"Cream" of Mushroom Soup with Rosemary and Thyme

In the past two weeks, I've made this soup twice!  Along with a bunch of other soups- I think we're going through 3 batches weekly.  It's soup season, and I'm making the most of it.  Soup is such a great way to warm and fill yourself up with nutritious foods, without too many calories.  Unless you add a bunch of oil or cream, but we're not doing that here!

No cream/milk and just a little oil or butter to get things started.  The rest is just pure nutritious goodness and flavor.

I used my own wild picked mushrooms that we dried during the summer, but you can use whatever is handy at the grocery store.  There is usually porcini or a mixed bag of wild dried mushrooms, found right next to the regular mushrooms.  If you don't have quite the 3/4 of a cup, that's fine- just use more regular mushrooms to help make up for it.

If you're not a fan of thyme or rosemary, leave them out.  When I made the first batch of this soup a couple weeks ago, I didn't use them and it still tasted great.  No need to substitute anything else unless you want to.

What you Need:

1-2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 large onion, sliced
~half bulb of garlic, peeled and chopped roughly
1-2 large sprigs EACH thyme and rosemary
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup dried wild mushrooms
1/4 cup red wine
4 cups beef broth
salt and pepper
cooked and crumbled bacon (optional, for garnish)

Instructions: 

Start by soaking the dried mushrooms.  I just go ahead and put them in the broth for this.  That way, you get to use the flavor that goes into the broth while soaking.  Put the mushrooms in a bowl or a 2 cup measuring cup, and fill with broth.  Let soak for at least 20 minutes.

While the dried mushrooms are soaking, heat the olive oil or butter over medium heat in a large pot.  Add the sliced onion, garlic, and herbs (still on their stems).  Saute for about 15 minutes, or until they begin to lightly brown.  Add the sliced mushrooms and continue sauteing for another 10 minutes.  Keep the heat on medium and stay patient- cooking them a little lower and slower will develop nice flavor. Deglaze the pan with the red wine by pouring it in, and using a spatula to stir up anything that started to stick to the bottom.

Add the now not-dry mushrooms, broth they were soaking in, and the rest of the broth. Turn up heat to bring to a boil, and then turn back to medium to reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for at least 20 minutes.  Take off heat.  Pick out the herbs (or whatever is left on the stems) with a spoon.  If you want to have some chunks left in your soup, spoon out a couple large ladles of onion and mushrooms and reserve.  Otherwise, puree the whole batch using an immersion blender or regular blender.  If you use a regular blender, I recommend waiting about 10 minutes to let it cool a bit before transferring to the blender.  After pureeing, add the reserved mushrooms/onions back in (if you reserved).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with bacon, if desired.  Enjoy!

Mushroomy Meat Sauce atop Roasted Eggplant with Spicy Cottage Cheese Puree

Mission empty the fridge/freezer/pantry continues, and it's got my creative juices flowing.

I also may be slightly obsessed with pureeing cottage cheese.  But, hey, there are worse obsessions.  

As are the rules of the emptying the kitchen game, last night's creation was constructed only of ingredients I already had.  If I were to make this same sort of thing some other time, I would likely modify a few things: add garlic cloves, use crushed tomatoes instead of jarred sauce (and then add more of my own seasonings), make the cottage cheese puree with roasted garlic, maybe add some fresh basil...  I'm going to write down the ingredients for what I actually did, which turned out great, but you might want to keep these modification ideas in mind. 

This'll make about four servings.

What you need:

Mushroomy Meat Sauce:

1 pound lean ground beef (I used 96/4... if you can't find that, just make sure to drain out the grease after browning)

1 medium onion, chopped

8 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, diced

1/2 cup red wine

1 1/2 cup pasta sauce, no sugar added if possible (I used arrabiata)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or your own mixture of dried oregano, basil, thyme)

salt and black pepper

Spicy Cottage Cheese Puree:

1 1/2 cups low fat cottage cheese

2 tablespoons pickled hot crushed peppers*

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

*If you don't have hot pickled crushed peppers, you could sub a bit (definitely not 2 tablespoons) red pepper flakes and a splash of vinegar.  Or use chili-garlic sauce.  

Roasted eggplant:

Olive or coconut oil spray

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2-3/4 inch thick rounds

salt and pepper

Start by making the sauce:  Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat.  Drain if necessary.  Add the onions and mushrooms.  Saute for a 3-4 minutes.  Add the red wine and scrape up anything that was sticking to the bottom.  Add the pasta sauce, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.  Stir, bring to a boil, and then reduce to low heat.  Cover.  Let simmer for AT LEAST 30 minutes, and up to an hour or so.  If sauce is too watery, remove cover to let it reduce.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the cottage cheese puree:  Add all ingredients to a small blender or a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down and stirring as necessary.  You may need to add a small splash of water to get things going, depending on the power of your blender.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Roast the eggplant:  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with olive or coconut oil spray.  Arrange eggplant rounds on the sheet so that they are not overlapping (touching is fine).  Lightly spray the tops with oil.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes, or until eggplant is lightly browned and soft.  

To serve:  Arrange a few slices of eggplant on plate, top with meat sauce, and drizzle the cottage cheese puree over the top.  Enjoy!

Spicy Salmon Soup with Escarole and Mushrooms

I finally made it to the Public Market in Rochester last weekend and came away with a wonderful find: salmon pieces for $2 a pound!  They were the scraps that were too small to be sold as nice looking pieces of fish, but they looked very fresh and came from a reputable fish vendor, so I couldn't pass up the deal (and it ended up being the best salmon I've bought in a long time!).

And what does one do with scraps of salmon?  Make soup!  ...Or just broil and serve small pieces- it's not like we're particularly fancy around here.  But the soup idea came to me and I ran with it.  I spied some escarole at a neighboring vendor and knew it'd pair perfectly with the salmon.  Add some mushrooms, onion, and garlic form my supply at home, and I was set!

I give a wide range on the soy sauce amount- start by adding a little and add more to taste.  I kept our batch pretty low on it, but added more to my individual servings.  If you have fish sauce and/or sesame oil, feel free to add a little of both to add a little more oomph to the flavor.   Also, bok choy could definitely be subbed in for the escarole, or spinach would work too!

This makes four large servings, and you can make them heartier by adding a fried egg on top.  Serve with extra chili-garlic and green onions as a garnish.

What you need:

1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 small-medium onion, thinly sliced
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch escarole, washed and torn into pieces
1 pound salmon, cut into chunks or strips
2-5 tablespoons soy sauce
~6 cups water
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce, plus more for garnish if desired
green onions for garnish


Start by heating a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the coconut oil.  Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and saute for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the escarole and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the water, soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.  Add the salmon. pieces, making sure all pieces are fully submerged.  Bring back to a boil, and then reduce heat to a low simmer.  Let cook for 3-4 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through.  When it is fully cooked, it will be opaque and flake apart.

Add additional soy sauce and chili-garlic sauce to taste.  Serve with a fried egg and chopped green onion on top if you're feeling it. :-)  Enjoy!

Sneaky Mushroom Taco Meat

This is my new favorite way to make taco meat, and it is super healthy.  By adding in finely chopped mushrooms with the ground beef, you stretch the meat further and end up eating less meat and more vegetable.  I also use a blend of spices rather than the packets of taco seasoning, which have way more ingredients than they need.

If you are vegetarian, just omit the beef and add an extra pound of mushrooms!  I've made it this way a few times and it makes a delicious meatless taco.

I scoop this on romaine leaves for me, but you can certainly use tortillas or multigrain chips to dip. Top it with some tomatillo salsa and maybe a little queso fresco, and you're set!

What you need:

1 pound 90% lean ground beef
1 small/medium onion, diced
10 ounces crimini or baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 chipolte pepper, chopped
1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
2-3 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt to taste


Start by browning the ground beef in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  When the meat is cooked through, drain if necessary (I find that some "90% lean" is more lean than others, sometimes I drain, sometimes I don't).  Add the onion, mushrooms, tomato, and chipolte pepper.  Saute for about 5 minutes, then add the broth and spices.   Reduce heat to medium and let it keep cooking for another 15 minutes.  Add extra broth if it dries out too much before it is done cooking.

Serve with romaine leaves if you want a low-carb taco, or use it to fill your favorite tortilla.  It would also make a mean dip layered with some guac, salsa, lettuce, and a little cheese.

Spaghetti Squash with Meat and Veggie Sauce

I'm not a pasta/grains person anyway, and used to just eat things that were supposed to go over pasta/rice/quinoa over lettuce or spinach or nothing instead.  Yeah, I know the lettuce is a little weird, but adds nice volume and tricks you into thinking you have a huge plateful of food (awesome trick for an Indian restaurant buffet- skip the rice!).

But then I added spaghetti squash into my lettuce/spinach/nothing rotation, and I'll tell you, it's much more "other people" friendly.  It is a little strange to serve yourself a plate of lettuce and then dump meat sauce over the top when everyone else is having pasta or whatever with their sauce.  Spaghetti squash doesn't get so many strange looks and everyone I've ever introduced it to likes it.  You could even mix it half and half with real pasta for those suspicious eaters.  

It's perfect for anyone trying to eat less carbs, going gluten-free, or just trying to avoid processed foods. Or anyone who just plain doesn't like pasta.  It doesn't really have much flavor of its own, but has a nice crisp texture.

The sauce I made this time is pretty simple and quick.  I added ground beef to it, but added plenty of vegetables so that the beef would stretch a little further and we'd eat a little less of it.  You can add whatever other vegetables you have on hand (eggplant, zucchini, peppers) and leave out the mushrooms if you want.  Add a splash of red wine if you have a bottle open. :-)

This will make 4-6 servings, depending on appetite and if you have any sort of side dish.

What you need:

1 spaghetti squash (medium-sized, I guess?)

1 pound of ground beef (mine was 96/4... if you use something much fattier, make sure to drain it!)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small/medium onion, diced

8-9 cloves garlic, minced (or less if you aren't a garlic fiend)

1-2 stalks celery, diced

1 teaspoon salt

1 large carrot, diced or thinly sliced

12 ounces mushrooms, cut into small pieces

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

Seasonings: (mix these up as much as you want, depending on what you have)

  

     Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, rosemary, sage, crushed red pepper, thyme...

     This time I used: Italian seasoning, fresh rosemary and fresh sage... because that's what I happened to have.  I often just go heavy handed with the dried oregano and thyme because those are often what I have on hand.

Roast the Squash:

Start by roasting your squash.  I did it in a 350 degree oven for about an hour this time.  Whole, with a couple of fork pokes.  This does mean that you have to deal with the seeds and pulpy stuff after it cooks... which is a little more of a pain.  But you don't have to saw through it at least.  

You can also cut in in half first, remove the seeds, spray the cut side with oil, and roast it for 30-40 minutes.  Or you can microwave it (google that... I never do it that way).  It's hard to overcook it, but very possible- apparently.  I did it last time I made spaghetti squash, but before that I would have said it was nearly impossible.  But I guess it is- it will turn to mush and become decidedly un-spaghetti like.  When it's done, it should be slightly soft and easy to cut into.  If you run a fork through it, the strands will appear.

Make the Sauce:

While your squash is roasting, make your sauce.  Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and let it brown.  Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and salt.  Sauce for about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and saute for another 3-5 minutes.  Add both cans of tomatoes and your seasonings.  Bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to medium-low.  Let simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  If you have more time, let it simmer longer, but keep the pot mostly covered.  After it has simmered, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Shred the spaghetti squash and serve with the meat and veggie sauce on top.  Sprinkle with a little Parmesan if you'd like.

Whole Rabbit Stew

We have a friend who saw that Whole Foods had whole rabbits and bought one on a whim.  When he was over carving pumpkins with us, it came up. (I mean, it stayed in the freezer, still dead.  The topic came up).  And we agreed that I should cook it to prevent a twice killed rabbit disaster.

I've never cooked rabbit before at all, let alone a whole one, so I did some Googling to get me started.  All of the recipes that I found looked incredibly delicious, but also like more work than I felt like putting into it.  They had you removing things from the pot, and adding things to the pot, and putting things back into the pot, and straining things (which I really hate- especially since I don't have a strainer here).

Oh, and they had you break the rabbit down into pieces.  No thanks.  I'm not particularly squeamish about such things, but I also don't think it'd be fun to wrestle with a dead rabbit as I chop it apart (my knives here are not very sharp).

So after getting a few ideas from various recipes, I did things my way, which is what I tend to like to do.  And this is what I came up with.

I served it with arugula dressed in a tangy homemade vinaigrette and roasted potatoes, carrots, and parsnips.

What you need:

1 (3 pound) rabbit
1 1/2 tablespoons butter (mine was salted)
3-4 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
6-7 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half (or minced, but I like the larger chunks of garlic in a slow cooked stew like this)
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 red wine
2 cups water
1  teaspoon salt (and maybe more, to taste)
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, larger ones cut in half, small kept whole
4 strips bacon
2-3 tablespoons flour


Remove giblets from chest cavity if yours came with them.  Chop them finely.

Heat butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Place rabbit in the pot and let sear for 3-4 minutes,  Flip the rabbit over and let the other side sear for another 3-4 minutes.  Make sure that the rabbit has achieved a nice dark brown sear before adding the next ingredients.

Add the celery, onion, garlic, and chopped giblets (if you have them).  Saute for 4-6 minutes, or until they have a little brown on them.  (If you want, you can take the rabbit out of the pot for a few minutes as the vegetables saute.  I left it in there though, you just have to stir around on it to saute the veggies.)  Add the wine and deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape up any brown from the bottom of the pan.

Add the rosemary sprigs, water, and salt.  Push the rabbit down so that as much of it is submerged as possible.  It's fine if some of it is sticking up above the liquid.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and cover.  Let simmer for about an hour, flipping it halfway through.

Add the mushrooms.  Let simmer for about another hour.  The rabbit should be starting to fall apart when it is done.  Remove the rosemary sprigs (or stems if the leaves have fallen off).

Once the rabbit is basically done, fry up the bacon in a saucepan.  Once the bacon is cooked, drain on a paper towel.  Dispose of about half of the grease, keeping the rest in the frying pan.  Add a little (about a 1/4 or 1/3 cup) of the rabbit broth to the bacon grease.  Over low heat, whisk the flour into this.

Remove the rabbit from the pot and place into a shallow serving dish.  Add the flour/bacon grease/broth mixture into the rest of the vegetables and broth.  Stir and let simmer for a few minutes, or until thickened.  Pour over the rabbit in the serving dish.

Enjoy!

Broccoli, Radish, and Mushroom Stir Fry

While this is a tasty and simple side dish, I normally wouldn't be posting it as a recipe.  Stir-fries are basic and, well, don't really require recipes.  BUT, I've realized that a lot of people have never heard of cooking radishes!  Which I'd like to change.

You can definitely cook radishes- in a variety of ways. I usually stir fry them really quickly, but I've also broiled them (laid out sliced on a sheet pan and sprayed with cooking spray), and added them to slow-cooked stews.  Also, if you don't like raw radishes, you may very well like them cooked.  Their flavor mellows out quite a bit.

This is an Asian-flavored stir fry that I made to accompany Thai Curry Chicken with Butternut Squash.  My stir-fries usually come together as a result of what I have in the fridge.  That's what's awesome about stir-fries- you can really make all sorts of combinations depending on what you have on hand.  Today, I had broccoli, mushrooms, fresh ginger, and the radishes, so I just went with that.  I cooked them in sesame oil and added a little soy sauce to complement my curry chicken dish.   You could just do the radishes, or do the radishes with the mushrooms, or with the broccoli.  Whatever ya feel like.  This combination worked well though.

What you need:

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
1 pound of broccoli, cut into ~2 inch pieces
6-7 radishes, thinly sliced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
Pinch of salt
Pepper
Soy sauce
Chili-garlic sauce

Heat the sesame oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Add the ginger and saute for a minute or two.  Add the radishes, Saute for about a minute, then add the broccoli.  Stir that around for a minute, then add the mushrooms.  Sprinkle in a pinch of salt to draw a little water out.  Continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables have a little brown on them and are cooked to your liking.  You want them to retain a little crunch.  Turn off of the heat and add the green onions.  Season with soy sauce, black pepper, and chili-garlic sauce.

Enjoy!

Portabella Pizza

You won't miss the carbs, trust me.  

This personal pizza is healthy, filling, and delicious.  And you can play around with the toppings to keep it interesting.  The pictures here are the version with the Pizza Dip, but I've also made these differently before, so I added some variations down at the bottom of the post.

What you need (per pizza):

1 large portabella mushroom, washed and stem removed 

Olive oil spray

Seasoned-All (or just a bit of salt)

Pepper

Toppings: 

2 tablespoons Pizza Dip

1 teaspoon Pesto (I just used a little from a jar of store-bought)

2 thin slices of a large tomato

3-4 green olives, chopped

1-2 tablespoons Marinara Sauce 

1 teaspoon crumbled Feta Cheese

2 anchovies

Pepper, Oregano, Garlic Powder, Red Pepper Flakes

Heat oven (or toaster oven) to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray baking sheet with a little olive oil, place mushroom on sheet, and spray mushroom with a bit of olive oil too.  Season lightly with Season-All or just salt and pepper.  Bake for 30-45 minutes (I baked mine for about 45, and it was deliciously well-done.  30 minutes would also do the trick, it just won't get quite as "meaty").  The mushroom should be tender and have shrunk a good deal.

Spread the Pizza Dip and Pesto over the gills of the mushroom.  Layer the tomato, green olives, marinara sauce, feta cheese, and anchovies over this.  Season with the spices that you desire.  Return pan to oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until everything is heated and melty.  

Grab your knife and fork (or don't, but I'll let you know it's gonna be messy), and dig in!

Some Other Topping Ideas:

• Replace Pizza Dip with fat-free cream cheese, add more Marinara sauce 
• Add some pepperoni
• Add some other/ extra cheese: Goat, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Blue Cheese
• Add fresh basil
• Make it a "burger" instead of pizza: lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard, and ketchup (I've done this one and it was pretty darn tasty)
• Add whatever you like!

Baked Herbed Brie with Mushrooms, Onions, and Almonds

Baked brie is awesome, pretty much regardless of how you prepare it.  But this particular recipe might just be my new favorite way to make it.  It might be that the cheese I bought this time was of better quality, but I also think that these toppings really work well with the flavor or brie.  

I made mine on our toaster oven tray because it's easy and I don't care about how it looks, but I recommend using a smaller casserole dish (maybe a 5-6 inch circle or 5 x 7 rectangle) if you have one.  

Serve with crackers, chips, or slices of toasted baguette. 

What you need:

A 7-ounce wedge or wheel of herbed Brie (rinds removed, unless you're like me and really like the rind...  in that case just cut it to help it melt out)

1/2 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

Splash of red wine

2 teaspoons honey

2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (I used basil and thyme)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Red pepper flakes

Place brie on a lightly greased small baking sheet or casserole dish.  Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add mushrooms and onions, plus a pinch of salt and pepper.  Saute until cooked through and just beginning to brown.  Add the splash of red wine and the honey. Remove from heat and stir in herbs.  Spread mixture over the brie.  Sprinkle with the almonds and red pepper flakes to taste.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly at the edges.  Enjoy!

Filet Mignon with Mushroom Sauce

I discovered these filet mignon in the grocery freezer the other day and couldn't resist buying a couple. That's the thing about living in a place where you can't depend on certain products being there.  It leads to a lot of impulse buys just in case whatever it is runs out and isn't shipped in again for a few months.  And after seeing the price as they rang up, I don't think I'll be getting these again.  But they were delicious and still cheaper than going out to a nice dinner, so it all works out.

I made a creamy mushroom sauce to accompany these, and served them with Green Veggie Soup and Fake Mashed Sweet Potatoes.  

What you need:

2 (6 oz) filet mignon steaks
Salt and pepper
Olive oil spray

Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray an oven proof skillet or pot with olive oil.  If you don't have something that is oven proof, that's fine, but you will need to have a cookie sheet or something like that as well.

Pat filet mignon dry and then season all sides of each with salt and pepper.

Heat the pot over high heat until oil is sizzling.  Sear for 2 minutes on each flat side.  Then roll each filet mignon on its round side to quickly sear it.  Place entire pot/ skillet in the oven.  (If you are using a baking sheet, heat in this in oven for the last minute that the steaks are searing, and then place steaks onto this pan).  Cook for 2-6 more minutes, depending on thickness of the steaks and how you want them cooked.  With 1 1/2 inch thick filets, I cooked one for 2 minutes (very rare) and then other for 4 (medium-rare to rare).  Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with mushroom sauce and enjoy!


For the mushroom sauce:

I used basically the same Mushroom Sauce as I did with my t-bone steaks.   The only changes were that I used button mushrooms instead of portobello (about 5 ounces) and add in some rosemary stems while everything was simmering, and removed them before serving.

Cauliflower-Mushroom Soup

And the soup obsession continues...

For lunch today, I finished up my soup leftovers from the previous two soups I posted and was sad that I would have no more leftover soup for lunches.  Solution: make more soup!

I served this with Spicy Barbeque Shrimp and decadently topped it with bacon, goat cheese, and fried onions.  

What you need:

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces

Olive oil spray

Salt and pepper

1-2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 leek, sliced

1/2 head of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 portobello mushroom

8 ounces button mushrooms

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 fat free cream cheese

1/2 cup milk of choice

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Toppings: bacon, crumbled goat cheese, fried onions

Start by roasting the cauliflower: Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray a baking sheet with olive oil and spread cauliflower florets across it.  Spray again and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 25-30 minutes (flipping once or twice), or until cauliflower is cooked through and slightly browned.  

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat.  Add onions, leek, garlic, and a hefty pinch of salt to the pan.  Cook until softened and then add the mushrooms.  Cook for a few more minutes until the mushrooms are softened.  Add the white wine and deglaze the pan.  Add the broth and roasted cauliflower.  Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Add cream cheese, milk, and vinegar.  Puree with an immersion blender until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste (I only needed to add pepper).

Top with the bacon, goat cheese, and fried onions if you like.  Enjoy!

Pan-Seared T-Bone Steak with Creamy Portobello Mushroom Sauce

No need for a grill to make a delicious steak, especially when it's topped with a delicious mushroom sauce.  I served this with a variation on Roasted Romaine Hearts.  Instead of just using olive oil, salt, and pepper, I also added a little crumbled bleu cheese in between the leaves before broiling and drizzled it with balsamic vinegar afterwards.  Yum!

Just to warn you, this makes a lot of sauce, so you may want to halve the recipe if you are only planning on serving two people.  I don't mind the leftovers myself as I'm sure I'll find some other use for this awesome sauce (maybe an excuse to make more steak?).  

What you need:

2 T-Bone steaks (not sure how much they weighed, but they looked pretty average, other than being on the thin side)
1-2 tablespoons butter
1 small-medium onion, finely diced
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely diced
2 medium-large portobello mushrooms, diced
Salt and pepper
1/2-3/4 cup red wine (I used a Merlot)
1 cup beef broth
1 cup milk or cream (I used 1 % milk)
3-4 tablespoons light cream cheese
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons dried parsley
Olive oil

Take the steaks out of the frig about half of an hour before you'll be cooking them (I took mine out at the same time I started the sauce).  Melt the butter in a pot over medium-low heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt.  Stir and let cook for a few minutes until they start to become translucent.  Add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes.  Add some pepper and the red wine.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the milk and beef broth.  Turn heat to low and continue to simmer as you cook the steaks.

Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a large saucepan over high heat and add a teaspoon or so of olive oil.  When oil begins to pop, place steaks in the pan and sear for 2 minutes on each side (My pan was actually only big enough to do one at a time, so I did them one at a time).  Place steaks on a baking sheet and then put in the oven.  Cook for 4-10 minutes, depending on thickness and how well done you want them to be (my steaks were thin- about 1/2 inch thick.  Since I like mine rare, I skipped out on the oven finishing, but put Rob's in for 4 minutes while mine was still searing).  Take out of the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

While the steaks rest, finish the mushroom sauce:  Add the cream cheese and stir to mix.  Mix the cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and stir until there are no clumps.  Add this to the sauce and let cook for a minute, or until nicely thickened. Add the parsley.  Done!

Serve with the sauce spooned over the steak.  Enjoy!

Simple Chicken and Vegetable Stew (CrockPot Recipe)

This is SO quick and easy to make.  Well, quick if you don't count the 4-5 hours it takes in the CrockPot.  But, it's only 10 minutes of prep to start and maybe another 5 minutes near the end.  And it's tasty- reminds me of chicken and dumplings, minus any actual dumplings (though you could add some in if you wanted).  I usually brown the meat I am using when I do things in my CrockPot (to add flavor), but today I didn't feel like it.  In fact, I didn't even feel like taking the chicken out to thaw early enough.  So I put it in completely frozen and obviously un-browned.  And, yep, it's still delicious in the end, and WAY less work.  You could even put everything in the pot the night before and refrigerate it until morning and let it cook while you are at work, or running errands, or whatever.

What you need:

11/2-2 pounds chicken tenderloins, frozen or thawed (just cook a little less if yours are thawed)
1 medium onion, chopped into rough chunks
2 stalks of celery, chopped
8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, either sliced in half or quartered
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1 inch slices and quartered
1 (13 ounce) can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano


Place chicken in the crockpot first.  Top with the onion and celery, then the mushrooms, and finally the squash.  Pour the cream of mushroom soup, the worcestershire sauce, and a 1/2 cup of water over the top.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.  Remove cover and add the cherry tomatoes.  Scoop out a couple tablespoons of the broth and place in a small dish.  Stir the cornstarch into this and keep stirring (or whisking) until smooth.  Add back into the crockpot.  Add the garlic powder, pepper, parsley, and oregano.  Keep cooking on high for 20 minutes uncovered to let it thicken a bit.  And done!

Try serving it by itself, with croutons, or over rice. Enjoy!

Pork Chop Slop (Pork Chops Smothered in Vegetable-y Sauce)

Okay, I guess that isn't the most appetizing name, but the rhyming amused me and it's a very appropriate title.  As evidenced by the picture.  And while it won't win any food beauty awards, this stuff IS pretty tasty. I served it with a carrot-sweet potato puree and homemade croutons leftover from the other day.  You could also try it over rice.  This makes four generous servings (one pork chop and a ton of vegetable-y sauciness).

I went with really simple seasonings today, but when I try this again, I think I'll add some herbs- maybe oregano, sage, basil.  The simplicity was kind of nice though- good comfort food.

What you need:

4 pork chops, trimmed of fat around the outside edge
Olive oil spray
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 leek, sliced thinly
1/2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces and then quartered
1 large portobello mushroom, sliced into small pieces
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 (13 ounce) can of 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
2 cups water
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 dry red wine
1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Spray a large pot with olive oil and heat over high heat.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper and sear, about 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned.  Place browned pork chops on a plate.  I did this in batches of two.  Add the onion and celery to the pan along with a little bit of water.  Use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the leek, zucchini, mushroom, and bell pepper.  Stir everything around and cook for a few more minutes, or until everything begins to soften and gets a little browned.  Add the cream of mushroom soup, the water, worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.  Add the pork chops back in and spoon the veggies and sauce over them.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 20-30 minutes, mixing everything around once or twice.  Uncover, add the red wine and cream cheese and mix well.  If it is really soupy, let it simmer a bit more until the sauce has a gravy-like thickness.  Taste test and add more salt, pepper, garlic powder if needed (I went with a bunch of black pepper).

To serve, scoop out a pork chop and spoon a bunch of the sauce over it.  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes for a little spice if you want.  Enjoy!

Mushroom, Onion, and Leek Soup

This was so good.  I can't wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow for lunch when it will probably be even better.  It was my first time making mushroom soup and my ingredients are a little random, because I just went with what I had and what I felt like throwing in.  But it turned out great, so now YOU should go out and buy these random ingredients so that you can make it too.  I did use a little real butter because there is something about mushrooms sauted in butter that can't be faked, but otherwise this is pretty darn healthy.  I served it alongside some broiled pumpkin butter-topped salmon and bagel chips (I was going to make homemade croutons for it, but ended up running out of time).  Anyway, the soup was awesome.

What you need:

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounce container button mushrooms, sliced
1 portabella mushroom, sliced
1 leek, sliced into thin rings
1 head fresh garlic, cloves peeled and roughly chopped
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 packet Onion and Mushroom Soup/Dip mix (I used Lipton Recipe Secrets)
1-2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 cup 1 % milk
1/4 cup fat free cream cheese
1/4 cup red wine (I used a merlot)
Dried parsley
Shredded Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes (optional)


Start by sauteing the onions, mushrooms, and garlic in the butter over low heat.  After a couple minutes, add the leek.  Cook for another few minutes, or until everything is softened and JUST beginning to brown.  Add the beef broth, packet of soup mix, and the black pepper.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat, add the milk and the fat free cream cheese, and use an immersion blender to puree everything.  Stir in a little dried parsley and the red wine.  Season with extra garlic powder and black pepper if you like (I did this, but I like things garlicky and peppery).  Garnish with a bit of parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.  Enjoy!

Mediterranean Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Salad

Lately I've been on a serious roasted vegetable kick.  So this recipe is pretty similar to others I have posted recently, but has the significant addition of chicken.  No need for any sides other than maybe a little bread (though I did make a naan bread pizza with anchovies, fresh tomato, olives, and feta to accompany this for Rob).

Start by making the roasted veggies (these could even be made the day before and then stored in the fridge):

What you need:

A couple pounds of eggplant (maybe two medium- I used a variety of baby ones and part of a big one, because that's what I had), cut into 1-inch thick rounds
1/2 pound carrots or baby carrots- carrots should be cut into 1/8 inch slices and baby carrots cut in half if they are fat ones
1-2 red peppers, kept whole
1 medium onion, chopped roughly
1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and kept whole

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray two 13 x 9 pans with olive oil (or if you only have one, you can do this in batches, which is what I actually did).  Spread the eggplant and carrots across one pan, and the onion, red pepper, and mushrooms on the other.  Spray everything with olive oil and then season with salt and pepper.

Roast the eggplant pan for an hour and the other pan for 30 minutes.  If done, the vegetables should be soft and slightly browned.  Let cool and chop everything into bite sized pieces (make sure to remove the skin and seeds from the red pepper).  Place everything in a bowl.

For the rest of the salad:

1/2 pound- 1 pound cooked chicken, depending on how protein heavy you want it to be (see note below for cooking tips/ ideas)
1 cup sliced and quartered cucumber
1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 chopped Greek or Kalamata olives
1/2-1 cup chopped artichoke hearts (use the marinated ones if you don't mind the extra oil, or just the ones in brine, which is what I did)
4 anchovies, finely chopped
3-5 pickled jalapenos, chopped
1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
Black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, basil, and salt to taste (I probably used about 2 teaspoons each black pepper, oregano, and basil.  A ton of garlic powder, and a just a bit of salt, because my chicken was already seasoned, as were the veggies from the oven)

Optional (I would have added all of these, but circumstances on Saba prevented me from doing so):
1 head of roasted garlic, with the garlic squeezed out
Fresh Basil leaves
Fresh arugula (add this at the very end)

Mix everything together, refrigerate for an hour or a few, and serve on a bed of lettuce.  Sprinkle a little feta cheese on top if ya like.  Enjoy!


*Making the chicken:

You can simply boil the chicken, use meat from a rotisserie chicken (though not if you live on Saba), use leftover grilled, or saute some up like I did.  I used boneless chicken tenderloins and cooked them whole, because they are small enough that this works.  If I use breasts, I cut them up first.  Just heat your pan, add a good spray of olive oil, and add the chicken after it heats a bit.  Add a bit of salt right from the get go, because this helps the meat cook.  I also seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and za'atar ( a Middle East spice mixture that I thought would work well with the rest of the salad).  When the chicken was almost done, I added a splash of white wine and lemon juice, turned down the heat to low, and covered it for the last couple minutes.  Once it's cooked, let it cool and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Fresh Basil and Arugula

Mmmm... so tasty, so healthy, and simple to make.  It was a lovely side to the baby octopus I made, but would also make a nice light lunch or dinner on its own or with some bread or rice.  

What you need:

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1 inch thick rounds

2-3 cups cremini mushrooms

3 jalapeno peppers

1 small onion, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch wedges

cooking spray, salt, pepper

2-3 cups fresh arugula, chopped

1 cup fresh basil, chopped

2-3 small tomatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup (or more) seasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon EACH chili oil and sesame oil

1-2 teaspoons soy sauce

1-2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon (or more if you're a garlic fiend like me) garlic powder

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray two 13 x 9 pans with olive oil.  Spread the vegetables across the two pans (I filled one up with the eggplant and the other with the other vegetables.  That way you can easily leave the eggplant in longer).  Spray with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven until softened, lightly browned, and cooked through.  This took about 20 minutes for the pan with the mushrooms, peppers, and onion, and between 45 minutes and an hour for the eggplant.  Let cool a bit, and then chop everything into bite sized chunks (except the mushrooms, which I like to leave whole).  Place the veggies in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients.  Toss and let sit for 20 minutes (or more) before serving to let the flavors meld a bit.

Mediterranean Mixed Vegetable Salad

Mmm... this was so good!  It's a delicious combination of all sorts of vegetables, both roasted and fresh, with the addition of olives and anchovies for some serious flavor.

What you need:

8 ounce cremini mushroons

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

1 head of garlic, with the very top snipped off

1 tomato, chopped

Cucumber, chopped (I probably used about a cup)

1/2 cup Greek olives, pits removed (I just used a jar that said "Greek Olives", because that's what we have here, but if I was back in the States, I'd probably use Kalamata)

1/2 cup artichokes, chopped

1 small red onion, sliced very thinly

1/3 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 tin of anchovies, chopped

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

2-3 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

1-2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

Black Pepper

Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional)

Start by roasting the mushrooms, onion, and garlic head:   Spray a baking pan with olive oil, spread the vegetables out on it, spray again, and season with salt and pepper.  Roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, or until mushrooms are cooked through, the onion is slightly blackened, and the garlic is soft.  Let cool a bit. 

Mix together the tomato, cucumber, Greek olives, artichokes, red onion, parsley, and the roasted vegetables.  Squeeze the garlic out of the cloves.  Mix it with the anchovies, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and a bit of black pepper.  Pour this over the vegetables and mix it all up.  Let sit for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour or two, to allow the flavors to meld.  Give it a taste test and season with extra pepper, vinegar, or lemon juice if necessary.  

Serve with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese on top and enjoy!

Pan-Seared Filet Minion with Onions and Portabella Mushroom in Red Wine Sauce

The other half of our Valentine's meal (the tuna I just posted was the first half).  Steak is pricey on Saba, but definitely a nice treat every once and a while- and still much cheaper than going out!  We also had a blue cheese dressed salad to accompany this.

What you need:

1 6-ounce Filet Minion
Salt and Pepper, Olive Oil Spray
1 large Portabella mushroom, sliced
1 small Onion, sliced thinly
Garlic Powder, to taste (I probably use 2-3 teaspoons)
1/2 cup dry Red Wine
Fresh Rosemary, chopped

Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a skillet on high and spray with olive oil, or drizzle a small amount into the pan.  Let heat up, and then add the steak.  Sear on each side for about a minute and half.  Add the mushroom, onion, garlic powder, wine, and rosemary to the pan.  Stir everything around and lower heat.  After a couple (if you want a rare steak) or a 4-5 minutes (if you want it more well done), take the steak out of the pan and let it rest while the vegetables finish cooking in the wine.  Remove from heat when they are tender.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.  Slice steak and serve with vegetables and sauce on top.  Enjoy!