a little of each

A family's cookbook

Pasta with Fresh Spinach and Feta December 20, 2012

Filed under: Main Dishes,Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:45 pm
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Ingredients

  • 1 box of penne pasta
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped small
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 4-6 oz fresh spinach
  • 4 oz feta cheese

Instructions

Cook pasta.

Drain the pasta and use the same pot to heat oil and cook garlic until the garlic is softened.

Add a can of diced tomatoes, basil and lemon zest and cook a few minutes longer, stirring often.

Add the pasta back in. Stir in some fresh spinach (I used almost a full bag, but I really like spinach). Stir until warmed through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on plates with feta cheese sprinkled on top.

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Sweet Beet Salad

Filed under: Sides,Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:44 pm
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Ingredients

  • 1 fresh beet, peeled and shredded
  • 2 med carrots, peeled and shredded
  • 1/4 cup crushed pineapple
  • a few Tbl of walnut pieces
  • 1/2 Tbl of fresh ginger, minced
  • white wine vinegar
  • salt
  • sugar
  • olive oil
  • lemon juice
  • All to taste.

Instructions

Combine ingredients, tweaking amounts to your liking. Serve chilled or room temperature.

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Summer Squash Pizza

Filed under: Main Dishes — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:43 pm
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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
  • 1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 (12-inch) packaged pizza crust
  • 2 plum tomatoes, cut into (1/8-inch-thick) slices
  • 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano

Instructions

Prepare grill.

Combine oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, zucchini slices, and yellow squash slices in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat. Place squash mixture on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until tender.

Reduce grill temperature to medium.

Lightly coat pizza crust with cooking spray; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Arrange zucchini and squash over crust. Arrange tomatoes over squash; sprinkle with pecorino Romano cheese. Grill 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from grill; sprinkle with basil and oregano.

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Butternut Squash Ziti

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:40 pm
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Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 1 pound ziti
  • 1 cup half & half (or cream)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh grated is best)
  • 8 ounces Gruyere cheese
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Place halved squashes cut-side down on a cookie sheet. Poke repeatedly with a fork.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until the squash are super-tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the squash.

When the squash are cool enough to handle, scoop all the meat out with a spoon and add it to your food processor bowl, or just a big bowl for mashing.

Combine the half and half (or cream), cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and about half of the cheese with the butternut squash. Puree it until smooth and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

If it’s not really creamy, add a bit more Half & Half or cream. Also, give it a taste at this point. It should be really smooth and flavorful with just a tiny amount of spice.

Cook the ziti and then mix the butternut squash mixture and the ziti noodles together. Butter a 9×13 baking dish well. Add all the ziti and smooth it out, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is really melted and the ziti is slightly browned around the edges. Let it cool for a few minutes before eating/serving.

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Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:39 pm
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Ingredients (8-10 appetizer servings)

  • 3/4 pound (16 to 20 per lb.) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 package (3 3/4 oz.) cellophane noodles
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot chile flakes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 3 small limes)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 4 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
  • 2 heads Boston or butter lettuce, cores trimmed and leaves separated, rinsed, and drained
  • 1 large carrot, peeled, ends trimmed, and grated lengthwise into ribbons
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup peanuts, finely chopped

Instructions

Put shrimp, salt, and pepper in a pot and add cold water to just cover shrimp. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until shrimp are bright pink and tails are curled, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a colander and let cool.

Put cellophane noodles in a medium pot and cover with hot water. Cover pot and set aside until noodles are softened, at least 15 minutes. Drain noodles and (using kitchen scissors) cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Return noodles to pot, drizzle with rice vinegar, and toss. Cover and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix chile flakes and lime juice and let sit several minutes. Add garlic, sugar, and fish sauce; whisk until sugar is dissolved. Transfer sauce to a serving dish.

To assemble wraps, arrange some noodles in the middle of each lettuce leaf and top with 1 shrimp. Garnish with carrot, basil, cilantro, mint, and peanuts. Tuck up the bottom of each leaf and fold sides inward to eat. Drizzle with or dip into sauce.

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Steak and Blue Cheese Pizza

Filed under: Main Dishes — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:38 pm
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Ingredients (serves 6)

  • Cooking spray
  • 2 cups vertically sliced onion
  • 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 (8-ounce) boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 3 (7-inch) refrigerated individual pizza crusts
  • 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
  • 1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cover and cook 3 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt; remove onion mixture from pan.

Sprinkle steak with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add steak to pan; cook over medium-high heat 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes; cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Place crusts on a baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 3 minutes. Remove crusts from oven.

Combine mayonnaise and horseradish; spread each crust with about 2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture. Arrange onion mixture evenly over crusts; bake at 450° for 2 minutes. Divide steak and cheese evenly among pizzas; bake an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut each pizza in half.

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Almost-Famous Swedish Meatballs

Filed under: Main Dishes — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:18 pm
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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients (45 meatballs)

    For the meatballs

    • 1 cup breadcrumbs
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1/3 cup minced white onion
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 3/4 pound lean ground beef
    • 1/2 pound lean ground pork
    • 1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
    • Vegetable oil, for brushing

    For the gravy

    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1/4 cup heavy cream
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
    • Lingonberry jam, for serving (optional)

    Instructions

    Make the meatballs: Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Pour the milk mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir to make a thick paste; let cool. Add the beef, pork, egg and egg white to the bowl and mix until combined.

    Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

    Make the gravy: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with the parsley and serve with lingonberry jam, if desired.

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    Cranberry Jell-O with Creamy Topping

    Filed under: Desserts — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:15 pm
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    Ingredients

    • 2 3-oz boxes of lemon Jell-O
    • 1 cup ginger ale
    • 1 large can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved
    • 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
    • 1 cup chopped apples or celery
    • 1/2 cup chopped nuts/pecans (More if you want to put them in the Jell-O)
    • 1 8-oz tub of Cool Whip
    • 1 8-oz block of cream cheese

    Instructions

    Dissolve both boxes of Jell-O in 2 cups boiling water. Add 1 cup ginger ale. Mix pineapple juice with the water to make 1 cup and add to Jell-O, put pineapple aside for later use.

    Add cranberry sauce and dissolve completely. Refrigerate until Jell-O begins to thicken (about 45 minutes – 1 hour). Add chopped apples or celery, nuts if desired, and pineapple. Mix. Allow to chill overnight in refrigerator.

    Mix room temperature cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Add Cool Whip to cream cheese and mix thoroughly. Spread over Jell-O mixture and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

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    Tomato Pie

    Filed under: Sides — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:14 pm
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    Prep Time: 10 minutes

    Cook Time: 35 minutes

    Ingredients (6 servings)

    • 1 9-inch pie shell (see pie crust recipe for homemade version)
    • 1/2 yellow or red onion, chopped
    • 3-4 tomatoes, cut in half horizontally, squeezed to remove excess juice, roughly chopped, to yield approximately 3 cups chopped tomatoes
    • 1/4 cup sliced basil (about 8 leaves)
    • 2 cups grated cheese (combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack, or Gruyere or Mozarella)
    • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 teaspoon (or more to taste) of Frank’s Hot Sauce (or Tabasco)
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pie shell in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes or longer until lightly golden. If you are starting with a frozen crust, you’ll need to cook it a little longer. If you are using a homemade crust, freeze the crust first, then line the crust with aluminum foil and bake it for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.

    Squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the chopped tomatoes, using either paper towels, a clean dish towel, or a potato ricer.

    Sprinkle the bottom of the pre-cooked pie shell with chopped onion. Spread the chopped tomatoes over the onions. Sprinkle the sliced basil over the tomatoes.

    In a medium bowl, mix together the grated cheese, mayonnaise, Tabasco, a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper. The mixture should be the consistency of a gooey snow ball. Spread the cheese mixture over the tomatoes.

    Place in oven and bake until browned and bubbly, anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes.

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    Lemon-Pistachio Layer Cake

    Filed under: Desserts — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:12 pm
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    Ingredients (12-16 servings)

      Pistachio layer

      • 1 ½ cups flour
      • 2 cups raw, shelled pistachio nuts
      • 1 cup powdered sugar
      • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into small pieces
      • ½ teaspoon salt

      Lemon buttermilk cake

      • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
      • 1 cup granulated sugar
      • 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (from 2 large lemons)
      • 1 ½ cups cake flour
      • ½ teaspoon baking powder
      • ½ teaspoon baking soda
      • ½ teaspoon salt
      • 2 large eggs
      • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
      • ½ cup buttermilk

      Lemon glaze

      • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
      • 1/3 to ½ cup lemon juice
      • 2 tablespoons or so chopped pistachios for garnish

      Instructions

      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch springform pan with baking spray.

      For the pistachio layer

      In a food processor, combine flour, pistachios, powdered sugar and salt. Pulse until well combined. Add butter and pulse until a green, uniform dough forms.

      Pour dough into springform pan. Press into a firm crust on bottom of pan. Set aside.

      For the cake layer

      In bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat together until light and fluffy.

      In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

      With mixer running on low, add eggs one at a time, combining thoroughly after each addition. Add lemon juice (it will look curdled, but it’s not!).

      Add half the dry ingredients, then half the buttermilk and combine well. Finish with the other half of the dry ingredients and the other half of the buttermilk, and mix the batter until all of the ingredients are completely combined and the batter is light and fluffy.

      Pour cake batter on top of pistachio layer.

      Bake cake on middle shelf of preheated oven 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cake cool before removing from pan.

      Meanwhile, prepare lemon glaze: Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until the desired consistency: opaque and thick enough to coat, but still runny enough to drip down the sides.

      When cake is completely cooled, pour glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of chopped pistachio nuts. Slice and enjoy!

      Note: This keeps well for at least three days in the refrigerator.

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