Creamed Hearts of Palm & Jalapeno Soup

My husband and I went out to dinner one night and had a hearts of palm and white corn chowder. It was delicious and we still talk about it. Ever since then, I love to experiment with hearts of palm puree and different creamed soup variations.

 

4 servings

3 Tbsp butter

½ yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 16-oz can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
2 large fresh jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz of lump crab meat
Salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly minced parsley leaves to garnish

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add hearts of palm and jalapenos; stir to combine. Add wine and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by 1/2, about 3 minutes. Add broth, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Using a blender, puree the soup. Return to medium heat and add the cream. Stir in the crabmeat and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve in a shallow bowl and garnish with parsley. Enjoy with garlic bread or cheese toast serve.

Variations:

·         Add a can of corn
·         Substitute the crab for ½ lb bay shrimp
 

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

 I think some people are turned off by cabbage but my mom always made it growing up so it was normal in our household. My husband said he was pleasantly surprised by this dish and didn’t even douse it in Frank’s hot sauce (total compliment!). I even hid mushrooms in the filling and he didn’t notice. Score!

If you like this version, you can also try this version stuffed with beef and topped with mushroom gravy - Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in Mushroom Gravy.

 

1 head of green cabbage, leave leaves removed

Filling:
1 lb ground chicken
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 baby Bella mushroom, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
A few dashes of red pepper flakes

water

Gravy:
1 packet of gravy
Juices from cabbage rolls, after cooked

¾ cup of water

In a large pot of boiling water, add the cabbage leaves and cook for about 3-4 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling. Lay each cabbage leaf flat and place a little loaf of chicken mixture in the middle; tuck in ends and roll. Place in a casserole dish, seam side down. Add 1/2” of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes or until meat is cooked all the way through.

 

Once rolls are cooked, pour juices into a small sauce pan over high heat, add 3/4 cup of water; whisk in gravy mix. Once gravy boils, remove from heat and set aside.

Serve cabbage rolls on rice. Spoon gravy over dish.

Shrimp & Vegetable Stir Fry

This is an easy dish to get your daily servings of veggies, if you don't mind all the prep work of slicing and dicing.

 

 

1 Tbsp sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil

1 large carrot, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced

½ small yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ red bell pepper, sliced

2 green onion sprigs, chopped

1-2 baby bok choy, roughly chopped

¼ cup Ponzu sauce

A dash of red pepper flakes

½ lb raw shrimp, peeled and tails removed

½ cup slivered almonds, for garnish

 

1 package of Chow Mein noodles (I prefer the fresh, refrigerated ones vs dry) 

 

In a large wok, or frying pan, heat oil over med high heat. Add carrots and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add remaining veggies with Ponzu sauce and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until veggies are tender. Add shrimp at the end and cook until they turn pink. Remove from heat. 

 

In a pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to directions. Drain. Toss noodles with vegetable and shrimp stir fry. 

 

Serve in a shallow bowl and top with almonds and extra fresh green onions. Drizzle with extra Ponzu sauce, if desired.

 

Variations:

·         Substitute or add sliced yellow squash or mushrooms

·         Add sliced water chestnuts, bamboo shoots or hearts of palm

·        Substitute almonds for cashews

·        Substitute  bok choy for regular or nappa cabbage

·         Add freshly grated ginger

·        Serve over white or brown rice instead of noodles

Chicken Top Ramen Salad

I’ve been on a cabbage kick, preparing it in different ways - cooked and raw. Here’s a little spin on the traditional top ramen salad where I’ve fancied it up a bit by adding some additional veggies and colors. This is even good the next day, so I like to bring it to work for lunch. The dressing marinates into the cabbage similar to a coleslaw.

 

Chicken:
2 chicken breasts
Italian dressing

Salad:

1 head napa cabbage, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup slivered almonds
1 package of chicken flavored ramen noodles, crumbled

Dressing:

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 package of chicken ramen seasoning

Marinate chicken in Italian dressing, overnight preferred or for at least 30 minutes. Grill chicken over medium high heat, for about 4-6 minutes per side depending on thickness. Grill until cooked all the way through and no longer pink in the middle. Let rest before slicing.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for salad; set aside.

In a small bowl, add ingredients for dressing and whisk together. Drizzle over salad and toss.

Serve salad with sliced chicken on top.

3 x 4 Spicy Turkey Chili

Three types of beans and four types of peppers.

We are having a chili cook off at work, so I tested out two recipes. This is a white chili using turkey. I think it might stand out more against the traditional red. It is healthy and spicy. My other batch was a Three-Bean Chorizo Chili.

Which one do you like better?

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 lb ground turkey
1 14.5 oz can of pinto beans
1 14.5 oz can of white beans
3/4 cup cooked lentils
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup minced cilantro
Salt, to taste
Juice from one lime

In a large pot over med-high heat, cook onion, garlic and peppers in EVOO for 4 minutes. Add turkey. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking apart meat and mixing together. Turn heat to med-low and mix in remaining ingredients (except salt and lime juice). Cover and cook for 1+ hours, stirring occasionally. Add salt to your liking. Do not boil, otherwise the beans will turn to mush. Mix in lime juice before serving.

Serve chili topped with grated cheddar cheese, diced raw onion and/or a dollop of sour cream.

Note: I cooked mine on the stove top over low heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to mingle. You can also use the crock pot or slow cooker.

Three-Bean Chorizo Chili

We are having a chili cook off at work, so I tested out two recipes. I wanted to do a spin on the traditional chili by adding the chorizo pork and lentils. This batch was spicy and full of flavor. My other batch was a Three-Pepper Turkey Chili.

Which one do you like better?

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
½ cup diced green bell pepper
10 oz chorizo pork, remove from casing
½ lb ground beef
1 14.5 oz can of red kidney beans
1 14.5 oz can of pinto beans
3/4 cup dried lentils
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
¾ cup chicken broth
Salt, to taste

In a large pot over med-high heat, cook onion and garlic in EVOO for 3-4 minutes. Add peppers; sauté for 3 minutes. Add chorizo pork and beef. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking apart meat and mixing together. Turn heat to med-low and mix in remaining ingredients (except salt). Cover and cook for 1+ hours, stirring occasionally. When lentils are tender, taste and add salt to your liking. Do not boil, otherwise the beans will turn to mush.

Serve chili topped with grated cheddar cheese, diced raw onion and/or a dollop of sour cream.

Note: I cooked mine over the stove top  on low for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to mingle. You can also use the crock pot or slow cooker.

If you have leftover chili, try these stuffed potatoes.

Spinach Shrimp Fettuccine

Over the Christmas holiday while my parents were in town, we made fresh raviolis. They turned the leftover dough into fresh fettuccine for us. We hung the pasta in the laundry room to dry and now are enjoying it a month later. Perfect!

 

 

¼ stick of butter

1 cup half and half

2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1 ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup chopped frozen spinach

Salt & pepper, to taste

1 tsp butter

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

½ raw shrimp, peeled

Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

 

In a pot over medium heat, add butter and melt. Add half and half and garlic; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low until ready to use. Do not boil.

 

In another pot, boil water and cook fettuccine according to directions.

 

In a sauté pan over med high heat, add butter and EVOO. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add shrimp. As soon as one side turns pink, turn. Add cherry tomatoes. Sauté together until both sides of shrimp are pink. Remove from heat immediately, to not overcook. 

 

Drain fettuccine. Add pasta to pot with spinach Alfredo sauce; toss to coat. 

 

Serve pasta in a shallow bowl and top with sautéed shrimp and tomatoes. Sprinkle with extra grated parmesan cheese.

Creamed Spinach and Artichoke Rice

 

1 cup of white long grained basmati rice (Royal Basmati Rice is my favorite brand)

2 cups chicken broth
½ stick of butter
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups chopped frozen spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup quartered artichoke hearts

In a rice cooker make rice using rice and chicken broth.

In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and cook onion for about 3 minutes. Add flour and mix to coat onions. Cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add cream while whisking, to prevent lumps; turn heat to low and simmer, whisking, for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach and salt and pepper, to taste.

Once rice is cooked, mix in creamed spinach and artichokes.

Enjoy with grilled salmon and steamed asparagus.

Mediterranean Chicken Sauté

This dish is easy to make and bursting with colors and delicious flavors. It's perfect for a weekday dinner since it's quick to prepare and cook.

 

 

4 thin chicken filets

Salt

Pepper

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1/2 large red bell pepper, diced

1/2 large yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 large green bell pepper, diced

1/4 onion, diced

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with basil

1 sprig fresh Rosemary (about 2 tsp)

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped

1/2 cup quartered artichoke hearts

A dash of red pepper flakes 

 

In a large sauté pan over medium high, heat EVOO. Season each side of chicken filets with salt and pepper. When oil starts to smoke and ripple, add chicken. Brown each side for 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

 

In the same pan, add peppers and onions; sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, return chicken to pan and press into vegetables, then cover and turn heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked all the way through. 

 

Serve over rice or egg noodles. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

 

Seafood Vegetable Chowder

For my wedding favors, I made all my guests little cookbooks with a consolidation of recipes from family and friends. One of them included my dad's New England Clam Chowder recipe, which is delicious. So I took the main parts of his recipe and added crab with tons of veggies to make it a Seafood Vegetable Chowder. It was awesome.

4-6 servings

4 slices of bacon

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1 Bay leaf
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
2 cups of half & half
1 small can of corn (about 8-10 oz)
10 oz of clams with juice (I used canned whole baby clams, but you can use minced clams too)
5 oz crab meat (you can usually find fresh crab in your meat department)
A dash of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot over medium high heat, cook bacon until crispy. When the bacon cools, roughly chop; set aside. Remove bacon from pot and onto a paper towel lined plate; set aside. In the bacon grease, add potatoes, carrots, onion and celery; sauté for 5 minutes to brown veggies. Add zucchini, jalapeno, garlic, rosemary and Bay leaf. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Mix in butter and flour and coat veggies. Add half and half, corn, clams and crab meat. Add a dash of red pepper flakes and cooked, chopped bacon. Cover, turn heat to low and cook until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with sliced sourdough bread, or in a sourdough bread bowl. Garnish with extra bacon crumbs.

 

Do you enjoy a little heat? Try a few dashes of Tabascosauce in your chowder. Yum!

 

Salmon Sliders

We had leftover grilled salmon, so for lunch the next day, we decided to make salmon sliders, or open-faced salmon sandwiches.

2 grilled salmon filets, about 6-8 oz

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup mayo

1 large slice of sourdough bread, diced (you can use regular breadcrumbs too)

1/3 small red onion, minced

½ small red bell pepper, diced

1 Tbsp freshly minced Italian flat leaf parsley

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

Goat Cheese Pesto Spread:

4 oz goat cheese

½ Tbsp mayo

1 tsp pesto sauce

Baguette, sliced into ½” pieces  

Garnishes:

Fresh lime juice

Sliced avocado

In a sauté pan, heat ½” of oil over medium high heat. Oil should be about half way up the salmon patty.

While oil heats, use your hands to gently flake apart the salmon into a large bowl. Gently mix in remaining ingredients. Do not over mix or the salmon will turn to mush.  If the mixture is too wet, add more bread. If the mixture is too dry, add more mayo. Using your hands, form 2” patties.

When oil is ready, gently place each patty into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until they are crispy and golden brown. Remove patties from oil and set on paper towel lined plate, to soak up extra grease.

In a small bowl, combine ingredients for spread.

Smear each slice of bread with goat cheese pesto spread and top with a salmon patty. Top each slider with a slice of avocado and squirt of fresh lime juice. Serve with an arugula salad tossed in a light vinaigrette dressing.

Helpful tips:

How do you know if your oil is ready for frying? Test by dropping a little bit of food into oil, if it sizzles, it’s ready!

Light-As-A-Cloud Lemon Mousse

My little Meyer lemon tree is full of fruit, which means it's time to get creative on what to do with all of those lemons! We found a great dessert recipe in my new cookbook, At Blanchard's Table. It was the perfect compliment to the Caribbean Coconut Chicken with Lime dish, which was also inspired by the cookbook.

 

Serves 4-6

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
toasted coconut shreds or extra lemon zest, as garnish (optional)

In the top of a double broiler over simmering water, combine the sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks, eggs, and lemon peel. Cook, whisking constantly, until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill.

 

When the lemon mixture is cold, whip the cream until soft to medium peaks form. Gently fold a quarter of the whipped cream into the lemon mixture to blend, and then fold in the remaining cream.Chill in a large serving bowl, or spoon into individual glasses or bowls.

 

Garnish with toasted coconut and/or fresh lemon zest.

Caribbean Coconut Chicken with Lime

We went to the British Virgin Islands in November and I came across a book in the airport called 'A Trip to the Beach' about a couple from the US that moved to the Caribbean to open a restaurant. I loved the book and the tales of their adventures as they chased their dreams of opening a small restaurant on the beach of Anguilla in the BVI. I loved the book so much that I also bought their cookbook, At Blanchard's Table.

On our last night with all the family together for the holidays we decided to make their Calypso Chicken with Lime. It was a huge hit with everyone! We changed it a little to add a kick of spice, but this certainly didn't distract from the tropical flavors and memories of the Caribbean that it brought us back to.

Caribbean Coconut Chicken with Lime

Serves 6

1 lb chicken tenders, or slice 4 chicken breasts into strips
3 Tbsp plus 1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
1 1⁄2 Tbsp fresh lime zest
3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp black pepper
1⁄3 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp shredded coconut, toasted

Preheat the broiler or prepare the grill.

In a large bowl, coat the chicken with 3 tablespoons lime juice, EVOO and jalapenos. Marinate for 30 minutes.

In a medium saute pan, whisk together 1⁄4 cup lime juice, coconut milk, cream, lime zest, ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook on medium heat until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan and set aside. Turn heat to low.

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, and broil or grill them until just about cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Add chicken to coconut sauce on stove top over low heat. Mix in cilantro. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until chicken cooks all the way through.

Serve over Cilantro Lime Rice (recipe below), spoon extra sauce over chicken and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

For dessert, we selected another recipe from the cookbook for a fresh Lemon Mousse.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 cups basmati rice
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 green onion sprig, chopped
Juice from 1/2 lime

In a rice cooker, combine rice, broth, salt and EVOO. Once rice is ready, mix in cilantro, green onions and lime juice. Mix well and set aside until ready to serve.

Variations - Think think this dish would also be wonderful with the following revisions:

• Sub the chicken for sauteed snapper.
• Sub the chicken for grilled swordfish.
• Kick up the heat by adding diced jalapenos into the rice when you add the cilantro and green onions.

Spicy Rice & Beans

I love this rice because it's so easy to make and delicious.

 

 

1 cup rice

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 packet of taco seasoning

1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 can black beans, drained

1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced

Juice from 1/2 lime

 

In a rice cooker, combine rice, broth, seasoning and EVOO. Cook until tender and done. Stir in beans, jalapenos and lime juice, until heated through.

 

If the jalapenos are too spicy then add to the rice when it's cooking.

Loaded Potato Pancakes

I was watching one of the episodes on the Food Network where the stars share their tips and favorite recipes. I got this technique from that lady with the spiky blonde hair that looks like Guy Fieri, and the overall inspiration from Paula Deen's Smashed Potato Pancakes.

 

3 medium Russet potatoes, steamed or boiled until tender
2 medium Russet potatoes, raw & freshly grated
1 egg, beaten
2 slices of sourdough bread, diced
1/2 cup diced ham
3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 green onion sprigs, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

flour for dusting

Vegetable oil for frying

In a large frying pan, heat about 1/2" of oil over medium high heat. The oil should come half way up the pancakes when placed in the pan.

While the oil is heating, press the steamed potatoes through a ricer and combine with the remaining ingredients in a large boil. If the mixture is too wet, add more diced bread. Using your hands, form patties from potato mixture. Sprinkle each side with flour and gently place into oil.

Fry each side for 3-4 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Place pancakes on a paper towel lined plate to soak up extra grease.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Note: To see if the oil is ready for frying, test it by putting a little bit of food into the pan. It's ready if it starts to bubble and cook. 

Stuffed Chicken over Creamy Mushroom and Leek Sauce

For our Christmas party last night, I made chicken breasts stuffed with sundried tomato pesto, ricotta cheese, and fresh spinach. I thought the red and green colors would complement our Christmas theme. I served the chicken sliced over a creamy mushroom and leek sauce. Delish. I served this with scalloped potatoes, but it would also be good over rice.

Serves 10

Chicken:

6-7 chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
3-4 oz sundried tomato pesto
6 oz Ricotta cheese
1 egg
Fresh baby spinach, stems removed (about 5-6 leaves per chicken breast)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg; set aside. Slice the thick part of each chicken breast and flip open. Pound each chicken breast to about ¼” thick. Season outside of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Flip breast over and spread the inside with pesto, then ricotta cheese and top with 5-6 spinach leaves. Starting with the thin side, roll up as tightly as possible and tuck in the ends to form a neat roll. Secure each breast with 2 toothpicks or tie closed with cooking string.

 

In a large frying pan with a few drizzles of EVOO, heat over high until oil starts to smoke and oil ripples. Brown all sides of chicken and transfer to a large casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 15-18 minutes, or until chicken is cooked all the way through and juices run clear. Let rest before slicing.

Sauce:

1 Tbsp butter
1 large leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
3 large baby Bella mushrooms, diced
½ cup white wine
½ Tbsp cornstarch
½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

In the same frying pan used to brown chicken, add butter, leeks and mushrooms; sauté for 3-4 minutes. Scrap up browned bits of chicken from pan. Add wine and cornstarch, bring to a boil and whisk together. Turn heat to low and let reduce for about 5 minutes. Whisk in mustard. Add cream and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, pour sauce into a shallow serving dish and top with sliced chicken.

Pecan and Walnut Pie

We had a little holiday potluck at the house last night and I made this for dessert. I love the combo of the crispy pecans and walnuts withthe gooey center. I would definitely go for the store bought pie crust as a time saver.

 

1 1/4 cups light corn syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1 9” piecrust (store-bought)

 

Heat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, brown and granulated sugars, eggs, butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the pecans and walnuts.

 

Place the pie crust on baking sheet. Fill with the nut mixture and bake until the center is set, approx. 50 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

Crock Pot Roast

This is the perfect cozy comfort food for a chilly day. Throw everything in the crock pot and come home to mouthwatering smells that will fill your whole house!

2-3 lbs chuck roast or bottom round, cut into 1” cubes

3 large carrots, sliced into 2” long pieces

3 celery ribs, sliced

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

½ Tbsp salt

½ Tbsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 can of diced or crushed tomatoes

2 cups beef broth (or water)

½ cup red wine

¼ cup chopped parsley (I like to use Italian flat leaf)

2 Bay leaves

In a crock pot, or slow cooker, combine all ingredients and cook on low for 8-10 hours. The liquid should come half way up the meat, but do not cover completely. If there’s too much liquid, reduce the amount of broth, or water.

Serve in a shallow bowl over mashed potatoes or rice. Serve with carrots and spoon over extra sauce.

Cheesy Salsa Fresca Pasta

This may sounds strange, but it’s really tasty. It’s cheesy with a fresh and spicy kick. Top with your favorite grilled meat – chicken or fish.

 

5 oz premade Alfredo sauce

½ cup pico de gallo (salsa fresca)

Fettuccine pasta

In a sauce pan, combine Alfredo sauce and pico de gallo; heat through. Boil pasta according to directions. Drain and toss with sauce mixture.

Top with grilled chicken or fish. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Tip: For a quick chicken or fish seasoning, sprinkle with taco seasoning.

Watercress and Spinach Soup

It’s starting to get cold out. I don’t know about you, but this makes me crave soup! My Godmother makes delicious soups and two of my favorites are her watercress soup and her spinach soup, with just a splash of lemon.

 

She always talked about how important the splash of lemon at the end was, and it is! If you don’t believe us, taste the soup pre-lemon, then post-lemon and I dare you to disagree! J

 

 2-3 Servings

2 Tbsp butter
1 large Russet potato, peeled and diced
3 green onion sprigs, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups chicken broth
6 oz fresh watercress - leaves and tender stems only
1 lb fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup minced flat leaf Italian parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Juice from ½ lemon
Plain Greek yogurt (or sourcream)

Over med-high heat, melt butter in a large pot. Add potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes. Add green onions and garlic. Sautee for about 2-3 minutes. Add broth and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 more minutes.

Add watercress, spinach and parsley. Mix together until wilted.  Puree in a blender until smooth. Return to pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice.  

Serve immediately with a dollop or drizzle of yogurt. Enjoy with a sliced baguette or grilled Panini sandwich.

Note: In order to keep the bright green color of the soup, I recommend serving immediately. The longer it sat on my stove top the more brown it turned.