Spinach in Puff Pastry

I usually think of Spinach Pie in the Greek style, but this version from "Barefoot in Paris" is French and fabulous. I totally love it. And so did my son. Yay!

I omitted the pine nuts due to my stupid food allergy. Gruyere and Parmesan are the two cheeses used in the pie. Frozen spinach and frozen puff pastry make it easy to have the ingredients on hand at any given time.

This dish is packed with flavor, and the leftovers heat up nicely - if you have any! (I always have leftovers with my little fam of three.)

This is awesome for a meatless dinner, or a fancy lunch.

Spinach in Puff Pastry

Serves 6

From "Barefoot in Paris"

By Ina Garten

4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups chopped onion (2 onions)

1 Tbsp. chopped garlic, (3 cloves)

2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs, plain or seasoned

2 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts

2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm), defrosted overnight in the refrigerator

1 extra large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp. water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat then butter in a saute pan and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Meanwhile, squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a bowl. Add the onion mixture, scallions, Gruyere, Parmesan, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and pignolis. Mix well.

Unfold one sheet of puff pastry and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the spinach mixture in the middle of the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash. Roll out the second piece of puff pastry on a floured board until it is an inch larger in each direction. Place the second sheet of pastry over the spinach and seal the edges, crimping them with a fork. Brush the top with egg wash but don't let it drip down the sides or the pastry won't rise. Make three small slits in the pastry, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is lightly browned. Transfer to a cutting board and serve hot. 

Carrot, Broccoli and Cheese Orzo

I'm literally the only human in this house who grooves on broccoli, so I cook it in ways that I love. I do try to offer it up to The Husband and The Son, but as of today it always gets the shaft.

Their loss.

This Carrot, Broccoli and Cheese Orzo recipe that I discovered on Pinterest is really very delish, and it is perfect for little ones who actually do dig a broccoli spear or two. 

It's a very comforting bowl of yum when it's chilly willy out, which it is right now in the doldrums of February. 

The recipe calls for whole wheat orzo. I just used regular orzo. In addition, I sprinkled with shredded cheddar instead of Parmesan because I just love how cheddar and broccoli work so well together. In lieu of baby carrots I used a regular carrot because I do not do baby carrots. I peeled it, natch.

I hope you love this dish as much as I do.

Carrot, Broccoli and Cheese Orzo

From www.weelicious.com

Makes 4 servings

1 small garlic clove

1 small shallot

1 cup baby carrots

1 cup broccoli florets

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter or olive oil

1 cup white or whole wheat orzo

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Place shallot and garlic in food processor and pulse to chop.

Add baby carrots and broccoli florets to the food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides half way until finely chopped.

In a large stock pot, heat 2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil and saute the chopped vegetables, raw orzo and a pinch salt for 4 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the salt, water and broth to the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes uncovered or until the liquid starts to evaporate and the mixture thickens.

Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used white orzo, 1 medium peeled carrot in lieu of baby carrots, and shredded cheddar cheese instead of Parmesan. She also uses low-sodium broth.

Garlic Knots

Garlic knots are a fun baking project to do at home, especially with the kids. I always keep pizza dough in the freezer, so these are easy to whip up anytime.

They go great with soup and a salad or really as an accompaniment to any dinner.

You can dip in marinara or pizza sauce as well.

The ingredients are the basics I always have on hand: butter, garlic, dried herbs and parmesan cheese. 

These puffs of deliciousness make the house smell so warm and savory. I hope you get to make these soon! They are amazing. Have no fear if you are not a baker at heart. I feel like any amateur can get this done. Enjoy!

Garlic Knots

From Two Peas and their Pod

(Makes 12)

1 lb. pizza dough, store bought or homemade

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried parsley

Pinch of salt

4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan Romano cheese

Pizza sauce or marinara sauce for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

Cut the pizza dough into 12 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into about an 8-inch long rope. Take the ends of the dough and tie into a knot (over, under and through). Place each knot on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and cook the garlic for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and stir in dried basil, oregano, parsley and a pinch of salt.

Brush the garlic knots lightly with the garlic butter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the knots are golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with remaining garlic butter. Sprinkle each garlic knot with Parmesan Romano cheese. Serve with warm pizza sauce or marinara sauce.

Chicken and Shrimp Fajitas

 Mexican Night is always a win at mi casa. While tacos are our standby, I decided to shake things up recently with Chicken and Shrimp Fajitas.

Gorgeous!

My marinade below makes enough for 2 pounds of protein. I did 1 pound chicken and 1 pound shrimp. The chicken can marinate from 1 to 6 hours, while the shrimp marinates for just 30 minutes. So plan accordingly!

Mexican Night is a great way to get your kids to try new things. Building their own tortilla gives them a sense of control,  and they get to see a table filled with different colors and textures which can really awaken a palate, no matter what age we are. I served beautiful fajitas with Goya yellow rice and my awesome black beans. Click here for the black bean recipe.

And now for the main event. This is so simple to make!

Fajitas

(Makes 8 servings)

1 lb. chicken breast cut into strips

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

Fajita Marinade (see below)

1-2 red bell peppers, cut into strips

1-2 green bell peppers, cut into strips

1 large onion, cut into strips

1- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil for the veggies, depending on how many you cook

Salt and pepper to taste

To serve: flour tortillas, warmed; salsa fresca, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, chopped jalapenos, chopped scallions, and shredded cheese (not traditional, but I like cheese on mine!). I also have some shredded romaine on the topping list, since I love my leafy greens.

For the veggies:

Spread cut veggies on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. 

To cook veggies, heat a large grill pan over medium high heat. Grill the veggies until tender, stirring occasionally. Cook in batches if using 2 of each pepper. About 5-8 minutes.

Fajita Marinade (Makes enough for 1 lb. chicken and 1 lb. shrimp)

Juice from 3 limes, about 1/4 cup

2 scallions, chopped into 1-inch long pieces

4 garlic cloves

Handful of fresh cilantro

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. cumin

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients into the bowl of a blender. Puree until smooth. Set aside until ready to marinate your protein. Divide into two equal portions: one for the chicken, one for the shrimp.

Pour half of the marinade over chicken. Toss and rub marinade into chicken.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 6 hours until ready to cook.

Pour the remaining half of marinade over shrimp. Toss shrimp to fully coat. Marinate for 30 minutes.

To cook the chicken, preheat the grill pan (I use the same one I use for the veggies) over medium high heat. Cook the chicken about 4-5 minutes per side. Your chicken should have beautiful grill marks. To achieve this, don't overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if necessary.

To cook the shrimp, preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and marinade. Saute until opaque and pink. 

Serve on warmed tortillas with your favorite toppings. Suggestions are listed with the ingredients above. 

Chicken Thighs with Spinach

Chicken and spinach are two of my most common food items to have on hand, so this Lemon Butter Chicken dish from Damn Delicious is one of my go-to's all year long. It uses chicken thighs, which get the snub quite a bit from the general pop. But in my opinion, they are very juicy and yummy and they are way cheaper than the chicken breast. 

This is perfect to serve with rice or potatoes of some sort. And then I always rock out a salad for good measure. 

Be sure to use a pan that works on the stove and the oven. I like to use my Le Creuset braiser. It is ideal for this type of cooking.

I use half and half in lieu of heavy cream. I also use more spinach, because the more greens the better.

Lemon Butter Chicken

From Damn Delicious

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 Tbsp. smoked paprika

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Season chicken thighs with paprika, salt and pepper to taste.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side; drain excess fat and set aside.

Melt remaining Tbsp. butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan, lemon juice and thyme.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Stir in spinach and simmer until the spinach has wilted and the sauce has slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to the skillet.

Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 25-30 minutes.

Serve immediately

Please note: The Jersey Girl uses half and half in lieu of heavy cream.