Wednesday Recipes

Here are today's offerings. Enjoy!

PESTO PASTA SALAD

This comes from Kathy Kingsley, About.com's American Food expert. She writes, "Pesto and pasta have a natural affinity for one another, making it a classic combination first in Italy and now in America. Traditionally it is made with basil, although you can use a mixture of other herbs such as parsley, as given here. If you are running short on time, pesto is also available ready-made in some large supermarkets. Look for it near the fresh pasta or in produce section." Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: Serves 6 to 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound fusilli (spiral-shaped) pasta

2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

1 1/2 cups small bocconcini (marinated mozzarella balls), optional and halved if desired

1 cup diced yellow bell pepper

1 cup sliced black olives

Basil Pesto

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup packed fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup walnut pieces

1 medium clove garlic, crushed and peeled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir well, and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold running water, and then drain again. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

To make the pesto: In a blender or a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, Romano, olive oil, walnuts, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend or process until smooth.

Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, bell pepper, and olives to the pasta, and toss to mix.

Scrape the pesto into the bowl with the pasta and toss to mix and coat. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve right away at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

• The pesto can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let it come to room temperature before using. It may also be frozen. If you plan on freezing the pesto, leave out the garlic and then stir it in just before using.

• Cooked pasta will absorb all of the dressing in a salad very quickly, so be sure to put the two together just before you're going to serve it. Or, reserve some of the dressing to add to the salad just before serving.

• Other than pasta, pesto is great on pizza, stirred into minestrone soup, as a sandwich spread, or used as a topping for grilled steaks, chicken or fish, such as salmon.

• You can easily turn this pesto pasta into a main-dish salad by adding some sliced cooked chicken, grilled shrimp, chopped steak, or cubes of ham. Other tasty additions might be drained canned chick peas or white beans.

MEATBALL SUBS

This comes from Rachael Ray of The Food Network's 30 Minute Meals. Total Time: 52 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 32 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Intermediate

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/meatball-subs-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup (3 handfuls), Italian bread crumbs

1 medium onion, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons (several drops) Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) grated Parmigiano or Romano

Coarse salt and black pepper

5 Minute Marinara Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, (2 turns around the pan)

4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

A handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, about 2 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 (28 ounces) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14 ounces) can chunky style crushed tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 semolina crusty sub rolls, with or without sesame seeds

1 (10-ounce) bag (2 1/2 cups) shredded provolone or Italian 4-cheese blend

Shredded basil (sweet) or shredded arugula (spicy) leaves, for garnish

Oven fries, as an accompaniment, recipe follows

Oven Fries:

4 medium white skinned potatoes, each cut into 8 wedges lengthwise

Extra-virgin olive oil, to coat

Grill seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper

Directions

5 Minute Marinara Sauce:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place ground sirloin in a large mixing bowl and punch a well into the center of meat. Fill well with the egg, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire, parsley, cheese, and a little salt and pepper. Mix up meatball ingredients until well combined, yet not over-mixed. Divide mix into 4 equal parts, roll each part into 4 balls and space equally onto a nonstick baking sheet. Place meatballs in oven and roast about 12 minutes. Break a meatball open and make sure meat is cooked through before removing from the oven.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and garlic. When garlic starts sizzling, add herbs and crushed pepper. Allow oil to infuse for half a minute, then stir in the tomatoes and season sauce with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a bubble, reduce heat, and simmer until meatballs are removed from oven.

Combine meatballs and sauce and pile into sub rolls, 4 meatballs per sub. Top with shredded cheese and place under subs under broiler to melt cheese. Top with shredded basil or arugula and serve with a pile of oven fries, recipe follows.

Oven Fries:

Drizzle potatoes with a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil. Toss potatoes with seasoning blend or coarse salt and pepper. Place potatoes on a nonstick baking sheet and roast 20 minutes or until just tender. Give the baking sheet a good shake after 10 minutes to avoid sticking.

'CHICKEN' AND DUMPLINGS

From a long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 6 to 8 servings

For the Dumplings:

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) margarine

3/4 cup soy milk

For the Soup: 1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) margarine

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

8 cups vegetable broth

2 medium carrots, diced

1 lb. faux chicken, torn into small pieces (try Worthington brand Chickette or Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chick'n Strips)

1 bay leaf

Combine the dry ingredients for the dumplings in a bowl.

Mix the margarine with the dry mixture until crumbly. Add the soy milk, stirring until moistened. Add more soy milk, as needed, if the mixture is too dry.

Knead the dough for 30 seconds on a well-floured surface, then roll to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 1/2-inch squares.

Place the margarine, onion, and celery for the soup in a large saucepan and sauté until the vegetables are soft.

Add the flour, salt, and pepper to make a thick paste. Slowly mix in the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the carrots, faux chicken, and bay leaf.

Add the dumpling squares one at a time, stirring gently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Serve hot.

FRAGRANT FRENCH ONION SOUP

From another forgotten emailing list. It starts off, "A classic that’s so simple, you’ll wonder what you did before you started serving this staple soup." Makes 4 servings

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or water

2-3 large onions, sliced

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

4 cups water

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

4 slices French bread, toasted, or croutons

Heat the oil or water in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir until the onions are well coated. Add the water and soy sauce or tamari and stir well. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and simmer, covered, until the onions are tender. Add more water if the soup becomes too thick.

Serve in individual bowls topped with the French bread or croutons.

ORANGE AND PEAR SALAD

This comes from FamilyTime's newsletter. This one starts off, “A tasty treat! Fresh, seasonal fruit tastes great in this salad, dressed with a honeyed plain yogurt dressing.” Serves 4. Prep Time: 20; Cook Time: 5 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 oranges

2 medium pears, cored and sliced

1/2 cup lowfat yogurt

1 tablespoon honey

4 cups mixed salad greens, torn

1/4 cup chopped pecans, chopped

Directions

Grate 1/4 tsp. zest from one oranged; set aside. Cut peel from oranges; then working over a bowl to catch juices, cut oranges into sections. Remove and set aside 1 Tbs. Of juice from the bowl. Add pears to bowl and toss lightly to mix.

For dressing, combine reserved orange zest and juice, the yogurt and honey. In a 6 1/2 cup bow, place greens. Arrange orange and pear slices over greens, then pour dressing over all.

Toss lightly to mix; then sprinkle with chopped pecans.