Take a Megabite

Cannelloni Beans in Tomato Sauce + Parmesan Polenta

This is a fall-ish dinner. It really is. But let me tell you something. It’s the kind of thing you’re going to want to make on those windy spring days that you have to wear a trench coat just so your skirt doesn’t fly everywhere else. And it might not be 80 degrees yet here in Michigan, and it was totally raining the other day. So there you go.

Also, I can see myself making a rendition of this in the summer months. I mean, maybe I’ll get a fennel bulb from the farmer’s market that wants nothing more than to be in a tasty tomato sauce. I wouldn’t want to take that away from a vegetable that thinks that would be fun.

So to sum things up … this is an amazing and delicious dinner. Joy the Baker is G. This sauce is filled with veggie goodness and the parmesan in the polenta is magic.

Cannelloni Beans + Tomato Sauce + Parmesan Polenta
{Sauce takes 2 hours, just warning you. It’s worth it though.}
Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

tomato sauce -

• 3 T unsalted butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium fennel bulb trimmed and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 T dried oregano
• 1/4 t red pepper flakes
• salt
• 1 small carrot peeled and shredded
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes or plum tomatoes
• pepper
• 1 can of cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed

parmesan polenta -

• 1 cup polenta
• 3 cups cold water
• 2 cups milk
• 1 t salt
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a small, heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, fennel, garlic, oregano, pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 10 minutes. Add shredded carrot and saute for 2-3 minutes more.  Add tomatoes and stir to break up. Add another pinch of salt. Reduce heat to super low (a low low simmer) and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to separate from the oil and the sauce has thickened, about 2 hours. But I never can hold out longer than an hour and a half. Add drained and rinsed beans and stir and continue to simmer and heat throughout until the polenta is done. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
2. Make parmesan polenta when you are just too hungry to wait the rest of the 2 hours. Place 1 cup dried polenta in a medium bowl. Top with one cup cold water. Set aside.
3. In a medium sized sauce pan bring 2 cups of whole milk and remaining 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt. Slowly whisk (or stir) the polenta and water mixture into the boiling milk mixture. Turn flame down to medium low. Stir occasionally, until it reaches the desired thickness.
4. Turn off flame and add grated parmesan cheese. Stir to incorporate.
5. Serve beans and tomato sauce over warm polenta.

Yeah, it steamed up my camera … in a good way.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

It’s the time of year where I start really wanting to go to the farmers’ market again. I need to remember this soup the next time I buy way too many vegetables to eat.

I might’ve used the dark green parts of the leek in this soup too even though the ingredients clearly say only the white and light green parts. Oh well. I don’t always pay attention. But it turned out good! … and green!

This soup is vegan if you don’t bother with the sour cream.
It’s even velvety. Just sayin’.

Hey look! One of my potato peels was smiling! Can you even believe it?

Creamy Potato Leek Soup
Adapted from Care2.com +  The Great American Detox Diet

Ingredients:

• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks, white + light green parts washed and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2-1 t sea salt
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 lb.), peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 t dried rosemary
• pepper
• a few dollops of sour cream, optional

Directions:

1. Heat a dutch oven or a 4-quart soup pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Add leeks, onion and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until onion looks clear.
2. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add potatoes, vegetable stock, rosemary and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
3. Transfer soup to a large bowl and blend soup, 1 cup at a time until smooth. Pour soup back into soup pot. Continue until all the soup has been blended. Season to taste, adding more sea salt and pepper as you need it. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, if you’re not vegan.

Mini Quiche {red pepper + swiss + green onion + grape tomatoes}

Did you know that chives are just baby green onions? Know it. You’ll be ready when the “Baby Vegetable” category pops up on Jeopardy.

I had to sprinkle these guys with pepper after they were done, instead of pre-baking. You see, I broke the pepper mill and pepper was everywhere, but on the quiche. Jake went out and got some though, and there was plenty of pepper involved pre-eating.

These guys are cute, pretty and delicious. What else matters?

Mini Quiche
Recipe from Pampered Chef

Ingredients:

• pie crust for 1 double crust (store bought or home-made)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/8 t salt
• 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped (I left this out to keep it vegetarian)
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced*
• 2 T finely chopped fresh chives or green onion
• 1/2 cup grated swiss cheese
• 12 grape tomatoes
• coarsely ground black pepper
• additional chopped chives or green onion (optional)

* Squeeze out excess moisture from the pepper, by gently squeezing in a paper towel.

Directions:

1. Make or thaw pie crust. Roll out and cut 3 inch circles out of the dough using a biscuit cutter or a jar or a glass and press disks into (24) wells in mini muffin tins. (This step can be done the night before. Then simply wrap up the muffin tins with plastic wrap and place in the fridge over night or until ready to make the filling.)
2. Preheat oven to 400° F. Whisk eggs, half and half and salt in a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup. Set aside.
3. Combine bacon, red pepper, chives and cheese in a medium bowl, mixing well. Pour egg mixture evenly into tart shells and top with cheese mixture. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise and press one tomato half, cut side up into the center of each tartlet. Sprinkle with black pepper. Bake 14-16 minutes or until egg mixture is set and crusts are golden. Remove from pans and sprinkle with additional chives or green onion if you want.

Refried Black Beans

Last night was taco night, and I think it was the best one yet. Not only did we have homemade corn tortillas but we had these amazing refried beans. AND Jake thought of the best cheese combo for on tacos: shredded extra sharp cheddar tossed with crumbled goat cheese. Whoa. Yeah. Best tacos EVER.

These are super flavorful, simple to make and multitalented. They can be a side dish, filling for a quesadilla, layered on a taco, a dunk-able appetizer and more. Rumor has it they are really good at playing the guitar and knitting, also, but they don’t like to brag.

Please promise me you’ll make these for your next fiesta.

Refried Black Beans
Recipe adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, including liquid
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 1/2 t canola or vegetable oil
• pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste
• cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl mash beans with their liquid, using a potato masher or the back of a large spoon, into a coarse puree.
2. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan or skillet. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add black beans to the pan and stir together mashing with the back of a spoon.
3. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until hot. Season with red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste.
4. Serve warm, sprinkled with cilantro.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes, Asparagus and Basil

Despite the christmas colors in this delectable dish, it’s lovely for summer…or spring, since spring is the new summer this year.

Yesterday  I was a part of a fun after work activity that consisted of a Cooking Duel competition between two teams of employees. I was on the White Team, and my task with two other teammates was to make the Gnocchi. It was delicious and not as difficult as one might assume a homemade pasta would be. You maybe should make this and impress your friends at a dinner party or something.

But more importantly…how do you say “gnocchi” anyway?

Ricotta Gnocchi
Recipe from Chef Katie of Mirepoix Cooking School

Ingredients:

• 1 (I5-oz) container ricotta (fresh ricotta is best)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 T grated Parmesan
• I t grated lemon zest
• I t salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

Directions:

1. Add Ricotta to the bowl of  a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer; beat on low for 30 seconds to break up any large lumps. Add eggs,cheese salt and lemon zest, mix on low for one minute to combine.
2. Remove, add to medium sized bowl. Fold in flour. Dough will be wet.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
4. Use 2 teaspoons (flatware, not measuring spoons) to form gnocchi: scoop up a rounded teaspoon of batter, then use second spoon to scoop mixture of spoon and into boiling water.
5. Simmer briskly until gnocchi are just firm in center and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfcr with a slotted spoon to a platter drizzled with olive oil. Continue making gnocchi in batches tossing in the olive oil to keep them from sticking together. (If you’re not sure if they’re done you can take one out and cut it in half, and check the middle.)

Asparagus, Tomato & Basil Sauce

• 1 pint Yellow Grape Tomatoes, halved
• 1 pint Red Grape Tomatoes, halved
• 1 bunch Asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into half inch pieces
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 oz butter
• 1/2 cup fresh basil cut into slivers
• 2 T Parmesan, shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste
• White wine to taste

Directions:

1. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus. Saute until butter browns and asparagus is tender, about 3 minutes.
2. Add garlic and tomatoes, cook until garlic is fragrant and tomatoes are heated through.
3. Add hot gnocchi and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss with 1/2 cup of white wine until flavors brighten.
4. Plate and top with Basil leaves and shredded parmesan.

The team I was on won. Just sayin’.