Chicken, Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Spezzatino

This recipe was on Giada at Home, a great source for family friendly food. The episode was called Comfort Food and I'd have to agree this recipe fits that description. Perfect for those days late in May when you wake up and see SNOW on the ground! I really liked this soup and was surprised by how much I enjoyed biting into the bits of artichoke. You feel nourished after eating this soup. Serve this with Bruschetta with Fontina and Greens.


Chicken, Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Spezzatino

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 (4-ounce) piece pancetta, diced into 1/4-inch pieces (I didn't have any pancetta, so I used bacon)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, halved
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 packed cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (if all you've got is dried basil, it'll still be yummy)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 skinless chicken breasts with rib meat(about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

In a heavy 5 or 6 quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta and drain on paper towels. Set aside. (If you're using bacon, just chop it up--or, don't and crumble it later--and you will probably have plenty of fat in the pan after that and won't need any olive oil. Oh, and I always cook bacon on low or I end up burning it.) Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. (Here again, I cook these things on low--I just like how the onions turn out better--so it probably takes about 15 minutes.) Stir in the chicken stock, basil, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Add the chicken and press down to submerge. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, turning the chicken over and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add the artichokes and the cannellini beans and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid has reduced slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes. (I don't add the artichokes and canellini beans until I return the meat to the saucepan because really all you're doing is heating those up and canellini beans are already really soft and I don't like them falling apart it the soup.)

Remove the chicken and let cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bones and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes until warmed through. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season the spezzatino with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the spezzatino into bowls and garnish with the cooked pancetta. (or in my case, bacon and some of the cheese from the bruschetta)

Bruschetta with Fontina and Greens

Serve this with Chicken, Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Spezzatino, or even as really good snackage. This is one of the many great recipes from Giada at Home.




Bruschetta with Fontina and Greens

Toasts:
1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta bread, trimmed and cut into 14 (1/2-inch thick) slices (I couldn't find ciabatta bread, just use any Italian loaf bread you like)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (I could have used the extra-light olive oil that I always have on hand, and butter would be fine too)
1 garlic clove, halved (If you don't have whole garlic, hopefully you have minced garlic [in a jar] in your fridge. Just mix some of that with the oil or melted butter and let it sit for a minute so the garlic flavor permeates the oil. And, of course, that would be done prior to brushing the oil on the bread.)

Topping:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 ounces (12 cups) baby spinach
Kosher salt
2 cups (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese (One reason to use fontina cheese is because it melts really well. But I just picked up an Italian blend of three cheeses that I liked.)

Directions:
For the toasts: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic. Set aside.

For the topping: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/2 of the spinach and stir until it begins to wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. (This is simply a great way to serve spinach. Serve it as a side dish whenever you want to get some good, dark greens on the plate.) Using tongs, arrange the spinach on top of the toasts. (For people who won't eat the spinach--naughty people--just sprinkle on cheese--they'll be happy, happy.) Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Season with salt and cool for 2 minutes.

Transfer the bruschetta to a platter and serve.

Salmon Salad

If you see this salad at my house it usually means warm weather has finally arrived! While everyone in the family loves it (okay, except Sarah, but she'll grow out of that!), I wonder if they'll ever tackle making it on their own. Why? Because everyone grosses out when they see me getting the salmon ready to put in the salad. Come on people, don't fear the salmon! It's worth it. :)

Oh, and if you're taking this somewhere for something like a pot luck dinner, garnishing with a sprig of parsley and three cherry tomatoes makes for a lovely presentation.


Salmon Salad

1 1/2 cups seashell pasta
1 large can salmon
1 cup chopped celery (I chop these really small--a fine dice.)
1 small, carrot, shredded (Use a grater.)
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 Tablespoon parsley (I usually use dried parsley.)

Dressing Ingredients
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (Use a fresh lemon! Bottled stuff is icky!)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (See, you've got to use a fresh lemon anyway or you'll have no zest!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise (In the picture you'll notice the blender--that's my homemade mayo.)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.
(I also rinse out the big pot I cooked the pasta in with cold water to cool it enough so I can put the cold pasta back in it to mix the salad. Makes for one less dish to wash. The serving dish I put it into is too small to stir everything in.)

(And here they should say DRAIN THE SALMON!)
Remove skin and bones from salmon.
(This is not necessary, as the can of salmon will tell you that everything is edible--full of calcium and such--but the skin and bones [and I even get rid of the really dark colored meat] just isn't very pretty. Sometimes my desire for the added calcium trumps my desire for prettiness, so I make sure I really crush the bones--just using my fingers--they crush easily. To remove the skin and bones, I dump the salmon into the same colander I used to drain the pasta [but I've put the pasta back in the big pan, remember?], then gently break apart the salmon--the bones will easily come right out, and if you gently rub your thumb along the skin and dark meat, it will come off easily too. It's a little messy, but since everyone in my family is happy happy when I make this salad, it's worth it.)

Toss pasta, salmon, celery, carrot, olives, and parsley. Combine dressing ingredients. Toss with pasta mixture. Refrigerate for at last one hour.
(This is to let the flavors blend. Letting it sit overnight is even better--which makes this a great Sabbath Day meal, because all the work is done on Saturday!)

Pasta Basics

Once upon a time, I was a novice cook (in many ways, I still am). I signed up to bring a cold pasta salad to a church event. The salad turned out fine, but I complained to my friend about how long it took for the pasta to cool before I could finish the salad. She furrowed her brow. She blinked, and blinked again. "Didn't you rinse it in cold water?" I furrowed my brow. I blinked, and blinked again. :) No, I stirred and stirred. When that didn't work I spread it out on a cookie sheet, turned it over and over. I put the cookie sheet in the fridge--all in an attempt to cool off the pasta so I could hurry and finish the salad. :)

So here are a few pointers when it comes to cooking pasta.

I'll take instructions from Martha Stewart, and give you my opinion on the matter.

Getting Started

For each pound of pasta, you need at least four quarts of water. (Really. If you don't use enough water, the pasta gets gummy.) Use a six-quart (or larger) pot so you have plenty of room for both and don't have to worry about the water boiling over. Add at least two tablespoons of coarse salt after the water comes to a boil. (No need to measure here, I usually just fill my palm.)

Preventing Sticking
Enough water and frequent stirring are the keys to keeping pasta from sticking. You do not need to add oil to the water (this actually prevents sauces from clinging to the pasta). (I agree.) After adding the pasta, keep the heat on high so the water returns to a boil as quickly as possible. (And stir, stir, stir! Especially straight pasta like spaghetti and vermicelli [we prefer vermicelli at our house--it's a little thinner than spaghetti]. I can't tell you how many of my first attempts at spaghetti resulted in sheathes of pasta instead of individual strands. Make sure nothing is sticking on the bottom too.) Always cook uncovered.

When It's Done
Pasta should be al dente (firm to the bite). If undercooked, it will have a chalky core and floury taste; if overcooked, it will be limp and soggy. Start tasting the pasta two or three minutes before the end of the suggested cooking time; pasta will continue to cook a bit after it's drained. (Whenever a recipe calls for pasta, use the instructions on the box. The author may be assuming you're using the brand found in her store which is actually only sold in Maine and cooks a little slower/faster than the box you're using. Also, if the pasta is going to be used in a dish that continues to cook [like a casserole], you'll need to undercook it a little. A good recipe will anticipate that, but if your final dish seems squishy, just cook the pasta less next time.)

Draining
Before draining the pasta, reserve one or two cups of the cooking water; the water contains starch from the pasta that will add body to sauces. (Bow Broccoli does that.)After pouring the pasta into a colander, shake it a few times but don't rinse it (unless you are making pasta salad). (There was no internet when I needed that information! :D)

Finishing Touch
Immediately toss the pasta with the sauce of your choice, adding some reserved pasta water as needed to enhance the consistency of your dish. (Now that there is for real cooks that tweak recipes with their mad intuition skills. Since we usually have kids at the table, and kids can be picky, and sometimes only want sauce on the side, if they want it at all, we usually toss the pasta in olive oil and have a big dish of freshly grated Parmesan cheese for them to sprinkle on their naked pasta.)

Empanadas

Jeff arrived in Argentina on Tuesday, so we had Empanadas! I got the recipe from my dear friend Barbara, who served in the Buenos Aires Argentina Mission. They're like homemade hot pockets--but they're good! Everybody loved them--even the next day for lunch! Since this was the first time I had made them, I used boxed rice and canned beans to make things easier. Someday I'll have to put up a homemade version of the rice, but I'll tell ya, Bush's Seasoned Black Beans were a hit. I'll be keeping some of those on hand for easy dinners.

Empanadas
Barbara Barrow

Filling:
1/2 cup shortening (I don't think so! Lard, baby. Use the lard. It's good for you!)
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup raisins
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

In a saute pan, melt the shortening (lard) and add the chopped onions and green peppers. Cook until the onions and pepper are tender (Whenever I cook onions, I do it low and slow--heat on low, usually about 15 minutes, they are translucent and wonderful, but not at all brown. Oh, and I salt and pepper them. I can't help myself.). Add the paprika, red pepper, cumin, vinegar and ground beef. Cook until the beef is brown (Now, generally when you want browned meat, you cook on a medium high heat looking for brown bits of fabulous flavor. But I just kept the heat low and let it cook completely. At this point I looked at all that fat in the pan and called Barbara to see if she drained the fat. Nope. Nope, nope, nope. And I had to remind myself of 2 Nephi 9:51, and allow myself to "delight in fatness". And I'm glad I did. Oh, and I salted and peppered the meat. I can't help myself.). Stir in raisins and hard boiled egg. For me, the raisins make these great! Be sure to add them, unless you hate raisins. I have had them with chopped green olives also, which are good it you like green olives. (I have three girlies that were much more likely to try these if I left the raisins out. Silly girlies. So I made three empanadas without raisins--marked with an "X". Then I made one with raisins to give to Barbara--marked with an "R". Then I made the rest with raisins and green olives--with random markings.)

Tapas (dough) (This dough was easy to make, easy to roll, and delicious!)
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening (What am I going to say? Lard. That's right.)
1 1/4 cup water, as needed

I use my food processor to make this dough. Just follow instructions for a pie crust. Mix the flour and salt together, cut in the shortening (I did all this by hand using a pastry cutter.) and add water until you have a good consistency for the dough (I find it best if it's still a little crumbly. While the dough sits for thirty minutes, the flour will absorb the water more.). It will be the consistency of a pie crust. You may have to tweak the measurements a little. Chill the dough for 30 minutes. (So really you want to make this before you start the filling.)

Roll out the dough and cut into small round shells (I only did half the dough at a time. My counter was crowded.). I use a small saucer plate to cut mine out (6 inches in diameter). Fold over and press the edges together with your fingers or a fork. I always poke some holes with a fork to allow it to vent during cooking (did this with the aforementioned "X" ,"R", and "random". I also tried salt and pepper on the top of some because I like that with my pot pies. But Mat said either way was fine.). Place on a greased cookie sheet (I used parchment paper.). Brush with egg white (I used a wash of 1 whole egg and 1 tablespoon water.). Bake for 20-30 (30) minutes (until golden brown) at 350 degrees.

Hard Boiled Eggs (and how to devil the yolks)

Stove Top Hard Boiled Eggs

Place eggs in one layer in saucepan. Cover them with cold tap water by 1 inch. Bring water to a boil; when the water has reached a boil, cover and turn heat to lowest setting. Let sit 13 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking.

Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs

Pour 1 cup of water into the pressure cooker with a rack at the bottom.  Place eggs on the rack (without touching each other).  Cook on low pressure for 9 minutes. Immediately release the pressure and remove the eggs to an ice bath. (Large eggs 9 minutes/Extra-Large eggs 10 minutes/Medium eggs 8 minutes)

To Devil the Yolks

I grew up adding Miracle Whip and yellow mustard, sprinkling with paprika. If you only use mayonnaise I think you need to add some vinegar and sugar.

Devil by hand if only doing a few eggs (they will be lumpy but delicious). If making a lot of devilled eggs, use the food processor. You can even then fill a piping bag and pipe the devilled mixture beautifully into the egg white.

No time? Cut the egg in half, season with salt, dollop with a small amount of BBQ sauce, pop it in your mouth, be happy. :)

The following is advice was gleaned here: https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-make-deviled-eggs-without-a-recipe-article

For every six eggs, add 1/4 cup of something creamy, and about 2 teaspoons each of something spicy (in liquid form) and something tart. After mixed in season with salt.

Creamy mix-ins: mayonnaise, sour cream, Greek yogurt, creme fraiche

Spicy mix-ins: mustard, hot sauce, harissa paste, curry paste, chipotles in adobo

Tart mix-ins: white vinegar, rice vinegar, white balsamic, lemon or lime juice, pickle juice, relish (If you used a vinegar-based hot sauce as your spicy mix-in, back off on the vinegar here or use mustard instead.)

Season with salt: salt, fish sauce, anchovies

More options: add finely chopped fresh green herbs to your mix-ins, or some lemon or lime zest, or any other ground spices you want to feature, like a pinch of curry powder or cayenne or a bit of smoked paprika or some freshly ground black pepper.

Garnishes: dusting of paprika; sprinkling of fresh herbs; drizzle extra virgin olive oil and coarsely grind some black pepper over it topped with a cilantro leaf; top each egg with a little slice of pickle, or half a potato chip; or try pickled onions, caviar, or a piece of smoked salmon.

Marco Polo Spaghetti

This dish always gets strange looks. But those who bravely try it are usually pleasantly surprised. I found this recipe by watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood--which is remarkable, because, as a kid, Mr. Rogers always gave me the creeps (which I now feel guilty for, because it turns out he was a sincere Christian guy). Anyway, he had on Julia Roberts, and she made this dish. She dumped it all into a big bowl and tossed it all together. We let people pick and choose the toppings they want. While googling to see if I could find the show, I found this more grown-up version of Marco Polo by Julia Child. Check out this part of the instructions: "With flourish and confidence, begin by elegantly folding into the spaghetti the chopped nuts and vegetables, along with the parsley and basil." Ha! You've got to love Julie Child! Did you know she was 6 feet 2 inches tall! Too tall to enlist in the WACs and the WAVES during WWII, she joined the OSS in the Secret Intelligence division--practically a spy! Anyway, we love this dish--be brave and try it!

Marco Polo Spaghetti

Spaghetti (we prefer Vermicelli)
tuna, drained
swiss cheese, grated
olives, sliced
walnuts, chopped,
pimento, chopped (once we discovered roasted red peppers, we converted and NEVER looked back!)

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. (I always generously salt the water and then after draining the pasta, toss it in olive oil.) Put on the toppings that you like (with flourish and confidence mind you! Oh, and elegance!). Enjoy! (Since the toppings are all cold or room temperature, I find zapping your final plate in the microwave for about 30 seconds will greatly enhance your dining pleasure!) :)