Sausage and White Bean Stew

I'm a big fan of the magazine Fine Cooking.  So I signed up for their daily email recipe.  This was the first one they sent and I made it last night for dinner.  I always substitute hot turkey Italian sausage instead of using the pork.  But you could use the pork, just drain off the fat...unless you don't care...I also added 2 cups of chopped spinach.  I just like something green in a stew or even kale.  I didn't know Pamela Anderson could cook :))

Sausages & White Bean Stew with Tomatoes, Thyme & Crisp Breadcrumbs

by Pamela Anderson

You can substitute any type of raw sausage for the Italian sausage; lamb sausage is especially nice.

Serves 6

 

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1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter 
1-1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs 
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves 
9 sweet Italian sausages 
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
1-1/2 cups dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc 
14.5-oz. can petite-diced tomatoes 
Three 15.5-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 
1 cup lower-salt chicken broth 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

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In a 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and 1 Tbs. of the thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Wipe out the skillet.
Using a small, sharp knife, pierce each sausage in 3 or 4 places. Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm.
While the sausages cook, heat the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in a deep, 10- to 11-inch-wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the remaining 1 Tbs. thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and simmer until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and cook until very soft and about a quarter of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and broth.
Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Using a potato masher, gently crush some of the stew with 4 to 5 strokes, or just enough to thicken it a bit. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut the sausages in half on the diagonal. Ladle the stew into wide, deep bowls, arrange the sausages on the stew, and top with the breadcrumbs.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 530; Fat (g): 19; Fat Calories (kcal): 170; Saturated Fat (g): 7; Protein (g): 31; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 9; Carbohydrates (g): 46; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2.5; Sodium (mg): 1490; Cholesterol (mg): 45; Fiber (g): 9;

From Fine Cooking 91 , pp. 86a

Faux Pho a la Bitchy

I love Pho, pronounced "fuh", emphasis on the "uh".  It is a great Vietnamese soup that is either made with chicken, beef or seafood.  My favorite is chicken.  That Costco/Sam's chicken will come in handy for this recipe.  This is not traditional Pho.  As I said above it is faux Pho because true Pho takes hours of cooking.  No canned broths or bought roasted chickens there.  But with the way we are with our fast paced lives, this recipe is perfect.  Makes enough for 4 unless you're married to my husband.  I am going to give you the basics for the soup.  You add ingredients that satisfy your palate.  A whole star anise is hard to find unless you go to an Asian market, like H and M, so I use powdered. Bean sprouts...I was told today that Kroger will no longer carry fresh bean sprouts...that silly salmonella.  So, it's up to you.  I bought a canned brand in the Asian section and drained and washed the sodium off.  By washing your canned beans etc, it has been proven that 50% of the added sodium is washed off.  You be the judge.

1/2 roasted chicken, skin removed (Use the whole chicken if you're buying one of those measly ones at a regular grocery store), torn into bite sized pieces
1 tbsp vegetable oil
64 oz low sodium chicken broth
1/2 medium onion, skin removed
4 cloves garlic, smashed
5- 1/4 inch slices of fresh ginger, peeled (you can peel it before you slice it:))
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground star of anise
2 tbsp Asian fish sauce
2 tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake
6-7 oz Chinese dried noodles
2 cups spinach
1 cup sliced mushrooms of your choice

Toppings: diced jalapenos, chiffonade of basil (cut into thin strips, duh), thinly sliced green onions, lime wedges, and Sriracha sauce (an Asian style Tabasco), fresh bean sprouts, rinsed thoroughly (if using canned, add with the spinach and mushrooms).

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat until shimmering and add onion, cut side down, and begin to caramelize the onion in the hot oil.  As it begins to brown, add the garlic and cook until golden.  Lower heat to medium and slowly add the mirin and sake.  Cook 5 minutes at a boil  to release the liquor and thicken the sauce.  Add the chicken broth, ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise, fish sauce, soy sauce.  Bring to a simmer and let the flavors meld for about 30 minutes.  Remove the garlic, cinnamon stick, onion and ginger.  Discard. Add the chicken and then bring to a boil.  Add the spinach, mushrooms and the noddles,separating the noodles as they cook.  When the noodles are done, taste for seasoning.  Ladle into big bowls and serve using chop sticks, not my style, so I use a big spoon and fork, a la bitchy style.  Put on your toppings and you're ready to eat some fuh!

Mediterranean Chicken la la Bitchy

I'm just not a fan of chicken.  I guess I remember my mother beheading them when I was little while growing up on a ranch in South Texas.  We had this tree stump, and well, a good sharp ax will do the trick every time.  If you're a vegan, sorry...Anyway, when I do make chicken for dinner, I usually buy a roasted one from Costco or Sam's and use the meat for something.  But with this recipe, you need raw chicken.  I'm not a top chef nor anywhere near, so when I need a whole chicken cut in to pieces, I buy one already cut up.  Just pay for the service, OK.  If you cut the chicken yourself, you might slice your thumb off. Like steak, which is better with the bone in, so is chicken.  But to cut down on the fat, I skin the chicken.  If you're a normal family, this will serve six. In mine, my husband is the big eater, it will serve two with plenty of leftovers.

1 large chicken, cut into serving sizes and skinned
1-28 oz can diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, smashed and diced
1 green bell pepper, cut into a dice
1 medium sweet onion, cut into a dice
2 cups kale, stripped of tough stems, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive over over high heat until shimmering.  Lightly salt and pepper the chicken.  Add the chicken in batches and cook until browned on all sides.  Remove from pan.  Over medium high heat, add the onions and bell peppers.  Cook until the onions are opaque.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (don't burn them!)  Put the chicken back in the pan and top with tomatoes, chicken broth and kale.  Add crushed red pepper, if you want some heat.  Sort of stir the toppings.  Bring to a simmer and cover and cook until chicken is no longer pink.  I usually bring the chicken to its almost "cooked" point and then turn off the heat to let it finish cooking in the sauce so it remains moist.  Season to taste.

Serve over rice, pasta or even smashed potatoes.

Southwestern "Kitchen Sink" Soup

No, it's not made in a kitchen sink.  That's a phrase I use that means you throw anything in, maybe even, the kitchen sink.  Last Saturday night, I found myself staring into the fridge and saying, OK, what now?  I didn't feel like going to the store.  It was already 5:30 pm and my hubby demands dinner be on the table at 6:50.  Why?  I have no clue.  I do miss my deadline every so often but mostly get it on the table in time.  So, while I'm looking, I find frozen ground meat, onions, garlic, limes, grated packaged Mexican cheese (low in milk fat), and chicken broth.  Hmmm, Bitchy says to herself.  It looks like a nice pot of something southwestern is in the works.  Further discoveries include canned black beans, canned kernel corn, a can of diced tomatoes, small can diced green chilies, and a package of spinach that if not used immediately, it will have to be thrown out. I drain and wash the beans and corn to cut down on the sodium. You could take the casings off of turkey or chicken sausage and switch to chicken broth.   So here's what I came up with.  Yes, it looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's mainly throwing them in the pot.  And if you can go by my husband's critique, it was damned good.

I made enough to choke a horse but I would say it makes 6 servings or 4 with left overs.

1 1/2 lb low fat ground meat (or whatever you have)
2 tbs vegetable oil
2- 32 oz boxes low sodium beef broth
1 -14 3/4 oz low sodium canned black beans (or whatever beans you have.  You could use pinto beans.) Drained and washed
1-15 oz can low sodium kernel corn, drained and washed
1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 small can diced green chilies, (I forget the size)
1-8oz can no salt tomato sauce
2 tbs tomato paste
1 big handful of washed spinach
2 tbs chili powder (I have medium heat)
juice from 1 lime
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup cilantro,chopped,  fresh, if you have it or 1 tsp dried
2 tsp ground cumin, if you have it
1-2 tbs adobo sauce (adds extra heat and a great smokey  flavor)
Toppings: crumbled queso fresco, chopped avocado, chopped red onion, grated Mexican cheeses, crumbled tortilla chips, heated flour tortillas on the side, chopped fresh or canned jalapenos


In a cast iron skillet heat 1 tbs oil until shimmering.  Add the meat in batches to brown.  If you are using meat with a lot of fat in it, drain in a colander.  This should be about four batches.  Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, heat the other tbs oil over medium heat and add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender and slightly browned, about 8 minutes or so.  To the onion/garlic mix, add the drained ground meat, beef broth, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes...oh, just add the rest of the ingredients...except for the cilantro.  Throw that in before serving.  If you don't like cilantro, leave it out. This is your kitchen sink soup, so add what you like.  But the key ingredients are the chili powder, lime, cumin, green chilies and adobo sauce.  That makes it southwestern cuisine.   Bring to a simmer and partially cover and cook 30-40 minutes for the flavors to meld.  Now taste for heat and salt.  Add as much or as little to your taste.

Serve with toppings or sides as you like.

Pappardelle with Salmon and Leeks

I'm not that big of a fan of pasta and seafood unless it's linguine and clams.  But this is delicious.  I always use wild caught salmon never farm raised.  I still like the flavor of Cojo or King salmon better.  Although farmed is less expensive.  You make the choice. If you can't find pappardelle pasta, buy fresh lasagna sheets and cut into inch wide strips.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 
  Preparation
• 3/4 pound uncooked pappardelle pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided $
• 2 large leeks (1 pound), trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh savory or 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced fresh mint
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 cup dry white wine $
• 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
• 1 (1-pound) fresh or frozen sustainable salmon fillet
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1. 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid; keep pasta and cooking liquid warm.
2. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, savory, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook 15 minutes or until leeks are translucent, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high. Add wine; cook 1 minute. Add stock; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, reserved cooking liquid, parsley, and lemon rind.
3. 3. Sprinkle salmon fillet with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter; swirl until butter melts. Add salmon fillet, and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Flake the salmon into large chunks. Arrange 1 cup of the pasta mixture on each of 6 plates, and top evenly with flaked salmon. Serve immediately.

415 calories, 13.7g fat, 23.7 g protein, 47.2g carbs, 2.6g fiber, 45mg chol, 349mg sodium

Domenica Marchetti, Cooking Light
MARCH 2013

Two Products I Love but with One, You Might Go "No Way".

The first product you should love is a line by Alexia Foods.   I normally bake either their onion rings, which I love,  or their waffle sweet potato fries.  Last night I made these Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle seasoning and LOVED them.  I bake them in my small counter top convection oven. For three ounces, about 12 fries, they only have 4g fats, 130 calories and 250 g sodium.  They also have potato wedges, regular potato fries, and they even have breads.   Kroger is in bed with Orida so they don't carry Alexia.  But Whole Foods as well as Publix carry the products.  Just go to the Alexia site and type in your zip and they'll let you know where you can buy their products.  I served the fries with a green leaf salad topped with queso fresco, diced red onions and avocados (simple dressing of oil and lemon with salt and pepper) and a grilled flat iron steak.  Outstanding!

The second product, you're going to go, no way...But it's sooooooo good for you.  It's sardines.  Yes.  Sardines.  From Whole Foods about canned sardines:  Sardines are an excellent source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. They are a very good source of protein and a good source of phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B2 and vitamin B6.  

I eat at least two every other day.  I order my Vigo Hot Sardines from Amazon in a twelve pack (each can has 3 sardines).  Stop laughing. I get free shipping.  I'm a Prime Member.  I eat them with whole wheat crackers. (My cats are hovering.)   You can buy them at Whole Foods but if you eat them like I do, it's cheaper to buy in bulk.  When I was a kid, we used to eat pickled herring.  So, it wasn't too difficult to move from that to sardines.  For two sardines, 9g fat, 130 calories, with 250 g sodium.  

Cameron Stove Top Smoker

This is one of my all time favorite cooking gadgets, the Cameron Stove Top Smoker.  I bought mine about 5 or 6 years ago and I use it all the time.  It is particularly great for smoking salmon.  Easier than all of those little papers (yuck yuck).  I actually had a fishmonger tell me that.  Anyway, you can use it on your stove top (duh) but be sure you have adequate ventilation because some smoke does escape.  Don't want to set off the smoke alarms.  During the summer, I put it on my gas grill.  It comes with several containers of different wood shavings i.e. apple, cherry, mesquite.  And, of course, recipes.  I found that if you want to cook pork, smoke the pork FIRST, to almost done, and then finish in a hot pan to give it that great caramelization.  They cost about $50 for a large and $25 or so for a small.  I have the large one.