Sausage and Potato Soup

Do you want a nice hearty soup to keep you warm on these cold winter days? This is a soup I put together because I wanted something a little more filling but still on the healthy side.

Sausage and Potato Soup

3 Italian Chicken or Turkey Sausages, casing removed and formed into bite sized meatballs
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 potatoes, diced
3 cups broth, chicken or vegetable, low sodium and low fat
3 cups water
1/4 tsp each fresh rosemary and fennel
1/2 tsp each marjoram and thyme
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach
Salt and Pepper

Brown the meatballs, you may have to add a teaspoon of the oil. Remove meatballs after they brown and set aside. Add the rest of the oil, onions, celery and the carrots. Cook until onions are transparent, then add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add the herbs, potatoes, broth and water. Cook until potatoes are soft, then add the meatballs and spinach. Cook this until meatballs are heated through and potatoes are cooked.

Shrimp Alfredo Pizza

When I come up with ideas for new recipes one of 2 things usually happens. I make it and it fails miserably and you never read about it, I do have to threaten Annette never to mention it or I will make it for her again. Or I make it and it turns out good enough for me to publish and I don't have to hide behind things the next time I see you. Shrimp Alfredo Pizza was one of those recipes that I thought you may never see in print, but it actually turned out to be very good. My main concern was making an Alfredo sauce that would not be thin and run off the pizza and all over the stove. I used shrimp, asparagus and spinach on this pizza. You could use all veggies (any combination that you want) or chicken instead of shrimp.

Shrimp Alfredo Pizza

Alfredo Sauce:
1 5oz can of 2 % evaporated milk
3 oz low fat, low sodium chicken broth
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbs butter
3 tbs all-purpose flour
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Pizza Crust:
Make your favorite crust or buy one

Toppings:
2 tsp olive oil
12 oz shrimp
1 oz frozen spinach, finely chopped (you can use fresh)
6 small stalks asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
I cut some basil into ribbons and sprinkled on top for a garnish.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If you have a pizza stone make sure that is on the center shelf, so it heats up.

Sauce: put milk, broth and garlic in a microwave safe bowl and heat until steaming, about 3 to minutes. Remove and let this cool for a minute or 2 before using. In a large sauce pan over low heat add butter. When butter melts add flour and whisk until mixed with butter. Then add the milk mixture slowly and whisk it while adding. Whisk this mixture until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Add the parmesan and whisk until Parmesan is melted and incorporated into milk mixture. Poor this back into bowl and set aside.

Toppings: in the sauce pan heat olive oil. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes, add the shrimp and spinach and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.

Spread the sauce over the pizza crust. Then spread the toppings over the sauce. Then place the shrimp over the other toppings. Cook for about 10 minutes. When it comes out sprinkle with basil if using.

Seafood Risotto

This was the main course for Annette and my Valentines Day dinner. It was the best risotto that I have ever made or eaten. I based it on a recipe from Emeril Lagasse. The best part was there was enough left over for 2 more meals. It was like BIll Murray in Groundhog Day, but we just got to keep eating the same really good meal over again.

Seafood Risotto

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 cups seafood stock*
2 cloves minced garlic
1 pound Arborio rice
1 pounds assorted shellfish and seafood, I used lobster tail, scallops and shrimp cut into bite side pieces
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons chopped green onions, green part only
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

* I did not have any seafood stock, so I improvised and took 2 containers of chicken stock added an onion that I cut into quarters, 2 carrots and the lobster and shrimp shells and boiled for 1/2 hour. Then strained broth and it made a very good improvised substitute.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil, over medium heat. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and saute until the onions are slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Now add 6 cups of the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Add additional stock if needed.

Season the seafood pieces with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 7 minutes. Stir in the butter, half and half, cheese, and green onions. Simmer for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. The rice should be soft, with a little bite, if so remove from the heat. Spoon the risotto in the center of a shallow bowl. Garnish with parsley.

Nutella Ravioli

Sorry about my absence from posting lately, life sometimes changes our plans for us. But I am back and I hope you like the results, I know my wife and I did.

I normally don't make desserts, but decided for Valentines I needed to create a somewhat healthy dessert that Annette and I would both eat. Raspberries and chocolate are a must. Then I notice the unopened jar of Nutella in the pantry and the wheels in my head started spinning. Here is the result:

Nutella Ravioli

5 oz frozen raspberries
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tbs Nutella
2 tbs plain low fat yogurt
3 egg roll wrappers, cut in 1/2 (you could use wontons, but they maybe smaller so you may want to leave whole)
1 egg
1 tsp water
Fresh raspberries for garnish
powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small pan put the frozen raspberries, sugar and cornstarch. Over medium heat warm the berries and smash them with a spoon. this will create a juice. When the juice starts to boil it will thicken because of the cornstarch. Pour it through a sieve to strain the seeds out. Use this is used to dribble on the plate as a garnish. Set this aside to cool.

In a small bowl mix the Nutella and the yogurt. Make sure it is completely mixed as you want it to taste like Nutella not yogurt with Nutella in spots. Set this aside.

Take the egg and crack it in a small bowl. Add the water and mix together.

Take the 1/2 sheet of egg roll wrapper and on 1/2 of that put 1 to 1 1/2 tsp of the Nutella mixture. Then take the the egg wash and spread around the Nutella. Now fold the other half of the wrapper over the Nutella and seal. Start by pressing close to the Nutella and work outwards to get rid of air pockets. Then take a fork and press down on the edges creating a patterned edge that will seal the Nutella in. After you have made all six of these place on a cookie sheet and place in oven. Bake until wrapper starts to brown, about 8 minutes. Note the egg roll wrappers get crispy, next time I am going to try a different type of wrap to see if I can get one that is not so crisp.

Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar, raspberry sauce and raspberries.

Shrimp and White Beans

An old favorite.
Shrimp & White Beans

2 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
1 tbs onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
12 to 16 shrimp depending on size
2 oz spinach, you can use frozen or fresh but cut into smaller pieces
Olive Oil for drizzling
Crusty bread to eat with this

Put a nonstick pan on medium low heat, after the pan is hot add the bacon and let the fat render. Add the onion and let it cook until translucent. Add garlic and let it get fragrant 30 seconds to 1 minute. Now add shrimp and cook for a minute of 2. Add the beans and spinach and cook until shrimp are done and beans are heated through. Plate the mixture and drizzle with a good olive oil and eat with the bread.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

This is a recipe that I learned in an Italian cooking class. Annette and I really like this and make it frequently. It is very hearty and will warm you up on a cold day. Sausage and lentils are a traditional New Years food in Italy. If you can't find escarole leave it out, you will still have a good soup.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. Cotechino Sausage, sliced longwise & then horizontally
1 medium carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 pt cherry tomatoes, halved
2 14.5 oz cans Lentils or 1 pound dried
1 head escarole, chopped
3 cups water
salt, to taste
chili pepper, to taste

In a dutch oven over medium heat add the olive oil. When Olive Oil is hot add the sausage and cook for 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, escarole and tomatoes. Cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add the lentils and water, bring soup to simmer, cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Season with salt and chili pepper. Serve Immediately.

Barbecue Baked Beans

This is a recipe that I modified, the original came from Healthy Cooking Magazine. Annette and I love the tangy quality of these beans. They seem like they should have a lot more fat and bad stuff in them. I am making some Carolina Pulled Pork today and these would make a good side dish for that. I think I included this recipe in the notebook I made of healthy recipes and gave to some of you. This recipe uses barbecue sauce, I use KC Masterpiece original, I like the smokiness. If you don't have a smokey barbecue sauce you can skip it or add liquid smoke, just be careful not to add to much.

By the way this recipe is so easy Annette made the beans for a church pot luck, I just photographed them.

Barbecue Baked Beans

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup Canadian Bacon, diced
¼ cup tomato paste
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup barbecue sauce
14 ½ ounces pinto beans, 3 cans rinsed & drained, I use white beans if that is what I have on hand
3/4 cup water
¼ cup cider vinegar, I like mine tangy so I add a little extra
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, combine olive oil, onion, garlic and Canadian Bacon. Cook on medium-high for 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes. Add brown sugar, barbecue sauce and beans, mix well. Cook for 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving, if desired.