Tuna noodle cassserole – Blake

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1½ small onions; divided use
2 large carrots; chopped fine
3 sticks celery; strings removed, chopped fine
2 12-oz-cans tuna
1 qt milk 12 oz mushrooms;
sliced 8-9 oz egg noodles; or your choice of pasta
½ cup panko or crushed potato chips
salt,
pepper,
flour,
butter

Slice the mushrooms and mince half of the onion. Start the onion in some butter and get it almost to the point of carmelization then dump in the mushrooms. Sauté over medium-high heat until substantially reduced in volume. (I did this a day or so before doing the final recipe so haven’t tried to incorporate it into the timeline.) Dice the whole onion and prepare the carrots and celery. Warm the milk or let it come to room temperature. Steam the carrots and celery and, meanwhile, sauté the onion in lots of butter or olive oil. When the onion is translucent, add about 1/3 cup of flour and stir it for a while. Add the milk and bring to a boil then cut it back to med low heat. Add the mushroom mixture and stir. Taste for salt and pepper. If it doesn’t thicken enough, mix some olive oil and flour and add enough to get it thickened properly. Add the carrots and celery. Have the noodles about halfway cooked and add them and the tuna and mix thoroughly. Pour into a 9×13 pan and cover with the panko or chips. Put into a 375ºF (190ºC) oven for about twenty minutes.

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes — Ina

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  • 1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
  • Kosher salt
  • Olive oil
  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
  • 3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

  • 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, diced
  • 1 teaspoon capers, drained
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas — Ina

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  • 3/4 pound fusilli pasta
  • 3/4 pound bow tie pasta
  • 1/4 cup good olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups pesto (packaged or see recipe below)
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
  • 1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Pesto:

  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
  • 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups good olive oil
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignoli, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Yield: 4 cups

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi — Ina

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  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
  • 3/4 pound linguine
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 lemon, zest grated
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
  • 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Coquilles Saint Jacques–Laura Calder, French Food at Home

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photo from article

Scallops
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound/450 g scallops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Duxelles
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces/250 g mushrooms
2 shallots, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup125 ml white wine
1/2 cup/125 ml fish stock
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
Lemon juice, to taste

Topping
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Prepare the scallops: Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear 1 minute per side, to brown. Do not cook completely. Set aside.

To make the duxelles: Melt the butter in a large saute pan until foaming. Add the shallot and saute until soft. Add the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and the pan is dry, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and stir through the parsley.

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in the saute pan until foaming. Add the shallot and cook until soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Whisk in the wine and boil down by half. Add the stock and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche. Check the seasonings, adding salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if needed.

To assemble the dish: Heat the oven to broil with the oven rack at the top. Lay 6 large scallop shells or individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Divide the mushroom mixture among the shells. Arrange six scallops on each, then spoon over the sauce. For the topping, scatter over the parsley and breadcrumbs, drizzle over the melted butter, and broil until golden and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Baked Rice recipe–Good Eats

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1 1/2 cup brown rice — medium or short grain
2 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoons kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil in a kettle or covered
saucepan. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine,
and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the
middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve
immediately.

Recipe Notes from Terry
It’s also super easy to do a lot of rice and then freeze it. I like to have four or five serving frozen into a couple of packets in the freezer. Then I just microwave the packet to get it thawed and hot for a dinner. Only takes a few minutes in the microwave.
terry

Chocolate Shortbread Tart Crust

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chocolate pumpkin tart featuring chocolate shortbread crust

1 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cold

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine.

Cut butter into several pieces and add to flour mixture. Pulse until mixture is sandy and butter is well-incorporated.

Pour crumb mixture into a 9 or 10-inch tart pan (or 4 individual tart pans). Press firmly up the sides and into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Crust can be filled without pre-baking.

For a baked crust, bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, until firm. Allow to cool before using.

Makes 1 9 or 10-inch tart.

From Baking Bites blog

ONION TART BY: JOSH AND BRENT

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Even when I was a little boy I was a champion of diversity.   I didn’t care if the onion was white, yellow or red.  I liked them all.

My favorite meal at grandma’s house was the onion sandwich… thin slices of onion, two slices of bread, and a generous layer of Duke’s mayonnaise.

Fortunately for all of you, my tastes are a little more sophisticated now, but sophisticated and simple are not mutually exclusive when it comes to good recipes.

Have you ever thought about combining savory caramelized onions, tangy bleu cheese and sweet, juicy slices of apple?   I hadn’t either until Sandy Gluck made the suggestion.

The result was a delicious and decadent onion tart that will impress every single person at your table.

6 tablespoons  olive oil

21/2 pounds yellow  onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 large sweet apple, peeled and cut into thin wedges

Coarse salt

All-purpose flour

3/4 pound storebought or homemade pizza dough

8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1/3  cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of  the oil over low heat. Add the onions, cover the skillet and cook,  stirring occasionally until the onions are tender, about 25 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring frequently until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Stir in the apple, season with salt and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes longer.

Preheat the oven to 500. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to a 14 inch round. Transfer the dough to a large baking sheet and brush the top with the remaining  2 tablespoons oil. Scatter the caramelized onion-apple mixture over the top, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Scatter the cheese and nuts on top. Bake on the lowest rack in the oven until the crust is crisp and the cheese has melted, 12 to  15 minutes.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

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not a great photo but wonderful soup!!

Adapted from Mollie Katzen’s New Moosewood Cookbook

1 medium-large potato , peeled and diced (about 2 to 3 cups diced)
1 large cauliflower, cut or broken into florets
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
3 medium cloves of garlic, peeled
1 1/2 cups chopped onion–used less
1 1/2 tsp. salt–used less
4 cups water
2 cups grated cheese (plus extra for garnishing each serving)–used less
3/4 cup milk (lowfat OK)
1 tsp. dill (or thyme)
black pepper, to taste

1. Place olive oil in dutch oven add onions and carrots sauté for a few minutes, add garlic and cook for a min or two.  Add potatoes and cauliflower, salt, pepper and dill cook for about 5 minutes.

2.  Add water to the veggies,  bring to a boil, then simmer until all the vegetables are very tender. Puree in a blender or food processor or immersion blender .

3.  Add grated cheese and milk then heat gently,  served topped with a little extra cheese.

Spiced Lentils and Poached Eggs from Cooking Light

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photo from magazine

Notes from dmv: despite following the directions my cooked lentils were mushy so I decided to serve them over rice and omit the eggs.  Also served with jarred cilantro chutney rather than fresh.  This simple dish was delicious.  Recipe is from one of favorite blogs: http://www.thebittenword.com/

1 cup dried small red lentils
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion–used less
1 cup chopped tomato
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon white vinegar
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain; discard bay leaf.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and tomato; sauté 8 minutes or until onion is tender. Add curry, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add lentils; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Add water to a large skillet, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer. Add vinegar to pan. Break eggs into custard cups. Gently pour eggs into pan; cook 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Carefully remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon. Place about 3/4 cup lentil mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 poached egg. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro.