I, Spoon, Take Thee Bowl.

Have you ever been to an Italian wedding, or should I say an Italian-American wedding? They are usually on the grand scale where the food seems to take center stage more than the bride and groom themselves. I've been to many in my lifetime, but I have to admit that soup was frequently an uninvited guest. So where did the idea of "Italian Wedding Soup" come from then? 

Italian Wedding Soup has its origins in the United States, but is definitely influenced by such Italian soup varieties as Tuscan Soup or Minestrone. The Italian phrase "minestra maritata", translated to "married soup", has been misconstrued into making us believe that this is a typical item served at Italian wedding feasts. Actually the phrase refers to the perfect "marriage" of vegetables to meat or poultry, and can be applied to almost any soup in general if you think about it.

Typically, the Italian wedding soups we see served in restaurants, or marketed in cans by Progresso and Campbells, has miniature meatballs, diced vegetables and orzo in a thin to semi-thick broth.  In fact I've posted my own version which I call simply Meatball Soup, but I use cubed potatoes instead of orzo as my filler. Another version I have eaten was called "Escarole Soup" which was served at Easter time containing mainly escarole and shredded chicken in a seasoned broth.  That is the wonder of this soup; tiny meatballs, sausage or chicken, with or without pasta or beans, with or without a leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale or escarole....no version is wrong.

Clicking on Tuscan Soup or Meatball Soup will bring you to my posted recipes.  For the Meatball Soup, leaving out the potatoes and adding 2 cups of a leafy vegetable (spinach, kale or escarole) and 1 cup of orzo will get you to what is in the photo above.  The orzo goes into the soup pot uncooked of course and gets cooked during the simmering process.   For my meatballs, I use a mixture of ground beef and ground turkey; seems to give the meatballs a smoother, more comforting mouth feel than when only beef is used.  A hint if you intend on making a version with shredded chicken in it; melt some mozzarella over the soup before serving and it becomes absolutely decadent.

Have fun when making your own version of Italian Wedding Soup.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Angelic Pasta and Shrimp in a Skillet.

As much as I rave about, and love, homemade pasta sauce, there are times I want it now, and waiting for a container to defrost just won't do. Oh sure I could defrost it in the microwave, but in the time that takes, I could have a meal either ready, or almost so. No way, you say....way, and it will not involve using any jarred or canned sauce purchased at the supermarket.

When I was little, my grandmother would make "shrimps in sauce", basically shrimp cooked in pasta sauce and served over spaghetti; still one of my favorite dishes to this day. When I can find them, I'll add sea scallops which makes it an overall decadent meal, but for now we'll concentrate on shrimp. For this recipe, 3/4 of a pound of medium sized shrimp, shelled and deveined will do nicely; and to make it extra special, angel hair pasta instead of spaghetti. For the pasta, just a 4 ounce portion of dried will do; it's a very thin and light pasta, so a little of dry will become a lot once cooked up.   When you put the pasta in the hot water, please do not break it up; the long strands are so lovely in the sauce.  For the tomatoes I'm using canned diced tomatoes, not crushed or pureed; if you can find the type that have diced onion included, great!; if not, don't worry about it.   Hungry yet? Lets go have some fun with a skillet then, shall we?

Skillet Shrimp and Pasta
Ingredients:

1 (14/5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with onions (*see note)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning mixture
3/4 lb. medium sized shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1/4 lb. angel hair pasta (**see note)

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium heat, add the tomatoes, garlic and seasoning mixture; cover and let sauce cook down for 20 minutes; stir occasionally to keep from sticking or burning.   In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the salt and pepper; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

After 20 minutes, pasta should be ready, drained and kept warm; add the shrimp to the skillet, mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle the parsley over top and let cook for 7 minutes. 

Add the pasta, but toss lightly to coat and not break it up; let cook additional 2 minutes in skillet before serving.



This will make 4 servings.  Enjoy!

*Note: if you cannot find this type, dice up a small onion, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil on medium-high heat and saute' the onion until translucent; do not allow it to brown or burn.

**Note: the sauce will be cooking down for 20 minutes before the shrimp are added; make sure the pasta is cooked around the same time as it will be added after the shrimp.

Mary Cokenour

Homemade and Simple Meal for Valentine's Day

Tomorrow will be Valentine's Day; a day where couples in love will celebrate that love with gifts, cards and special meals.  This year will be a bit different for my hubby and myself; due to his current job situation, he will be away from home.  Will we be alone though?  Perhaps in a physical sense; he will be with coworkers on a job while I'm home with the pets, nursing a severe head cold and hoping it won't go into my chest and turn into bronchitis.  But alone; not really, because no matter how close or far, Roy and I love each other above anyone or anything else.  We don't need one particular day to celebrate this love; we, in fact, celebrate it daily.  Personally, I believe that is why most relationships fail; the couples forget to celebrate the relationship, each other, and be thankful for it all.  They wait for the calendar and card companies to remind them that they are in love; very sad if you seriously think about it.

Before Roy went off to his work site, I prepared him a special meal of salmon and his favorite, what I call "evil", vegetables.  I enjoy cooking for him; I don't mind preparing meals that I, myself, would not eat because it's not all about me...it's all about him.   This meal is easy for even the novice cook to prepare; the fish is steamed over the vegetables allowing it to cook perfectly without burning or sticking to the skillet.  The flavors of the seasoning, vegetables and salmon intermingle in a delicate, not overpowering fashion.  It is simple, yet elegant; the type of meal no cook would be embarrassed to serve for a special occasion, or just because.

Don't be afraid of the serving size of ten I have listed.  I made enough that I could package some up and he could take with him to his work location to eat later on. 


Salmon Steamed Over Vegetables
Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 lb. fresh green beans, tips removed
1 small head cauliflower, broken apart
4 large green onions, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
10 - 4 oz pieces of salmon, skin and bones removed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp crushed dried thyme
1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro

Preparation:

In a large skillet, place oil, wine, green beans, cauliflower, onions and worcestershire sauce in and turn heat to medium.  This will become your steaming rack for the salmon.

Sprinkle the salt, black pepper and thyme over both sides of the salmon; place the salmon on top of the vegetables. Cover with a lid and leave it alone for 20 minutes. This is important, LEAVE IT ALONE; no peeking, prodding or poking; otherwise you'll lose that steam and that is what is doing all the work for you.

Before serving, sprinkle the cilantro over the salmon; the fresh, green herb will brighten up, and add an appealing final note, to the entire dish.

As I stated before, this will make 10 servings all together; but the recipe can easily be adjusted for less; or even more if you intend on serving it at a dinner party.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Craving Sweet Cravings.

Sweet Cravings

550 N. Main Street
Moab, Utah, 84532

(435) 259-8983

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Cravings-Bakery-Bistro/228373887246023

Sweet Cravings opened up in 2012; owned by Cinda and assisted by her mom, Barb, these friendly ladies know how to make their patrons feel welcomed.

 

The interior is open, well lit and roomy; the brightly colored plaques, pictures, coffee mugs and knick-knacks all about the shop are for sale.  Behind the glass counters are erasable boards listing selections for breakfast and lunch. Sweet Cravings is open daily, but only until 3pm; so don't dawdle on getting there, or you can always get your order to go and enjoy it after your day's adventure in Moab.

Except for the breads used for the sandwiches, subs, wraps and paninis, the baked goods are made on the premises. A new item is Mini Monkey Bread in a "to-go" cup; pop in the mouth smaller versions of their regular Monkey Bread (also known as Pull Apart Bread). These little gems are delectable and you'll be too busy sucking the cinnamon and glaze off your fingers to be bothered with a napkin.

 

The meats for the sandwiches are real; no pressed together cold cut products full of preservatives and lacking in flavor.  I had the Adventure Inn panini which is turkey (tender and moist), Swiss cheese, cranberry sauce, jalapeno jelly and cream cheese on sour dough bread.  To say this panini was delicious would be an understatement indeed; it was stupendous!  All the flavors just melded together in such a perfect way; the jalapeno jelly gave a cozy warmness to the mouth as it combined with the cool cream cheese.

 

  

My hubby had the Roast Beef Sammy, thinly sliced roast beef piled high, cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato slices and a divine caramelized onion spread. Once again, "wow" would be an understatement; the freshness just kept coming through again and again.

 

Sweet Cravings will be giving that chain sandwich shop a true run for its money;  the key word for this bistro is "freshness".  If you're looking for delicious food in a welcoming setting, head on over to Sweet Cravings.  Heck, my hubby and I were halfway home when we started to both think, at the same time, "I sure could go for another of those sandwiches from Sweet Cravings." Don't forget the Mini Monkey Bread to munch on while you stroll the streets of Moab. 

 

Mary Cokenour

Roasting Another Chicken.

For a long while I roasted chickens according to packaging directions; 350F for 20 minutes for each pound.  While the meat itself was moist, tender and very tasty, the skin was still pliable and fatty; we ended up pulling it off and feeding it to the pets.  Then I read a recipe where the cook roasted her chickens at 450F to 500F; the only seasoning used was salt.  The fat melted off the chicken and the skin was crispy, but she did warn that it caused a lot of splattering and smoking.  You know I had to play with this concept of roasting chicken.

After removing the organs from the cavity (the outdoor cats truly enjoyed that treat), I washed the chicken inside and out with cold water; then sprinkled a generous amount of salt also inside and out. Previously, I had lined a roasting pan with aluminum foil; poured 2 cups of water into the pan; sprayed the rack with nonstick spray and placed it inside the pan. Why the water? As the fat dripped into the pan, the water would keep it from splattering, burning and smoking from hitting the foil straight on. Placing the chicken on the rack, I drizzled a few tablespoons of olive oil over the top and just allowed it to slide down over the chicken. Now I have this Organic Saltless Seasoning that I enjoy using; 21 organically grown herbs and spices ground together and I rubbed another generous portion over the outside of the chicken, knowing the oil would hold it in place.

The oven temperature had been previously set at 450F; placed the pan inside the oven and waited for the internal temperature to reach 180F.  Where it used to take 2 1/2 to 3 hours for a 5 pound bird, it now only took 1 and 1/2 hours.  The fat had dripped into the pan and the skin was crispy; yet the seasoning mixture had only browned, not burned.  The flavoring permeated the meat which was tender, moist and very juicy. Removing the chicken from the pan onto a platter, I let it rest for 15 minutes before beginning to carve it.

I took advantage of the high temperature setting by mixing together chunks of potato and butternut squash, slices of onion, salt, Italian seasoning blend, minced garlic and olive oil. This mixture was placed in an aluminum baking pan and put into the oven at the same time as the chicken; it finished cooking while the chicken rested (an additional 15 minutes).

Actually, I made two chickens and one was given to my mother-in-law with a generous amount of the roasted veggies.  She was very pleased.

As to the smoking and splattering the other cook warned about, I experienced none of that and probably because of the water I had put into the pan.  If I wanted to have a gravy, I would have used chicken broth mixed with water; poured the after roasting liquid into a plastic container and placed it into the freezer until the fat rose and solidified.  At a firm, but not frozen, stage, I would have scooped off the solid fat and then made my gravy from the remaining liquid.

There you have it, roast chicken at a higher than recommended temperature, and it is so quick, easy and extremely delicious.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Taking a Peek at Spring.

The coming of winter heralded itself at the beginning of December with severe cold temperatures, bitter winds and snow.  As much as warmer temperatures are desired, the snow is helping to replenish our reservoirs with much needed water.  However, at this time of year the Celtic celebration of Imbolc (January 31st to February 2nd), or Brighid's Day, serves to focus on the first inklings of spring.  Now depending on the area, delicate snowdrops will begin to push up from the ground and through mounds of snow, as if to say, "Look at me!".  When I lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the snowdrops planted on either side of my front door usually showed up around March 15th; the Ides of March, and my husband's birthday.  Then there is Valentine's Day, February 14th, which celebrates enduring and endearing love between a couple.  While the notion of this holiday is revered for its focus on love; it certainly does not illicit thoughts of spring.

The recipe I'll be focusing on for this blog post is Primavera which, in Italian, means "season of spring".  While gardens are still in a state of hibernation, the local supermarkets are able to supply us with fresh produce from lands still enjoying warmer temperatures.  So while the snow sits on the lawn, we can be cozy warm in our homes, enjoy a meal of spring like vegetables and dream about the true spring to come.  The recipe I'll post is also geared towards two servings, and can easily become that special meal for Valentine's Day.

Creamy Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

Water for steaming
1 cup green beans, cut into 1” pieces
1 cup shelled peas
½ cup diced red bell pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning mixture
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup diced pancetta (or thick bacon if pancetta not available)
1Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
½ cup vegetable or chicken stock
¼ cup heavy cream
½ lb cooked cheese, cheese and spinach, or mushroom filled pasta (tortellini, tortellini or mini ravioli)

Preparation:

Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring to boil on high heat; insert colander, but do not let it touch the water. Mix together the green beans, peas and bell pepper; steam until vegetables are tender (do NOT overcook). Place in bowl; gently mix in Italian seasoning, black pepper and salt; set aside.

In a large skillet, fry pancetta, on medium-high heat, until crisp and remove to paper towel to drain. Add in olive oil and sauté onion till tender. Add garlic, stock and cream; bring mixture to a boil; whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat; mix in cooked pasta, steamed vegetables, crisp pancetta and serve.

Note: grilled chicken or shrimp can be added to this dish

Makes 2 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Move over Big Mac, here comes the Big Mother.

Now if you're a fan of my food blog, you've seen me write, on occasion, about where I now live which is Monticello, Utah.  If you're new to my writings, put Monticello into the Search box on my blog and bring up the previous posts about it.   Since moving here in May 2009, I have been one of the residents pushing for development whether by writing letters to appear in the San Juan Record, or here in my food blog.  I'm not in a minority for development, but it seems when it comes to actual decision making, our voices keep getting ignored.  The point of all this is that Monticello, Utah's all time residents want to keep the town in the 1840's when it was founded.  However, they also want the sales tax coffers to be full and pay for all their needs without having businesses that locals and tourists can take advantage of.  The gist of it is, you cannot have it both ways, and if there is anyone reading this that wants to bring development to Monticello, Utah, especially a big business that will attract tourists......COME ON IN!!!!!!

During the spring, it came to my attention via three reliable sources that McDonald's would be setting up shop here.  Not even Blanding, only a 30 minute drive south towards Monument Valley, has a fast food business such as McDonald's.  The nearest is either in Moab, Utah or Cortez, Colorado; either is an hour drive from Monticello.  So when anyone here sees a commercial for a Big Mac, Chicken McNuggets, or even a Happy Meal for their kids; it's not going to be purchased unless they want to take that one hour drive.  Such was my mood yesterday, saw the commercial, wanted the Big Mac, wasn't going to drive an hour to get one.  Did I sit and sulk?  Heck no, I made my own and call it the Big Mother; there's another version for the husband, the Big Daddy.  So enough about Monticello and its need for coming into the 21st century, lets get to cooking up some burgers.

 

The Big Mother Burger

 

Ingredients:

 

2 quarter pound all beef burgers (90% lean)

Seasoning Mixture: dash each of ground black pepper, salt and onion powder on each side of the burgers.

3 slices English Muffin bread

1/4 cup chopped lettuce

3 slices American cheese

2 thin slices tomato

4 pickle ovals (Claussen brand is best)

1/4 diced onions

Special Sauce: 1/4 cup each ketchup and mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. each yellow mustard and sweet pickle relish, 2 dashes hot sauce, 1 tsp. minced roasted red bell peppers

 

 

Normally I would grill the burgers, but it being 10 degrees outside made me say, "oh hell no!".  I don't like frying burgers for the most part, all that grease is a turn off; so I put the Seasoning Mixture on each side of the burgers, and bake mine in the oven at 400F until medium-well.  Then I put on the broiler to high and give them a little cookoff for one minute on each side.  Again I'm using the English Muffin bread; the toasted texture gives crunch without allowing the bread to fall apart like those untoasted sesame seed buns do.  Could I toast up a sesame seed bun?  Sure, but once moisture from vegetables and condiments get onto them, they seem to get mushy and fall apart anyway.  The thin slices of tomato will give you that nice, sweet tomato flavor, but not be so thick that it's moving all over your sandwich.  Don't you just hate when it does that!?!

 

So the burgers are cooked and the bread is toasted; lets put the Big Mother together.  Oh, you will need a thin, wooden skewer to hold it all together once it's built; it is four inches high!

 

Preparation:

 

This will basically be a building plan.

 

Slice of toasted bread.

Slice of cheese.

Generous spread of Special Sauce.

2 pickels.

Half the diced onions.

Burger.

Slice of toasted bread.

Slice of cheese.

Remaining pickels.

Remaining onions.

Tomato slices.

Burger.

Lettuce.

Slice of cheese.

Final slice of toasted bread with generous spread of Special Sauce.

 

Skewer down the center to hold it all together. 

 





 

Pressing down slightly, the sandwich is still three inches high; and I cut it in half to make for easier eating.  Even then, I was only able to eat half of a half before I started to feel full.  To say it's a mouthful is an understatement indeed.

 

The Big Daddy Burger for my husband is basically the same kind of sandwich as The Big Mother, but with a few substitutions.  Instead of a Special Sauce, I use a zesty barbecue sauce; instead of diced onion, I use sauteed onions and mushrooms; and here's the kicker, I add 3 slices of crispy, thick cut bacon on top of each burger patty (that's 6 in total!) and 2 slices of my brown sugar/maple glazed baked ham.  Does my husband adore me?  Oh yes he does!!!

 

Craving a Big Mac, the heck with that...make yourself a Big Mother or a Big Daddy.  Enjoy!

 

Mary Cokenour