Forty-Clove Chicken Filice

1 whole chicken (about 3lbs)

salt and black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

40 cloves garlic (about 2 heads), peeled

4 stalks celery, thickly sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup dry vermouth (can substitute chicken broth or additional white wine)

grated peel and juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Season chicken with salt and black pepper.  Heat oil in Dutch oven.  Add chicken; cook until browned on all sides.
3. Combine garlic, celery, wine, vermouth, lemon juice, parsley, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes in medium bowl;  pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with lemon peel; season with additional salt and black pepper.
4. Cover and bake 40 minutes.  Remove cover; bake 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Spaghetti Squash with Chunky Tomato Sauce

1 spaghetti squash (about 4 lbs)

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups (6oz) sliced cremini mushrooms

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/3 cup water

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

4 (3oz) cooked chicken sausage links, cut into pieces

2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise in half.  Remove seeds.  Place squash in 12/8 inch microwavable dish.  Cover with ventilated plastic wrap.  Microwave on HIGH 9 minutes or until squash separates easily into strands when tested with fork.  Cut each squash half lengthwise in half; separate strands with fork.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms, onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Stir tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, oregano, salt and black pepper into skillet.  Bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat; cover and cook 5 minutes.  Stir in sausage pieces.
4. Place squash on serving plates.  Top with sauce and sprinkle with parsley.

Roasted Mushrooms with Shallots

1 lb cremini mushrooms, halved

1/2 cup sliced shallots

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Spread mushrooms and shallots on rimmed baking sheet.  Whisk oil, salt, rosemary, and pepper in small bowl.  Pour over mushrooms and shallots; toss to coat evenly.  Spread in a single layer.
3. Bake 15-18 minutes or until mushrooms are browned and tender.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

3 lbs ripe plum tomatoes (about 20), cut in half and seeded

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup minced fresh basil

1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450.  Toss tomatoes with 1 Tbsp oil and salt.  Place cut sides down on baking sheet.
2. Bake 20-25 minutes or until skins are blistered.  Cool.  Process tomatoes, remaining 2 Tbsp oil, basil, and pepper in food processor until smooth.

Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil or butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (28oz) Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved

1 tsp sugar

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

salt and black pepper

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Stir in tomatoes with juice and sugar; cook 20 minutes.
2. Stir in basil; cook 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If using fresh plum tomatoes, use 2 pounds peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes, and reduce cooking time to 10 minutes.

Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

 2 lbs baking potatoes (3 or 4 large)

tomato sauce (recipe here)

2/3 to 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

Grated Parmesan cheese

Slivered fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Pierce potatoes several times with fork.  Bake 1 hour or until soft.  Meanwhile, prepare Tomato Sauce.
2. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; cool slightly.  Scoop out potatoes from skins into medium bowl; discard skins.  Mash potatoes until smooth.  Add 1/3 cup flour, egg yolk, salt and nutmeg; mix well to form dough.
3. Turn out dough onto well-floured surface.  Knead in enough remaining flour to form smooth dough.  Divide dough into 4 pieces; roll each into 3/4 0 1 inch wide rope.  Cut each rope into 1 inch pieces; gently press thumb into center of each piece to make indentation or roll over tines of fork.  Place finished gnocchi on lightly floured kitchen towel in single layer to prevent sticking.
4. Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil in large saucepan over high heat.  To test cooking time, drop several gnocchi into water; cook 1 minute or until they float to the surface.  Remove from water with slotted spoon and taste for doneness.  (If gnocchi starts to dissolve, shorten cooking time by several seconds).  Cook remaining gnocchi in batches, removing with slotted spoon to warm serving dish.
5. Serve gnocchi with sauce; sprinkle with cheese and basil.

French Lentil Salad

 1.5 cups dried lentils, sorted and rinsed

4 green onions, finely chopped

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

lettuce leaves (optional)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Combine 2 quarts water and lentils in large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.  Drain lentils.
2. Combine cooked lentils, green onions, vinegar, parsley, oil, salt, thyme, and pepper in large bowl; mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until cool.
3. Serve on lettuce leaves, if desired.  Top with toasted walnuts before serving.

Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Green Stew)

 Prep time:  35 minutes

Cook time:  8.5 hrs on Low, 4.5 hrs on High

1.5 lbs boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tsp ground turmeric

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper, divided

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 medium onions, chopped

1 bag (5oz) fresh baby spinach, chopped

2 cups chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

6 green onions, green part only, chopped

1.5 cups beef broth

1 can (15oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

3 cups hot cooked basmati rice

1. Coat inside of slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine lamb, turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt, curry powder and 1/4 tsp pepper in large bowl.  Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add half of lamb; cook and stir 4 minutes or until browned.  Transfer to slow cooker.  Repeat with remaining lamb.  Add onions and remaining 1 Tbsp oil to skillet;  cook 6-7 minutes or until onions are starting to brown.  Stir in spinach, parsley, cilantro, and green onions; cook and stir 2 minutes or until wilted.  Add to lamb in slow cooker; pour broth over all.
3. Cover; cook on Low 8 hours or on High 4 hours.  Add beans.  Cover; cook on High 30 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Stir in lime juice, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Serve over rice.

Middle Eastern Lentil Soup

 2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp whole fennel seeds

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

4 cups water

1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot.  Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender.  Add fennel seeds, cumin, and ground red pepper; cook and stir 1 minute.
2. Add water, lentils, and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Stir in lemon juice.
3. Top each serving with yogurt; sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Serve with homemade pita chips or lavash chips.

Mediterranean Chili

 prep time:  20 minutes

cook time:  7-8 hours (low) or 3.5 - 4 hours (high)

2 cans (28ozeach) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (14oz) vegetable broth

2 onions, chopped

10 kalamata olives, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Combine chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, onions, olives, garlic, cumin, and ground red pepper in slow cooker; stir to blend.  Cover; cook on Low 7-8 hours, or on High 3/5 - 4 hours.
2. Stir in chopped mint, oregano, and lemon peel; top each serving with feta.

Spanish Tortilla

 1 tsp olive oil

1 cup thinly sliced peeled potato

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

8 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

fresh tomato salsa (optional)

1. Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add potato, zucchini, onion, and garlic; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until potato is tender, turning frequently.  Stir in chicken; cook 1 minute.
2. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in large bowl.  Carefully pour egg mixture into skillet.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook 12 - 15 minutes or until egg mixture is set in center.
3. Loosen edges of tortilla and slide onto large serving platter.  Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges or 1-inch cubes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Serve with salsa, if desired.

Savory Pita Chips

 2 whole wheat or white pita breads

olive oil

3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheet with foil.
2. Carefully cut each pita round half horizontally; split into 2 rounds.  Cut each found into 6 wedges.
3. Place wedges, inside layer down, on prepared baking sheet.  Brush lightly with oil.  Turn over; brush again.
4. Combine parmesan, basil, and garlic powder in small bowl; sprinkle evenly over pita wedges.
5. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely.

Cinnamon crisps:  substitute melted butter for olive oil and 2 Tbsp sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon for the Parmesan cheese, basil, and garlic powder.

Falafel with Garlic Tahini Sauce

 1 cup dried chickpeas, sorted and rinsed

Garlic Tahini Sauce (recipe follows)

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground red pepper

vegetable oil

Pita bread, lettuce, tomatoes, chopped cucumbers (optional)

1. Place chickpeas in large bowl; cover with water by 3 inches.  Soak 8 hours or overnight.  Prepare Garlic Tahini Sauce; refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Drain chickpeas; place in food processor.  Add onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, salt and red pepper. Pulse until mixture is smooth, scraping side of bowl frequently.  If mixture is too dry, add 1 to 2 Tbsp water.
3. Shape mixture into 1 1/2" balls with dampened hands.  Place on baking sheet lined with wax paper.
4. Pour oil into deep heavy saucepan to depth of 2 inches.  Heat over medium-high heat to 350.  Fry falafel in batches 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
5. Serve with pita bread, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and Garlic Tahini Sauce.

Garlic Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup tahini

3 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

salt and black pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients in small bowl until well blended.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Bruschetta

 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

5 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

16 slices Italian bread

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Combine diced tomatoes, basil, 3 Tbsp oil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, salt and pepper in large bowl; mix well.  Let stand at room temperature 1 hour to blend flavors.

2.  Preheat oven to 375.  Place bread on baking sheet. Brush remaining 2 Tbsp oil over one side of each bread slice; sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted.

3.  Top each bread slice with 1 Tbsp tomato mixture.

Fresh Vegetable Lasagna

This was OMG so freaking good!  I used an 8oz package of sliced mushrooms, so that was a little more than called for in the recipe, but we all love mushrooms so that just made it even more yummy.  I also tried using the "oven ready" lasagna noodles, but the top layer didn't cook through so it ended up a bit crunchy and chewy.  Next time I will cook the noodles as directed.

8oz uncooked lasagna noodles

1 pkg (10oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper (1-inch pieces)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 can (14oz) artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and chopped

2 cups (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Rinse under cold water; drain well.  Set aside.

2.  Preheat oven to 375.  Combine spinach, carrots, green onions, bell pepper, parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper in large bowl; set aside.

3.  Combine ricotta cheese, buttermilk, eggs, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt in food processor or blender.  Process until smooth.

4.  Spray 13x9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Arrange 1/3 of lasagna noodles in bottom of pan.  Spread with half of cheese mixture, half of vegetable mixture, half of mushrooms, half of artichokes, and 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers, ending with noodles on top.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

5.  Cover; bake 30 minutes.  Remove cover; bake 20 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into pieces.

Halibut Provencal

 I fixed this tonight with a vegetable lasagna (recipe here).  I substituted mahi mahi for the halibut, and celery for the fennel bulb

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 cups thinly sliced and chopped fennel bulb

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes

2 tbsp minced orange peel

2 tsp herbes de Provence

4  (4oz) halibut steaks (1/2 inch thick)

1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

minced fresh basil or parsley (optional)

1.  Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add fennel and onion; cook and stir 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Add tomatoes, orange peel, and herbes de Provence; cook and stir 10 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, paprika, pepper, and salt in small bowl.

3.  Place halibut over vegetables; drizzle with remaining oil.  Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over fish.  Cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until fish begins to flake when tested with fork.  Garnish with basil.

Tip:  for a golden, crispy topping, preheat broiler.  Place skillet under broiler; broil 1-2 minutes or until bread crumb mixture is golden brown.  Sprinkle fish with mined basil, if desired.

Italian Salad Dressing

makes 2/3 cup

3 tbsp white or red wine vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

pinch red pepper flakes

black pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1.  Combine vinegar, garlic, honey, mustard, salt, onion powder, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and black pepper in small bowl.

2.  Whisk in vegetable oil and olive oil in thin steady stream until well blended.  Or combine all ingredients in jar with tight-fitting lid; cover jar and shake well until blended.  Store in refrigerator.

Grilled Tuna Nicoise with Citrus Marinade

 Clydie, Jessie and I enjoyed this dish Friday night - very filling with the tuna, potatoes, and green beans.

Citrus Marinade

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 green onions, chopped

1 tsp dried tarragon

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Salad

1 tuna steak (about 1 pound)

2 cups fresh green beans

4 cups romaine lettuce leaves, washed and torn

8 small red potatoes, cooked and quartered

1 cup chopped seeded fresh tomato

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

sliced red onion

chopped black olives

Italian Dressing - ingredients and directions are in this post 

1. Prepare dressing.

2.  For marinade, whisk lime juice, oil, green onions, tarragon, garlic powder, salt and pepper in medium bowl.  Place tuna in a ziploc bag; add marinade.  Seal bag; turn to coat.  Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally.

3.  Prepare grill for direct cooking.  Drain tuna; discard marinade.  Grill 8-10 minutes or until tuna begins to flake when tested with a fork, turning once.  (Or broil tuna 4 inches from heat, 8-10 minutes, turning once.)  Slice tuna into 1/4 inch thick slices; set aside.

4.  Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.  Add beans; cook 2 minutes.  Drain; rinse under cold water.

5.  Place lettuce on large serving platter (or in separate dishes).  Arrange tuna, beans, potatoes, tomato, eggs, onions, and olives on lettuce.  Serve with dressing.

Greek Pasta Salad

 I made this one yesterday.  I think next time I will cut the recipe in half, as using a whole box of rotini (1lb) was a bit much and a little more than the recipe called for.  I didn't adjust the dressing ingredients, so it's a little dry.

pasta salad

6 cups cooked regular or multigrain rotini pasta

1 1/2 cups diced cucumber

1 cup diced tomatoes (about 2 medium)

1 cup diced green bell pepper (about 1 medium)

1-4oz package crumbled feta cheese

12 medium pitted black olives, sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp black pepper

1.  For pasta salad, combine pasta, cucumber, tomatoes bell pepper, feta cheese, olives and dill in large bowl.

2. For dressing, whisk oil, lemon juice, salt, oregano and black pepper in small bowl.  Pour over salad mixture; toss well.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I used about 1 1/2 Tbsp dried dill, and a small can of sliced olives instead of the fresh dill and olives.

Fresh Garlic Shrimp Linguine

 This was a quick and easy dish that I fixed tonight (I doubled the recipe for our family of 4)

6oz uncooked linguine

8oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp seafood seasoning

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp salt

1.  Bring large saucepan of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta; cook 6 minutes.  Add shrimp; cook 3-4 minutes or until shrimp are pink and opaque and pasta is desired tenderness.  Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.

2.  Add cheese, oil, garlic, and seafood seasoning; toss gently to coat.  Drizzle in a bit of reserved cooking water to make sauce that coats pasta.  Add parsley and salt; toss to combine.

Adjust cook time as needed based on type of pasta, if you use something other than linguine.

Chicken Cassoulet

We had this one yesterday, and it was 4 thumbs up from the family.

4 slices bacon

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

salt & black pepper

1 3/4 lbs bone-in chicken pieces

2 chicken sausages (2 1/4oz each), cooked and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

12 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups diced red and green bell peppers

2 cloves garlic, minced

k1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

2-15oz cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  

2.  Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp; drain on paper towels.  Cut into 1-inch pieces.  Pour off all but 2 Tbsp drippings.

3.  Place flour in a shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper.  Dip chicken pieces into flour mixture; shake off excess.  Brown chicken in batches in Dutch oven over medium-high heat; transfer to plate.  Lightly brown sausages in same Dutch oven; transfer to plate.

4.  Add onion, bell peppers, garlic, and thyme to Dutch oven; cook and stir over medium heat 5 minutes or until softened, adding oil as needed to prevent sticking.  Add wine; cook and stir over medium heat, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan.  Add beans, mix well.  Top with chicken, sausages, and bacon.

5.  Cover and bake 40 minutes.  Remove cover; bake 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.