Receta Week 9, Vol II, February 26, 2010
Dinners of the Week:
Baked Rigatoni
Halibut Kabobs
Slow Cooker Lamb Ragu
Bean and Barley Veggie Soup
Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein
Dessert of the Week:
Raspberry Napoleans
Snack of the Week:
Granola Bars with Cranberry and Ginger
Dinner One: Baked Rigatoni
Recipe from A and P Corsi’s Mangia a Quattro
Prep Time: 30 min/Total Time: 60 min. Serves 6.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: Mortadella can be easily found at the deli case of most any grocery store. If you want, you can prep this pasta dish up to the baking point then place in the fridge to be cooked the next day. Bring to room temperature before baking.
Ingredients:
1 pound (454 grams) rigatoni
½ white onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups tomato sauce
salt
½ cup warm water
ground black pepper
1 pound (454 grams) minced pork
½ pound (225 grams) finely diced mortadella sausage
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1 egg
all-purpose white flour for dusting meatballs
vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente (package directions minus 2 minutes). Drain the rigatoni and set it aside.
Sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it’s translucent. Add the tomato sauce, warm water and salt and pepper to taste.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Combine the pork, mortadella, half the Parmesan cheese, the parsley and the egg. Form the mixture into small meatballs and roll in the flour.
Heat a thin film of the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Shake the pan to brown the meatballs on all surfaces. Transfer the meatballs with a slotted spoon to the tomato sauce and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on low heat. Add the partially cooked pasta and mix everything together. Spoon the pasta and sauce into a baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rigatoni is al dente and heated through.
Dinner Two: Halibut Kabobs
Recipe from G Tarn and T Fine’s The Jewish Princess Feasts and Festivals
Prep Time: 20 min/Total Time: 45 min. Serves 4 (Makes 2 per person).
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: If you like your veggies a little more browned, put the broiler on the kabobs for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
Ingredients:
1 pound (454 grams/16 ounces) skinless halibut filet, cubed
2 red onions, cut into chunks
8 large white cap mushrooms, halved
2 small zucchini, cut into chunks
2 yellow bell peppers, cut into chunks
1 small bunch asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
fresh thyme sprigs
salt and black pepper to taste
basil infused olive oil (or regular)
1 cup rice
Directions:
Begin to cook rice according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Soak wooden skewers.
On each skewer, thread a piece of onion on one end and a mushroom on the other. However you want to arrange the other vegetables and the fish in the middle is up to you, but after each piece of fish. tie thyme around the skewer.
When you have loaded up the skewers (they will look very pretty), season to taste.
Lay then on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Drizzle with basil infused (or regular) olive oil.
Bake for about 15 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
Serve with rice.
Dinner Three: Slow Cooker Lamb Ragu
Recipe from Laura of The Kitchn
Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 4 – 8 hours. Recipe adjusted to serve 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: You can also make this ragu with beef or half beef and half lamb. It freezes beautifully so if you choose to, double the recipe, and you’ll have a quick meal on a night you can’t cook.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (454 grams) stew lamb, cut in chunks
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 big carrot, peeled and chopped
- olive oil
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 (14 ounce) can peeled whole plum tomatoes
- 3 cups egg noodles
Directions:
Put everything in a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on HIGH or at least 8 hours on LOW. The longer it cooks the more tender it will be.
Cook egg noodles according to package directions before serving time.
When ready to serve, go through with two forks and shred any remaining chunks of meat and tomatoes.
Taste and season if necessary with additional salt and pepper.
Serve over pasta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Dinner Four: Bean and Barley Veggie Soup
Recipe from Patrice of Circle B Kitchen
Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 1 hour 15 min. Serves 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: After an hour of simmering, turn off the heat, stir, and let it sit for a few more minutes before serving. You can top this with a little grated cheese if you like, but it really doesn’t need it. Simple really can be extraordinary.
Ingredients:
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 stalks of celery, with leaves, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup lentils
½ cup barley (whole grain or pearl)
1 or 2 waxy potatoes, cut into chunks
1 (14 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
any chopped veggies you would like to add (zucchini, green beans, cabbage or asparagus)
about 7 or 8 cups of water, or enough to cover by 2”
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery and carrots. Sauté for several minutes and then add the dried marjoram, thyme and tomato paste. Add the salt and pepper, stir, and let this sauté for a few more minutes.
Add the barley and the lentils and whatever veggies you are adding and then add enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Stir to combine, cover partially, and let simmer for about an hour. After 1/2 hour, stir and taste for seasonings.
Remove from the heat and let sit a few minutes before serving. Can top with grated parmesan cheese and more chopped fresh parsley.
Dinner Five: Chicken and Vegetable Low MeinRecipe from J Albert and L Gnat’s Bite Me
Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 20 min. Serves 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: This fabulous meal cooks quickly so make sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before cooking. Buy a deli roasted chicken for the breasts needed in this recipe and use the leftover chicken for sandwhiches or a quick chicken pasta dinner the next night.
Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) package fresh lo mein or other Chinese noodles
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 cups chopped bok choy
2 large red bell peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
3 cups deli roasted chicken breast, shredded or cubed.
Directions:
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce heat to low and add fresh noodles. Stir to loosen the noodles and cook fro about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce and hoisin sauce. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the mirin. Add cornstarch mixture to broth mixture whisking well to combine. Set aside.
In a large wok or a large skillet, heat peanut oil over high heat. Add bok choy, red peppers and celery. Stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes until the vegetables have softened slightly. Add chicken, softened noodles and broth mixture. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
Dessert of the Week: Raspberry Napoleans
Recipe from Melissa of The Baker’s Daughter
Prep Time: 15 min/ Total Time: 30 min. Serves 4.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: The cream cheese mixture can be made a day ahead but it’s best to bake the puff pastry the day you’re going to serve them so they stay crisp. The size of Napoleons you make is really up to you. A 3 inch by 3 inch square is usually a good size but use your own discretion. You will need two squares for each Napoleon, for top and bottom.
Ingredients:
1 package store bought puff pastry, thawed
8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest (optional)
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 pint of raspberries
icing sugar to dust
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dust your work surface with flour and roll out your puff pastry until it is approximately ¼ inch thick. Cut to the desired size and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Using a fork prick the puff pastry all over. Cook for approximately 10 – 15 minutes (your cooking time will depend on how thick your roll the pastry) or until lightly browned on top and bottom.
Take softened cream cheese and add the sugar, zest and whip cream. Mix by hand until smooth and glossy.
Once the puff pastry is cool, take one square and place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture in the middle. Spread out the cream cheese mixture and top with raspberries. Add the other puff pastry square and dust with icing sugar.
Snack of the Week: Granola Bars with Cranberry and Ginger
Recipe from Mike of A Healthy Adventure
Prep Time: 30 min/Total Time: 1 hour 15 min. Makes 12 large bars.
Can I Get the Recipe Tip: If you have small children, omit the crystallized ginger and add an extra ¼ of cranberries to the mixture. You can also omit the nuts if desired.
Ingredients:
7 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries
¼ cup orange juice with ¼ cup water
¼ cup crystallized ginger, chopped
1 1/2 cups whole almonds, pecans, peanuts or walnuts, chopped coarse
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the oats, oil, and salt together in a medium bowl. Spread mixture out over a baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring often, until pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, line an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with buttered foil. Cook the honey and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla and cinnamon (if using).
Transfer the toasted oat mixture to a large bowl and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
In a small bowl combine dried cranberries with the orange juice and water. Microwave about 4 minutes until softened. Drain and pat dry. Add the softened cranberries and crystallized ginger to the granola mixture.
Add the honey mixture to the oat mixture. Add the nuts and toss together until well combined. Spread the mixture out over the prepared pan and press into an even layer using a greased spatula. Bake the granola bars until golden, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Let the bars cool in the pan for 15 minutes then cut into bars. Let the bars cool completely, then remove individual bars from the pan using a spatula.
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