Tortellini Salad with Asiago, Peas and Proscuitto

Tortellini was a new food to me when we moved here to the Chicago area years ago ~ it was absolutely love at first bite!

The legend of tortellini is a little amusing: 

Seasoned Summer Squash Sauté Side

Now that summer squashes and tomatoes are abundant in farmer's markets, backyard gardens, and in grocery stores, this fresh-tasting recipe is perfect for using up the produce and is over the top in goodness!

There are hundreds of varieties of summer squash, ranging from dark green to bright yellow, long to stubby, smooth to ridged to lumpy ~  from crookneck, to green and yellow and pattypan, to zucchini.

It’s a complicated family of veggies, and any one of them would be great for this recipe.  I used zucchini and crookneck summer squash, choose your favorites. 

Ready for tomatoes and mushrooms!

The squash was sautéed with garlic, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, seasoned with Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, finishing with a little cheese melting over all.

This was simple, and delicious for dinner and just as tasty leftover at lunchtime the next day!

Yield: Serves 4Author: Pam

Seasoned Summer Squash Sauté

prep time: 5 MINScook time: 15 MINStotal time: 20 mins

This squash sauté is delicious and just as good later, should there be leftovers!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds (about 2 or 3) zucchini and summer squash, sliced 
• 1 large Vidalia onion, cut into large pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 basil leaves, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon Mrs Dash Extra Spicy
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add squash, onion and garlic, and cook just until slightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
2. Turn heat to medium-high, add tomatoes, mushrooms, and balsamic vinegar, stirring occasionally for about 5-6 minutes, allowing juices to evaporate some.
3. Add basil and seasonings, combine well.
4. Scatter cheese over top, allow to melt and toss lightly.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Enjoy!

Here's supper... Homemade Sautéed Chicken Nuggets w/Smoky Bourbon BBQ Sauce

This will bring your family to the dinner table quickly,

Sautéed Chicken Nuggets!

You can call them fingers, you can call them strips, you can call them tenders or nuggets…

It makes no difference ~ these little handheld chicken gems are way up there in my list of deliciousness!  

There’s nothing humdrum about them, particularly if you serve them with a favorite sauce.

They’re easy peasy, simple and good, nuf’ said!

I have a feeling you’ll be cooking this a lot, because…

they’re a culinary wonder ~ simply delicious!

Homemade Sautéed Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 egg

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

1-2 tablespoons cooking oil, or butter

Smoky Bourbon BBQ sauce, for dipping (recipe below)

Method:

Cut chicken into 1½” chunks and set aside.

Beat egg in a shallow bowl.

Place flour and seasonings in another shallow bowl or resealable plastic bag, combining well.

Dip the chicken nuggets into beaten egg.

Dredge chicken in flour.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.

Add chicken, cook about 10 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink.

Serves 4

Printable recipe

Smokey Bourbon BBQ sauce 

Ingredients: 

1 cup bourbon

½ cup water

¼ cup brown sugar 

1½ cups ketchup

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons molasses

⅛ cup Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Dash hot sauce

Method:

In a large saucepan, bring bourbon to a boil, simmer for 7 minutes, most of it will evaporate.

Add remaining ingredients, heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until it is of a smooth and thick consistency.

Makes 2 cups

This is great for grilled chicken and ribs too!

Printable recipe

Enjoy!

Balsamic Succotash

I am a succor for succotash and always have been!

Normally, I prepare it the “traditional” way; just corn and lima beans with milk, a little butter and salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of sugar; especially at Thanksgiving time – that’s the way Mom always made it.  

This is an updated, sophisticated finish to an old-time favorite from Cooking Light.  Instead of 2 tablespoons butter, I coat the skillet with cooking spray and add 1 or 2 teaspoons butter, for less fat.

You know the sweet/tart taste of balsamic vinegar – it’s perfect here, blending with the other ingredients.  This makes a lot for a mouthwatering side dish, but it’s a great lunch in my book, packed with protein and fiber!  If you like succotash too, try this new version!  It’s truly delicious!  

Balsamic Succotash

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter (I use cooking spray and 1-2 teaspoons butter)

1 cup chopped onion (I used sliced shallots)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

2 teaspoons fresh basil, or ½ teaspoon dried

1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans

½ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until onion softens, stirring occasionally.

Add corn, bell pepper, basil and beans, and cook for 4 minutes.

Add broth, sugar, salt and pepper.

Cook 7 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.

6 servings of 2/3 cup each = 159 calories

fat 5.4 grams

carbs 24.7 grams

fiber 4.5

protein 5.1

This is a delectable veggie side dish!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking.  She is having a great cookbook giveaway now!

Robust Mushroom and Barley Soup

I adore the flavor and meatiness of mushrooms!   I like them equally ~ whether raw, sautéed in butter, or in my savory mushroom and mustard casserole.  But, I’ve been addicted to soup lately, probably because it has been very cold, windy and snowy here.  So, a while ago, when I saw the recipe for mushroom soup in The Chicago Tribune, I knew I had to try it.

This recipe I’m sharing with you combines mild earthy, fresh button mushrooms with the nutty-woodsy flavor of dried porcini mushrooms.  Both the texture and flavor of these mushrooms remind me of meat.  Mushrooms, being like tiny sponges, soak up the flavor of the sautéed shallots and garlic, giving them an appealing hearty flavor. 

I made a few changes in the recipe:  I added Montreal seasoning, substituted button mushrooms for cremini, since the grocery store had none; and, I added a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to enhance the flavor of the mushrooms.  The recipe called for ½ cup of barley.  We really like barley, so I upped it to 1 cup for a thicker full-bodied soup.

Like I said, this soup is perfect for a cold winter day.  Just be sure to serve it with plenty of rustic bread alongside for sopping up every last bit of soup.  This is my “new favorite” soup!

Porcinis soaking

Porcinis sliced

Ummm!

Mushroom and Barley Soup                        

Adapted

Ingredients:

1 package (1 ounce) dried porcini mushrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean

8 cups beef bro, vthery low-sodium

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 cup pearl barley

1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Method:

Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl.

Cover with 2 cups boiling water.

Soak, submerged with a small plate, 20 minutes.

Squeeze liquid from mushrooms and reserve.

Slice mushrooms.

Warm oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.

Add shallots and garlic; cook until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes.

Remove shallots mixture to a small bowl and set aside.

Add button mushrooms and cook until their liquid releases, about 5-8 minutes.

Stir in shallot and garlic mixture, beef broth, thyme, reserved mushroom liquid and reconstituted porcini.

Add Montreal Steak Seasoning and heat to a boil.

Stir in barley; reduce heat to a simmer.

Cook, partially covered, until barley is tender, about 40 minutes.

Stir in balsamic vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes.

Top with parsley and serve.

6 servings

Ummmm, mmmm, good!!!  My “new favorite” soup!

Roasted Italian Sausages with Grapes

I always knew good things come from Ohio.  I did!   ☺ 

I came across this recipe in the little cookbook Farm and Foods of Ohio by Marilou Suszko and have also seen many variations of it over the internet.  Ina Garten even cooked it on the “Barefoot Contessa.”

Italian sausages; hot or sweet, are delicious things ~ combine them with some luscious grapes and you have a mouthwatering dish.  

The grapes pop and burst their sweet juices as they cook slowly scattered around the sausages.  

The sauce is excellent, but there’s just not enough of it so I doubled it and it could even be tripled.  

I mixed red and green grapes ~ don’t bother; you won’t be able to differentiate the colors or taste after cooking.

This is a delicious dish that I’m glad I finally tried and you should try it too!  It contains the simplest of ingredients which yields the most amazing flavor you can imagine!

Hot             and            Sweet

Roasted Italian Sausages with Grapes

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds hot Italian sausage
1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/2 pounds red or green seedless grapes, stemmed (6 to 7 cups)

8 tablespoons dry red wine

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Prick the sausages with a fork and add them to the boiling water.

Boil gently for 8 minutes and drain.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large roasting pan over low heat.

Add the grapes to the pan and toss to coat them with the butter.

With tongs, transfer the parboiled sausages to the pan and push them down into the grapes so that the sausages will not brown too quickly.

Roast the sausages and grapes in the preheated oven, turning the sausages once, until the grapes are soft and the sausages have browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages and grapes to a heated serving platter.

Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over a medium-high flame and add the balsamic vinegar. Stir to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan and cook the vinegar and juices until they are thick and syrupy.

Pour the sauce over the sausages and grapes and serve immediately, accompanied with mashed potatoes.

This is unique and delicious!!!  A keeper!!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and recipes. 

Mouthwatering Marinated Tomatoes

When the tomatoes are ripe and fresh from the garden, you can’t beat this great summertime dish! 

This recipe is from a friend of mine. The delicious flavors of the herb marinade enhance the juicy tomatoes for a savory side dish to serve with grilled steak, chicken or seafood.  I don’t always add the sugar and olives; however, if I do add the olives, I omit the salt--- it’s up to your liking.  

I don’t know about you but, I learned as a young girl from Helen, a family friend in Louisville, to always peel tomatoes no matter how you plan on serving them.  It makes all the difference in the world, no bitter taste or tough skin to chew.

So peel your tomatoes before making this; place it in the refrigerator for at least several hours to marinate and then allow it to warm up to room temperature before serving since cold tends to inhibit the flavor. 

If you’re lucky to have some leftover, try tossing it with pasta, combine it with rice, serve it on a bed of lettuce, or chop up the tomatoes for a delicious bruschetta.  Just be sure to serve it with lots of crusty bread to soak up all the mouthwatering marinade!

Do you always peel your tomatoes too?

Marinated Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6 ripe tomatoes

½ cup green olives, sliced, optional

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup salad oil

1-2 teaspoons sugar, optional

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced fine

¼ cup snipped fresh parsley

1/3 cup green onions, tops too, sliced

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Peel and cut the tomatoes into 6 wedges each; 4 wedges if tomatoes are small.

Combine all ingredients, except the tomatoes in a large bowl. 

Whisk well.

Add tomato wedges and blend.

Place tomatoes in a deep, narrow bowl or a resealable plastic bag.

Marinate the tomatoes in a refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

If the oil should congeal after being in the fridge overnight, allow it to come back to room temperature.

Place in a bowl and spoon sauce over top.

ENJOY!  It’s juicy scumptious!!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes.  She’s still judging at the Iowa State Fair.

My Simply Delicious Green Beans

I’m not sure which fresh vegetable I like most in the summer time.  It could be green beans or sweet corn or maybe tomatoes.  They’re all great but green beans just might be my favorite. 

There was a time I liked green beans out of the can and gussied up a little bit.  Mom always canned the beans years ago and they were great but not the same as various commercially canned green beans.  None of it can compare to fresh green beans though!

I remember many years ago when Dad started planting broccoli.  I was used to frozen broccoli and was surprised how different it tasted straight from the garden.  The same can be said for green beans.

Anyway, my way of cooking the green beans is probably Southern but this is the way Mom made them and the way we enjoy them.  You can’t get much simpler than this recipe with just bacon grease, salt and pepper.  I have a hard time controlling myself when I start eating these and don’t know when to stop sometimes.  And, I love them leftover, if there is any!

My Simply Delicious Green Beans

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed, snapped in half and washed

1-2 tablespoons bacon grease

Salt and pepper, to taste (I use McCormick’s Seasoned Pepper)

Method:

Fill large pan with water almost to level of green beans.

Add bacon grease, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium low.

Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

The only thing that would make this better, is adding new potatoes!

How do you like your green beans:  with bacon, a ham hock, bacon grease, butter, garlic or maybe just S&P?