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Posts Tagged ‘onion’

Garden Minestrone Soup

Posted in Photography, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 5, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I went through my garden to harvest what was ready or needed to be thinned. After a quick run through,  I took a look at my pickings.

Swiss chard, baby gray zucchini, and green beans.  Hmmmmm.  Since it was overcast, soup pops into mind.  And minestrone fits the bill.  Now, I’m not a huge fan of tomato based soups, but I can make an exception if the veggies are from my garden, or if it is this particular minestrone soup.  And since I can have both, well there you go!

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, sliced in 1/8 to 1/4 inch rounds
  • 3-4 stalk of celery, sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pushed through a garlic press
  • 4 large swiss chard or bok choy stalks,  separate the stalks from the leaves,and then chop all of it (you can substitute 3 cups of fresh spinach as well!)
  • 1-1/2 cups of fresh or frozen green beans
  • 1 14oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 8oz can of tomato sauce
  • 4 cups of beef broth
  • 1/2 cup of red wine (optional, but yummy!)
  • 1 14oz can of cannellini or kidney beans (I used light red in this recipe)
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil (I’ve even used a tablespoon of basil pesto as a substitution!)
  • 2 zucchini, halved and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1-1/2 cups of slightly undercooked pasta (I would recommend a mini penne, mini elbow, or something unique. No flat noodles!  I used a campanelle for this batch)
  • Shredded parmesan or Italian cheese blend for topping
  • Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot on medium high, heat the olive oil until it’s shimmering.  Stir in the carrots, onion, and celery and sautee until they just start to brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute.

Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (juice included), green beans and chard stems, and give a good stir.

Next add in the kidney beans, beef broth, and wine if you’re using it.

Bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Stir in the chard leaves (or spinach), oregano and basil

then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Next,  stir in your semi-cooked pasta and zucchini.

Again cover with a lid and simmer for another 15-25 minutes until the pasta is cooked to “al dente” or still has a little tooth to it.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve sprinkled with shredded parmesan. Yet another recipe that gets even better the next day!!!!!

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Potato Burritos

Posted in Photography, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on June 3, 2010| 1 Comment »

I feel like I should enlarge this picture so that you can see the yumminess of this burrito better.  You can actually see it.  Really. I’ve even used the potatoes as a side dish. No tortilla needed. Brings back memories of my sister and I standing around the kitchen with our bowls of cheesy potatoes, too busy chowing down to say a word.

To my vegetarian friends, you can omit the bacon completely, or use tofu bacon, which works great too!!!

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4-6 burrito sized flour tortillas
  • 1/2 lb of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 4 potatoes diced into 1/2 inch cubes (about 3 cups) I used a mix of russet and yellow rose
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced, or pushed through a garlic press
  • 1/2  tsp garlic salt
  • 1  8oz can of tomato sauce
  • 1 cup water or broth
  • 1-1/2-2 cups of shredded cheddar (I try to use extra sharp)
  • pepper to taste

Optional Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp hot sauce
  • sliced green onions
  • salsa
  • guacamole
  • sour cream

Start by heating your oil on high heat in a nonstick pan until shimmering.

Stir in the potatoes and fry until they are starting to brown a bit,  about 10 minutes. Stir in you onion.

Cook the onion for 4-7 minutes or until the onion has softened but hasn’t browned, then stir in the garlic.

Cook for about a minute, until the garlic is fragrant but hasn’t browned. Lower heat to medium and toss in the garlic salt, tomato sauce and water ( If you’re adding hot sauce, put it in now) and cook stirring occasionally for 6 -8 minutes until the water has been absorbed.

Turn off the heat. Immediately sprinkle on bacon crumbles, and the shredded cheese.

Aww yeah!

I’m subconsciously hearing Barry White right now. That’s what these burritos do to me.

Put a lid or plate over your pan to help the cheese melt.

It shouldn’t take long.  Just 4-5 minutes. And…

You can see the yumminess! You could stop now and serve this as a side dish.  Or you could make a burrito.

Heat up a flour tortilla until softened.  I have gas burners so I cook the tortillas directly on the burner flipping them until they are hot. Using a pan is fine too. Whatever is easiest.

Notice the burn spots on the tortilla?? That’s flavor!!!  Top your tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the potatoes, and add whatever extras you like.  I’m putting on some more cheese ( you know me!!) and some sliced green onions.

And if you don’t know how to roll a burrito…

Ready to eat!!!!

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Green Bean, Mushroom, and Carrot Medley

Posted in General, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , on April 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Bored with the same old side dishes?  My Hubs was too. I’d mention green beans, and he would cringe. I had to get a little crafty, and thank goodness it paid off! This is one of his new favorites.  Add a protein and some potatoes into this mix and you have a full skillet meal.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped or sliced

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed (frozen will work too)

2-3 carrots, cut carrot stick style (or into rounds or whatever!)

2/3 cup water

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic, minced or pushed through a garlic press

pepper to taste

Melt on medium high heat your butter and olive oil in skillet until butter is foaming. Add in onion and mushroom and sautee until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add in 1 clove of minced garlic and cook until fragrant, which only takes another minute. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet add, green beans, carrots, water, onion powder, salt and remaining garlic.  Simmer, covered for about 4 minutes. Remove the lid and finish cooking until water is mostly evaporated, another 4 minutes or so.

Pour the mushroom mixture back into the skillet and stir until everything is combined. Season with pepper and more salt if needed, and serve!!

This is also pretty darn good with a fresh herb mixed in, like basil or thyme, or rosemary, parsley… the list goes on!

Sorry!!

I will update with photos asap…

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