So I have had this recipe in my recipe binder, copied from a Cooking Light page, for years. In fact, I think I copied it off in 2006, highlighted this recipe, and then tucked it away for use "someday".
Someday happened yesterday.
I modified the original recipe a little (lot?) because I have 3 kids and am not about to cook up slices of pork loin at dinner (aka crazy) hour. So, I used a pork sirloin and my crock pot and came up with something delicious.
Spiced Pork with Bourbon Reduction Sauce
original: Cooking Light
modified by: Me
Ingredients
Sauce
1 cup bourbon (Makers Mark around here)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 T. bottled minced garlic
1 tsp black pepper
Pork
1.5 tsp chili powder
scant 1 tsp cinnamon
heaping 1/4 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
1 heaping T. Knorr Chicken Bouillon
2 pork sirloins (~2 lbs each)
Combine all the spices for the pork in a small bowl. Rub sirloins all over with the "rub", put in your crock pot (my large one is broken, so I used my 3 qt and they fit stacked on top of each other just fine), and set to low and forget about it for at least 20 hours, up to 24 hours.
About 2 hours before you wish to eat, combine sauce ingredients in small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and let the sauce reduce until you have about 1 cup of sauce (takes about 10 minutes and will smell amazing).
While the sauce is simmering, take the pork out of the crockpot and shred using 2 forks. Return the pork to the crockpot, add the sauce on top and stir with some tongs to combine. Let cook on low until you are ready to eat.
Serve with basmati rice and a vegetable (we had squash) and top generously with Sriracha. The meat would also be delicious with an Asian slaw of cabbage, green onion, cilantro, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar. And I can imagine wrapping it in a tortilla with the rice and a slaw to make an Asian-inspired burrito.
I will be making this again, and again, and again.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Bea's Casserole
About 100 years ago, I dated someone whose mom was a great "comfort foods" type of cook. She is the same of the Chili Soup recipe.
Anyway, one time I went to their house (conveniently located 2 blocks from my place) and she had made this casserole known only as "Bea's Casserole" for the great-Aunt/distant cousin/grandmother who came up with the recipe.
I had to have the recipe. I was 22 years old and I was making this casserole at least once a month for myself (it lasted about a week -- and, like many things I enjoy, is an excellent vehicle for hot sauce). This casserole could be to blame for my 15 lb weight gain that year, but it was fun getting there.
I don't make it often and, now that I think of it, I've never made it for Geoff. So it's been at least 7 years since I've made this.
But as I am due to give birth at any time (so they tell me), I need comfort food. And something to cook that's easy and will last awhile. Something I know the kids (and Geoff) will enjoy. Something I know I will want after I have this baby (hoping he comes very, very soon).
So, I'm going to make Bea's Casserole. And I haven't so much as been to the grocery store yet, and I can't wait for dinner.
I'm typing this out the way I received it, which is why the layout might look different from usual. I feel that some recipes, particularly family ones, deserve -- at the very least -- a modicum of respect. Enjoy.
Ingredients
2 12 oz bags of wide noodle pasta (any brand will do)
2 regular size cans cream of mushroom soup
16 oz sour cream (must be whole fat)
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 can sliced water chestnuts
2 boxes sliced fresh mushrooms
1 diced onion
dill (fresh)
parmesan cheese
olive oil
3 T. butter
whole milk or cream
PAM
salt/pepper
1. Boil noodles to al dente, then drain
2. Brown ground beef, then drain
3. Add sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, diced onion, and cooked noodles to ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spray (large) baking pan with PAM
5. Add half of casserole to baking pan
6. Sprinkle casserole in pan with dill
7. Layer water chestnuts and mushrooms over casserole in pan
8. Add rest of casserole to baking pan
9. Drizzle with olive oil
10. Dot with chunks of butter
11. Pour milk or cream around edge of casserole (this is optional to add moisture)
12. Top with LOTS of parmesan cheese
13. Bake at 350 for 45 min. to 1 hour, or until golden brown
Anyway, one time I went to their house (conveniently located 2 blocks from my place) and she had made this casserole known only as "Bea's Casserole" for the great-Aunt/distant cousin/grandmother who came up with the recipe.
I had to have the recipe. I was 22 years old and I was making this casserole at least once a month for myself (it lasted about a week -- and, like many things I enjoy, is an excellent vehicle for hot sauce). This casserole could be to blame for my 15 lb weight gain that year, but it was fun getting there.
I don't make it often and, now that I think of it, I've never made it for Geoff. So it's been at least 7 years since I've made this.
But as I am due to give birth at any time (so they tell me), I need comfort food. And something to cook that's easy and will last awhile. Something I know the kids (and Geoff) will enjoy. Something I know I will want after I have this baby (hoping he comes very, very soon).
So, I'm going to make Bea's Casserole. And I haven't so much as been to the grocery store yet, and I can't wait for dinner.
I'm typing this out the way I received it, which is why the layout might look different from usual. I feel that some recipes, particularly family ones, deserve -- at the very least -- a modicum of respect. Enjoy.
Ingredients
2 12 oz bags of wide noodle pasta (any brand will do)
2 regular size cans cream of mushroom soup
16 oz sour cream (must be whole fat)
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 can sliced water chestnuts
2 boxes sliced fresh mushrooms
1 diced onion
dill (fresh)
parmesan cheese
olive oil
3 T. butter
whole milk or cream
PAM
salt/pepper
1. Boil noodles to al dente, then drain
2. Brown ground beef, then drain
3. Add sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, diced onion, and cooked noodles to ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spray (large) baking pan with PAM
5. Add half of casserole to baking pan
6. Sprinkle casserole in pan with dill
7. Layer water chestnuts and mushrooms over casserole in pan
8. Add rest of casserole to baking pan
9. Drizzle with olive oil
10. Dot with chunks of butter
11. Pour milk or cream around edge of casserole (this is optional to add moisture)
12. Top with LOTS of parmesan cheese
13. Bake at 350 for 45 min. to 1 hour, or until golden brown
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Jambalaya (nod to Rachael Ray)
I have to admit ... I took a long time coming around to Rachael Ray. Yes, I loved watching 30 Minute Meals when it came out -- amazed that she could make such awesome food in such a short period of time. But .. I never really took her seriously.
And then I tried her recipe for BLT Frittata. Amazing. And the year I found out about it, I made it all. the. time. I'm telling you -- I probably made it every other week. Lowcarb dieting will do that to a person. But, seriously, make. that. frittata. (Note: I subbed bacon because it's easier to access than pancetta and I'm not picky about such things).
And then I tried Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Shrimp. Again, amazing. Perfect recipe that didn't fail me. The husband approved.
And then my mom told me about her recipe for Jambalaya. I thought "Okay, now we're going too far". This is a serious recipe and I just couldn't take her seriously.
When my mom told me my brother made it and it turned out great, I thought "I have to try this". I have never made another recipe for Jambalaya since.
Granted, I made my own modifications:
1. I use my own ratio of onion/bell pepper/celery/garlic/bay leaves (it's a religion I apply to all Cajun recipes and is easy to remember as it's 1-2-3-4-5 of each item)
and
2. I'm way WAY too lazy to make separate rice, so I add additional chicken broth and cook the rice in with the whole pot so it's a one-pot meal. Yes, it takes longer than 30 minutes that way, but I don't mind since I usually budget an hour to make dinner.
Please make this and please enjoy. I am telling you ... it's absolute perfection.
Ingredients
EVOO/butter (amount to taste - I usually use about 1/4 cup total of the 2. Fat = flavor, folks)
1 lb shrimp, peeled/tail off/deveined
1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, diced
3/4 - 1 lb andouille sausage, cut in half lengthwise, then into 1/4" half-moons
1 onion, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 bay leaves
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 14.5 oz (or whatever they are) cans chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1 heaping tsp chile powder (I use whatever I have in the cupboard, usually California)
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire (or more)
Cayenne/Hot sauce (to taste)
salt/pepper (to taste)
2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
Green onions, thyme and hot sauce (to serve)
1. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning of your choice (I alternate between some "Cajun seasoning" mix I bought 100 years ago and plain ol' old bay) and cook in a 6 quart pot until done. Set aside.
2. Heat up some more oil/butter in the same pot and brown chicken (I sometimes also season this with some Old Bay/Emeril/Cajun seasoning first as well) over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, then add sausage and cook another 2 minutes. Add the veggies + bay leaves and saute for a few minutes until veggies are opaque. Add broth, seasonings, tomatoes and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook about 20 minutes until rice is done.
3. Stir in cooked shrimps and serve with chopped thyme, green onions and hot sauce.
***Alternatively, you can add the shrimp (raw) to the broth/tomatoes/rice, but it does get over cooked. I have to confess, that hasn't bothered me in the slightest in the past. Everything just tastes so good together I promise you *probably* won't mind.
Enjoy!
And then I tried her recipe for BLT Frittata. Amazing. And the year I found out about it, I made it all. the. time. I'm telling you -- I probably made it every other week. Lowcarb dieting will do that to a person. But, seriously, make. that. frittata. (Note: I subbed bacon because it's easier to access than pancetta and I'm not picky about such things).
And then I tried Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Shrimp. Again, amazing. Perfect recipe that didn't fail me. The husband approved.
And then my mom told me about her recipe for Jambalaya. I thought "Okay, now we're going too far". This is a serious recipe and I just couldn't take her seriously.
When my mom told me my brother made it and it turned out great, I thought "I have to try this". I have never made another recipe for Jambalaya since.
Granted, I made my own modifications:
1. I use my own ratio of onion/bell pepper/celery/garlic/bay leaves (it's a religion I apply to all Cajun recipes and is easy to remember as it's 1-2-3-4-5 of each item)
and
2. I'm way WAY too lazy to make separate rice, so I add additional chicken broth and cook the rice in with the whole pot so it's a one-pot meal. Yes, it takes longer than 30 minutes that way, but I don't mind since I usually budget an hour to make dinner.
Please make this and please enjoy. I am telling you ... it's absolute perfection.
Ingredients
EVOO/butter (amount to taste - I usually use about 1/4 cup total of the 2. Fat = flavor, folks)
1 lb shrimp, peeled/tail off/deveined
1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, diced
3/4 - 1 lb andouille sausage, cut in half lengthwise, then into 1/4" half-moons
1 onion, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 bay leaves
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 14.5 oz (or whatever they are) cans chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1 heaping tsp chile powder (I use whatever I have in the cupboard, usually California)
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire (or more)
Cayenne/Hot sauce (to taste)
salt/pepper (to taste)
2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
Green onions, thyme and hot sauce (to serve)
1. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning of your choice (I alternate between some "Cajun seasoning" mix I bought 100 years ago and plain ol' old bay) and cook in a 6 quart pot until done. Set aside.
2. Heat up some more oil/butter in the same pot and brown chicken (I sometimes also season this with some Old Bay/Emeril/Cajun seasoning first as well) over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, then add sausage and cook another 2 minutes. Add the veggies + bay leaves and saute for a few minutes until veggies are opaque. Add broth, seasonings, tomatoes and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook about 20 minutes until rice is done.
3. Stir in cooked shrimps and serve with chopped thyme, green onions and hot sauce.
***Alternatively, you can add the shrimp (raw) to the broth/tomatoes/rice, but it does get over cooked. I have to confess, that hasn't bothered me in the slightest in the past. Everything just tastes so good together I promise you *probably* won't mind.
Enjoy!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Sopa de Albondigas
For many years, my mom made her recipe for "albondigas" and it was great. So great, I made it for years. And then my brother found a different recipe that used chorizo. So ... I combined elements from the two recipes to come up with my "Ultimate" sopa de albondigas.
My husband absolutely loves this dish, and as I'm considering making it this week, I figured I'd share the recipe.
Enjoy.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 T. cooking oil
7 - 8 cups chicken stock (I always start with 7, but usually add more)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp oregano (whole, crushed between your fingers)
1 tsp cumin
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 small or 1 large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and cut across into 1/2" slices
salt/pepper to taste
Meatballs:
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped mint
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed slightly with your fingers
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 carrot, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced (I run mine over my microplane, but a garlic press would work, too)
1/4 cup long grain rice (uncooked)
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb chorizo (I like Cattaneo Bros.)
In a large soup pot, saute onion/garlic/celery over medium-high heat in the oil for a few minutes until soft. Add the tomatoes, the spices and the broth. Bring to a boil and add the carrots and potatoes. Simmer 5-10 minutes.
While simmering, make the meatballs:
Combine egg/spices/herbs/carrot/garlic/rice in a medium bowl. Add meat and combine well -- hands work best to really make sure the 2 meats get mixed together. Shape into meatballs using a 2 tsp size cookie scoop (very small - you can approximate by using 1 Tablespoon measure -- the meatballs increase in size when cooked as the rice expands).
Gently add meatballs to the simmering soup and cook for 15 minutes. Add zucchini and continue simmering for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with lemon/limes and Mexican rice.
My husband absolutely loves this dish, and as I'm considering making it this week, I figured I'd share the recipe.
Enjoy.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 T. cooking oil
7 - 8 cups chicken stock (I always start with 7, but usually add more)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp oregano (whole, crushed between your fingers)
1 tsp cumin
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 small or 1 large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and cut across into 1/2" slices
salt/pepper to taste
Meatballs:
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed slightly with your fingers
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 carrot, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced (I run mine over my microplane, but a garlic press would work, too)
1/4 cup long grain rice (uncooked)
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb chorizo (I like Cattaneo Bros.)
In a large soup pot, saute onion/garlic/celery over medium-high heat in the oil for a few minutes until soft. Add the tomatoes, the spices and the broth. Bring to a boil and add the carrots and potatoes. Simmer 5-10 minutes.
While simmering, make the meatballs:
Combine egg/spices/herbs/carrot/garlic/rice in a medium bowl. Add meat and combine well -- hands work best to really make sure the 2 meats get mixed together. Shape into meatballs using a 2 tsp size cookie scoop (very small - you can approximate by using 1 Tablespoon measure -- the meatballs increase in size when cooked as the rice expands).
Gently add meatballs to the simmering soup and cook for 15 minutes. Add zucchini and continue simmering for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with lemon/limes and Mexican rice.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Chili Soup
Many years ago, I dated someone whose mother made this soup and I immediately needed the recipe. It was just so comforting and so good. I've made it about once or twice a year since (no idea why I don't make it more often -- just one of those things, I guess). His mom was someone who made really delicious "Better Homes and Gardens" type meals. You know the ones: easy, comforting, recognizable. No fancy ingredients. No complicated techniques. Just simple American food cooked well. I loved her cooking.
Anyway ... the chili soup (which, I believe, she called "Chili") is ridiculously easy, inexpensive, makes a TON and is sooooo comforting and tasty. Especially on a rainy night like tonight.
Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
chile powder (about a heaping Tablespoon)
cumin (a few teaspoons)
red pepper flakes (to taste)
garlic powder (I'd say ... a teaspoon)
oregano (just a pinch)
chopped garlic (to taste)
2 cans beef broth
3 cans stewed tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans (drained)
1 onion, cut in half from pole-to-pole, and then sliced from pole to pole, making long, curvy "strips"
1 bag frozen corn
salt/pepper/garlic salt
Brown ground beef with spices and garlic in a 6 quart soup pot. I estimate the spices because I never got the amounts, so I just put enough in so it tastes "right". You'll know when you taste it if it needs more this or that.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer a few minutes until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes if you desire. Serve with cornbread, or Fritos and maybe even some shredded cheese.
It's so simple and just so comforting and good. The crispy corn, the soft beans, it's just brothy enough, but not too brothy. My kids devoured it tonight -- the 20 month old had 2 bowls.
I consider that a major success.
Enjoy.
Anyway ... the chili soup (which, I believe, she called "Chili") is ridiculously easy, inexpensive, makes a TON and is sooooo comforting and tasty. Especially on a rainy night like tonight.
Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
chile powder (about a heaping Tablespoon)
cumin (a few teaspoons)
red pepper flakes (to taste)
garlic powder (I'd say ... a teaspoon)
oregano (just a pinch)
chopped garlic (to taste)
2 cans beef broth
3 cans stewed tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans (drained)
1 onion, cut in half from pole-to-pole, and then sliced from pole to pole, making long, curvy "strips"
1 bag frozen corn
salt/pepper/garlic salt
Brown ground beef with spices and garlic in a 6 quart soup pot. I estimate the spices because I never got the amounts, so I just put enough in so it tastes "right". You'll know when you taste it if it needs more this or that.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer a few minutes until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes if you desire. Serve with cornbread, or Fritos and maybe even some shredded cheese.
It's so simple and just so comforting and good. The crispy corn, the soft beans, it's just brothy enough, but not too brothy. My kids devoured it tonight -- the 20 month old had 2 bowls.
I consider that a major success.
Enjoy.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Tamale Pie, the best version ever
Okay so I had a hankering for Tamale pie, and looking back on when I typed this out and emailed it to my friend, I made this pretty much the same night I conceived this baby.
Insert any number of innuendo or jokes here.
In any event, it's really really delicious. In fact, when I did a search of my email to find this recipe, I discovered I was emailing friends about this recipe several days after the fact, telling them how incredibly good it was.
I am really looking forward to making it again this week.
Please enjoy.
Ingredients
1 white onion, chopped
4 - 5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lbs ground beef
2 T. California chile powder
1 T. Cumin
1 tsp. Oregano
1/2 - 1 tsp Lawry's garlic salt (to taste - I love, so I put more)
black pepper/salt (to taste)
8 oz can tomato sauce
8 oz can El Pato tomato sauce (this is somewhat spicy - just use "plain" tomato sauce if you want less spice)
1 can Mexicorn
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 handful cilantro, chopped roughly
1/2 c. beer (can sub chicken broth/beef broth/etc)
Topping
1 c. cornmeal (I buy yellow bc it's less expensive than white - I'm cheap)
1 can fire-roasted diced chiles (*NOT* jalapenos!)
1/2 c. shredded Pepperjack (or use cheddar to make more mild)
1 can creamed corn (the 15 oz size, or 14.5 or whatever it is)
1 - 2 c. buttermilk (enough to make the topping "pourable" -- I didn't measure)
salt/pepper
Other needs: Fritos, 1 c. shredded cheddar, olives, sour cream
Heat oven to 400.
Saute onion/garlic/meat/spices until meat is browned. Add the tomato sauces, corn, tomatoes, cilantro and beer and let simmer about 15 minutes.
Put Fritos on bottom of a large baking dish (larger than 9 x 13 - like a lasagna/roasting pan - or you can use 2 dishes, a 9x13 and an 8x8).
In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients.
Put the cooked meat on top of the Fritos in the baking dish, then cover with the topping, smoothing over the top of the meat. (I added some whole olives on top so each "portion" would get one, but feel free to omit/serve on the side)
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with 1 c. shredded cheddar (or more, if you like) and return to oven for additional 10 minutes.
Serve/devour with cottage cheese and/or sour cream.
Insert any number of innuendo or jokes here.
In any event, it's really really delicious. In fact, when I did a search of my email to find this recipe, I discovered I was emailing friends about this recipe several days after the fact, telling them how incredibly good it was.
I am really looking forward to making it again this week.
 |
| You'll also need 2 lbs of meat, plus the stuff for the cornmeal topping ... and the Fritos ... but this is *mostly* what you need. |
 |
| Meat, onions, garlic, seasonings all get thrown into the pan |
 |
| Cook until the meat is browned (and smelling deelicious) |
 |
| Add the corn/tomatoes/tomato sauce/beer |
 | |||||
| Simmer for about 15 minutes until it looks really really good, sorta like this. Yes, it'll be soupy - that's fine. |
 |
| Cover the bottom of your baking dish with Fritos. |
 |
| Add the warm meat mixture |
 |
| Corn meal - the yellow. |
  |
| The mixture above is what it looks like BEFORE buttermilk is added. I added 1.5 cups. Stir it all up and then sorta plop it over the top of the meat ... and then ... |
 |
| Smooth it out with the spoon -- it'll smooth over really easily! Put into oven for 25 minutes, then remove and top with more cheese (YAY!) |
 |
| After it's all done .. it'll look like this (and smell even better) |
 |
| OH yeah, baby. |
 |
| Here lies the deliciousness that are the baked up Frito bottom layer. |
Please enjoy.
Ingredients
1 white onion, chopped
4 - 5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lbs ground beef
2 T. California chile powder
1 T. Cumin
1 tsp. Oregano
1/2 - 1 tsp Lawry's garlic salt (to taste - I love, so I put more)
black pepper/salt (to taste)
8 oz can tomato sauce
8 oz can El Pato tomato sauce (this is somewhat spicy - just use "plain" tomato sauce if you want less spice)
1 can Mexicorn
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 handful cilantro, chopped roughly
1/2 c. beer (can sub chicken broth/beef broth/etc)
Topping
1 c. cornmeal (I buy yellow bc it's less expensive than white - I'm cheap)
1 can fire-roasted diced chiles (*NOT* jalapenos!)
1/2 c. shredded Pepperjack (or use cheddar to make more mild)
1 can creamed corn (the 15 oz size, or 14.5 or whatever it is)
1 - 2 c. buttermilk (enough to make the topping "pourable" -- I didn't measure)
salt/pepper
Other needs: Fritos, 1 c. shredded cheddar, olives, sour cream
Heat oven to 400.
Saute onion/garlic/meat/spices until meat is browned. Add the tomato sauces, corn, tomatoes, cilantro and beer and let simmer about 15 minutes.
Put Fritos on bottom of a large baking dish (larger than 9 x 13 - like a lasagna/roasting pan - or you can use 2 dishes, a 9x13 and an 8x8).
In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients.
Put the cooked meat on top of the Fritos in the baking dish, then cover with the topping, smoothing over the top of the meat. (I added some whole olives on top so each "portion" would get one, but feel free to omit/serve on the side)
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with 1 c. shredded cheddar (or more, if you like) and return to oven for additional 10 minutes.
Serve/devour with cottage cheese and/or sour cream.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Pumpkin Tortellini soup with Meatballs and Kale
I had a hankering for this combination earlier today, with freezing cold nights (and mornings) finally starting up again, I just wanted all things fall: pumpkin, soup, bread with butter to dip into said soup.
I was imagining a really brothy soup with small meatballs and some nutmeggy pumpkin tortellini.
I googled.
I didn't see anything resembling what I wanted, so I cobbled something together that I feared wasn't going to taste very good, but ended up tasting really really good. My husband even drank his broth. He never drinks his broth.
Tortellini
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
4 oz honey goat cheese (Trader Joe's - if you can't find, just use regular goat cheese and add more honey)
1 T. honey (maple syrup would also be extra delicious here)
1 T. brown sugar
allspice (pinch)
nutmeg (pinch or so)
white pepper (pinch)
salt (hearty pinch)
1 leaf sage, minced fine
20 wonton wrappers
Mix all the ingredients, except wonton wrappers, then assemble into tortellini (directions are on the package - it's quite simple). Put in fridge on a small plate while you assemble meatballs.
Note: this will use up 1/2 of the pumpkin mixture. If you're ambitious, you can make more and freeze them for next time, but I have 2 young children, so I put my leftovers into the fridge to be dealt with later.
Meatballs (based on Cook's Illustrated's recipe for Swedish Meatballs)
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/2 - 1" pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1/2 white onion, grated on small holes of box grater
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
Put bread into medium bowl and cover with cream, mashing with a fork to make sure the cream is absorbed. It may be a little soupy. Add egg, white onion, spices and baking powder, and mix with fork to combine. Add the meat -- squeezing the pork with your hands to "mash" it a little before going into the bowl (Cook's Illustrated has you mix it with the mixer to make the pork like a 'paste', and - although I have made them that way before and they are delicious - I wasn't gonna dirty another coupla dishes tonight, and squeezing turned out just fine). Use a very small scoop (2 tsp.) to scoop into about 25 little meatballs, setting aside on a plate.
Note: I made the meat mixture while the aromatics were sauteeing in the pan (next step, below), and then left it alone to add the Bourbon/Broth/etc, and then scooped the meatballs while waiting for the broth to come to a boil.
Soup and assembly
1/4 white onion, chopped
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 sage leaves, cut into chiffonade
1/4 c. EVOO
4 T. butter
Bourbon (about 1/3 cup and I used Makers Mark)
12 cups chicken stock (2 of the 48 oz Swansons boxes)
salt/pepper
2 - 3 cups chopped kale (I bought a bag at Trader Joe's to make my life easy, and used several good handfuls)
In a 6 quart pot, saute onion/shallots/garlic/sage in evoo and butter over med-low heat until soft and getting caramelly ... deglaze with the bourbon, let reduce about 2 minutes so the alcohol evaporates a little. Add the broth/salt/pepper, bring to a simmer, add the kale. Let the kale simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then carefully add meatballs (they will be soft, but I assure you they will hold their shape), always keeping the broth at a bare simmer. After 8 minutes, add the tortellini and continue simmering for another 2 minutes. Serve immediately with hot sauce and parmesan :D
A FEW NOTES:
A few of the tortellini may fall apart in the soup, but it still tastes good. You can always just use egg noodles and diced pumpkin (sugar pumpkin is good) or butternut squash if you don't want to be fussy about the tortellini. Also? I think a can of rinsed small white beans would be a delicious addition to this soup, as would some toasted sourdough croutons.
Please enjoy, and let me know what you think.
I was imagining a really brothy soup with small meatballs and some nutmeggy pumpkin tortellini.
I googled.
I didn't see anything resembling what I wanted, so I cobbled something together that I feared wasn't going to taste very good, but ended up tasting really really good. My husband even drank his broth. He never drinks his broth.
Tortellini
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
4 oz honey goat cheese (Trader Joe's - if you can't find, just use regular goat cheese and add more honey)
1 T. honey (maple syrup would also be extra delicious here)
1 T. brown sugar
allspice (pinch)
nutmeg (pinch or so)
white pepper (pinch)
salt (hearty pinch)
1 leaf sage, minced fine
20 wonton wrappers
Mix all the ingredients, except wonton wrappers, then assemble into tortellini (directions are on the package - it's quite simple). Put in fridge on a small plate while you assemble meatballs.
Note: this will use up 1/2 of the pumpkin mixture. If you're ambitious, you can make more and freeze them for next time, but I have 2 young children, so I put my leftovers into the fridge to be dealt with later.
Meatballs (based on Cook's Illustrated's recipe for Swedish Meatballs)
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/2 - 1" pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1/2 white onion, grated on small holes of box grater
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
Put bread into medium bowl and cover with cream, mashing with a fork to make sure the cream is absorbed. It may be a little soupy. Add egg, white onion, spices and baking powder, and mix with fork to combine. Add the meat -- squeezing the pork with your hands to "mash" it a little before going into the bowl (Cook's Illustrated has you mix it with the mixer to make the pork like a 'paste', and - although I have made them that way before and they are delicious - I wasn't gonna dirty another coupla dishes tonight, and squeezing turned out just fine). Use a very small scoop (2 tsp.) to scoop into about 25 little meatballs, setting aside on a plate.
Note: I made the meat mixture while the aromatics were sauteeing in the pan (next step, below), and then left it alone to add the Bourbon/Broth/etc, and then scooped the meatballs while waiting for the broth to come to a boil.
Soup and assembly
1/4 white onion, chopped
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 sage leaves, cut into chiffonade
1/4 c. EVOO
4 T. butter
Bourbon (about 1/3 cup and I used Makers Mark)
12 cups chicken stock (2 of the 48 oz Swansons boxes)
salt/pepper
2 - 3 cups chopped kale (I bought a bag at Trader Joe's to make my life easy, and used several good handfuls)
In a 6 quart pot, saute onion/shallots/garlic/sage in evoo and butter over med-low heat until soft and getting caramelly ... deglaze with the bourbon, let reduce about 2 minutes so the alcohol evaporates a little. Add the broth/salt/pepper, bring to a simmer, add the kale. Let the kale simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then carefully add meatballs (they will be soft, but I assure you they will hold their shape), always keeping the broth at a bare simmer. After 8 minutes, add the tortellini and continue simmering for another 2 minutes. Serve immediately with hot sauce and parmesan :D
A FEW NOTES:
A few of the tortellini may fall apart in the soup, but it still tastes good. You can always just use egg noodles and diced pumpkin (sugar pumpkin is good) or butternut squash if you don't want to be fussy about the tortellini. Also? I think a can of rinsed small white beans would be a delicious addition to this soup, as would some toasted sourdough croutons.
Please enjoy, and let me know what you think.
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