Sweet Potato Soup

Hello, I am alive despite the fact that I haven't posted in over a year. I am sorry to say that other things in my life have taken precedence. Like travel, job changes, books, classes, all sorts of things. That isn't to say that I haven't been cooking and even sometimes taking photos of the things I cook. It just means that when it comes to sitting down and trying to remember everything... I'm sorry dear readers, I know I have neglected you.

So here we go: sweet potato soup! And good timing for it too as we dive right into fall here in New England. The red maple across the street is a brilliant, fiery red and the streets are a mosaic of wet, fallen leaves in orange and gold. This is my favorite time of year because everything flames out in beautiful color and there is a certain smell to air, kind of like leaves and cinnamon and wood fires and pears.

Sweet potato soup. In making this I was trying to channel the incredible sweet potato soup I had a couple of years ago at Cafe Atlantico in Washington D.C. It had real depth to it, with all sorts of spices coming through, a bit of heat, a bit of sweetness, and it was topped by this incredible maple foam that tasted like... well, marshmellow. Let's just say I had very high expectations.

And while this soup is good, delicious even, it's no Cafe Atlantico Sweet Potato Soup. But that's ok. I think maybe using stock next time would add a richness, and I think one should definitely be more generous with the spices than I was. Still, it was filling and tasty and perfect for a cool October meal with Sister Heart.

Picture to come!

Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 4

1 very large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1/2 white onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 small head of garlic, roasted and removed from skins
1 quart (4 cups) water or stock
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon (I would add more next time)
1/4 tsp chili pepper (I would add more next time)
dash of allspice (may more of this? also cloves?)
dash of nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
sour cream (to garnish)

1) Heat butter in 4 qt sauce pan over medium-low heat. Once frothy, add onions, carrots, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and chili pepper. Saute until browning and softened, about 10 minutes.
2) Add sweet potato and toss until the potato is coated. Add more butter if pan is looking dry. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 5 - 8 minutes, stirring often until potato has begun to soften.
3) Add water, sugar, and maple syrup to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover and lower to a simmer. Simmer covered for 20 - 25 minutes until potatoes are very soft, stirring occaisonally.
4) Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Continue to cook the soup on low, uncovered until desired consistency is reached (I like mine thicker so I let it cook for another 15 -20 minutes). Add salt to taste.
5) Remove soup from heat. Stir in cream. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream.

Heart Sisters' Garden Black Bean Soup

Okay, please ignore the fact that I have been incognito for, er, a long time.

Some interesting developments: Mr. Heart and I have been tending our very own little garden this summer which has involved harvesting a large number of scallions and salad greens which have been wonderful! I also have five or six pots of herbs which has been a thrill too--I can just lean out the back door and snip off a bit of greek oregano (which is growing like crazy) or fresh basil or thyme. Hopefully August will turn some of the small green tomatoes we see peeking out into fresh, lucious fruit. Alas, our pepper plants seem to be very unhappy with all this rain and the cool temperature. I should have known. Sister Heart warned me.

She should know because she's been working on a farm this summer! Ah, the way sisters' lives orbit one another and weave together. So she has been a bounty of first hand knowledge (and produce!) Because of her Mr. Heart and I have resolved to plant english peas next summer. The ones she shared with us were like candy. There's nothing like having so many delicious fresh veggies at hand. I've been doing my best to hit up the small farmer's market near my office every Thursday, and the bigger one downtown when I have time.

I want to get the recipe down on paper because I got it from Sister Heart (!) and she inspired me to make it the very same day. These are more like a set of guidelines really, because you can put whatever you have on hand straight in. I've included my contributions and Sister Heart's so that you can get a sense of the variety (and health benefits!). This makes 4-5 "cup" size servings and maybe 2 -3 "bowl" size servings. Pictures will come later!

Heart Sisters' Garden Black Bean Soup

1/2 lb dry black beans, rinsed and sorted
2 cans of vegetable broth + 2 cups water (I used canned broth, Sissie used the water from blanching 864168161 lbs of peas)
1 white onion, minced
1 tomato, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
2 scallions, chopped
1 clove of garlic or garlic scape minced
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (this is an estimate... put in as much as you like!)
1/2 tsp cumin (ditto)
1/2 tsp black pepper (ditto)
1/2 TBS fresh chives
1/2 TBS fresh thyme
1/2 TBS fresh oregano
1 TBS olive oil

Sister Heart's version also included:
fresh parsley
carrots
kohlrabi greens
radish greens
purslane (has 5 times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids as spinach)
wood sorrel (has lots of medicinal properties)

The latter two are edible weeds!

Optional Toppings
1 lime, juiced
greek yogurt or sour cream
grated cheddar cheese

1) Bring the vegetable broth and water to a boil in a dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot. Add the beans and half the onion and half the salt. Bring back to almost a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and mostly cover. Simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender but not split!
2) Meanwhile, in a non-stick skillet, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add remaining onion, tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, any greens, salt, cumin, and black pepper. Sauté until the tomatoes have fallen apart and the rest of the vegetables are tender. Add scallions and fresh herbs. Toss to combine and remove from heat until the beans are done.
3) Once the beans are tender, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans. Turn heat up to medium and heat to incorporate flavors and cook off some of the liquid. Season to taste.
**At this point I also went at it with my handy-dandy immersion blender to make it a little smoother. Cook's Illustrated recommends using a potato masher to achieve the same effect. I'm pretty sure Sister Heart left her's au naturel.
4) If serving immediately, stir in lime juice. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and a TBS of grated cheese. Goes great with quesadillas!

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Otherwise, freeze in handy single serving portions for those nights you don't feel like cooking or need a heartening pick-me up meal.

Minestrone

As mentioned in the previous pumpkin post, I made a big batch of chili and an even bigger batch of minestrone to feed the hungry pumpkin carvers and satisfy both the carnivores and herbivores at my table.

I've only made this minestrone soup once before for a college potluck and I don't know why I didn't revisit it sooner, as it is super tasty and perfect in these chill November evenings. Canned tomatoes, dried herbs, vegetable broth, a couple of potatoes, orzo, all affordable and easy to work with ingredients that result in a wonderfully full-bodied vegetarian soup.

Minestrone
adapted from a recipe found on the internet many many moons ago. thank you internet!
Serves 4 -5

1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, diced (I omitted this)
1 teaspoon olive oil
cornstarch
14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1⁄2 teaspoons dried basil
pinch dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
6oz diced mixed root veggies (I used potatoes and carrots)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 1⁄2 oz tiny pasta shapes (I used orzo in this batch, but used ditalini in the past)
2oz cooked chickpeas (canned is fine)

1) Put the onion, garlic and celery in a pan with the olive oil and sauté for about 5 minutes.
2) Add a little cornstarch, stir and cook for a minute or two.
3) Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, root vegetables, water and stock.
4) Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes.
5) Season to taste, add the pasta and chick peas and simmer until pasta is tender, about 8 - 10 minutes more.
6) Add a little water if the soup is too thick. Serve hot.

Classy Vegetable Stir-Fry

No picture, my apologies. The hard drive with all our photos on it is not yet set-up, but will be shortly. Once it is I will include some super photos of us attempting to unpack the kitchen. Which I am sure you are all dying to see.

In the mean time, here's a dish we whipped up in honor of my sister coming to dinner for the first time in the new house! She is vegetarian and so I have made it my mission to find some tasty vegetarian dishes to make for her when she visits that she, as a college student, may not have time/money/facilities/motivation to. Alas, she is not big into pasta, so that eliminated about 90% of my initial ideas, but Mr. Heart suggested a vegetable stir-fry. So we took it up a notch by including a wide variety of vegetables, and made it simple by only adding the bare minimum of seasonings. It came out delicious. We served it up with couscous and a dark rye bread. And then we ate cookie dough and played cribbage like old people.

"I'm so proud of myself," Mr. Heart said, as we drove back from dropping off Sister Heart, "Before I met you I wouldn't have even touched a dish like that." And he liked it! Excellent. So I AM having a positive culinary influence. My main challenge with him? Legumes. Some day, some day...

Classy Vegetable Stir-Fry
Serves 2-3

1 Portabello mushroom cap, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (or half of a red and half of a yellow)
3-4 green onions, chopped
1/2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch crescents
1/2 cup sugar snap peas, cut in half
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 lb spinach, roughly chopped
1/4 cup cashews
1 - 2 TBS olive oil
a good squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper

(for omnivores: add a link or two of your favorite chicken sausage, sliced)

1) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking.
2) Add bell peppers and green onions. Sauté until peppers start to brown, stirring often.
3) Add zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to sauté, stirring often, until vegetables are just tender.
4) Add spinach, snap peas, and lemon juice. Toss together, then cover for 1 -2 minutes, or until spinach is wilted and cooked down.
5) Add cashews toss to combine. Cook for 1 -2 more minutes, until cashews are heated through. Add more salt and pepper as desired.
(For omnivores: Transfer vegetables to a separate dish and cover to keep warm. Add sausage and a splash of oil. Sauté until lightly browned, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add vegetables back to pan and toss to combine. Cook an additional minute to heat through.)

Tortellini with Broccolini and Summer Squash

I have this bad habit. I find these delicious looking recipes, write down all the ingredients on my grocery list, go to the store, buy them, return home, go to prepare the recipe, and find out I am missing half of what I need. Does this habit to other people, or am I just a forgetful ninny?

Case in point: for this recipe, which was originally "Tortelloni with Vegetable Sauce" I forgot the stewed tomatoes and tomato paste that created the sauce, fresh basil to toss in, and wound up substituting cheese tortellini for meat tortelloni and broccolini for zucchini (because my grocery store is still going under renovation and there was no zucchini). It's not even the same recipe.

Never the less, it still came out tasty. I should have blanched the broccolini first, and will correct for that in the recipe. However, I would use zucchini if you can find it--that was the whole point of this dish anyway.

Tortellini with Broccolini and Summer Squash
Serves 2

olive oil cooking spray
1 cup jarred tomato sauce (of your choice... we like Classico)
1-2 TBS broth or water
1/2 medium summer squash, cut into 1/4" rounds
1 cup broccolini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and blanched
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
2 cups cheese tortellini
1 TBS grated Parmesan

1) Bring a large pot of water to boil. Prepare tortellini according to package directions.
2) Spray a non-stick skillet, generously with olive oil. Heat over medium heat until the pan and oil are hot. Add broccolini and summer squash. Sauté until the squash begins to brown, about 2 -4 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasonings; sauté an additional minute or until fragrant
3) Add tomato sauce to the pan and stir. Add broth/water as needed to loosen the sauce. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4) Add tortellini to the vegetable sauce. Toss until thoroughly coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Spinach and Artichoke Risotto

I love Spinach and Artichoke Dip and I love risotto, so what better combination? Really, that's all I have to say.

Spinach and Artichoke Risotto
Serves 2
9/10

2 - 3 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
2 oz cream cheese (you can buy single servings)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 TBS butter
1/4 tsp garlic salt (or more, to taste)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
black pepper to taste

1) Heat stock in a small sauce pan until hot, but not boiling. Keep warm.
2) Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until shimmering. Add onions and sauté over med-high heat until translucent. Lower the heat to med-low. Add the arborio rice and stir until it is coated with oil.
3) Add white wine. Stir until the liquid has been mostly absorbed and the rice begins to stick to the pot.
4) Add warm stock to the rice 1/2 – 1 cup at a time and continue to stir the risotto until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice begins to stick before adding the next cup. The rice will being to absorb the liquid much slower.
5) After about 15 minutes, the rice will have puffed up, but still be a bit al dente (read: crunchy). Add artichokes, spinach, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper.
6) Cook for 5 - 10 more minutes, adding stock as it is absorbed. Th risotto should take on a creamy texture and will almost hardly be absorbing any liquid at all. The rice should be tender but slightly chewy. Remove from heat.
6) Add the butter, cream cheese, and parmesan, blending until creamy. Serve with chips or toasted pita bread.

Homemade Fettuccini Alfredo

For my birthday my mother-in-law bought me the pasta attachment for our Kitchenaid mixer. If you've read any portion of this blog so far, you may notice that pasta is one of my favorite foods (so versatile and delicious!) so the prospect of being able to make my own was very exciting! She also passed along a recipe for homemade fettuccine from her copy of the October edition of Bon Appetite. With that as my guideline, I made my first forays into the fresh pasta cooking world.

This was actually a lot simpler than I had anticipated. It's really just a matter of giving yourself enough time to let the pasta dry, in it's various stages, and then be patient and delicate with the numerous times one must feed the dough through the rollers. Making the dough in the Cuisinart is super easy and the nice thing about the Kitchenaid attachment is everything, obviously, is mechanized--you just re-adjust the thickness of the rollers to press the dough into a thinner and thinner sheet, but all the rotating and pressing is done by the machine. And watching the full sheet of dough get cut into perfecting even strips so quickly and easily, honestly, filled me with glee. That's right, glee. I am very easily entertained.

I have yet to master the actual drying process however; we ate half of the pasta the same evening and the rest the next day. I am trying to find it within me to have the patience to spiral each delicious strand of fettuccine into a pinwheel for drying and saving, but honestly, I haven't yet. It seems like too much work. I hear they make drying racks for this sort of thing, however, unless making pasta becomes a regular activity (fun, delicious, but a bit time consuming) I may just have to suffer through eating it all very quickly. Darn.

And how better to do fresh pasta justice than with a very simple alfredo? Honestly, when I took a bite of this I blurted out "Wow, this tastes professional!" Not that everything I make isn't delicious and made with loving care, but it honestly tasted like something you would get in a restaurant.

Homemade Fettuccine
pasta recipe inspired from Bon Appetite
makes about 1 lb

2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling/shaping
1/2 tsp plus 1 TBS salt
2 large eggs
~6 TBS warm water, divided

1) Combine 2 cups of flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in food processor. Pulse to combine. Add eggs and 4 TBS warm water. Using pulses, blend until a moist dough forms and begins to gather into a large dough ball, adding more water by the tablespoon if dough is dry.
2) Gather the dough together and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and pliable, sprinkling with flour if sticky, about ten minutes. Sprinkle lightly with flour on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 45 minutes. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Cover with plastic.
3) Shape one piece of dough into a thin rectangle (the more rectangular, the more even your noodles). Set pasta maker at widest setting. Run through machine 4 times.
4) Adjust the machine to next narrower setting. Run dough through the machine 4 times. Continue through rollers until desired thinness, rolling the dough through 4 times each.
5) When dough strip is about 1/16 inch thick and about 20 – 24 inches long, place on floured service or large baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough. Uncover strips and let dry for about 30 minutes, turning once.
6) Cut each dough strip in half crosswise. Fit machine with 1/4 – 3/8 inch cutter attachment. Run strips through machine, cutting dough into fettuccine and dusting with flour if dough sticks.
7) Spread fettuccine our on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat. Cover fettuccine loosely with kitchen towels. Let stand for up to four hours, tossing occasionally to prevent sticking

**You can actually cook this pasta immediately, though I would say it benefits from some drying time to just make it easier to work with. If you intend to use the pasta next day, allow it to continue drying, then cover with a non-terrycloth dish towel and store in the coldest part of your fridge. Use the next day—pasta that has not be completely dried can quickly become moldy. To dry properly, use a rack or twist fettuccine strands into spirals, leave out to dry completely, and freeze or store in an airtight container.


Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo
Serves 2
10/10

1/2 lb fresh fettuccine (see above recipe)
3/4 cup light cream
3 TBS unsalted butter
1/2 TBS salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
pinch of nutmeg
ground black pepper, to taste

1) Put up a large pot of water to boil (about 2 quarts).
2) Combine butter and 1/2 cup cream in a large saucepan. Heat over low until butter is melted and cream is barely simmering. Whisk to combine. Turn of heat and set aside.
3) When water has come to a boil add 1/2 TBS of salt to the water and the fresh pasta. Cook about 3 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
4) Add pasta to the hot cream. Add the remaining cream, Parmesan, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Cook over low heat for 1 – 2 minutes or until thickened slightly. Serve immediately (preferably with garlic bread and a small mixed green salad or broccoli!)

Italian Cheese Fondue

As promised, here is our favorite fondue recipe, inspired by a stint of Italian themed fondues at The Melting Pot a few months ago. We actually cooked the whole thing in the fondue pot itself this time (though you could do it over the stove top or in a double boiler). We also over came our past difficulties with the wine and it was the perfect consistency (we wound up adding half the wine half way through... I don't think that's traditional or how you're supposed to do it, but it worked if you have the kind of trouble that we did). Also, I used the grater attachment on our cuisinart. I am a genius. This is my new favorite tool; the possibilities are endless! Latkes anyone?


Italian Cheese Fondue
Serves 2
10/10!

1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 heaping tsp of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup grated Gryuere
1 1/2 cup grated Fontina
1 TBS flour
1 TBS pesto sauce
1 TBS marinara sauce
1 TBS grated Parmensan cheese
salt & pepper to taste.

crusty italian bread, cubed
apples, cubed

1) Prepare fondue pot, according to assembly directions, to make cheese fondue (this usually requires filling the main basin with about an inch of water, fitting the ceramic dish over this, lighting the sterno, and placing the basin over it on the stand). Allow water to heat for about 5 - 10 minutes.
2) Add wine and garlic. Heat until steaming (really, you want this hot... heat it over the stove first if you have to).
3) Toss cheese with flour. Slowly add cheese by the handful, whisking with a fork, until melted and combined (this should be a smooth, pliable consistency, not too liquidy or too stiff. Too much liquid? Add more cheese. Too stiff? Add warmed wine.)
4) Add pesto, marinara, parmesan, and seasonings to taste. Stir to combine.
5) Serve with bread and apples (and any other tasty dipper... salami anyone?)

Applesauce

We went apple-picking a couple of weekends ago (among other crazy events!) and got sooo many delicious apples! I have great plans for these, including apple bread and apple crisp, however we have lots of birthday cake leftover so the last thing we needed was more desserts. So I started with applesauce. Super easy.

Homemade Applesauce
Makes 1 jar/ 4 -5 servings

5 -6 apples
cinnamon
water

1) Core, peel, and slice all apples. Place in a large pot and cover half with water (about two cups). Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste.
2) Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 30 - 40 minutes or until apples have broken down and you can easily mash them with a spoon.
3) For smoother applesauce, use a mixing wand or food processor and pulse until desired smoothness.
4) Serve warm or cold with cinnamon and/or brown sugar. Mmmmm.

Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches

Knowing that my parents and sister were straining in the heat to unload her things and unpack her dorm room, I knew I could only be a good daughter and sister if I brought them a picnic lunch. I lay in bed, trying to sleep in on a hot Saturday morning, but all I could think about was roasted vegetables and pasta salad, until I had to get up and get cooking.

I decided to forego the pasta salad (instead I brought leftover salad from the night before). But the roasted vegetables persisted. We still had a zucchini from my uncle's garden, tomatoes from my great aunt, an extra loaf of bread from the fondu, feta from salad making, and balsamic vinegrette from the boy's experiments with a medditerranean tortellini dish. With these powers combined, huzzah! Roasted summer vegetable sandwiches. Somehow I managed to divy the bread into six sandwiches, but I would say a safer bet would be four (the sandwiches were quite skinny a hard to eat, though tasty). Also, any summer veggies would do--eggplant, summer squash, onions--this is just what we had on hand. They could also be good with cheese, olives, and a variety of other toppings/condiments.

The rest of the picnic consisted of: salad, cheese (cheddar and fontina) and crackers, iced tea, and pound cake with cool whip.

Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches
Serves 4 - 6
8/10

olive oil
1 large zucchini, cut into thin, diagonal rounds
1 large tomato, cut into thin slices
3/4 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/2 jarred roasted red pepper, drained and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup balsamic vinegrette (2 parts olive oil, 1 part balsamic vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 large loaf of crusty italian bread
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
2 - 3 TBS sour cream

1) Brush the zucchini with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2) On a grill or grill pan, grill the zucchini until seared, about 4 minutes each side, adding more oil as necessary. Remove and transfer to a large plate or platter, laying the slices in a single layer.
3) Grill tomato slices and artichoke hearts until just seared (only about 1- 2 minutes per side). Transfer to the plate and layer on top of the zucchini slices.
4) Add roasted red pepper strips to the vegetable platter. Pour balsamic vinegrette over the vegetables. Season with oregano, and salt&pepper to taste. Cover and refridgerate for at least 20 minutes to allow the vegetables to cool and the flavors to mingle.
5) Combine the feta and sour cream to form a spread. Cut the loaf of bread length wise. Spread the feta spread evenly across the top half.
6) Remove vegetables from the fridge and drain. Apply the vegetables in an even layer across the bottom half of the bread. Put the top half back on and cut into equal portions for sandwiches.
*If picnicking, wrap each sandwich individually in foil or wait until you arrive at your picnic destination and divy up the sandwich there.

Grilled Vegetables and Cheese Tortellini

I found the recipe as per request from the boy who wanted some sort of tortellini dish with a vinagrette and vegetables. Now, I must admit, I'm not a big fan of vinagrettes and I messed around alot with this one until it tasted ok to me. I don't remember the exact changes I made, but I'll note some ingredients you can add to change the taste. You can also buy your own favorite vinagrette dressing.

This is pretty quick and easy!

I loved this recipe because of all the different veggies and flavors and textures. Definitely a summer dish. The original recipe also called for using eggplant, but I replaced that with zucchini. Any summer vegetables will do. I used my grill pan, but you could easily toss these veggies straight onto your gas or charcoal grill. If it's winter, or you don't have any kind of grill, you can always sauté the vegetables as well... the recipe includes instructions for that.

Grilled Vegetables and Cheese Tortellini
from "Whole Foods Market : Recipes : Grilled Vegetables & Cheese Tortellini (with slight modifications)
Serves 2-3
9/10

9 oz. cheese tortellini
4 asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
1 yellow summer squash, sliced lengthwise about 1/2" thick
1 zuchinni, sliced lengthwise about 1/2" thick
1 red pepper, corred and de-seeded
1 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup pitted black olives, such as kalamata
1/2 - 1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup red wine vinagrette

Red Wine Vinagrette
4 large basil leaves, chopped
3 TBS red wine vinegar (I would suggest replacing half or even all of this with balsamic)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup olive oil (up this if theres too much vinegar)
1 TBS dijon mustard (this adds ALOT of flavor, so go easy)
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
*sugar, to taste (to cut the vinegar)

1) Cook tortellini according to package directions, drain and set aside. Whisk together vinagrette if preparing your own.
2a) Grilling Vegetables: Preheat grill to med. heat. Brush vegetables with olive oil. Grill 3-5 minutes on each side, or until veggies are tender. Pepper should be slightly charred when done. Chop up veggies into pieces of equal size.
2b) Sautéing Vegetables: Chop vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over med-high heat and sauté veggies until tender.
3) Toss pasta with vegetables, olive, spinach, feta, and vinagrette.

French Bread Personal Pizzas

A delicious meal made of leftover ingredients! I discovered the small bakery near our house that makes wonderful rustic breads (The Breadsong Bakery, for those in Boston 'burbs). I was able to use my experience working at an italian pizzeria to my advantage.

For the bread, I bought a round, french bread, something with a good solid crust. This was good in that I could simply slice it in half length wise and have to round "crusts." But it made very large pizzas and the boy said that there was a little too much bread in proportion to the other ingredients. So I would also suggest a good crusty wide baguette. Something that you can cut length wise rather than slices. That way the crust of the bread will make sure the sauce doesn't seep through, like it might if you just used bread slices. You could also convert this recipe to use on bagels (mmm).

French Bread Personal Pizzas
Serves 2-4
8/10

1 round of French bread or a wide, french baguette.
14 oz. diced tomatoes
6 oz. tomato paste mixed with equal parts water
italian seasonings
**Note: I just used what I had leftover from the lasagna recipe. You can easily replace this with any tomato sauce or pizza sauce you like
1 cup mozzerella cheese, grated
2-3 slices provolone (or 1-1 1/2 cup grated)
margarine or butter
1 link of hot italian sausage, boiled and sliced thin
4 TBS ricotta cheese

1) Preheat oven to 375ºF. Slice the french bread length wise, leaving a thickness of no more than 1 inch. If using a round, slice a thin amount off the top slice so that it will sit evenly in the pan. Set aside.
2) Combine diced tomatoes and tomato paste/water in a food processor. Purée until smooth. Pour into sauce pan and heat thoroughly over med-low heat. Add italian seasonings to taste.
3) Clean out food processor and put in sliced provolone. Pulse until chopped. Add mozzerella and pulse gently until blended.
4) Assemble pizzas: spread a thin layer or margarine or butter on the top of french bread,( to prevent the sauce from making the bread really soggy). Cover each top with an even layer of sauce, to preference. Top with an even coating of cheese. Place sausage slices and ricotta cheese on top as desired.
5) Bake for approx. 25 min or until cheese is starting to brown.

Strawberry Milkshakes

Basic Strawberry Milkshake

4 - 6 large strawberries
Breyers French Vanilla Ice cream
1/2 cup milk
1 - 2 tsp sugar

1) Slice the strawberries and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and cover. Refridgerate for at least 15 minutes (the longer you let them sit, the more strawberry juice you get!)
2) Using your NEW FOOD PROCESSOR a/o WAND MIXER, purée the strawberries.
3) Add 3 large scoops of ice cream and milk to processor. Pulse until creamy! (if it keeps getting stuck, add more milk)
4) Drink up!