Snow, Beautiful Snow

We had a beautiful snow fall in New York last night and most of today.  John and I took a walk to Washington Square Park earlier today to see all the snow covered trees. 

Turkey Minestrone Soup

 

We ate this soup a few weeks ago during a big snow storm.  It was a crock pot recipe, but could just as easily be made stove top.  The original recipe is actually "Minestrone alla Milanese", but I made some changes, so changed the name as well.

Turkey Minestrone Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground turkey

1 cup red potato, peeled and diced

1 cup carrot, peeled and chopped

1 cup zucchini, chopped

1 cup onion, diced

1 cup celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1 bay leaf

2 (14 oz) cans beef broth

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup Ditalini pasta (tiny tubes)

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in medium skillet.  Add turkey and cook until no pink remains, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Transfer turkey to crock pot.  Add remaining ingredients through tomatoes and stir well to combine.  Cover and cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours.

Add cannellini beans and cook on LOW 1 hour.

Add pasta and continue to cook until pasta is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Quesadillas

The real recipe for these quesadillas is the chicken filling.  It's a crock pot recipe that is extremely easy, but also really delicious.

Shredded Chicken Filling
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (16 oz) jar salsa

Place chicken in 4 quart crock pot.  Pour salsa over the chicken.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.  Shred the chicken with two forks.

Chicken Quesadillas
olive oil
2 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded chicken, divided
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
low fat sour cream

Heat a splash of olive oil in skillet and wipe with a paper towel to evenly coat.  Heat flour tortillas for a few seconds on the hot surface, one at a time.  Spread half the chicken and half the cheese onto each tortilla.  Fold each tortilla over to create two half circles.  Place both folded tortillas back on the skillet and grill for a few minutes on each side until heated through and lightly browned.  Remove from heat, slice into triangles and serve with sour cream for dipping.

Valentine's Day Dessert - Strawberry Cream Squares

I came across this recipe in the summer 2008 issue of Domino magazine (which unfortunately is no longer in circulation).  The original recipe is a strawberry cream pie, but I used a square pan instead of a round pie pan, so I changed the name.  The recipe also calls for a whipped cream topping, but I omitted it this time.

Strawberry Cream Squares
2 lbs fresh strawberries (about 4 pints), tops removed, plus a few for garnish
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
5 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
10 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Place strawberries in a blender and blend on high until pureed.  Combine milk, sugar, and cornstarch in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and whisk until dissolved.  Add the strawberry puree and lemon juice.  Cook on high heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture is thick and bubbling (about 10 minutes).  Remove from heat. 

Place graham cracker crumbs in a 9 inch square baking dish (or a round pie dish), drizzle with melted butter and mix until all the crumbs are moistened.  Press evenly into the bottom of the dish (or all sides of the pie dish) to form a crust.  Pour strawberry filling into crust and let cool completely (about 30 minutes).  Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Cut into squares and garnish with sliced strawberries and/or whipped cream before serving. 

Whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Place cream in a mixing bowl and, with an electric mixer, blend on high until stiff peaks form.  Add confectioners' sugar and blend another 10 seconds.  Spread whipped cream over the entire dessert just before serving or dollop onto individual servings.

Pesto with Spinach and Chives

When I buy basil, it usually comes in a bundle too large to use at one time.  Most dishes only call for a few leaves at a time and then the bundle goes bad before it can all be used.  My favorite way to use up all the leftovers is to make a big batch of pesto.  We eat it with pasta and use it as a spread for sandwiches and wraps.  It will last at least a week in the fridge and can be frozen.  One cook book I read suggests freezing it in ice cube trays so that it can be used in small portions whenever needed.  I love that idea, but I've never actually tried it. 

I've come across several different variations of pesto recipes, but this is probably my favorite.  I love the idea of using raw spinach along with the basil for added vitamins.  I also love adding walnuts along with the pine nuts since we almost always have them on hand.  The chives are also a non-traditional addition which give the pesto some extra punch. 

Pesto with Spinach and Chives

1/2 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup chives or scallions, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (and/or toasted walnuts)
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor until finely processed.  Add more olive oil if needed to reach the desired consistancy.  Stir a few tablespoons into hot cooked pasta and serve with extra Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese grated on top.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Blend with mayo for a delicious sandwich spread, stir into sauteed vegetables or rice or serve alongside grilled meat.

Rice Pudding with Dried Fruit and Nuts

Rice pudding is not the kind of dessert I would normally make.  It's not that I don't like it, I just don't crave it the same way I do cupcakes or chocolate.  However, John recently mentioned that he loved tapioca and rice pudding, and since I'm always looking for good stovetop desserts to make, I decided to try it.  I referred to two different rice pudding recipes and came up with my own version below.  It was delicious!

Rice Pudding with Dried Fruit and Nuts

3/4 cup uncooked Jasmine rice

2 cups milk, divided

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used a combination of dried apricots, raisins, cranberries, and blueberries)

1/2 cup toasted nuts, chopped (I used slivered almonds and walnuts)

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

dash of almond extract

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil.  Add rice and stir.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

In another saucepan, combine cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar, and salt.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and creamy, about 20 minutes.  Stir in remaining milk, beaten egg, fruit, and nuts.  Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, and stir in butter, vanilla, and almond extract.  Serve warm.

Mixed Green Salad with Strawberries and Walnuts

This salad was light and delicious!

Mixed Green Salad with Strawberries and Walnuts

1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups baby mixed greens
1/2 strawberries, cut bite-size
1/4 walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 tbsp crumbled feta or goat cheese

Whisk vinegar and oil in medium bowl.  Add baby greens and toss to coat the leaves.  Top with strawberries, walnuts, and cheese and serve.