Pappa al Pomodoro

Menu:
Pappa al Pomodoro || Tales of Me and the Husband via Ina Garten
Super Greens Salad with Pomegranate

Ingredients ////
1/2 cup good olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups)
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes, crusts removed
2 (28-ounce) cans good Italian plum tomatoes (whoops, I only used 1 -- it was still great)
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

For the croutons:
3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes
2 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, chopped (I used 4 oz.-- why not?)
24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper

Directions ///
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. For the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. Reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.

Toasted Coconut Tilapia with Pomegranate Salsa

Menu:
Toasted Coconut Tilapia with Pomegranate Salsa || How Sweet It Is
Cilantro Cauliflower "Rice" || Practical Paleo

NOTE: Guys, this was so darn good! I prepped everything earlier in the day (which didn't take long), and when we got home from taekwondo, I whipped up dinner. Even Brian (the post-dinner snacker -- he's lucky I don't get offended) was completely satisfied afterwards.

Skillet Polenta with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Menu:
Skillet Polenta with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese || Flour Arrangements
Butter Leaf Salad

NOTE: I'm back! We just got back from an amazing 2-week RV adventure to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. And guess what? Between my husband and the rest of my family, I barely cooked. It was awesome. Now that we are home, and it's actually getting cool enough to fire up the stove, I'm hoping to ramp things up here a bit again.

Gazpacho

Menu: 
Gazpacho || Pioneer Woman
Grilled Shrimp & Italian Bread

NOTE: Leave the shrimp and sour cream out for a delicious vegan dinner. My kids didn't like this, but we sure did.

Black Bean Cakes with Corn Salsa and Avocado Cream

Menu:
Black Bean Cakes with Corn Salsa and Avocado Cream || Baked Bree

Grilled Trout

Menu:
Grilled Trout
Asparagus
Yellow Tomatoes

Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sausage

Menu:
Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sausage || Real Simple, August 2008

Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sausage
Serves 4

4 Italian sausages (about 1 pound)
8 plum tomatoes, cut in half crosswise (NOTE: For our family, I would use 4)
1 onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
3 bunches spinach, thick stems removed (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Directions
1. Heat grill to medium-high. With a fork, prick the sausages in several places. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, brush the tomatoes and onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3. Grill vegetables until tender, 5 to 6 minutes per side for the onion and 2 to 3 minutes per side for the tomatoes. Transfer to a bowl as they are done.

4. Add the spinach to the bowl and toss.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

6. Slice the sausages and serve with the vegetables and dressing.

Pasta with Sausage and Tomatoes

Menu:
Pasta with Sausage and Tomatoes || Real Simple

Ingredients
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, broken up with your hands
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage links
12 ounces cavatappi or some other short pasta
3 cups baby spinach (2 1/2 ounces)
grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions
Heat oven to 450° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, mix the tomatoes (with their juices) and garlic with the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast until the tomatoes have charred in spots and the juices have thickened, 40 to 45 minutes.

After the tomatoes have roasted for 20 minutes, place the sausage on a second rimmed baking sheet. Roast, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes. Thinly slice the sausage.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the tomatoes, sausage, spinach, and 2 tablespoons of the cooking water and toss to combine (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Vegetable Enchiladas

Menu:
Vegetable Enchiladas || Cookie Magazine
Cilantro, Tomatoes, Green Onions & Sour Cream on the side


Vegetable Enchiladas
Serves 8

Vegetable Oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 lbs. mixed mushrooms
Salt & pepper
2 T. Mexican spice blend (or a combination of cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and Mexican oregano)
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and minced
2 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
1-28 oz. can whole tomatoes
1 c. frozen corn
1 small handful all-purpose flour
1-28 oz. can red enchilada sauce (mild or hot)
14-18 corn tortillas
1 c. shredded cheddar and jack cheeses

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with the vegetable oil. Over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic until tender and golden, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and papper to taste, then sprinkle with the Mexican spice blend. Cook until the mushrooms release some of their liquid and are just tender.

4. Add the chilies and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon (NOTE: I crushed in my hands before adding), and add the corn. Simmer together until the liquid thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and dust the top with flour. Set aside and let cool.

6. Meanwhile, pour the enchilada sauce into a shallow dish.

7. Cover a small stack of the tortillas with a damp towel. Heat them in the microwave until pliable, about 30 seconds.

8. Dip both sides of the tortilla into the sauce. Spoon a large scoop of filling down the middle, then fold both sides toward the middle of the tortilla. Place the enchilada, seam side down, in a baking dish. Continue assembling enchiladas with the rest of the tortillas, overlapping them slightly in the dish.

9. Once all are made, sprinkle them with the cheese. Bake them in the oven until the cheese is oozing, about 15 minutes.

Pasta Puttanesca

Menu:
Pasta Puttanesca || Pioneer Woman
Salad