek under the meat.  Doing so will tear the meat and you won't get a nice browned side.  You will know the veal can be flipped when it releases easily.  Remove to a plate.  Put another swirl or two of EVOO into the pan and add the onion, carrots and celery, plus a large pinch of salt. The veggies will release some water, which will help pick up any browned bits on the bottom.  When the veggies are tender, stir in the garlic and rosemary; saute 1 minute.  Add the tomato paste and stir to combine/cook out.  Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits.  Carefully add the crushed tomatoes and stir.  Nestle the veal and any accumulated juices into the sauce.  Cover with an oven proof lid, or tightly with foil.  Place in the oven and cook until veal is falling off the bone, about 2 - 3 hours.  Remove from oven and season sauce with salt and pepper.

Remove the sprig of rosemary and serve veal over a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes, rice or my favorite, Parmesan polenta, making sure to give everyone a scoop of the rich sauce.

Asian Meatballs

A variation of my traditional Italian meatballs.  The most recent batch that I froze I did as smaller meatballs so I could use them as either a dinner option or as snacks at a party.  For dinner I would serve them with stir-fried veggies in your favorite sauce.  For a party, I'm thinking 2 things: in a crock pot with an Asian BBQ sauce OR served as is with a cilantro/soy/peanut dipping sauce.  You could easily replace the ground beef with ground chicken, which would be excellent with Thai Peanut Sauce.

For the Asian Meatballs:

2# ground beef

2 whole eggs

1/4c oat bran

1/3c soy sauce
1 -2 Tbsp mirin or rice vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

3 garlic cloves, minced or micro-planed

1 bunch scallion, finely chopped, white and green parts

1" peeled piece of fresh ginger, micro-planed

opt: 1 heaping Tbsp Sambal Oelek (garlic chili paste)

Preheat oven to 375.  Line 2 baking sheets with foil and spay with Pam.  In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oat bran, soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil.  Add the garlic, scallions, grated ginger and Sambal Oelek (if using) and stir to combine.  Let the oat bran absorb some liquid, about 5 minutes. If the mixture looks very loose, add a little more oat bran or Panko bread crumbs.  Lastly, add the meat, using your hands to gently mix.  You don't want to mash the meat or you will have a dense meatball.  

Either scoop or roll meatballs to your size liking and place on prepared sheet. (I was able to get about 36 meatballs out of the recipe.)  Bake until outsides are brown and cooked through, about 12-14 minutes for 1ounce meatballs.  Larger 3 oz meatballs may take as long as 25 minutes.  

To prepare for freezing:  allow meatballs to cool to room temp.  Place in a single layer in a large freezer zip-lock bag.  Seal all but a small gap, then suck the air out of the bag and quickly seal.  Lay flat in the freezer until frozen through, then you can move the bag.  This way the meatballs freeze individually and you don't have to defrost the entire bag to get a few out.  

Beef Stew

This stew is hearty and filling, especially on a cold day.

For the stew:
1 -1.5# stew beef, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup flour
1/2 bag baby carrots
1 large onion, cut into a large dice
8oz sliced mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, whole or smashed
1 Tbsp tomato paste
5 yukon gold potatoes, cut into small chunks
1/2# fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
4 cups beef stock and up to 4 cups water

In a large soup pot, cook the onion and carrots in 1 tablespoon or so of the EVOO. When slightly browned, add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt; stir occassionally. When the mushrooms have browned, add the tomato paste and the garlic cloves.  Stir to incorporate the paste, about 2 minutes.  Add the beans, broth and water if needed to cover.  Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 the beef to the pan and cook until browned.  Use a slotted spoon to move the beef to the soup pot.  Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan, heat, and cook the second batch of beef.  When browned, sprinkle the flour over and stir.  If some of the flour won't mix in, add more butter or oil.  Add this entire mixture to the soup pot, making sure to scrape all the browned bits and any flour paste into the soup.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until the beef is tender, anywhere from 30min to 2hours, depending on the cut of beef.  Add the potatoes and enough water to cover. Increase heat to a slow boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 20min more.  Season with salt and pepper.

Salad of Filet with Red Wine Onion Reduction and Shitake Mushrooms

While the hubby had his Filet with Red Wine Onion Sauce and Sauteed Shitake Mushrooms along side of some Spicy and Creamy Collard Greens, I chose to have mine over a salad of mache mix.  I topped with mache mix with cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, cucumber rounds, scattered the sauteed mushrooms around the edge, arranged the medium rare steak slices on top and finished with the red wine onions.  I also did a side of blue cheese dressing.  Talk about an amazing salad!

Filet Mignon with Red Wine Onion Sauce and Sauteed Shitake Mushrooms

The hubby was lucky enough to get this tonight :) He had it with Spicy and Creamy Collard Greens.
While your filets are cooking on an indoor grill pan or out on the grill, make the sauce and mushrooms.

For the Red Wine Onion Reduction:
2 strips bacon, diced
1 small onion, fine dice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2c good quality red wine - one that you would like to drink with the steak
1-2 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small peices
salt and pepper

In a saute pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon. Add the onion to the pan and cook over medium heat until very soft. You don't want the onions to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two more. Add the wine and crank the haet to high. Bring to a boil and reduce wine to just a few tablespoons. Turn off the heat, add the cold butter pieces and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

For the mushrooms:
1/2# Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and cut into strips
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp EVOO
salt and pepper

Put the butter and oil in a saute pan over high heat. When melted and butter stops foaming, add the mushrooms and cook over high heat until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.

Loaded Potato Soup

This is a great soup for a party and is hearty enough to serve for dinner.  Go crazy with the toppings bar - anything that goes well with potatoes would work for this!

1 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups skim milk
6 - 8 cups chicken broth
2-3# butter potatoes, washed and diced - I left the skins on
salt and pepper

Place the diced potatoes and the milk in a large soup kettle.  In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat and then add the flour.  Cook for several minutes to make a roux and cook out the raw flour taste.  Slowly whisk in 4 cups of broth.  Mixture should thicken.  Add this to the potatoes and milk.  Add more chicken stock so that the potatoes are covered by 1/2" of liquid.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  If mixture gets too thick, add more stock.  Cook until potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.   Ladle into bowls and send people through the toppings bar.

Toppings:
sliced green onions
assorted shredded cheeses - colby, pepperjack, sharp cheddar, etc
crumbled bacon, and lots of it!
chopped broccoli florets
sour cream
salsa
chives
lobster meat - so fancy!
small canned shrimp

Leave a comment with your favorite toppings combination!

Shrimp and Mussels Steamed with Riesling

A quick and easy way to prepare seafood.  I ate this as is, and the hubby prepared angel hair pasta to go with his.  The sauce can be made with any dry white wine - just make sure that it is a wine you would drink.  Cooking wine sold in the condiment aisle is a big no-no.

1 swirl EVOO
1 small onion, small diced
2 garlic gloves, minced
opt: red chili pepper flakes
1/2 # cleaned and deveined shrimp
2# bag mussels, rinsed and beards removed
1/3 cup dry Riesling
White dairy liquid for finishing - either FF half and half or heavy cream if you are feeling decadent
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, parsley or tarragon, or a combination of.

In a large skillet with high sides and a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic and red chili pepper flakes (if using) along with a sprinkle of salt.  Stir occasionally until onion has softened and mixture is fragrant.  Add the shrimp and cook until they just start to turn white.  Add the mussels and the wine and cover immediately.  Crank the heat up to high and cook until mussels open up and turn opaque, usually 5-6 minutes with a good steam going inside.  Remove the lid and add a swirl of your dairy.  Add the fresh herbs and toss to combine.

Can be served atop pasta, or with garlic toasted baguette slices to sop up the broth - YUM!