The Hungry Apple

Since it is getting dark so early now and consequently colder, I have really been in the mood for soups and stews. I like to have a big pot of something on the stove as often as possible.

I have always been a fan of potato soup but not a fan of the butter and cream it took to make it. This is a lighter version of the old classic, made with 1% milk.

I use roasted potatoes,  which is different but I think they have more flavor than boiled potatoes.

The flour being shaken with the milk and then being boiled helps thicken the soup.

Cheese, bacon and green onions help keep the soup tasting indulgent.

LOADED POTATO SOUP

Ingredients: 

4  medium (1 pound)  red potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 teaspoons

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 1/4 cups  lower-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups 1% milk, divided

1/4 cup  sour cream

1 teaspoon salt, divided

20 twists freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/4 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce

4 bacon slices, cooked

2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup)

2 thinly sliced green onions

Instructions and Directions: 

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes. (I left the skin on) In a bowl toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 10 twists of pepper. On a parchment lined baking sheet, cook for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven and mash cooked potatoes with potato masher.

When potatoes are halfway done cooking, heat the two teaspoons of oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add broth, Worcestershire, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 10 twists of pepper . Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk and shake in a mason jar,  add to pan with remaining 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil and stir constantly. Cook 1 minute. Soup will have thickened. Stir in potato mash. Remove from heat and mix in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir potatoes into soup. Top with cheese, green onions, and crumbled bacon. Add more hot sauce, if you like!

Adapted from Cooking Light

Let’s hear it once again for Mexican food!

We visited one of our favorite Mexican restaurants just last week and by Monday I was already in the mood for an at home Fiesta!  So I curved my craving with Steak Fajitas! I have been making these delicious carne asada filled tortillas since long ago, when I got the recipe, from a really sweet lady.

(There is no way to make this look pretty)

This marinade is so much less salty and more flavorful than the powder in the packet and you probably already have most of the ingredients at home.  I know you hear marinade and think “time” . No worries, it only needs to sit for 30 minutes! While that’s setting up you have time to get everything else ready.

The secret ingredient is orange juice. Weird right? I mean, lime you might expect but orange? Whatever works.

I use yellow onion and green bell pepper but you could use different colored bells and mushrooms too if your taste buds like those.

I prefer only to dress them up with sour cream and cheese but you could certainly add your favorite toppings too. That’s ANOTHER great thing about Mexican food: rice, beans, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pico, guacamole, avacado-this list goes on and on. There are so many ways to change it up!

If I liked Tequila and could stomach margaritas I would really be on to something.   I’m going to have to acquire  a taste for them both. (updated in 2018: love margaritas.)

Goals people. We all have them.

HOUSE MADE STEAK FAJITA MARINADE

Makes 4-6 large fajitas

Ingredients

1/4 cup orange juice (i use the juice of 1 large orange because we don’t drink o.j.,  but you can certainly used bottled)

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced ( or 1 tsp garlic powder)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon lawry’s seasoning salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound sirloin steak (my butcher is so nice and shaves the sirloin at the store!)

1 bell pepper, sliced in think strips

1 large or 2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

large wheat flour tortillas

shredded cheese

sour cream

toppings of your choice

Instructions and directions: 

In a container with a secure top or a large ziploc bag, combine organge juice, vinegar, garlic, seasoning salt, oregano, cumin powder and cayenne. Stir or shake to coat. Leave in fridge for 30 minutes or overnight.

In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat and add onion and bell pepper until they have softened to desired tenderness. I cooked mine for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside in a bowl.

Drain meat and discard marinade. In the same skillet that you cooked the onion, cook the steak  for 5-6 minutes or until steak is no longer pink.  Return vegetables to the pan and heat through.

Spoon steak and vegetables onto warmed tortilla shells and top with sour cream and cheese. Garnish with pico de gallo and avocado if desired.

Do you have plans for tomorrow morning? No? Oh good, then you can make these muffins!

Get out the beaters!

Assemble: filling, dry ingredients, wet ingredients and topping.

Layer in muffin tins.

Top with streusel. Bake and wait impatiently 🙂

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

makes 24 muffins

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese

3 eggs, divided

2 1/2 cups sugar, divided

2 1/2 cups flour, divided

1/4 cups pecans, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 can pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions and directions: 

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat two 12-cup standard muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.

Mix the cream cheese, 1 egg, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Toss 5 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup flour, pecans, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine the remaining sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining cinnamon in a large bowl.

Lightly beat the remaining eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla together in a medium bowl.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour the pumpkin mixture into the well, and mix with a fork just until moistened.

Evenly divide half of the batter among the muffin cups.

Place two teaspoonfuls of cream cheese filling in the center of each cup and fill with the remaining batter.

Sprinkle some of the pecan mixture over the top of each muffin.

Bake until golden and a tester, inserted into the muffin center, comes out clean — 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Adapted from Country Living

thanks·giv·ing/ˌTHaNGksˈgiviNG/: a prelude to the Christmas season

Seriously. I love Christmas.

Eating a Thanksgiving meal once is really all I can wrap my mind around. If you are the same way, here is a recipe that will help you use up that extra turkey while adding the new flavors of grilled cheese and bacon. BACON!

 Take all of these guys and get ready to assemble.

Get your bread buttered!

Place it in the skillet

Get it toasty brown.

It’s just a fancy grilled cheese people. Sure to cure any Thanksgiving over spirited indulgences or a great snack when you return from Black Friday madness.

THANKSGIVING GRILLED CHEESE

8 slices farmhouse, ciabatta or white mountain bread

1/2 pound turkey (leftover from the big day or from the deli)

4 slices of fontina or havarti cheese

6 slices of crispy bacon

1/2 cup cranberry dressing

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

freshly grated pepper

sea salt

Instructions and directions: 

Heat a large skillet or grill pan to medium heat.

Meanwhile butter 1 side of each piece of bread and sprinkle a little sea salt on each piece if desired. On a paper towel or cutting board turn 4 pieces of the bread face down so that the buttered side is touching the paper towel. Spread 1/4 of dijon and mayo on each of the 4 pieces of bread. Spread 2 tablespoons of cranberry dressing on top of the dijon/mayo. Layer turkey, then bacon, then cheese and a few twists of pepper. Place open faced sandwich in skillet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with the non buttered side of the 2nd piece of bread so that the butter is facing up. When bread touching pan begins to brown (2-3 minutes) flip and brown the other buttered piece.  At this point you should smush the sandwich for best results.

Do you ever run across a meal that you love so much and you can’t wait to eat the next day because you know it will just get better in the fridge over night?

Yes,  I am a pasta addict but I am not sure anyone on the earth could hate this meal.

              I should have titled it  “Un-hate-able stuffed pasta” That has a nice ring to it.

There are a several steps to this recipe but none are too complicated and it comes together faster than you would think.

If you are feeling antsy about all steps make sure you have everything you need in your corner before you get started.

First you just cook the shells according to package instructions.

Your wring out spinach by defrosting and twisting in a kitchen towel.

Create the stuffing. Stuffing the shells is fun too!

There are two sauces on these shells. One is a quick homemade marinara and one is a creamy bechamel.  Two sauces you ask? Why yes. One for pretty color and the acidity of tomatoes and one for the velvety smooth meltiness that only a cream sauce can give to a pasta.

Then you drizzle on the marinara.  As you can see, it makes a lot. Approximately 30 shells.

Although this guy may have gotten a few of the shells before they were stuffed…..because he waited patiently.  He loves pasta too. He get it from his mama.

Followed by the bechamel.

And followed up again by mozzarella cheese.

Bake it and prepare yourselves. This is good stuff.

SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS WITH MARINARA AND BECHAMEL

a hungry apple original 

serves 6

Ingredients: 

12 oz box of jumbo pasta shells

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated (1-8 ounce block for total recipe,  4 for filling and 4 for topping)

parmesan cheese, grated

for marinara sauce:

1-14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

1-8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup water with 1 beef bouillon cube (if cooking for a vegetarian, substitute 1 cup vegetable broth)

2 garlic cloves, minced or 2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon sea salt

10 grinds fresh pepper or 1 tsp pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

for shell stuffing:

2 lb container ricotta cheese (i used part skim but you could use whole if you like)

4 more ounces mozzarella cheese, grated

1-10 ounce frozen package of spinach, thawed and wrung of excess water

1 egg

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

10 grinds fresh pepper

for bechamel: 

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Freshly ground black pepper

generous grating  of nutmeg or pinch nutmeg powder

2 cups milk (i used 1%)

Instructions and directions:

Cook pasta shells al dente in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Meanwhile combine all marinara ingredients into a medium saucepan and let simmer on low.

In a large bowl, combine stuffing ingredients.

In a large casserole dish (9×13) or two small (8×8) sprayed with cooking spray, make a thin layer coating the bottom of the dish with marinara sauce. Stuff each shell with approximately 2-3 heaping tablespoons of filling and line in dish or dishes. When all shells are stuffed and lined, top with remaining marinara.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter for bechamel. When butter is melted whisk in flour and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly add in milk and whisk constantly until smooth. Add pepper (about 5 grinds) and nutmeg. Whisk for 5 minutes until sauce has thickened.

Pour sauce over shells and marinara sauce.  Top with remaining 4 ounces mozzarella.

Bake on 350 for 25 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese.

If you’ve never tried Thai  food before then this is a great recipe to start with.

It has great groupings of fantastic ingredients without having overpowering flavors that you aren’t used to.

(this is how i pound out chicken-cutting board, plastic wrap, 1 cup measuring spoon)

I don’t know about you but when I am trying a new type of food for the first time, the menu at the restaurant can be pretty intimidating.

This recipe involves making a sauce in a blender so it isn’t intimidating at all.

One of my favorite things about food is how everyday flavors that we think nothing about can come together to be extraordinary.  To me, Thai and Indian food are probably some of the most representative types of food for these wonderful combinations.

I served it with roasted squash and zucchini, because they are so savory (just thinly slice 2 squash and 2 zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast on parchment lined baking sheet for 25-30 minutes. I like mine a little crunchy on the edges).

Naan bread made sure I had something to sop up this wonderful sauce.

*The recipe calls for peanut butter but since I lose the ability to swallow my own saliva and because my breathing becomes labored when I consume peanuts, I decided to use almond butter.

Ingredients: 

4 chicken breast cutlets (or two chicken breasts filleted in half)

2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup of smooth almond butter (use peanut if you like-but don’t invite me*)

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon red Thai curry paste-I used A Taste of Thai brand

1 teaspoon Siracha (if you like some extra spice)

3 tablespoons chicken broth

fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup unsweetened lite coconut milk

4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

(For rice you will need 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup brown jasmine rice)

(For veggies you will need 2 squash, 2 zucchini, olive oil, salt and pepper)

Instructions and directions: 

Pound out chicken to get all pieces to the same thickness.

Mince the ginger and garlic.  In food processor combine ginger, garlic, almond butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, curry paste, siracha, and chicken stock.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and fresh black pepper, then add chicken to pan and saute over medium heat about until chicken breasts are nicely browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes on first side  and 2-3 minutes on second side.

Set chicken aside onto a plate and cover with foil. Reduce heat to low and add 1 cup coconut milk.  Scrape off browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then stir in  paste mixture and heat through, about 2-3 minutes.

Add chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the plate and cook another minute or two.

For rice: cook brown Jasmine rice (or rice of your choice) in chicken broth according to package directions.

Serve chicken over rice and top with cilantro.

It is my opinion that butternut squash is one of the most versatile of vegetables in all the land. You can roast it, bake a pie with it, use in a salad, in a soup, in muffins or in a rich and savory pasta bake.

The pasta bake is no joke. I think I made it once a month last fall/winter.

It has shallots which are one of my favorites.

BN squash is such a pretty color too.

The roux helps thicken it up and makes it rich.

And the pancetta adds a great smokey flavor.

A potato masher is a great way to break down the squash after you roast it. Otherwise, you could use a large fork.

Milk and marscapone cheese create a decadent sauce.

The green sage leaves add a burst of color.

Bubbly cheese tops it off!

Topped with crisp, crumbled pancetta.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BOWTIE BAKE

Ingredients:

1 pound peeled and cubed butternut squash (you can peel it yourself and end up with a pound or buy it already cubed)

1/4 teaspoon  nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 shallot, diced

1 tablespoon flour

4 oz mascarpone cheese

1 cup milk

1/2 pound bowtie pasta (i used barilla plus)

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

olive oil for roasting squash

fresh sage leaves

sea salt

freshly grated pepper

cooking spray

10 paper thin slices pancetta (you could use crisp bacon if you didn’t have pancetta)

Instructions and Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl,  toss cubed squash with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Lay cubed squash on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes. Remove squash from oven and put into a bowl. Mash with a potato masher.

Line Pancetta on the parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 10-12 minutes until crisp. Remove from oven and drain on a paper towel.

Prepare pasta by cooking according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add butter and shallots. Whisk until the butter and the shallots start to brown. Immediately whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add milk, mascarpone and squash mash, then whisk until combined. Add nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add pasta to the mixture in the pan. Toss to coat.

Spray an 8 or 9 inch casserole dish. Fill with pasta mixture. Top with grated mozzarella and parmesan   Arrange 6-8 fresh sage leaves on top. Bake 25-30 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve and top with crumbled Pancetta.

These messy sandwiches are a childhood classic with a homemade twist. An old family tradition courtesy of mi madre. She’s been cooking up sloppy joes as long as I can remember. I am not sure if this is her exact recipe but I wanted to give credit where credit is due.  We didn’t rely on Manwich back in the day. Oh no. I’ve actually never had Manwich  but I am sure these are better.

When you hear the phrase “Sloppy Joes” do you immediately get Adam Sandler’s SNL song stuck in your head? Just me?

You start out by browning ground beef with onion. I have made them multiple times with ground turkey and they are just as delicious.

The secret ingredient for these bad boys is gumbo. Yes gumbo. If you don’t have any leftovers you can use a can of gumbo soup. I suggest Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo.

Sampling. So important and the biggest advantage to being the cook!

Another comfort food recipe in the books.

If you are looking for a satisfying side dish for these beauties try roasted okra.

Okra is such an underrated vegetable in my opinion and it seems like it is always fried.

All you need is okra, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 25 minutes on 400 degrees. They are the shape of fries and you can eat them with your hands but they are green and good for you too!

SLOPPY JOES

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef (or ground turkey)

1 small onion, finely diced

10 oz leftover gumbo (or 10 oz can of Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo Soup)

1/3 cup ketchup

2 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard

2 teaspoons dried parsley, optional (but not optional if you are taking pictures 🙂 )

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

10 grinds of freshly ground pepper

Instructions and Directions:

Over medium heat brown ground beef or turkey and diced onion in a large skillet. There should be no need to drain if you use lean ground beef. After the meat is no longer pink, add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture thickens. About 5-7 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns and with roasted okra!

Roasted Okra: 

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the tops off of 1 pound (approximately 35 pods) of okra. In a large bowl toss okra with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 10-15 grinds of fresh pepper. Bake on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes.

I was lucky enough to get to go to Marche once again this week with a friend of mine. Marche is one of my favorite Nashville restaurants and I am showing them off so that they might be one of your favorites too!

It happened to be their 6th birthday when we were there too so Happy Birthday Marche! Stick around!

(this lovely picture was not taken with my hungry apple. i borrowed it from the internet)

They have a simplistic  menu that changes on the 1st of every month. I anticipate seeing what they will come up with each time.  Nothing is overdone but everything is big on taste.

I started out with a beer I have never tried from Stone,  it was called Levitation and it was delicious! It was a really hoppy amber ale (I am no beer expert mind you) and it was perfect for a fall dinner.

Next up was a Shaved Squash Salad with pumpkin seeds, goat cheese and cranberries.  It was straight forward and light.

The Mushroom Agnolotti (stuffed pasta) with marscapone cheese and sage butter was really rich and the pasta was perfectly pillowy (is that a word?).

The star of the meal though was the Red Wine Braised Short Rib. It was served with polenta, Brussels sprouts and fried shallots. It was full of flavor and really to die for. I may have to have it again before the month is up.

If you get a chance to try Marche during the month of November I would highly recommend their current menu but I am sure whatever they bring in for December and 2013 will be equally delicious!

If I were rating this meal on a scale of say 1-10 apples 🙂 I would give this meal an 8. Thanks Marche!

Do you ever want to try a new food but you don’t know what to do with it? That is the way I have always felt about lentils.  Not so fast! Don’t go anywhere yet. You don’t even know anything about them yet!

I know (especially in green) that they aren’t the prettiest legume but it turns out my hunch was spot on. They are hearty and delicious! And as luck would have it they go great with this salmon. I am actually not a huge salmon fan but this is one of my favorite ways to make it.

In addition to being healthful this recipe has complex flavors that really play nicely together without being overwhelming. It is  a great way to start out a week where perhaps you indulged all weekend. I wouldn’t know anything about weekends like this but I hear they can be quite excessive.

It’s fast too. Did I mention that? I did have to go to The  Fresh Market to find canned lentils. It would take much longer if you had to soak the lentils and such.

So if you haven’t ever had lentils but you wonder about them too, try this. You won’t be sorry.

Roasted Salmon with Lentils

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 skinless salmon fillets, 4 to 6 ounces each

sea salt and  freshly ground pepper

2-14 ounces cans of lentils, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Instructions and Directions: 

Heat broiler, with rack set 8 inches from heat. In a large broiler-proof skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cumin and cook, stirring, until onion is golden, 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, rub mustard on salmon and season with salt and pepper.Add lentils to skillet, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Nestle salmon in lentils and broil until opaque throughout, 5 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Adapted from Everyday Food