Moroccan Tomato Soup

Let's all just take a quick minute and think about this scenario: You are sitting outside on a gorgeous early summer day while the sun is shining brightly. Your sunhat is perfectly tilted over your right eye to give you the perfect amount of shade, the breeze is light and has the perfect touch to take the humidity out of the air. The only thing that would be better is if your stomach would just stop growling. Oh dear, what to fill it with?!                                                                                                                                                             Of course, the perfect bowl of fresh, homemade summer soup. And what's that you say? Your allergies are flaring up and you are in need of something spicy to clear out those nostrils? Enter Moroccan Tomato Soup, your new best friend.

Total time: 30 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1. 1 can Trader Joe's Diced and Fire Roasted Tomatoes

2. 1 can Trader Joe's Diced and No Salt added Tomatoes

3. 3 cubes Dorat's frozen crushed garlic

4. 1 diced jalapeno

5. 1/2 container Trader Joe's Mirepoix

6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

7. 1 tablespoon Cumin

8. 1 tablespoon Curry powder

9. 2 teaspoons Turmeric

10. 1 teaspoon nutmeg

11. 2 tablespoons EVOO

12. 1 cup Coconut Milk

13. 1 cup water

Instructions:

1. Heat a soup pot to medium and add EVOO and garlic cubes

2. Add the mirepoix and jalapeno and sauté until soft (about 3 minutes)

3. Add in all spices and sautee until mixed (about 2 minutes)

4. Dump in both cans of tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes

5. Add Coconut milk

6. Using a hand immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Typically a few minutes depending on how chunky or smooth you like it.

7. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! 

Tuna Steak ala Sarah

Ok, let's get real, I live in the flipping middle of the United States, there is no salt water in sight and our state fish is catfish. Not quite the aquatic fare of choice, but I'm not going to lie and say that I haven't tried it, sorry I'm not sorry. You know how people say frying makes everything taste good? Well those people are dirty liars. There is no helping the taste of catfish.

As much as I love me a fantastic medium rare hunk of steak, like any good Nebraska girl does, I die for seafood. Thank the dear sweet Lord that modern technology has given us planes so we can life flight some fresh fish in to the most land-locked place in the continental US. So after saying all of that, y'all are going to be real disappointed to hear that this beautifully photographed tuna steak is just a frozen delight from Trader Joe's. Whaa Whaa, let down. What you may not know is how absolutely yummy those frozen steaks can be. For realz, don't be afraid of the frozen fish...but if you have access to fresh and you are taking my frozen tips right now, may the gates of the underworld open at your feet. Get out of the frozen section you crazy person!!

Well, there you have it, my rants of the day. Now go cook your tuna steak in a cast iron skillet with only salt and pepper and olive oil. And for God's sakes, rare in the middle, please.

Personal Pan Frittata

Doesn't this just look like the perfect personal brunch or in my case, dinner? It was super easy and extremely delicious, especially when I added a little salsa on top for a fun kick in your mouth. I truly love breakfast food and am totally on the same page as Bobby Flay who just luurrrvs brunch. I mean, who doesn't love a good brunch? Mimosas, eggs benedict, biscuits and gravy, fruit, croissants, quiche, omelets, muffins, coffee, spice cake, pancakes, egg casserole, bloody Mary's....someone stop me, I'm hot for brunch.

Since it has been awhile since I have had friends staying in town with me, where I always have the chance to make my most favorite brunch casserole, Spinach and Tomato Strata, I decided to hell with it, I wanted brunch and I wanted it now, who cares if it's 7:30 p.m.! Well, here is what came to fruition and man was it yummy. I used a lot of ingredients that I already had, but was glad that I had a lot of veggies to add, they made it very filling and gave me my vitamins for the day.

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 egg white

1/4 cup milk

1/2 can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1/2 cup diced bell peppers

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 oz diced goat cheese

Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat cooking spray in a small cast iron skillet and add the red onions and bell peppers; cook for 3 minutes

2. In a bowl, combine and whisk the eggs, milk, goat cheese and spices

3. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and heat through; about 2 minutes

4. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook on stovetop for 1 minute

5. Move the skillet under your broiler and let puff; about 5 to 7 minutes depending on your oven

Top with salsa, cheese, hot sauce, fresh herbs

Enjoy!!

Eggplant Cannelloni

Do you ever just feel like you need something filling, maybe Italian and maybe meatless? Well, lucky you! I have just the recipe, and is it ever delish. I was perusing the Self website and came across this little hottie recipe that I simply could not pass up. It was extremely easy to make and even kept well for leftovers at work!

I think the kicker that really sets this apart is the homemade sauce. It has this rich, smoky but sweet flavor that sticks with you...just not on your things, which is always a plus ;)

Ingredients: Serves 4
Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large shallots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 jars (12 oz each) roasted red peppers, drained
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (juice of 1 orange)

Eggplant
2 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices
olive oil cooking spray

Filling
4 oz goat cheese
kalamata olives, pitted and minced (use as many as you like, I did about 8)
1 teaspoon capers, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:
For the sauce
1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook shallots and garlic until soft, about 1 minute. Reduce heat. Cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add peppers and juice; bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat; simmer until peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Cool.
4. Puree in a blender. Pour into a 9" x 13" baking dish.

For the eggplant
1. Coat eggpants with cooking spray and broil on a baking sheet until golden on both sides, about 15 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

For the filling
1. Mash cheese, olives, capers and 1 tsp of the parsley into a bowl.
2. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling a the end of each eggplant slice; roll up. Lay seem side down in dish.
3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Top with remaining parsley

Enjoy and feel good about it!!

Edamame and Tomato Spring Pasta

Yum. This pasta is so yummy, light and flavorful it would be an absolute hit served hot or cold. After realizing my complete love for White Stilton cheese with lemon peel, I needed to find new and creative ways to utilize the gigantic block I purchased. tehehe :) Well, adding it to this light pasta was the perfect idea. I wanted a spring dish that would fill me up but also give me some kicks of flavor. I NEED to have flavor in my pasta otherwise it just tastes like chewy calories. Not so yummy.

I hope you can take a few ideas from this pasta and make it your own, or try mine exactly to recipe, I promise you won't regret it! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Spiral Pasta

Edamame

Roma tomatoes; cubed

Dash of lemon juice

Basil pasta sprinkle mix

Salt and pepper

White Stilton with Lemon Peel

Swirl of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a rolling boil and add pasta, cooking to al dente.

2. Drain pasta and return to saucepan. Add EVOO, edamame, tomatoes, lemon juice, basil sprinkle and salt and pepper. Mix and combine until flavors are all infused with lemon and EVOO.

3. Plate and grate White Stilton over the top.

Creamy Fiesta Quinoa

Ok, I am totally loving quinoa right now, thanks to my Bestie, Courtney of ICE CREAM & WINE. After experimenting with her Salsa Quinoa recipe, I decided to venture out on my own. As you know, my favorite thing to do in the kitchen is experiment with new things and make recipes more my style.  This dish is not overly spiced, but the combination of vegetables and addition of sour cream make it work. By using Rotel tomatoes that have green chiles included, a nice smooth heat is naturally added that permeates throughout the entire dish. This seed and vegetable party on a plate is extremely filling while also very healthy! 

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dry quinoa

1 cup water

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 can rotel tomatoes (drained)

1 can pinto beans

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Combine water and quinoa in a saucepan and bring to boil. Stir occasionally. Cover and cook until quinoa has soaked up the water.

2. In a separate pan, heat EVOO, pinto beans, tomatoes and corn until corn is completely thawed and mixture is heated through.

3. Pour quinoa in with the bean mixture and combine. Stir in the sour cream until creamy.

4. Serve with fresh parsley.

Tofu with Veggies

I may be a born and bred Midwestern Nebraska girl, but I have a soft spot in my stomach for tofu. Always have, always will. I remember the first time I tried the soybean curd. I was with Grandma at our favorite hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant and she ordered the tofu with vegetables. I was pretty skeptical (I was only a ripe age of 12 at the time) but I bravely placed a chunk of the white spongy meat substitute in my mouth. It had soaked up all of the hot and spicy flavor from the brown sauce and vegetables and was bursting with seasonings that delighted all of my taste buds and left me wanting more.

I have since tried many different ways of cooking my own tofu that have resulted in both success and defeat. This particular dish I consider a success and I suggest all of you checking out your local grocer or specialty grocery store for their variety of tofu. I happened to find this pre-seasoned Cajun tofu and knew it would be perfect paired with bean sprouts, broccoli and rice with some extra Cajun seasoning I always have on hand.

This may not be quite up to the standards of PF Changs or even Grandma's favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be making it again and maybe even trying it with some tomatoes and edamame!

Ingredients:

Cajun tofu block, halved
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli
1 cup brown rice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cajun seasoning

Instructions:

1. Heat EVOO in a cast iron skillet on Medium and add the tofu after seasoning it with Cajun seasoning.
2. In another skillet, saute bean sprouts and broccoli with EVOO and seasoning. Push around skillet so that all is evenly browned and heated through.
3. Cook rice as directed (I use instant. I get too impatient to let it soak and cook for more than 10 minutes)
4. Flip the tofu after browned and cook until both sides are even.
5. Cut the tofu into strips and serve with rice and veggies
Enjoy!!

Spinach and Tomato Anytime Strata

Waking up early on a Sunday morning and putting your strata that you made the night before in the oven is something I truly relish. How fun is it to get all of your prep work and clean up done the night before so that after you have indulged and enjoyed your fantastic breakfast the only thing you have to do is load your plates in the dishwasher? (whether that is your hubby/roommate/children/or appliance is up to you). A great aspect of this recipe is that if you are worried about added calories that you can usually count on with a delish breakfast is that it actually uses a lot of vegetables and keeps you full so you don't do a lot of snacking in between meals. My mom always likes to eat light and wasn't planning on having a normal sized portion of this, until she tasted it. Her immediate reaction was "Well, I might have to have a little more" :) This strata can be eaten at any time of the day and is sure to please the most experienced or inexperienced palate around.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1. 6 eggs
2. 4 cups Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
3. 1 package (16 oz) frozen spinach
4. 1 can Rotel or similar tomatoes
5. 1 cup onion, finely chopped
6. 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
7. 1/3 cup Colby Jack cheese
8. 4 slices Pepperjack (gourmet, Kraft...eh, whatever)
9. 1 1/2 cups milk
10. 1 1/2 tbsp. unsweetened butter
11. 1 tsp salt (divided)
12. 1 tsp pepper (divided)
13. Dash nutmeg

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue to cook another minute. Stir in the spinach and remove from heat.
2. Butter the inside of a 2 qt. baking dish and layer the bottom with half of the bread cubes. Top with half of the spinach mixture, half of the tomatoes, half of the Parm and CJ cheese and the 4 slices of PJ cheese.
3. Repeat these layers once more (remember, no more PJ cheese-those are a yummy melty surprise in the middle)
4. Combine eggs, milk and remaining salt and pepper. Whisk until blended and pour evenly over the layers in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.
5. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350° F and bake uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until puffed, golden brown and cooked all the way through.

Serve with salad, fruit, a latte  and enjoy your meal!

Hot & Bothered Pizza

I love making a good homemade pizza and being able to add all of the toppings I want creating a party in mouth where my tastebuds are the guests of honor. Ok, maybe that was a little extreme, but in any case, a homemade pizza is a great alternative to a night out. Pair it with a nice bottle of Shiner Bock and you have yourself a great evening!

Although I used a crust mix from my local grocer, making your own crust would be spectacular, but store-bought works for me. I substituted a homemade crust for a homemade sauce instead. This sauce is a heated liquid that will clear those stuffy sinuses and cause you to have a few more beers than intended. Stick with it, it's a treat. Be sure to experiment and add your favorite ingredients to make it your own!

Serves 4 (Depending on how thin you make the crust or how large the pizza turns out)

Ingredients:

Sauce:

1 can mild diced tomatoes and green chilies (Rotel or store brand works )

1/2 tbs chili puree with garlic sauce (can be found at local grocer)

Instructions:

1. Heat stove to medium

2. Combine tomatoes and chili puree in a sauce pan and stew for about 10 minutes

3. Let cool, then pour into blender until smooth

Pizza:

1 crust

olive oil

1 or 2 Roma tomatoes (they have the best flavor)

1 small onion (red or white)

1 jalopeno (sliced and deseeded)

fresh mozzarella cheese

red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 450F

2. Roll and form crust to prepare for toppings

3. Brush crust with olive oil and bake for 4 minutes

4. Add toppings (I start with sauce, then add cheese and follow with the remaining toppings

5. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese is melting

6. Broil for about 3 minutes or until crust and cheese are gooey and golden delish

Pasta with Veggies and Pesto

I always try to use as many ingredients that are already in my fridge before running to the store to restock. This recipe came from pulling things out of the fridge and pantry and throwing them in the pan. When I make a pasta dish I try to incorporate a lot of vegetables to round the meal out and to add a hearty and substantial bite to it. This pasta dish is a great meal for a chilly fall night or a fresh spring evening.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups penne pasta (I use whole wheat to add extra nutrients)

2 zucchinis sliced and cubed

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 Roma tomatoes cubed

1/4 cup pesto

olive oil

salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Boil water and cook pasta until al dente, usually 10 minutes

2. While pasta is cooking, prepare vegetables. In a large skilled at Medium heat add 2 swirls around the pan of olive oil and add the vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste and let them cook down and soak up the flavors, about 10 minutes.

3. Drain pasta and add a dash of olive oil and the pesto. Coat all of the pasta.

4. Combine the vegetables and pasta, salt and pepper to taste.