Baked Beans with Bacon and cheese

Theses beans are always a hit, I often double the recipe for a crowd. No need to be precise on the amounts of ingredients, just eyeball it! 

3 slices of bacon

1/2 vidalia onion 

 Sauté chopped bacon until crisp, remove to drain on paper towels. Chop vidalia onions and sauté in bacon fat until softened. 

1 can Black beans drained

1 can  white beans drained (navy beans or cannelloni)

1 can Bush’s baked beans (vegetarian) slight drained.

 BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays original)

8 oz Shredded cheddar cheese 

 Mix beans with bacon and onions add BBQ sauce in a casserole dish to a nice consistency . Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until cheese is golden and beans are bubbling.

Corn Cobb Salad

Grilled some simple burgers and needed a simple side besides the Ore Ida frozen steak fries... (those are really good by the way, and not too much fat)

1 thick slice pancetta
2 ears of corn
1/2 avocado, diced and seasoned w/ lemon juice and kosher salt
1/2 large tomato, diced or halved grape tomatoes
1 Romain heart, chopped
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Blue Cheese dressing ( I like the Yogurt based ones)

Dice the pancetta and saute in your skillet with a spray of olive oil until crisp.  Cut the corn off the cob.  Easiest way to do this is to use a serrated bread knife and stand the corn cob in a flat dish so the kernels don't go all over the place.  Saute the corn until just cooked, about 2 -3 minutes with the pancetta, season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Spread the lettuce onto a pretty platter.  Toss the corn mixture with the avocado and tomato. Spread over the lettuce and then sprinkle it with the crumbled blue cheese.  Serve with the blue cheese dressing on the side.

What to do when you have Spinach and Mushrooms.....

I generally buy a container of mushrooms and a bag of baby spinach when I know I will be cooking during the week. They are versatile and can be used in a number of dishes, and always good for topping a white pizza.

Couscous with Spinach, Mushrooms and Feta

A great side dish that is quick and easy.
2 servings

1/2 cup couscous (I use whole wheat)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
3 ounces baby spinach
salt and pepper
feta cheese

Saute the onion and mushrooms in a saucepan with a little olive oil.  Add the spinach untiled wilted. Pour in the couscous and stock bring to a boil, cover and remove from the heat.  Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.  Add a handful of crumbled feta cheese and serve.

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Spinach and Mushrooms

Chop the spinach coarsely and the mushrooms fine. Saute in a little olive oil, remove from the heat and mix with some grated cheese, blue cheese or provolone, or whatever you have on hand that will melt well.  Pound 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast to about 1/3 inch thickness and season with salt and pepper.  Place the spinach mixture on top of one breast and cover with the other.  Pack some seasoned panko or breadcrumbs on top of the chicken.  Saute the breaded side first in a skillet in butter or olive oil, while it is cooking, pack the top side with panko.  When the bottom side is browned,  flip carefully and brown the otherwide.   Finish in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Turkey Meatloaf

The secret to moist turkey meatloaf is to add grated zucchini to the mixture and roast it in a little chicken stock.

20 ounces ground turkey, 97% fat free
1 egg
1/2 cup diced onion
1 small zucchini grated on a box grater
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
salt and pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 slices pancetta


Saute the diced onion and zucchini in a little olive oil.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, vegetables, sauces, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Mix gently and form into an oval.  Place in a baking dish and spread additional barbecue sauce on top.  Top with sliced pancetta and pour a little chicken stock in the dish to about 1/2 inch up the meatloaf.  Bake for about 45 minutes at 375.  Turn the heat up to 425 and bake about 5 more minutes to get the pancetta nice and crisp.  Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Tuna Nicoise

Apparently everyone wants into the cookbook publishing business (me included)!  Just saw Sheryl Crow on the Today show with her chef promoting her new healthy recipe book and Gwyneth Paltrow's new home style cooking was featured in this month's Food and Wine magazine.  I tried her tuna nicoise recipe with some modifications, and although it was delicious, I would make additional changes including grilling the tuna versus roasting it and shortening the cooking time for the eggs.

Here's my version:

For 2

1 cup of green beans
1 Yellow pepper roasted
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 large red skin potato cooked
1/3 cup nicoise olives, sliced
Two 3 - 4 ounce tuna steaks
Two eggs
Olive Oil

Steam the green beans for 2 minutes in the microwave so they are crisp.  Roast the yellow pepper on your grill, remove the skin and seeds and slice.  Dice the cooked potato in 1/2 inch pieces.  Assemble all the vegetables on a sheet pan or roasting pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Roast for about 15 minutes at 400.

Crack the eggs into individual ramekins that you have sprayed with oil.  Drizzle a little olive oil and salt and pepper on the eggs and baked in your oven for about 9 - 10 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolk's still runny.

Season the tuna with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and grill for a couple of minutes each side for rare to medium rare.  Serve all together.

and here's hers:

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/hot-nicoise-salad

Sausage, Chard and Lemon Lasagna

You have to try this!  Had dinner at our good friend Betsy's and she's a terrific cook.  She's been cooking for us for some 30 plus years and of all the great meals at her home, Dave said this was the best ever (and he's not a huge lemon fan)!  It's from the March issue of Martha Stewart Living and it's absolutely delicious!


http://www.marthastewart.com/336370/sausage-chard-and-lemon-lasagna

Spring Risotto

Even though it doesn't feel  like spring, asparagus risotto makes me think warmer weather is coming.   Served with grilled salmon and Caesar salad, a great weeknight dinner.

Spring Risotto (for 2 as a side dish)

1/4 cup onion diced
Olive Oil
1/3 cup arborio rice
White Wine
1 tsp Lemon Zest
3/4 cup asparagus sliced into 1 inch pieces
About 2 cups Chicken Broth
Parmesan Cheese

Saute the onions in a skillet until soft, add the rice and cook for a few minutes until a little bit toasted.  Add a good splash of white wine and cook until almost evaporated. 

Steam the asparagus until crisp tender. I do this in the microwave, cover the asparagus with a little salted water, cover your dish with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 - 3 minutes.

Put your chicken stock in a pot on the rear burner behind the risotto pan, bring to a boil and then turn to simmer. Add about 1/2 cup of stock to the rice at a time, waiting for the liquid to absorb between additions.  This will take about 25 - 30 minutes for this small quantity of rice.  Keep tasting until the rice is tender and creamy.

Add the asparagus and the lemon zest.   Sprinkle a handful of Parmesan cheese  Season with salt and pepper if needed. (depends on how salty your broth is).