Pasta with Corn & Kale

I am seriously loving this CSA and all the awesome veggies we get every other week.  Truly, I enjoy the excitement and mystery of "what's in the box this time" and "how am I going to use these.

But MAN it's overwhelming too.  I mean, how on earth can I use up all these veggies and herbs before they go bad??

So when I stumbled across a recipe that used not one, but THREE, of the CSA veggies from our most recent pickup I thought "WOOHOO."  Nevermind the fact that I would normally completely bypass this one, was convinced my boys would hate it, and wasn't even sure I would like it.

Let's hear it for experimentation!!  Because this one is so good I'm seriously contemplating eating this for breakfast.

Pasta with Corn & Kale
Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine
Prep time: 35 minutes   Cook time: 45 minutes

3 ears of corn
2 1/2 cups uncooked, short-cut pasta [I used whole wheat rotini]
2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2-3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces
2 scallions, chopped
2 tbsp butter
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1.  Get out your rarely-used Bundt pan and stand the corn up in the middle of it.  This little tube will hold the corn steady while the kernals fall beautifully into the dish below it.  Using a sharp knife, cut the corn kernals off the cob. Then scrape the sobs with the back of your knife to extract the liquid.  Set aside.

Picture courtesy of my 6-year-old, with the help of a chair.

See? All neatly contained.

2.  Put the corncobs in a large pot and fill with water.  Cover and bring to a boil; salt, then add the pasta and cook as the label directs.  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.  Discard the cobs.

These help give the cooking water SO MUCH extra flavor!!

3.  Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp EVOO in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the chopped mushrooms in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes (psst! You may need to do these in batches if you have a lot of mushrooms).  Season with salt, stir and continue cooking until tender, about 5 more minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

I went for the "rustic" look and just hacked away at the 'shrooms

Don't salt until AFTER they get some color; salt brings out the water.

4.  Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the garlic, and pepper flakes to the skillet.  Cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft, about a minute.  Stir in the kale and season with salt.  Cover and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.  Add the corn kernels, mushrooms, scallions, and butter.  Cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the mixture is heated through, about 2 minutes.

Kale: before wilting

Kale: after wilting.  So pretty!!

5.  Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water.  Cook, stirring, until heated through, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.

Just start tossing everything back into the pot.

About 2/3 of the way through cooking this I really couldn't decide how this dish was going to go.  I mean, it's got mushrooms and kale in it.  But it smelled SO GOOD!!  But it has weird ingredients in it.  But it smelled SO GOOD!!  I was in some serious inner turmoil.

I scooped this into bowls and served it with some crusty, whole wheat bread.  I don't think I ate the bread though, as I was too busy inhaling this garlicky, corny, pasta-y goodness.  I truly could not eat my first bowl fast enough because I wanted a second so badly.  I did look up long enough to notice my youngest chowing down on the pasta bits and mushrooms.  And even my Picky Eater, who declared he didn't like it, didn't make that Super Gross Painful Gagging face as he ate his required six bites.  I sense an opportunity there to change his mind.

Because there will be other opportunities as I am SO MAKING THIS AGAIN!!

Five Layer Mexican Dip

One of my favorite things in the Food Universe is to either develop or discover a recipe for something that is NOTORIOUSLY bad for you and make something good, without sacrificing flavor.

Actually, I prefer this version to it's more fattening, seven-layer counterpart.

5-Layer Mexican Dip
Recipe from Ellie Krieger
Prep time: 20 minutes   Cook time: 8 minutes

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo
4 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 ripe avocados
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeno pepper
3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar

1.  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

One step for TWO layers!

2.  Put half of the onion mixture into a food processor with the black beans, chipotle pepper, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, cumin, water and salt. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare to be pulsed.

3.  Add the corn to the skillet with the remaining onion mixture and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro leaves.

I heart cilantro.

4.  In a small bowl mash the avocado with the remaining lime juice. In a medium bowl toss together the tomatoes, scallion and jalapeno, if using. Season tomato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

It was REALLY HARD to keep from snacking.

5.  Spread the black bean dip into the bottom of an 8 by 8 glass baking or serving dish. Top with the corn mixture, spreading it out to form a single layer over the beans, repeat with the avocado, then the tomatoes. Top with cheese.

Now, is this version as easy as putting together a 7-Layer Dip?  No.  I'll admit it!  It's much easier to open up some cans and plastic containers and layer them all together for a fantastic party spread.  But if you'd like to feel a twinge less guilty eating a yummy Mexican dip, sometimes the tradeoff is doing just a little bit of work, like cooking up the bean and corn layers in this recipe.  I'll say though that these layers are WORTH the few extra minutes to put together!!  The beans are smokey and spicy from the chipotle pepper.  I love how the corn kernals burst in my mouth.  And the avocado and tomato layers are so cool and refreshing; and the cheese just brings it all together.

SUPER YUMMY!!!

p.s. At the party I went on Saturday, after two hours there was only about a cup of this left.  And I'm fairly certain that the rest was consumed not long after I took my boys home for bed. ;)

Garden Chicken Risotto

Who here needs that perfect One Pot Wonder recipe?

I know I do!!

Garden Chicken Risotto
Recipe from my mother-in-law

TIP: Prepare all the ingredients BEFORE starting the recipe.  Once you get started, this recipe comes together very quickly.  And it's really hard to chop and measure with one hand while stirring with the other.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (10.5oz each) condensed chicken broth, undiluted
2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 3/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
1 can (15oz) whole kernel corn, undrained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Rinse chicken with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1" pieces.  

Great way to stretch two chicken breasts to feed probably 6-8 people!

2.  In a large nonstick skillet heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for 2 minutes.  Add broth, broccoli and pasta. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently.  

I like to toast the orzo a couple minutes before adding the broth and broccoli.

3.  Add chicken; cook for 6 minutes. Mix in corn, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  

Whenever possible, I prefer to use fresh broccoli.

4.  Remove pan from heat. Stir in cheese.

 

 

 

"Behold the power of cheese"

Ok, ok.  I know what you're thinking.  "But Jeanna, how could this be called risotto if it uses pasta instead of rice??"   Truthfully, I have no idea and quite frankly, I don't really care.  I LOVE risotto and this dish does pull off a very similar consistency to risotto.  It's creamy.  It's cheesy.  It's got that great crunch from the broccoli and corn.  It's comforting.  And at the end of a long day, when I just want a filling, healthy dinner on the table in under 20 minutes, the recipe can call itself whatever it wants and I'd still inhale it.

Garden Vegetable Soup

This is a Mad Soup.

And now you're probably wondering what on EARTH makes this a Mad Soup.  And is there really such a thing as a "Mad Soup"??  Oh yes, yes there is.

I could go with the obvious and say that eating this soothing soup will make all intense emotions mellow out and float away.  I could also say that the aromas of all the vegetables simmering away in the rich broth will smooth out that furrow of frustration on your forehead.

But let's be honest here...  this is a Mad Soup because you get to chop stuff.  A lot of stuff.  And since beating up on meat isn't really my thing, I prefer to work out my frustrations by cutting up vegetables.

Garden Vegetable Soup
Recipe adapted from Alton Brown

4 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
Kosher salt
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds 
2 peeled and diced potatoes
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup chopped celery, with leafy tops
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup-ish white wine [get one of those mini bottles and pour into a 4-cup measuring cup.  Fill the rest of the way with water]
3 cups-ish water
1 quart bag of roasted tomatoes, chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 to 2 tsp lemon juice

1.  Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, green beans, and celery and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season again with salt.

Some of the veggies that felt the wrath of my knife.

2.  Add the wine, water, and stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, broccoli, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice (do NOT leave these out!!). Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Serve immediately with some hot, crusty bread.

All those gorgeous COLORS!!

Couple things to point out here, aside from the obvious satisfaction I derived from chopping up all these great veggies.  Usually when recipes call for a lot of oil or butter, I cut it back or out altogether.  However there is no meat in this to generate any additional fat so you really do need 4 tbsp of oil to get everything working.  Also, don't be afraid to season each layer of ingredients that you add to the pot.  Again, there's no meat or cheese in this, and vegetables can be pretty bland unless seasoned properly.  Be sure to taste this before serving to make any seasoning adjustments.

One of the cool things about this soup is that it's a great base to do whatever you like to it.  Have a diehard Carnivore in your house who's giving you the stink eye for making something vegetarian?  Toss in some shredded chicken or turkey.  Make this more of a tomato-y soup by replacing the wine/water with tomato juice.  Add some whole wheat pasta to this, or barley, or rice, or beans.  Do whatever you like!!  That's the beauty of soups like this one.

Warm Tomato-Corn Salad

I'm not really sure what Mother Nature's issue is, but clearly she's hormonal about something.  One day it's hot, the next it's 30 degrees cooler.  At 8:00 a.m. the sun is blazing but by 10:46 there's a downpour.  Wha???

You know what?  Mother Nature can have her tantrums.  I'm going to make my own warm sunshine in my kitchen, starting with this salad.

No one will ever know if you lick the monitor. ;)

Warm Tomato-Corn Salad
Recipe adapted from So Easy

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 green onions, chopped with the green and white parts divided
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups frozen corn (or if you use fresh off the cob, you'll want about 4 ears of corn)
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1-2 avocados, chopped

1.  Heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the white parts of the onions and saute a few minutes, until softened.  Add the garlic and cook another minute, being careful to just brown the garlic, not burn it.

I used the white and pale green parts to saute first.

2.  Add the tomatoes and corn to the skillet and let cook about 3 minutes, until softened but they still retain their shape.  Stir in the green parts of the onion.  Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper.

The color in this salad is fantastic!

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and cilantro.  Drizzle over the tomato mixture and toss to combine.  Serve the warm salad topped with chopped avocado.

Yummy yum yum

No longer does a salad need to be served cold with watery lettuce!  It can be warm.  It can be happy.  It can make you do a little dance around the kitchen!  No?  That's just me?  Well, ok.  But try this first and then tell me you're not dancing for summery joy, no matter what Mother Nature decides to do that day.

Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas

I can trust y'all, right?  I mean, we are talking about food here... peoples' likes and dislikes and that can get pretty intense sometimes.  See, I need to confess something....I am always on the hunt for vegetarian recipes that I think my family will like.  There, I said it.  I'm in a house of carnivores, and God knows I like to eat meat too, but I also sometimes just need to change things up a little with a vegetarian option.

Baby's really into avocado, hence my heavier hand with the guac

And can I just say that it is HARD to quietly get a vegetarian dish to my table??  Knowing how much I love cooking, Rob will usually ask about what meals I'm planning because he's awesome and wants to be supportive of my obses- *ahem*, I mean hobby.  If it comes to light ahead of time that I'm working on a dish with no meat in it, I get The Look.

But this time, I won. :)  And even though I agree this would also be good with chicken in it (occasionally), we BOTH liked it despite it's lack of meat!

Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

2 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp chopped green onion
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
8 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese of your choice

1.  Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook about a minute, just to soften it up a little.  Stir in beans and corn (if you're in a rush and using corn that's still frozen, add the corn first and let that heat up a minute or two before adding the beans).

Look at that COLOR!!

2.  Add sugar, salsa, and pepper flakes to the skillet; mix well. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. 

3.  Sprinkle the shredded cheese on half of a tortilla.  Top with a little of the bean-corn mixture and sprinkle with some more cheese [Note: a little goes a long way].  Cook on a hot griddle or dry skillet until golden, then flip and cook on the other side.  Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. 

The combination of the brown sugar along with the salsa and red pepper flakes really gives this an amazing flavor.  It's so not spicy at all (but then I used medium salsa and was careful with the red pepper), rather I get this lovely warming sensation in my mouth, but it's tempered by the sweetness of the sugar.  I almost think it has a barbecue flavor but that's not entirely true.....Give it a try and let me know what you think!

As for cheese, I used two different kinds of cheeses: cheddar and pepperjack.  Cheddar is my standard go-to for all quesadillas.  And since I had some leftover pepperjack cheese from those club sandwiches (and Rob and I love the kick of pepperjack), I tore those slices up too.  Wouldn't you know but I happened to love both!  I got a better sense of the filling from the cheddar quesadillas, while the pepperjack ones satisfied my desire for spice (and, again, I can't get over how great that sweetness is in this!).


So, if you're a vegetarian or into vegetarian dishes, try this out and let me know what you think of the flavor.  If you're a Tried-and-True-sure-this-looks-great-but-I-can't-do-it Carnivore, my feelings aren't hurt. ;)  Try this with some shredded chicken or, better yet, pork. 


p.s. Just want to let you know that the leftover filling, topped with some cheese and guacamole, make awesome nachos the next day!