Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Soup

A couple weekends ago my friend called and said she and her husband were going to be passing my apartment after a day of outlet shopping and asked if I wanted to do a drink. I told her just to stop by on her way back and I would have cocktails and snacks ready—a much better option after a long day of shopping. As I was collecting various cheeses and some crackers at the grocery store, I passed the refrigerated meats – for some reason the chicken sausage caught my eye. I tossed a package of Johnsonville’s chicken sausage with apples in the basket, not knowing what I was going to do with them. Nevertheless, they sounded good.

Upon arriving home, I set out the brie so it would get soft and set about relaxing. As I sat reading I thought that soup sounded really good on this particularly cold day. The best part: I could make it early and leave it simmer on the stove while we had cocktails. Even better, if my friends were cold and hungry I would have a nice dinner at the ready. In the end it proved perfect—my friends were tired and hungry and the soup was the best fix. We started with an assortment of cheeses and crackers, then moved to my newfound chicken sausage soup with some baguette. It was a wonderful winter’s day—good food, friends, and cocktails.

Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
1 package Johnsonville fully cooked chicken sausage with real apple (4 sausages), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, diced (yields about 2 cups)
1 bunch celery, chopped (yields about 5 or 6 cups)
2 ½ cups carrots, chopped (I used baby carrots since they are smaller)
2 tablespoons butter (or 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil)
3 cups spinach
1 jar, 15.5 ounces Tostitos chunky medium salsa
5.5 ounces cannellini beans
32 ounces low sodium vegetable broth

Directions
1. Heat butter (or butter and olive oil) in a large pot.
2. When pot has heated, turn burner to medium/high heat and add chopped carrots, cooking about 4 minutes.
3. Next add diced onion and chopped celery, cooking 5-7 minutes
4. Once carrots and celery begin to soften, add 32 ounces vegetable broth and reduce to a simmer
5. Next, add the pieces of chicken sausage, cannellini beans, and jar of salsa and simmer for 15-20 minutes (you can simmer longer depending on when you want to serve)
6. Finally, bring the soup to a boil, add the spinach; cook until the spinach is wilted
7. Spoon soup into big bowls and serve with baguette
8. ENJOY!

Pumpkin Soup

The other day my boyfriend and I were discussing how little pumpkin is used (particularly in the canned form) after Thanksgiving. I personally love the flavor of pumpkin and think it can be used well after the holidays, in both sweet and savory dishes. In fact, recently my friend had a Top Chef pumpkin competition where all invitees were asked to bring an appetizer, main course, or dessert using pumpkin – and the results were quite interesting! Not only were there such things as pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin cheesecake, but there were such surprises as a pumpkin pie cake, a pumpkin chili, and most delectable to me – roasted pumpkin with a garlic yogurt sauce, a recipe that I have made for a dinner party after tasting it at the competition – delicious! (Note: For the pumpkin challenge, I made Martha Stewart’s pumpkin bread pudding with a dulce de leche sauce – it also turned out quite well.)

I have never really cooked with pumpkin in a savory way, minus recreating the roasted pumpkin, but my boyfriend (who is also quite creative in the kitchen) and I decided we could take on the challenge and created a dish from scratch using the canned pumpkin left in the cupboard.

Our results are below:

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
2 sausages (Johnsonville brats work best)
1 cup spinach
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup skim or 1% milk
Dash of whole milk (depending on level of thickness)
Fresh chopped sage, about 3 leaves

Directions
1. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. When the pan is hot, add chopped or broken sage leaves (about 3 or 4) and 3 minced garlic cloves.
3. Reduce heat to medium-high and add diced onion, cook until soft and translucent.
4. Next, take both sausages and slit lengthways, peeling off the casing. Once off, cut the sausages lengthways and dice into 1/4 inch cubes; add to pan.
5. Once sausage is cooked all the way through, remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.
6. Next, add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan (wiping down excess oil before use) and heat to medium-high.
7. When the pan is heated, add 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin and 3 cups 1% milk; stir to combine.
8. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and add sausage and onion mixture and 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans; stir to combine and simmer.
9. Add a dash of whole milk and 1 cup of spinach, simmer for at least 5 minutes before serving.
10. Serve with a French baguette and Enjoy!

While I know that soup may not be the most creative of dishes, I will say that the flavors melded nicely together and with the addition of the sausage, it was quite hearty. Upon tasting it, I was immediately filled with warmth and memories of Thanksgiving! It perfectly complimented the insanely cold weather and gave us the opportunity to further prolong the holiday season. Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Quesadillas

I love Mexican food, probably a little too much if I am honest. Taco salad is my absolute favorite (a recipe that will be in my cookbook), but second to that is now my quesadilla recipe. I came up with it recently because I have 1) been insanely busy at work; and 2) I have had two separate dinner parties for vegetarians and needed something quick and easy. I came up with the recipe on my way home from the craziest day—I had several meetings after 4:00pm, which lasted until 7:00pm and my guest was due at 8:00pm. As I was driving to the grocery store, praying I made it home before my guest arrived, I was racking my brain for an easy, go-to recipe and, of course Mexican popped into my head. My taco salad was out of the question because it is made with ground turkey, but vegetable quesadillas came to my mind instantly and the recipe unfolded as if I had made it 1,000 times before. A little nervous–I generally don’t like to make things from scratch for the first time at a dinner party, but I was running out of time. I got to the grocery store; purchased the ingredients, some corona lights, and a couple of bottles of wine; and rushed home to prepare my Mexican fiesta.

I think this recipe is best served with chips and salsa as the appetizer, but feel free to also add a queso dip or guacamole. Also, I suggest serving them with Micheladas, margaritas (a future post), or white wine. As a side note you can also serve the quesadillas as an appetizer – just follow the directions below, but instead of folding the tortillas in half, place the toppings on a tortilla like a pizza, putting a second tortilla on top, and finishing them off in the oven. Using a pizza cutter, slice the tortillas into four sections and serve.

Vegetarian Quesadillas

Ingredients
3 Peppers (I buy the tricolor pack, which contains a green, yellow, and red pepper)
1 small Vidalia onion
1 package mushrooms (I buy the pre-sliced package to make it easy)
1 tablespoon butter*
2 teaspoons olive oil*
Pam Cooking Spray (I use the olive oil flavored spray)
1 avocado
4 plum tomatoes
1 package shredded cheese (I use Lucerne Mexican Four Cheese Blend, which includes a blend of Medium Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Asadero and Queso Quesadilla Cheeses)
1 package flour tortillas, I use about 5 to 7 tortillas (I have found Piñata Flour Tortillas are the best brand for this recipe)
Light sour cream (optional)
Hot Sauce (I use both Original Cholula Hot Sauce and Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce) (optional)
Salsa (My favorite is Tostitos Chunky Salsa, Medium) (optional)
Sliced Jalapenos (optional)

*(NOTE: I use both butter and olive oil when cooking—butter for the flavor and olive oil because it heats quickly and evenly)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cut the peppers and onion lengthwise into strips (about the size of your index finger).
3. Next, put the skillet on the stove over medium-high heat with olive oil and butter.
4. Place the onions and pepper in the heated skillet and sauté until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. While the peppers and onions are cooking, place a small skillet on the stove, sprayed lightly with Pam Cooking Spray, over medium-high heat and warm the tortillas—about 2 to 3 minutes per side. (NOTE: Use cooking spray as needed when cooking the rest of the tortillas).
6. Next, take a baking dish and place a tortilla in the bottom. On one half, place a desired amount of peppers and onions (about ½ cup to ¾ cup) and top with cheese (about ¼ cup).
7. Once ingredients have been added, fold the tortilla in half, pressing lightly to seal. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. As noted above, I find it usually makes 5 to 7 quesadillas, depending on how much of the onion and pepper mixture is used per tortilla.
8. Once all the tortillas have been filled and folded, place the baking dish in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes (until cheese has melted).
9. While the quesadillas are cooking, chop the tomatoes and avocado.
10. To serve, transfer a quesadilla onto a plate and top with a generous amount of diced tomatoes and avocado. I then serve jalapenos, sour cream, salsa, and hot sauce on the side for my guest(s) to add individually.
11. ENJOY!

The Impromptu Dinner Party

I have to admit before I begin this post that I have a love affair with grocery shopping—I literally go wild at Safeway and generally end up buying a whole host of things, which means my fridge and pantry are always fully stocked. My mother actually banned me from going to the grocery store for an entire month and dared me to be creative with what I had—let’s just say I didn’t starve. Anyway it is important to this post because I understand that generally people do not have some these things just “lying around.” But hopefully I can give you some tips on what to stock up on so you can quickly pull together an elegant, effortless dinner for your friends.

The impromptu dinner party can be daunting for some, but I generally relish the challenge. Today, Saturday, it is already 2pm and my friend is coming at 5pm. I go to my fridge to see what peaks my interest…shrimp. I always keep frozen shrimp in my freezer; it is quick, easy and can be a great addition to any salad, a good main course, or the dish I am thinking about tonight. I decide that since it is so late in the day and I don’t have time to go to the grocery store, I will make my “go-to” appetizer and dessert as well. The menu is as follows:

Appetizer: Roasted Chickpeas
Main Course: Shrimp and Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Dessert: Espresso Chip Meringues by Giada De Laurentiis (with my own spin)

This menu is easy and fun—it flows together nicely, is a three course meal, and does not leave your guest(s) feeling extremely full. Plus I will share with you how to turn the couscous salad into an effortless Sunday dinner (perhaps in tomorrow’s post). I decided since the theme of this post is impromptu, that I would give a play-by-play of my afternoon, showing you just how easy it is…

At 2:30pm: Set the table. I always keep fresh cut flowers on the table and do a very simple place setting. Also, I put a bottle of white wine in the fridge so it is properly chilled. Then, I set about tidying the house. (Note: I already have all the ingredients, but if you don’t, plan 30 minutes before to pick up last minute things.)

At 2:45pm: Make Roasted Chickpeas and put in oven (recipe below). I put them in the oven now because they take a while and I like to serve them at room temperature (when they come out of the oven, just put them in the serving dish—covering them will make them soft again.

At 3:30pm: Make the Couscous (recipe below). I make the couscous now because it needs to be at room temperature when you add the tomatoes and other ingredients.

At 4:00pm, Take out the Chickpeas and make the meringues (recipe below). I always like to make the meringues and keep them in the oven. Once you turn them the second time, after the 30 minutes, turn the oven off and leave them on the cookie sheet until serving time. Plus, I think it’s always fun to surprise my dinner guests with a decadent dessert.

At 4:45pm: Start thawing, peeling, and preparing the shrimp (recipe below) and put together the couscous salad.

At 5:00pm: My friend arrives; I finish last minute prep work and enjoy a glass of wine.

RECIPES

Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, lay on a paper towel to drain excess water.
3. In a large bowl, add dry chickpeas, olive oil, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Toss to coat.
4. In a large oven proof skillet or cookie sheet with raised edges, spread chick peas out in a single layer. Cook for 20 minutes and then toss (add a dash more salt, if desired). Place back in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until chickpeas had and start to “pop.”
5. Let cook for 5 minutes and serve in a decorative bowl.

Couscous Salad

Ingredients
2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups tap water
2 pounds frozen, raw shrimp (I usually use Waterfront Bistro)
½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 roma tomatoes
2 6.5 ounce jars Cara Mia marinated artichoke hearts
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions
1. Put two cups of water, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan with a lid, bring to a boil. (Note: I have found that adding both butter and olive oil makes the couscous both buttery and fluffy.)
2. Once water boils, remove from heat, add two cups of couscous, and cover for 5 minutes.
3. Place in a large mixing bowl, set aside and let cool.
4. Next thaw and peel shrimp. (Note: because the shrimp is frozen, when it thaws it can retain water—I usually blot the shrimp with a paper towel to remove excess water.
5. Heat a small skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the two pounds of shrimp and red pepper flakes. Cook until shrimp are pink—about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
6. Next drain artichoke hearts (do not rinse) and cut each quarter into thirds; add to the bowl with the couscous.
7. Next dice the tomatoes and add them to the bowl with the couscous and artichokes.
8. Once the shrimp is cool, add to the bowl, along with the chopped parsley.
9. Next add the lemon juice and stir the couscous salad.
10. Serve (or put in fridge until you are ready to serve).

Giada’s Espresso Chip Meringues with a Twist

Ingredients
3 egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of fine sea salt
¾ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup strawberry or raspberry jam
1 pint raspberries

Directions
1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Using a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until frothy, about 1 minute. With the mixer on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick and holds stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips. Drop ¼ to ½ cup of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely while still in the oven, about 2 hours.
4. Before serving, heat 1 cup of raspberry or strawberry jam and 2 tablespoons agave syrup in a pan over medium-high heat. Once melted, drizzle the jam on a plate. Place one meringue on top of jam and sprinkle raspberries over top.