Southwest Tostadas & Avocado Crema

Beat the long winter and cabin fever with these festive and lively rolled tostadas. Loaded with chicken, black beans and a little heat… pair the tostadas with a light and cool avocado crema for dipping.  Perfect as a meal or a fun game day appetizer – Let’s GO Syracuse!

Southwest Tostadas & Avocado Crema:

12 small flour tortillas

1 large chicken breast – thinly sliced

1 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly cracked black pepper

1 T. olive oil

1 c. frozen corn

1 c. black beans – drained

3/4 c. roasted red peppers – chopped

1/4 t. cumin

1/2 t. hot Mexican style chili powder

1 t. chili pepper paste

2 c. shredded Mexican style cheese

olive oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 425. Prepare chicken and season with 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. black pepper. In a large skillet heat 1 T. olive oil, add chicken and brown on all sides.  Add corn, black beans and roasted red pepper to skillet.  Stir in cumin, chili powder and chili pepper paste.  Let simmer for about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds or until warm and soft.  Spoon about a 1/4 of a cup of chicken mixture on each tortillas, top with a sprinkling of Mexican cheese mix.  Fold the bottom up and then roll each side in.  Place fold side down on cookie sheet.  Brush each roll with olive oil and bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Serve immediately with avocado crema.

Avocado Crema:

1 ripe avocado – pitted and removed from peel

1/2 c. sour cream

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

In a food processor combine the above ingredients and pulse until smooth.

Spinach Meatballs

A childhood favorite of mine and the perfect comfort food for this bitter cold weather… Enjoy these meatballs loaded with salty cheddar and spinach.  My mother’s recipe calls for all ground beef, but I decided to add a little bit of a kick by substituting part of the meat with hot Italian ground sausage.  Happy New Year to all and stay cozy!

Spinach Meatballs:

Makes 12 meatballs

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. hot Italian ground sausage

1 c. chopped frozen spinach – thawed and drained

1 c. cheddar cheese shredded

3/4 c. panko breadcrumbs

1 small yellow onion – finely chopped

2 garlic cloves – minced

1 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly cracked pepper

1 t. parsley

1  28 oz. can of whole San Marzano tomatoes in thick juice

 

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl with hands. Roll meatballs into desired size and set aside. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375. Heat a shallow non stick lidded pan over medium heat.  Drizzle pan with olive oil to coat the bottom.  Once the oil is hot, place meatballs in pan and sear, turning several times until nicely browned and almost caramelized. Remove from heat.

Using a pair of clean kitchen shears, cut tomatoes up in the can – no need to dirty another bowl! Pour cut tomatoes with juice over meatballs.  Place lid over meatballs and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Serve over hot fresh pasta with freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese or with warm crusty bread.

 

Bacon Roasted Brussels

Everything is better with bacon – even Brussel sprouts!  If you think you do not like these little baby cabbages, try this recipe and it will change your taste buds for sure.  Bacon roasted Brussels is a great holiday side dish too with just 3 simple ingredients… Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

Bacon Roasted Brussels:

5 – 6 c. tender Brussel sprouts

6 strips of bacon

1/4 t. fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rinse Brussel sprouts and remove any damaged leaves. Chop off any thick stems and cut larger sprouts in half. Place all sprouts in a bowl and set aside. In a heavy skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving 1 – 2 T. bacon drippings from pan.  Combine bacon drippings and freshly cracked black pepper with Brussel sprouts and spread out on baking sheet.  Roast in oven for 25 minutes.  Crumble bacon and add to sprouts.  Roast for an additional 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

 

Spiced Pumpkin Apple Pancake

Fill your kitchen with the comforting aroma of the holidays with this spiced pumpkin apple pancake – with much less fuss too in just one skillet! 

Spiced Pumpkin Apple Pancake:

2 T. butter

3 eggs – beaten

1/2 c. baking mix – I like to use the heart healthy Bisquick mix

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. pure pumpkin puree

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. cloves

1/4 t. ginger

1 apple – chopped

Preheat oven to 425. Over medium heat melt 2 T. butter in cast iron skillet, swirling butter around to coat the sides of the skillet.  Remove from heat and set aside.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs with milk and then add baking mix.  Mix until just combined.  Add vanilla and spices.  Lightly mix in pumpkin.  Pour mixture into buttered skillet and top with chopped apple.  Bake until set and puffed – about 25 minutes.  Let cool slightly and cut into pie slices and serve warm with pure maple syrup, fresh berries and/or powdered sugar. Enjoy!  

 

Sea Salted Carrot Fries

As the cold settles in… comfort food is devoured.  Curb your cravings with these healthy and irresistible “fries” baked with just a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. 

Sea Salted Carrot Fries:

5 or 6 large carrots

1 T. olive oil

1 t. fine sea salt

Preheat oven to 425.  Start by slicing each carrot in half, then in quarters.  You may want to divide the quarter slices once more if the carrots are larger. Chop each slice in half to make sticks.  Combine carrot sticks, olive oil and sea salt in a bowl and toss to coat.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out carrot sticks evenly so that each stick is laying on the parchment paper.  Bake at 425 for 25 – 30 minutes or until the tips of the carrots start to brown.  Serve immediately with addition sea salt if desired.

Cheesy Chard Dip

There is nothing like hot bubbly cheese on crackers…This dip makes for the perfect dish to pass for any party or celebration, especially a surprise party. My older brother is turning 30 and as a dairy farmer, I could not skimp on the cheese, but he is still eating greens!  Happy 30th Luke!

Cheesy Chard Dip:

1 bunch of tender green swiss chard

4 large garlic cloves – minced

2 T. butter + more for baking dish

1 c. light sour cream

1/2 c. mayo

1/2 lemon – freshly juiced

1  1/2 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese – shredded

1/2 c. pecorino romano cheese – finely shredded

1/2 t. freshly cracked black pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 c. panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. In a skillet over low heat, melt 1 T. butter.  Once melted, add minced garlic and saute 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden.  Set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, cheeses, toasted garlic from skillet, black pepper and red pepper. Chop swiss chard into fine pieces, you will have roughly 3-4 cups. This will make it much easier to scoop!

Mix chopped swiss chard into cheese mixture and pour into a buttered baking dish. Return skillet to medium heat and melt 1 T. butter. Once melted, add panko bread crumbs.  Stir, while scrapping garlic bits from bottom of skillet for about 1 minute.  Top chard and cheese mixture with panko and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, uncovered.  Enjoy warm out of the oven with pitas, toasted bread or crackers. 

Cheddar Butternut Squash Bake

Fall is just around the corner and comfort food is craved as temperatures start to drop. With an abundance of winter squashes in season, lighten up a heavy cheesy dish with a naturally creamy squash. Sweet butternut squash, earthy mushrooms and salty cheddar cheese are the perfect warm tastes for this hearty, but light pasta dish.  Bring on the fall foliage!

Cheddar Butternut Squash Bake:

1 large butternut squash

1 T. olive oil

1/2  t. fresh rosemary – chopped

1  1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly cracked black pepper

12 oz. rigatoni pasta

1 sweet vidalia onion – roughly chopped

3 c. baby portabella mushrooms – sliced

1 T. butter

2 T. all – purpose flour

3/4 c. reserved pasta cooking water

1 c. skim milk

1  1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

fresh basil – chiffonade

 

Preheat oven to 425.  Cut squash in half and hull out seeds.  Chop squash into large chunks and toss with olive oil, 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. black pepper, and freshly chopped rosemary.  Roast squash flesh side down on a cookie sheet, turning once for about 35 minutes or until squash is tender. Set aside to cool and reduce oven heat to 375.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water (a generous pinch of salt will do), cook pasta according to directions – drain and reserve roughly 3/4 c. cooking water. Once the squash is cool, scoop squash pulp out of the shell and mash in a medium bowl.

In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until slightly golden and fragrant- about 7 minutes.  Add mushrooms and saute for about 3 more minutes.  Deglaze pan with 1/4 c. reserved cooking water. Sprinkle mushrooms and onion with 2 T. flour. Stir together and let cook for an additional 2 minutes, until flour smells slightly toasted. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in 1 c. milk, remaining 1 t. salt and 1/4 t. freshly cracked black pepper and let cook until bubbly and mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.  Stir in mashed squash and fold in cooked pasta. Stir in remaining 1/2 c. pasta water followed by 1 c. cheddar cheese.  Top mixture with remaining 1/2 c. cheddar cheese and fresh basil.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.

 

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Now that the temperature has cooled down a bit… turn on the heat in your oven! Tomatoes, garlic and onions truly come to the perfect melody of flavors roasting at high heat.  Sprinkle with some fresh basil and serve with warm crusty bread and devour the last taste of summer! This recipe is a great way to use up some of your crop and it will freeze well too. 

Oven Roasted Tomatoes:

10 – 15 plum tomatoes (I prefer San Marzanos)

2 small yellow onions – thinly sliced

4 -5 large garlic cloves – smashed

1/2 t. sea salt

1/4 t. freshly cracked black pepper

good olive oil

fresh basil

 

Preheat oven to 500.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Slice onions and smash garlic – set aside.  Half or quarter tomatoes, depending on size, and lay on lined cookie sheet. Add onions and garlic to tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil – Just a light coating will do.  Sprinkle tomatoes, onions and garlic with salt and pepper.  Roast in preheated oven for about 1 hour, turning once or twice.  The edges will begin to brown.  Remove tomato mixture from oven.  Let cool slightly and top with freshly torn basil to taste.  Serve with warm crusty bread, hot fresh pasta or enjoy with some grilled chicken. 

Fresh Basil Pesto

You can always count on a pesto to brighten up a dish, a sandwich or even just a plain tomato.  With tomatoes and basil reaching their season’s peak… whip up some pesto to keep the summer flavor going.  This recipe is perfect for freezing and will keep that memorable flavor into the winter months when you really need to be brightened.  Fresh lemon, heart healthy almonds and garlic make this basil pesto just that much fresher.  

Fresh Basil Pesto:

yields about 1 c.

1/2 c. dry roasted unsalted almonds

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 lemon juiced

2 c. basil leaves (packed)

1/4 c. good olive oil

sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

 

In a food processor, pulse almonds and garlic cloves until finely chopped. Add lemon juice and half the basil leaves.  Continue to pulse until finely chopped, adding the remaining basil leaves as the mixture blends down.  The lemon juice not only adds fresh flavor, but will also keep the processed basil greener. Drizzle in olive oil and continue to pulse until the mixture is well combined.  Season to taste with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper – roughly about 1/2 t. of salt and 1/4 t. black pepper.

You can of course add some parmigiano reggiano, about 1/2 c. finely shredded, but this tastes so fresh without the cheese – you won’t miss it I promise!

Simply Sauteed Green Beans

When summer starts to roll and it really rolls and so does the produce in the garden! For a quick side to any meal, try these super easy crisp green beans sauteed with lots of garlic.  This is the best fresh way to enjoy the green bean bounty without overheating the kitchen!

Simply Sauteed Green Beans:

1 medium colander of green beans – stem end removed

4 cloves of garlic – minced

1 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

1/4 c. water

1 T. fresh chives – chopped

salt

freshly cracked black pepper

 

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil until slightly bubbling. Add the minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes, stirring several times. Add the green beans and fold to coat with garlic, olive oil and butter mixture.  Cover skillet and let cook for about 2 minutes. Remove lid and stir in 1/4 c. of water and freshly chopped chives. This will de glaze the skillet and help the beans steam a little. Cover and let cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring if desired. Remove from heat and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.  Pour green beans onto a platter and serve immediately or at room temperate.  I like to grow colored “green” pole beans… it makes for a fun visual variation.  Although, when cooked, the purple pole beans turn green!