Kate’s Sausage Stuffed Poblanos

My sweet friend Kate was recently telling me how she and her husband are finding creative new ways to eat healthy and told me about how she stuffed poblanos with turkey sausage and I couldn’t get that out of my mind, so I had to do a riff on that. Instead of using rice as a binder, like I would for other stuffed peppers, I’m adding an egg white and some grated parmesan to make the filling hold together nicely. Kate’s husband is right-this tastes just like a sausage pizza, minus the guilt!

Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main):

2 large poblano chiles

2 teaspoons olive oil

½ cup diced onion

1 cup diced zucchini

1 cup diced mushrooms

½ cup diced red bell pepper

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

Salt and pepper to taste

2 sweet Italian chicken sausages (I used Al Fresco™) brand

½ cup marinara, plus a little more for the plate, if you wish

1 egg white

2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup low fat shredded mozzarella (I’m using fat free because it is what I have)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

Cut the poblanos in half lengthwise, all the way through the stem. Remove the seeds and veins, trying to keep the stem intact to help hold in the filling. Place the poblanos on the baking sheet.

In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper and Italian herbs. Add in salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on medium for about 5-8 minutes or until the veggies are soft. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Diced the sausages and add those to the veggie mixture. Add in the marinara, stir, and then add the egg white and parmesan.

Stuff the sausage mixture into the poblanos (tip: if you gently spread the peppers out with one hand, you can put more stuffing in) and top with a bit of mozzarella.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

To serve, place a bit of extra marinara on a plate and top with 1 or 2 poblano halves.  

Garlicky Chicken Pasta with Vegetables and Lemon-Parmesan Breadcrumbs

Sorry for the long title, but I wanted people to know what was in the dish. This one is savory and comforting and sprightly at the same time with fresh lemon zest and fresh parsley. My favorite part is when the lemon zest, parsley and breadcrumbs meet the hot pasta-it just smells so good! There are so many different ways you could go with this. Want it creamy? Toss in a few ounces of cream cheese and grated parm to the sauce. Want it vegetarian? Leave out the chicken and sub veggie broth for chicken broth.

Ingredients:

Chicken:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1.25 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs (about 5 thighs)

Pepper and garlic salt to taste

Pasta:

12 ounces long pasta (spaghetti, linguine, fettucine, whatever)

Sauce:

¼ cup dry white wine

1 Tablespoon butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup baby spinach leaves

5 asparagus spears, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Breadcrumbs:

2 Tablespoons butter

½ cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

¼ cup grated parmesan

Directions:

Chicken: Heat oil on medium heat in a deep skillet. Open up the chicken thighs and sprinkle with pepper and garlic salt. Cook on medium about 5 minutes per side—you don’t want to crowd the pan, so you might want to do two batches. Check to make sure that the thighs are cooked through. Remove to a plate.

Sauce: Reduce the heat on the skillet used for the chicken to medium low. Add white wine and stir to scrape up any bits. Add 1 Tablespoon butter and minced garlic. Cook for just a minute until the garlic is fragrant but not burnt. Add in the chicken broth, spinach, asparagus and mushrooms. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let cook for about 10 minutes.

Pasta: Prepare pasta according to directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and then drain. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook for about 8 minutes until well combined. Add reserved pasta water if the pasta looks dry.

Breadcrumbs: In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave (usually about 2-3 minutes on 50% power-check at 2 minutes and add another minute if needed). You may want to cover the bowl with waxed paper to prevent splatters. Stir the breadcrumbs into the melted butter and then add the parmesan, parsley and lemon zest.

Assembly: Place the pasta on plates and then slice the chicken. Place slices of chicken over the pasta and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Dry Brined Turkey Thighs

I’ve been a fan of wet brining poultry and pork (soaking for a time in a salt water mixture) for years, but I wanted to give dry brining a shot. All that means is that the meat is covered in a salt mixture and left uncovered in the fridge for a while. The salt and other seasonings actually get pulled into the meat this way and also create a great coating. This is so simple, so quick to do, and doesn’t require boiling and a huge tub like wet brining does. Note: this is on the salty side when cooked, so if you don’t favor that, just rinse off the dry brine and pat dry before putting the thighs in the oven.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning

3-3 ½ pounds fresh turkey thighs

Directions:

Mix the salt, pepper and poultry seasoning together in a small bowl. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Place the turkey thighs on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with the salt mixture. Turn the thighs so that they are skin side up. Place, uncovered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours (overnight is fine).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the baking sheet with the turkey in the oven on the middle rack. Roast until the turkey thighs are at 165 degrees F (about 1 ½ to 2 hours).

Remove and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Cheese and green onion cornbread

I love cornbread—I really do. This time around, I was looking for a cornbread that would not only hold together well and could be toasted, but also one that could serve as a meal. This one meets my goals.

Ingredients:

Vegetable cooking spray

1 Tablespoon corn meal

2 boxes Jiffy(TM) corn muffin mix

1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn

2 eggs

1 ½ cups buttermilk

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar

Directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and sprinkle in the corn meal. Shake the pan so that the corn meal evenly coats the bottom and sides of the loaf pan. Discard any excess and set the pan aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the corn muffin mix, corn, eggs, buttermilk, green onions and cheddar cheese. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut into thick slices.

If you want the slices toasted, spray a non stick skillet and toast the slices for 5 minutes per side on medium heat.

Serve with honey, hot honey, butter, or pepper jelly.

Zucchini, Corn and Green Chile Casserole

So, a local store just got in a huge shipment of Hatch green chiles. I bought as much as I could, charred them on the grill and needed to add them to something right away because they are that good. Feel free to play with this recipe-maybe you want buttered crumbs on top or to throw some ham or beans in there to make it a complete meal.

Ingredients:

3 cups grated zucchini (or yellow squash or a combination)

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

½ cup half and half or milk

¾ cup crushed buttery crackers (like Ritz™) or saltines

1 (15 ounce) creamed corn

1 cup low fat shredded cheddar, divided

1 cup low fat mozzarella (or Jack cheese), divided

½ cup chopped onions

1 cup mild green chiles (drained if using canned)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Directions: Spray a 8 by 10 inch casserole with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the zucchini a colander in the sink and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon of salt to draw out moisture. Let sit 10 minutes and then squeeze all the excess liquid out.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, crushed crackers, creamed corn, ½ cup cheddar and ½ cup mozzarella. Stir in the onions, green chiles, salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheddar and ½ cup of mozzarella.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the sides are bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

30 Minute Lemon Chicken

This has been one of my favorite things to make lately—there is just so much flavor! The chicken is juicy and the lemon makes it pop.  PS-I eat the lemon slices with the chicken, but you don’t have to. Quick and easy recipe=quick and easy intro.

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, opened up if rolled

Salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon Aleppo or red pepper flakes (optional)

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 small lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

Directions: Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper and pepper flakes, if using.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the oil.

Place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 7 minutes or until golden on one side.

Turn the chicken, add the broth and lemon. Cook for another 7 minutes.

Turn the chicken again. Cook for another 9 minutes.

Turn the chicken one more time and cook for another 6 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F.

Hearty Ratatouille

  

This casserole is full of the goodness of summer and is substantial enough to be a meal all on its own. It is very much a heartier ratatouille and one that tastes even better the day after you bake it, making it great for days when you don’t feel like heating up the kitchen. The added layer of croutons not only adds flavor and substance, they soak up the juices of the roasted vegetables so you get even more of their flavor. You will probably have left over garlic oil, herb/salt blend, and sliced veggies that you can use for other dishes.  

Ingredients:

Garlic oil:

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 or 2 large cloves of garlic, smashed

Herb and salt blend:

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

Tomato sauce:

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup diced white onion

1 teaspoon herb and salt blend

1 teaspoon garlic oil

1 cup herb seasoned croutons

1 eggplant, thinly sliced

1 yellow squash, thinly sliced

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

6 slices or balls of fresh mozzarella

Cooking spray

Directions:

Make garlic oil by stirring the smashed garlic clove in the olive oil. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Discard the garlic clove (or mash it and leave it in—I’m not that brave).

Make herb and salt blend by combining the ingredients in a small dish. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray (mine is 11x9 inches).

Make the tomato sauce by mixing the tomato sauce, tomato paste, onion, 1 teaspoon of herb and salt blend and 1 teaspoon of garlic oil. Spread in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.

Top the tomato sauce with the herb croutons.

Layer the vegetables in the casserole in any way you want-I start out in my hand with a slice of eggplant, then zucchini, yellow squash and slices of bell peppers and then sliding them into the dish from my hand. Repeat, making rows of vegetables, until the casserole is full.

Sprinkle more of the herb and salt blend over the top of the veggies, poking some down in between slices.

Place bits of fresh mozzarella between slices.

Drizzle a little of the garlic oil over the top of the casserole and spray lightly with cooking spray just to make sure the veggies don’t dry out. Place a sheet of parchment over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and bake for another 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.

Let cool for 15 minutes at room temperature and serve.