Potato Fennel Soup

Potato Fennel Soup

adapted from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2000™

This Potato Fennel Soup is a sophisticated take on a classic comfort dish, offering a velvety texture and a complex, herbal flavor profile.

Makes 2 servings

1/4 lb. fennel bulb, chopped, reserve 1 Tbsp. fennel fronds
1/2 lb. russet potatoes, chopped
1 tsp. butter
cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped leeks
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/4 Homemade chicken stock or canned broth
1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
pinch white pepper 

1. Melt the butter in a pot coated in cooking spray.
2. Add the fennel, leek and potato to the pot; Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add the chicken stock and water; Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer covered 25 minutes or until the potatoes ae tender.
4. Transfer 1 cup of the soup to a mini food processor; Process until smooth then return to the soup pot.
5. Stir in parsley and fennel fronts.
6. Adjust seasoning with additional Kosher salt and white pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Sauteed Kale, Spinach, Mushrooms and Cranberries

Sauteed Kale, Spinach, Mushrooms and Cranberries

adapted from Weeknights with Giada© by Giada De Laurentiis

The spinach was added due to the fact that I didn't have enough kale to serve 2 people. The cranberries as a pleasant sweetness. This can be served as a side dish with your favorite meat, poultry or seafood or served over pasta.

Make 2 servings                                                                 1 WW point / serving

Cooking spray

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 medium leek, thinly sliced, white and pale green only, thinly sliced and washed

1 cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms (or any mushrooms you have on hand

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt 

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 oz. kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped

2 oz. baby spinach

2 Tbsp. homemade chicken stock or canned broth

2 Tbsp. dried cranberries

1. In a skillet coated with cooking spray add the shallots, leeks, mushrooms, salt and pepper; Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the kale; Cook until wilted, about 5 minutes
3. Add the spinach, stock and cranberries; Bring to a boil.
4. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
5. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed before serving.

Enjoy!

Mini Italian Frittatas

Mini Italian Frittatas

adapted from Make It Ahead by Ina Garten

These mini frittatas are bursting with flavors. They can be made ahead for a quick and easy meal.

Play with this recipe using different vegetables, herbs and cheeses.

Makes 6 servings                                                                  2 WW pp / serving

Cooking spray
3/4 cup chopped leeks, white and light green parts
4 oz. sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
4 oz. chopped kale
1 Tbsp. julienned fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. lemon juice
6 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
4 large eggs
3/4 cup skim milk

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Coat 6 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
3. In a sauté pan coated with cooking spray, cook the leeks until tender, about 3 minutes, making sure it is evenly distributed.
4. Add the kale and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing it with tongs, then cover the pan and cook for 3 minutes, tossing once while it cooks, until the spinach is all wilted. 
5. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil and lemon juice and set aside for 5 minutes. 
6. Divide the mixture  among the 6 muffin cups, leaving any liquid behind. 
7. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly on top.
8. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, beat the eggs, and milk. 
9. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the filling in each cup, filling the muffin cups to the top. 
10. Add some water to each cup that is not being used to prevent scorching.
11. Bake for 25 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned on top. If you insert a toothpick in the middle, they should feel firm. 
12. Cool for 5 minutes, remove with a small sharp knife onto a serving plate, and serve hot or warm.

Enjoy!

Beef & Barley in the Slow Cooker

It is a crazy time at work so I have been looking for recipes that I can fix and forget while I am away. With a little prep the night before to chop the vegetables, it is a quick prep to put everything into the pot before I head to work.

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley
adapted from Food Network Magazine November 2011

2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast cut into in two pieces
1 cup pearl barley
1/2 pound baby bella mushrooms, quartered
4 stalks celery, quartered
6 carrots, peeled and quartered
2 medium leeks, sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 sprig thyme
4 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low, for about 8 hours.
Skim off any excess fat. Transfer the beef to a cutting board, let cool slightly and slice or shred into bite-size pieces. If you like a thinner stew, add additional beef broth to create your desired consistency. Divide among shallow bowls and top with the beef. 

Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin - My Favorite Swiss Chard Recipe to Date

Using ingredients from the farm share has made me play with a lot of vegetables I would not usually buy in a grocery store ... swiss chard being one of them. This is our favorite recipe to date ... at least for Warren & I. Nick still prefers it sauteed with garlic but at least he will eat it.

Unfortunately my photography skills does not do this dish justice

Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin
adapted from Michael Symon's Heartland Thanksgiving Menu Food & Wine November 2011
1 pounds Swiss chard, large stems discarded
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white and tender green parts only, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups whole milk
3 Tbsp shredded Gruyère cheese
3 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch of teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt & Freshly ground black pepper
Blanch the chard in batches until wilted,in a large pot of boiling water. Drain, squeeze dry and chop.
Heat the oil in a pot. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until tender. Uncover, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, then add the chard, Season with salt to taste and remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 425°. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour over moderate heat to form a paste. Gradually whisk in the milk about 1/3 at a time allowing the mixture to cook and thicken in between additional. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, until thickened and no floury taste remains, 15 minutes. Whisk in the cheeses and the nutmeg; season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the sauce into the leeks and chard. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown on top. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.