Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The perfect fall meal that won't give you gas... maybe

Turkey Chili Perfect for a crisp Fall evening

Ingredients:
1 lb or more of extra lean ground turkey
1/2 to 1 red onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp crushed hot red pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, halved
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Spray large pot with cooking spray on medium high heat. Add ground turkey. Ground into little bits as it cooks until lightly browned, approximately five minutes. Add onion and green pepper. Saute and mix with turkey for three minutes.

Add tomatoes, beans and corn. Mix, then add garlic, hot pepper and jalapeno pepper. Mix again, then add chicken broth and water. Add chili powder and cumin, then bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper.

Keep mixing with spoon. After pot boils, reduce to low heat and let simmer as long as needed, from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. The longer you simmer, the longer the flavors will mix. Yields 8 servings.

Nutrition info: Approximately 250 calories per serving.

Cheers! Any wine will go well with this. For whites, try a slightly sweeter sauvingon blanc blend. For reds, try a light shiraz.
Origin: This is a mish-mash recipe. My lovely wife came up with this one. Feel free to tailor your own. There's no way to go wrong. You could also use real beef, lentils, ketchup or other typical ingredients. Make it your own.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

This'll Add Some Spring to Your Step

Linguine With Spicy Shrimp A Spicy and playful blend of seafood and pasta


Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked linguine
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place pasta in large bowl; keep warm.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and tomatoes; saute 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Sprinkle shrimp with Cajun seasoning, red pepper and salt.
Add shrimp mixture to pan; saute 3 minutes or until shrimp are almost done; remove from heat. Stir in half-and-half. Pour shrimp mixture over pasta; toss. Sprinkle parsley. Yields 4 servings.

Nutrition Info: 436 calories per serving

Cook/prep time: 35 minutes

Cheers! Since it's pasta, I'd say any Pinot Grigio or a light red (perhaps a Cabernet) would be appropriate.

Origin: Cooking Light, yet again. So dependable.

Special tips: Nothing in particular. It's pretty straightforward. If you get fresh shrimp, it's spectacular. We made this in Long Beach Island, NJ with huge, fresh shrimp, and it was amazing.

Friday, September 3, 2010

You Say Potato, I Say Gnocchi


Gnocchi With Shrimp, Asparagus and Pesto A Satisfying Blend of Hearty Pasta and Veggies

Ingredients
2 quarts plus 1 tbsp. water, divided
1 (16 oz)package vacuum-packed gnocchi
4 cups (1 inch) slices asparagus (about a pound)
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp,
coarsely chopped (but not necessary for small shrimp)
1 cup basil leaves
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp. pre-shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. minced garlic
4 tsp. olive oil

Directions:
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch Oven.
While water boils, compose pesto mixture. Combine 1 tbsp. water, basil and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) and the oil in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides.

Add gnocchi to Dutch Oven; cook 4 minutes or until done - gnocchi will rise to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon (or pour into a colander) and place into a large bowl.

Add asparagus and shrimp to pan; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain and add shrimp mixture to gnocchi.

Add pesto mixture to shrimp mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately. Yields 4 servings.

Nutrition info: Approximately 355 calories per serving



Cook time/prep time: 30 minutes


Cheers! For a wine pairing, try a Voga Pinot Grigio.

Origin: Again, this is a Cooking Light recipe. Obviously, we subscribe to their wonderful magazine.

Special Tips: I had a little trouble cutting the recipe in half (for two people rather than four) because there wasn't enough pesto mixture in the food processor for it to mix properly. It finally worked - just keep pushing the mixture down with a spoon and run it a little longer. Ultimately, it turned out beautifully. Also, it clearly requires quite a bit of basil, and it helps to have your own basil plant.