Category: Recipes

Thanksgiving might look at little different this year but your appetizers don’t have to be. I do not even remember where I got this recipe but I saved it to share for the Holidays. This is perfect for a small get together. And besides, I love anything with Melba Toast!!!!

Adapted From Food.com

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup of Onions (chopped)
2 cups Jarlsberg Swiss

INSTRUCTIONS
Mix all ingredients together.
Preheat over to 325°.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Serve with Meeba Toast .

There is an awesome new place to pick up food for your family, B. Good, 342 Greenwich Ave. The menu is full of Burgers, Bowls, Salads, Smoothies, Shakes, and Kids Meals inspired by the seasons with only clean ingredients. It is truly a menu everyone will love. So far, the Beyond Burger, Eggplant Meatballs, and Harvest Kale Salad are my favorite. Luckily I was able to get the recipe to share with you. But I encourage you to try the real thing and visit B.Good real soon.

Harvest Kale Salad

Ingredients

• 1/4 butternut squash peeled and diced 1″ cubed
• 1 bunch kale, destemmed, rough chopped (about 6 cups)
• 1/2c chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 med. sized beet, peeled, diced
• 8 Brussel sprouts, halved
• 1 TBS pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Make the Balsamic vinaigrette: blend everything except for the oil. Add the oil and blend. Add more salt/Balsamic to taste.
2. Marinate Kale: Add 2TBS of oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix together with your hands for 30 seconds to tenderize the greens. Let this sit for 10 min. The longer the Kale sits, the better. You can even make this the day before.
3. Put brussel sprouts, squash, and beets on a baking sheet with a little oil and salt. Roast on 400 degrees for about 6 minutes until fork tender.
4. Assemble salad in a large shallow bowl: Kale on the bottom, top Kale with rows of ingredients, add dressing, top with pumpkin seeds.

Since a lot of NYC restaurants are closed because of Covid 19 they have been sharing some of their coveted recipes online. One of my favorite classic New York City restaurants is 21. They have been posting “Cooking at Home with 21” for months now. I had been waiting and waiting for my favorite dish to make an appearance and wouldn’t you know….it was posted last week. I love the 21 Club Chicken Hash. It is honestly is the fancy cousin of the chicken casserole and one of my favorite dishes ever. I always order it but not on it’s signature bed of white toast, but with extra spinach. It does not look too hard to re-create. It is on my list for this upcoming chilly, maybe snowy weekend!! Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups chicken stock
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ cup unbleached white flour
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup heavy cream
1 ½ lb grated gruyere
½ tsp fresh grated nutmeg

1. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Bring the chicken stock to a
   boil. Add the chicken breasts and lower the heat to a simmer. Poach the
   chicken breasts 20 minutes or until fully cooked.
2. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and cool completely before
   cutting into one-inch cubes. Reserve the liquid.
3. Combined the softened butter with the flour, kneading them together into a
   paste.
4. Return the reserved chicken stock to a boil, and using a wire whisk, add the
   flour/butter combination in one-tablespoon increments.
5. Cook 5 minutes then add the sherry and cream.
6. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Whisk in the cheese and nutmeg.
   Remove from heat once cheese is melted.
7. Fold in diced chicken.
8. OPTIONAL CRUNCHY TOPPING: Top with additional cheese, and brown lightly
   under broiler.
9. Serve with spinach, Many patrons prefer the hash served over white toast (no crust) instead of rice.

Seared Spinach
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh spinach leaves, thoroughly washed, stems removed
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach leaves and
   sear quickly on one side.
2. Add salt and pepper.
3. Toss/turn with tongs or a spatula to cook the rest of the spinach until just
   wilted, but still bright green. (5 or 6 minutes)

I am back to posting another one-pot wonder. This tortellini soup was the plan for tonight but I got sidetracked so I will have to make it next week. BUT, I did not want to wait to share it with you. I think I am going to substitute chicken broth for vegetable broth but other than that..this looks like another winner.

adapted from diethood.com

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion , diced
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/4- cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 package (12-ounces) frozen tortellini
• 1 bag (5-ounces) fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup cream OR milk OR half-and-half (I like fat-free 1/2 & 1/2 in soups)

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan or soup pot.
2. Add onion, garlic, carrots, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook over medium-low heat for 6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
3. Whisk in flour; whisk until crumbly.
4. Slowly add broth and continue to vigorously whisk until everything is well combined and there are no clumps.
5. Bring soup to a boil.
6. Add frozen tortellini and spinach.
7. Continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until tortellini is tender and heated through.
8. Stir in cream or milk; bring back to a steady boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth and thickened.
9. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
10. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

One of my best-received recipes was for a one-pot garlic Parmesan pasta. Since the weather is turning and I am starting to cook more..I have been looking for some easy family weeknight recipes. I came across this cheesy, Tomato pasta, and decided to give it a try. The recipe itself is rather simple but it is really tasty. I added some cheese and parley sausage that I ordered from Vincent’s Meat Market on Arthur Ave and the dish was perfection!!! I think it is going to be a weekly go-to for the next year!! Bon Appetit!

adapted from Rasa Malaysia

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 oz. fresh tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian basil
• 8 oz. spaghetti
• 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2-1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon butter

Heat oil in a wide skillet, pan or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, saute 3 minutes or until they start to brown. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian basil and spaghetti.

Press the spaghetti with a spatula to submerge the pasta in the liquid. If your skillet, pan or pot is not wide enough, break the spaghetti into halves before cooking. Cover with the lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 8 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. If the pasta is not cooked after 8 minutes, add a little bit more chicken broth, cover the lid and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Uncover the lid and add salt and the butter. Turn off the heat and top the pasta with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

I’m back with more soup recipes. I made this Pumpkin soup courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa. Another blogger wrote to tell me that a pumpkin tureen was on sale. I ordered it and it was delivered the same day!!!!! Of course, I had to make the soup for my daughter and me right away!!! I love this recipe because it is a combination of squash and pumpkin and it doesn’t have a ton of spices, which I normally don’t love in pumpkin soup!! I hope you try it..I know you will love it!!!..

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon good olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)

1 (15 – ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut in chunks

3 cups homemade chicken stock or canned broth

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup half – and – half

Creme fraiche, grated Gruyere, or croutons (see #2 below), for serving (optional)

1. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed stockpot, add the onions, and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the pumpkin puree, butternut squash, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, until the butternut squash is very tender. Process the mixture through the medium blade of a food mill. Return to the pot, add the half – and – half, and heat slowly. If the soup needs more flavor, add another teaspoon of salt. Serve hot with garnishes, if desired.
2. Cook’s Note: To serve with croutons, remove the crusts from 2 slices of white bread, cut them in 1/2-inch cubes, and saute them in 1 tablespoon of butter until browned. Season with salt and pepper.