Month: April 2012

Potato Leek Soup with Kale and Sausage

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Submitted by Jeanne Marshall.

  • 1 pound (4 links) of your favorite sausage (I like Salvadoran chorizo or Portuguese linguica – a little heat but not too much for kids) – you can substitute bacon here nicely or leave the meat completely out
  • 5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into ~1-inch cubes
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into ~1-inch cubes
  • 2 cups kale
  • 32 ounces chicken broth (You can substitute w/vegetable broth if you prefer.)
  • 2 leeks, white & light green parts only, thinly sliced
  • 1 large shallot, diced (regular small onion can stand in)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • A few tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing the leeks and potatoes)
  • 1 cup cream, half & half, or milk (depending upon your desired caloric intake)
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Sauté the sausage (or bacon) and set aside to cool. Leave any oil in the pan and sauté the potatoes, leeks and shallots, adding olive oil if needed. Slice sausage into bite-sized pieces. When leeks have softened, add garlic. Add vegetable mixture to stock pot. Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Lower temperature to medium and cover. Let cook for 20-30 minutes (until potatoes are tender) then add sausage and kale. Let cook for 5 minutes longer then add milk (or cream or half & half). Do not let it boil after adding the milk. Salt & pepper to taste.

If you want a smooth soup, put batches of the potato/leek mixture into the blender before adding sausage and kale (or use a stick blender directly in the pot).

Brown Sugar Dijon Brie with Variations

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Submitted by Jeanne Marshall, who writes:“A friend served this at her recent Super Bowl party and it was out of this world good!”  Adapted from Brown Sugar Dijon Brie & More The Pampered Chef ®

 

  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds, divided
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 4-in. round (8 oz) Brie cheese with rind, room temperature
  • 1 loaf (16 oz) French baguette
  • Vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coarsely chop 1/4 cup of the almonds. In a small bowl, combine chopped almonds, sugar and mustard; mix well.

Cut Brie in half horizontally. Place one half of Brie, cut side up, onto center of a large round baking dish or baking stone. Spread half of the sugar mixture evenly over bottom half of Brie. Top with remaining half of Brie, cut side up. Spread remaining sugar mixture over Brie; sprinkle with remaining almonds.

Cut baguette on a bias into twenty-four 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange baguette slices around Brie; spray with oil. Bake 8-10 minutes or until baguette slices are golden brown and Brie begins to soften. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 12 servings

Nutrients per serving: (Light): Calories 260, Total Fat 4.5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 46 g, Protein 9 g, Sodium 460 mg, Fiber 2 g

Variations: Tangy Pepper-Pecan Brie: Substitute 1/2 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped, for the almonds, 1/4 cup apricot preserves for the sugar and 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped for the mustard. Proceed as recipe directs.

Sun-Dried Tomato-Pesto Brie: Substitute 1/4 cup pine nuts for the almonds, 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, patted dry and chopped for the sugar. Substitute 1 tbsp prepared basil pesto for the mustard. Proceed as recipe directs.

Polenta-Pecan Apple Cobbler

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Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Best-Loved Reader Recipes, published Spring 2012.  Original recipe by Helen Wolt of Colorado Springs, CO

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill whole grain cornmeal) or quick-cooking polenta mix
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup (or a little more) chopped pecans
  • 2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 8 cups cubed, peeled apples (I used a combo of Granny Smith and Pink Lady)  I also use a crank-style apple corer/slicer/peeler, so my apples were more sliced than cubed.  I put the apples through the slicer and then cut them into quarters.
  • 1/2 cup dried tart cherries or dried mixed berries
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream
  • Half-and-half, whipped cream, or ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  For topping, in a small bowl stir together flour, cornmeal or polenta mix, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.  Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.In another small bowl, combine pecans, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside.

For filling, in a large saucepan combine apples, dried cherries and/or berries, 1/3 cup brown sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.  Bring just to boiling, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat.  (As the apples cook, they will release juices.)  Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes or until apples are nearly tender, stirring occasionally.  In a small bowl, combine water and corn starch; stir into apple mixture.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Keep hot.

Add 1/3 cup half-and-half to cornmeal/flour mixture, stirring just until moistened.  Transfer hot filling to a 2-quart baking dish.  Using a spoon, immediately drop topping into hot mixture, forming small mounds.  Sprinkle with pecan mixture.

Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into topping comes out clean.  Serve warm, if desired, serve with additional half-and-half, whipped cream, or ice cream.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

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Submitted by Kimberly Garcia.  Adapted from a recipe found here:  http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2009/03/recipe-for-asian-lettuce-cups-or-wraps.html

  • 1 T peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used sesame oil)
  • 3 T minced red onion or shallots
  • 2 T minced garlic (i use fresh)
  • 2 T grated ginger root (fresh if possible)
  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey (or turkey)
  • 4 T soy sauce (try to find low-sodium)
  • 1 T Chile Garlic Sauce or more to taste
  • 1 tsp. fish sauce (optional) – I’ve never used this
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 1/2 large bunch)
  • 1 large head or 2 small heads Boston Lettuce or butter lettuce, or substitute 1 head iceberg lettuce

Chop onion and set aside. Peel ginger root, then grate with the large side of a cheese grater, and chop garlic if using fresh garlic. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add onion and sauté about 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger root and sauté about one minute more.

Add ground turkey to frying pan (with a bit more oil if needed) and break apart and spread out with turner, then add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and fish sauce (if using). Cook until the turkey is brown and crumbling apart, and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

While turkey cooks, wash and chop fresh cilantro to make 1 cup. Remove the core end from lettuce, separate leaves, and wash in salad spinner and spin dry (or wash under running water and dry with paper towels.) Chop peanuts and put in small bowl to serve at the table.

When turkey is done, add chopped cilantro and cook 1-2 minutes more. Serve filling and lettuce leaves in separate bowls. Each person takes a lettuce leaf, fills with desired amount of turkey mixture and then eats the mixture from the lettuce cup. I fold the lettuce cup over when I eat it, so it’s kind of taco-shaped, but some people like to wrap the lettuce clear around the filling.

Serves 4-6 (although we never seem to get 6 servings out of it)