Kale and Scallion-Fried Brown Rice

I've become pretty enthusiastic about kale, to the point where I got this t-shirt for Christmas as a joke (though I wear it often with pride).  Vince isn't completely convinced, but one batch of kale chips was enough to get Alexa onto my side too.  It makes it's way into soups and stews pretty often, and into my lunches as massaged kale salads, but I've been looking for more side dishes to use it in.

This kale and scallion fried rice was a great side for teriyaki salmon.  It came together quickly, and the earthiness of it balanced the sweetness of the teriyaki and the richness of the salmon perfectly.  The leftovers were perhaps even better warmed up and topped with a runny poached egg and a few dabs of Sriracha.  If you're not a fan of kale yet, this is a nice way to sneak some in.

Kale and Scallion-Fried Brown Rice
adapted from the The Kitchen Daily

What's in it:

1/2 lb kale, stems discarded
1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
5 scallions, thinly sliced
2 1/2 c cooked brown rice
1 Tbsp soy sauce

How to make it:

Chop the kale into bite-size pieces.  Cook the kale in a deep saute pan with 1/4-1/2 cup water until tender.   Drain the kale and squeeze out the remaining water when it's cool enough to handle. 

Wipe out the pan, then heat the vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic. Raise the heat to medium and add the kale and scallions. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the soy sauce and cook for 30 seconds more.

Tomato Orzo Soup

A Taste of Home Cooking's recipe swap theme was soups and stews for this round, and with perfect timing.  Despite a pretty mild winter so far, we had a little cold snap this past weekend (though none of the snow that was predicted), and soup was exactly right.  My assignment was Tomato Orzo Soup from Melissa at Fried Rice and Donut Holes.

This soup was really good, and really filling despite being basically vegetarian.  I made a few adjustments based on what I had on hand, which meant using carrots to make up for the celery, whole San Marzano tomatoes instead of diced, and chicken broth instead of the vegetable broth called for.  I also used my stick blender to get a smoother texture, since I'm feeding someone who likes "just soup, no chunks."  The tanginess from the sour cream rounds out the flavors nicely, and I think plain Greek yogurt would work equally well.  If you're feeling fancy and have some time on your hands, basil puree and sour cream thinned with a little lemon juice make nice garnishes

Tomato Orzo Soup

What's in it:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 c finely diced onion
1 c finely diced carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 1/4 c orzo pasta
1/2 c sour cream
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil

How to make it:

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot.  Add the onions and carrots, and cook on medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 2 more minutes.

Add the whole and crushed tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, break up the whole tomatoes.  Add the stock, blend to desired texture with an immersion blender, and return to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is firm but tender. Remove from heat, add sour cream, and fold in the basil.

Serve hot, garnished with additional sour cream, basil and parmesan if desired.

Cumin-Roasted Carrots

I find that there are two pretty universal challenges for people when it comes to cooking.  First, the assumption that really good food is complicated, time-consuming, and requires exotic ingredients.  Second, that opinion that vegetables are bland, generally made as an after thought, steamed or boiled after the meat and starch have been carefully prepared.

Well, neither of these statements are true.  Good food can be amazingly simple, and vegetables can be delicious with just a little care taken.

The ingredient list here is simple- six total, and half of them, the salt, pepper and olive oil, are things that sit out on my counter all the time.  That just leaves carrots that become caramelized and sweet, cumin that complements the earthiness of the carrots, and a little lemon juice to balance the sweetness with some acidity.  Toss everything together, slide into a hot oven, and you're free to spend as much time and effort on the rest of dinner as you want.

Cumin-Roasted Carrots
adapted from Mark Bittman

What's in them:

1 lb. carrots, peeled and halved or quartered
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Juice of half a lemon

How to make them:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine all ingredients but the lemon juice, making sure the coat the carrots evenly with the olive oil and seasonings.  Spread the carrots on a baking sheet, and roast for about 25 minutes, until slightly caramelized.

Squeeze lemon juice lightly over the carrots, and serve hot, warm or cold.

Loaded Potato Soup

As fall has set in here we've been getting a lot more cool, rainy grey days and I've been craving warm, comforting soups.  The evening this potato soup came together was no exception, and it was wonderful to watch the drizzle outside from a warm kitchen with a big pot of soup simmering on the stove.

This soup actually comes together quickly enough for a weeknight while still being flavorful and hearty.  I used a potato masher because I like my soup a little on the chunky side, but a regular or immersion blender would give you a smoother texture.  Anything you would put on a baked potato would be a nice topping- I'm looking forward to a ladle of chili stirred in the next time we're using up the odds and ends from the freezer.

Loaded Potato Soup

What's in it:

6 slices of bacon, chopped*
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice
1 tsp dried thyme
4 c chicken stock or broth*
2 oz cream or neufchatel cheese
1/4 c heavy cream or half & half
1 c shredded cheddar, jack or colby cheese, divided
2 c steamed broccoli
3 scallions, thinly sliced

How to make it:

Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.  Add the bacon and cook until crispy.  Remove bacon from pan to paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.

Add olive oil if necessary for 2 tablespoons total, and add the onions and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until soft, then add carrots and garlic.  Allow the vegetables to cook until they start to develop some color.

Add the potatoes and thyme, stirring to combine, and season with salt and pepper again.  Add the chicken broth and bring the soup to a simmer.  Cook until potatoes begin to fall apart, about 10-15 minutes.  Break up potatoes with a potato masher to desired texture.  Over low heat, add the cream cheese and cream, if using, and stir until cream cheese melts.  Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese.

Serve topped with the reserved bacon, remaining cheese, steamed broccoli and scallions.

*This is just as good as a meatless meal.  Skip the bacon, use all olive oil, and sub vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Spinach Balls

I have to admit, I was pretty excited when I saw my recipe for this week's swap from Melissa at I Was Born to Cook.  Spinach balls were always part of the spread at the annual holiday open house my mom always hosted when we lived in Pittsburgh, and so I associate them with all of the happiness and excitement at the holidays.  So much so, in fact, that I never considered making them any other time of the year.  But they really are perfect for spring gatherings, with the freshness of the spinach balancing the salty bite of the cheese.

I did adjust Melissa's recipe a bit, dropping it to two eggs instead of three at the mixture was pretty wet already without the third, and using plain breadcrumbs and adding my own seasonings.  I also went with dried onion instead of fresh, as I wanted the slightly less astringent, sweeter taste here.  Finally, I left out the butter accidentally, but these still tasted great without it.  I popped most of these into the freezer, ready to be reheated the next time an impromptu deck party happens.

Spinach Balls

What's in them:

1 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and really dried.  Seriously, wring that stuff out until it can't be wrung anymore.
1/2 c grated parmesan or pecorino romano
1/3 c unseasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2  eggs, beaten

How to make them:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Roll mixture into small balls (I ended up with 14 1-in balls) and place on baking sheets lined with foil.   Bake for 20 minutes.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Mascarpone

By Friday nights, I'm ready for a fairly simple dinner that doesn't take too long to put together, but is indulgent enough to relax with.  We had found some beautiful locally-grown golden tomatoes at the grocery store, and this recipe from Bon Appetit came to mind.  Thinking that these slightly out-of-season tomatoes might taste a little better after cooking a little to concentrate the flavor, I decided that this pasta would be a perfect side dish for the flank steak we planned to grill.  

I didn't have basil, so for color and some more veggies, I added half a bag of baby spinach that needed to be used.  I did have mascarpone cheese, and inspired by this pasta on Pink Parsley, I added it in, making this pasta just rich enough to kick off the weekend.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Mascarpone

What's in it:

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz tomatoes of your choice- any size and variety

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

6 oz baby spinach

6 oz pasta shapes

1/4 c mascarpone cheese

3/4 c finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan

How to make it:

Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes, season with salt, and cook, covered slightly and swirling pan often, until tomatoes blister and burst, 10-12 minutes. Press down on tomatoes to release their juices. Add spinach and sautee until just wilted.  Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

Transfer pasta to skillet with tomatoes; set over high heat. Add 1/2 cup pasta water. Cook, stirring and tossing often, until sauce thickens and pasta is just al dente.  Stir in the mascarpone and parmesan and toss until sauce coats pasta, adding more pasta water if sauce seems dry.   Serve immediately.

Mediterranean Grain Salad

The first time I saw this recipe in Cooking Light last spring, it did catch my eye.  I was looking for more recipes using grains like barley, quinoa and farro, but when a quick skim through the ingredients revealed fennel, I skipped over it, not being a fan of it.  Luckily for me, Josie at Pink Parsley changed things up, omitting the fennel and adding more veggies.

This has been in steady rotation ever since.  It's a great make-ahead, since it tastes better with more time for the dressing to really soak in.  It's forgiving, since you could really use any grain or even pasta here.  This time around, I used a mix of barley and brown rice.  I like to make a batch over the weekend, have it as a side for grilled shrimp or chicken, then eat it on its own for lunch a few times during the week.

Mediterranean Grain Salad

What's in it:

3 cups cooked and cooled grain of your choice- barley, rice, couscous, pasta, etc.
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
2 Tbsp freshly chopped dill
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup grape tomato halves
1/2 cup diced cucumber
8 pitted olives, roughly chopped (I usually grab a variety from the olive bar, but kalamata are a good choice)
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

How to make it:

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, and vinegar in a bowl.  Whisk to combine, and season with salt and pepper.  Add the parsley through feta, stirring gently to combine.  Cover and allow to sit either at room temperature or chilled for at least 30 minutes.  Fold in the walnuts, and serve.

Quinoa Pilaf with Peas and Asparagus

Do you fall into the weeknight starch and veggie rut?  I definitely hit weeks where I am just completely uninspired when it comes to side dishes.  Cook some pasta, steam some broccoli, call it a day.

But luckily, spring is here, and with it beautiful vegetables just begging to be paired with something lighter than pasta or potatoes.  I kind of started with this beautiful green version from Bon Appetit, but streamlined the process because pulling out the food processor just seemed like too much work.  I also added a bit of lemon juice, because it just seemed to need some brightness.  The leftovers were great on their own the next day for lunch- filling, flavorful, and really good at room temperature.

Quinoa Pilaf with Peas and Asparagus

What's in it:

1 cup quinoa, regular or red, or a mix 
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 small onion, diced

1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
Juice from half a lemon

How to make it:

Cook quinoa according to package instructions, replacing water with broth, and salt to taste.

Heat oil in a large pan, and sautee garlic, onion, and asparagus until asparagus is cooked, but still crisp.  Stir in quinoa, then peas and mint, and squeeze lemon over.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve hot or at room temperature.