Summer Minestrone

I know soup and summer don't exactly make sense, but sometimes I just need something light and easy to eat no matter what the temp. So it's logical to moi.

This soup highlights zucchini, leeks and baby spinach so it gave me a springy summer vibe. I finish it off with lemon juice and fresh herbs for a nice refreshing touch.

The thyme, parsley and basil in my herb garden are really thriving as we speak so this soup puts them to good use.

Cleaning the leeks is a bit of a process. I listed my advice on that below.

I hope you enjoy making this. It's really delish.

Summer Minestrone

Makes 6 servings

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. butter

1 leek, thinly sliced into moons (see below on how to clean and slice)

1 large carrot, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced

1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta

4 cups low-salt vegetable or chicken stock

2 cups water

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. chopped  fresh basil.

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

To serve: Parmigiano cheese, grated

To clean leaks: Peel off outer layers of leaks. Trim off stem. Cut leeks into three portions across the width to make three logs. Slice each log in half. Slice halves into moons. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Place leek slices into water. Set aside for a few minutes. Drain in colander running cold water over leeks. Separate the leek layers while rinsing. Repeat filling the bowl with water, adding the leeks and draining and rinsing until the leek slices are clear of sand. 

To make the soup:

In a large soup pot, melt olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add leeks, carrots and zucchini. Cook about 10 minutes to soften vegetables. Add thyme and salt and pepper. 

Add broth and water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Partially cover and cook for about 20 minutes so that vegetables soften.

Add ditalini. Stir frequently so that pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Make sure soup is continuously simmering.

Lower heat. Add spinach. Add salt and pepper if desired. Turn off heat. Stir in lemon juice, basil and parsley.

Serve with grated Parmigiano cheese, if desired

Chicken Dinner Total Winner

Chicken Piccata Toss. Oh, how I need you. I can't believe this is your first appearance on my little blog. But it's those old reliable workhorses of a dish that sometimes get forgotten. The specialness of this dinner is the ease and familiarity of it all. Chicken. Rice. Lemon. The basics. We all have these ingredients hanging in our kitchen. Forgive me for forgetting you, Chicken Piccata Toss.

I have been making this for a bazillion years. Literally. It makes frequent appearances when I am swamped with work, cleaning, life, etc. It's just something that is so delish and comforting and requires little brain function to whip up.

I like to add grape tomatoes and parsley for some brightness and color. Love it. This is easier to make then standard chicken piccata just because you don't need to dredge the chicken in flour. Less clean up and less time cooking. Which I know is what the people want. Usually.

Chicken Piccata Toss with Rice
Makes 4 to 5 servings

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 small shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (1 14.5 oz. can)
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. capers, rinsed
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper to taste
To serve: Cooked rice and parmigiano cheese

In a large pan, add olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides. About 6-8 minutes. Remove cooked chicken to a plate.

In the same pan over medium heat, add butter. Add shallots, garlic and lemon zest. Cook for 3 minutes. Add flour. Whisk to cook flour down. Add white wine. Deglaze pan and reduce wine to about half. Add chicken broth, lemon juice and capers. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Return chicken to pan. Cover and simmer for five minutes, occasionally stirring the mixture. Add grape tomatoes. Cover and cook for 5 five more minutes. Top with parsley. Serve over rice.  Top with grated parmigiano, if desired.

Party Dip Oh Yeah

This White Bean Dip with Pita Chips makes a frequent appearance at my get-togethers. First of all, it's a quick vegetarian dish to have on hand. The dip can totally be made the day before.

You certainly can skip the homemade pita chips and just buy a bag, but the homemade chips are always a hit. The oregano on the chips works perfectly with the dip.

Do keep a close eye on the oven when making the chips as each oven is different, and I have found that different brands of pita cook faster or slower than others.

I like to use Cento beans, which are actually a 19-ounce can. I just up the lemon juice and olive oil to accommodate. I love the green of the parsley in this dip. It adds a nice brightness. This is also a good one to make if any of your guests have an allergy to sesame, which is often present in traditional hummus.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
From "Everyday Italian"
By Giada DeLaurentiis
Makes 6 appetizer servings

4-6 pita breads, cut into 8 triangular wedges
2 Tbsp. plus 1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove

To make the pita chips:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the pita wedges over a large baking sheet. Drizzle the pita wedges with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, then sprinkle with oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Toss and spread out evenly over baking sheet. Bake the pita wedges for 8-12 minutes, checking on them at the 4-5 minute mark, and tossing them to redistribute on the pan before returning the pan back to the oven to finish baking. Be sure to keep a close eye on the chips!

To the make the puree:
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse on and off until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually mix in the remaining 1/3 cup of oil until the mixture is creamy. Season the puree with salt and pepper to taste if desired. Transfer the puree to a small bowl and serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside. (The pita wedges and bean puree can be made 1 day ahead. Store the pita wedges airtight at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the bean puree.)

Your New Fave Din

Here's an easy peasy chicken din: Grilled Chicken with Basil Parsley Sauce. It is literally my son's favorite dish right now. He asked if I could make it every day. He ate three servings of this the first night, and all of the leftovers the second night.

As long as you remember to marinate the chicken at least thirty minutes ahead, you are good to go. This uses thin cut chicken breast so it cooks up super quick. Just make sure you cook it in batches because overcrowding your grill pan is no bueno. Your chicken will end up poached rather than grilled.

I always keep fresh basil on my windowsill and parsley in my veg drawer so making this is a cinch. It goes great with pasta, rice, a salad. Whatevs!

And you can make the basil parsley sauce ahead as well. I'm a big big fan of make-ahead things because I like to have as much cleaned in the kitchen before I sit my bootie down to actually eat. One of my OCD qualities. For sure.

When I made this, I served the super amazing Lemon Fusilli with Arugula by Barefoot Contessa.

Link to that awesomeness is here: Lemon Fusilli with Arugula

And here's the chicken recipe below!

Grilled Chicken with Basil Parsley Sauce
Makes 3-4 servings

For the chicken:

6-8 thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced or 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
Juice from 1 lemon, about 3 Tbsp.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a glass bowl, whisk together thyme, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to make a marinade. Place chicken breasts in the bowl. Coat the chicken with the marinade. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Set in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 8 hours.

When ready to cook, place a grill pan over medium high heat. Grill chicken in batches about 4 minutes per side. Chicken should be nicely browned and cooked through. Set aside cooked chicken in a covered dish while grilling the second or third batch.

Serve immediately or at room temp with the sauce listed below.

Basil Parsley Sauce
1cup fresh basil
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1 garlic clove
Zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a blender or a food processor, place basil, parsley, garlic clove, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Scrape sides if necessary and puree again for 20 seconds. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

To serve: Plate a slice of chicken with a tablespoon or two of the bright basil parsley sauce. Devour!

Colorful Chicken Marengo

A plate with a fantastic palette of shades and textures is simply delightful. That's what I have found here in this marvelous Chicken Marengo that called out to me on Pinterest.

This dish features chicken thighs, which are so affordable and great to use to feed a crowd. Canned tomatoes, onion, garlic and olives meld together into an exciting dish that works perfectly with mashed potatoes or rice.

Chicken Marengo has an interesting history. Food historians say it was created in honor of Napoleon's defeat of the Austrians during the Battle of Marengo in 1800. There is dispute however if it was created by Napoleon's own chef or if it was created decades later in remembrance of the historical victory. It's more likely that the dish was created later in the 1800's since many of the ingredients involved in the dish, such as tomatoes, were not readily available at the time of the battle. A world without tomatoes?! What!

I so love a little history lesson.

This is not my recipe, but here are some of my tips for a successful dish. I like to use Kalamata olives instead of the standard black olives. Pre-sliced saves time!

I do not cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces. So, when I put the chicken back in the pan for the final heat through, I do it for more like 20-25 minutes instead of 15.

The recipe says to deglaze the pan. If you don't know what that means here's the definition: Add a liquid (in this case wine) to a hot pan, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get up all the brown bits. Let the liquid reduce to about half.

If your family is anti olive, you can use capers for that salty bite.

This dish reheats wonderfully, and it's a good one to make ahead if need be.

Chicken Marengo
From crunchycreamysweet.com

1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion sliced or chopped
14 oz. can Italian tomatoes or diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced black olives, such as Kalamata
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp sriracha or hot sauce optional
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired

Instructions:

Mix flour and salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Cut chicken into  2-inch pieces. Toss the chicken in flour and salt and pepper.

Heat up the oil in pan. Place in batches in the pan and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil.

Add more oil to the pan if needed. Add onion to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softens.

Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.

Add wine and deglaze the pan. Add tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning and olives. Bring to a boil. 

Add chicken back to the pan and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

Gnocchi in Pomodoro Sauce

So this is only the best dish ever: Gnocchi in Pomodoro Sauce.

You can of course just use store bought gnocchi, but I'm including the recipe I use to make homemade gnocchi. It is the method by Giada DeLaurentiis.

It's not as hard as you think. For reals.

Interestingly, the potatoes are cooked in the microwave. I have tried baking and boiling in the past, and I strongly believe microwaving is the best route to texture perfection in the gnocchi. I use a potato masher to mash up the potatoes before mixing them with a wooden spoon into the egg, and then combining the sifted flour in with my hands. I use my hands so that I do not overmix the dough. That way, it is light and fluffy. As god intended gnocchi to be, of course!

Making gnocchi may seem intimidating, but I think it is a simple pasta to make and it is so much fun to do. It is a great pasta to make with little children as well.

The pomodoro sauce is fabulous. It is a recipe I found on Pinterest. I have made it many times. I love how the oil is infused with fresh herbs. Be sure to cook it in an oven proof dish as you can just pop it under the broiler as soon as you add the gnocchi, fresh mozzarella, parmigiana cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

My son loves this dish. He requests it again and again. Yay!

Gnocchi

From “Everyday Pasta”

By Giada De Laaurentiis

Makes about 54 gnocchi

2 baking potatoes, such as russet (about 12 ounces each)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup all-purpose flour

Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave the potatoes on high until tender, about 12 minutes. (You can also bake the potatoes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes, or until tender. While the potatoes are still warm, cut them in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Discard the skin. Using a fork, mash the potato well. Stir in the egg, salt and pepper. Sift the flour over the potato mixture and stir just until blended.

Scoop out a large spoonful of gnocchi dough. Roll each scoop on the work surface into about a 1/2-inch-diameter rope.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces.

Roll each piece of dough over a wooden paddle with ridges or over the tines of a fork to form grooves in the dough.

Set the formed gnocchi on a baking sheet while you form the rest of the dough.

Working in batches, cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water until they have all risen to the surface, about 3 minutes. Scoop the gnocchi into a colander with a slotted spoon while you cook the second batch.

Add to your sauce.

The Jersey Girl notes: I often use 3-4 potatoes, as I can not find potatoes that are 12 ounces each. I mash the potatoes with a potato masher. You want a smooth consistency. I mix the egg with a wooden spoon. I mix the flour with  my hands. When making the gnocchi with the pomodoro sauce listed below, I gently scoop the cooked gnocchi out of the boiling water with a wide slotted spoon directly into the warm pomodoro sauce. I also cooked the gnocchi in three batches, not two. 

Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce

By www.foodiecrush.com

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• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoons

• 4 stems fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

• 4 stems fresh oregano

• 2 stems fresh rosemary

• 2 stems fresh basil, plus 2 more stems for garnish

• ½ yellow onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

• 1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)

• 1 16-ounce package potato gnocchi

• 8 ounces cherry size mozzarella balls, cut in half

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3. Add ¼ cup olive oil to a 10-inch high sided sauté pan or a saucepan over medium heat. Add the parsley, oregano, rosemary and 2 stems of basil and cook for about 5 minutes or until the herbs become crisp.
4. Remove the herbs and discard then add the onion and garlic to the oil, lowering the heat if needed so the onions cook gently and don't brown. Cook until the onions are transparent, about 5-7 minutes, then crush the tomatoes with your hand and add to the pan with juice. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thicken, stirring occasionally. (I also add about 2 Thsp. chopped fresh basil to the sauce before simmering.)
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6. Stir in the heavy cream (if using) and remove from the heat.

1. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Season generously with kosher salt and cook until the gnocchi float to the top of the boiling water. Drain and then place the gnocchi into the cooked sauce. Top with the halved mozzarella balls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese then drizzle the tops of the gnocchi with the remaining olive oil. Broil for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese melts and the tops become crispy. Garnish with additional basil leaves and serve immediately.
2. The Jersey Girl notes: I did not use fresh oregano and I did not use cream. It is fab without, in my opinion!
3. And here is my cutie pie Evan helping me cook and digging into the delciousness on two separate occasions:
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Italian Cooking for Stoonads: Aglio e Olio

Last time I made Aglio e Olio it was so outrageously delish I said to self: This should go on the blog.

Then my other self replied: Really, Susan. What jackass doesn't know how to make pasta with a bunch of oil and garlic?

My reply was something like: I never really made Aglio e Olio until adulthood. My moms never made this. Not until reading Lidia Bastianich cookbooks from cover to cover did I really understand what to do. Maybe the people will want this recipe.

Sure, I had seen this classic yet basic dish on menus at Italian restaurants forevs, but I never order pasta with garlic and oil when dining out because it defeats the purpose to me. (When I actually go to a lovely restaurant, I like to get all wild and crazy: Risotto, lamb, lobster. You feel me?)

This is as basic as it gets, I think. Of course, I could be wrong. There is something that happens at just the right moment to make a pasta dish magical. So maybe you do need some instruction on what to do.

In my opinion, the key to success with Aglio e Olio is to use a great olive oil (I love Cento); fresh fresh fresh flat leaf parsley - and a lot of it; and a good amount of the water in which your pasta cooked. And of course, high quality pasta is a must. I always use DeCecco or Barilla and sometimes fiddle around with the high falutin gourmet stuff. But really DeCecco and Barilla are my go-to brands. And cook the pasta to instruction. A timer is your friend, my friends.

Aglio e Olio Spaghettini
Serves 2

1/2 lb. spaghettini or thin spaghetti, preferably DeCecco
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling, preferably Cento
6-8 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta water
To serve: Olive oil and grated parmigiano cheese

In a large pot of salted water, cook your spaghettini to the directions on the box to al dente.

As soon as you add the pasta to the water, add 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Immediately add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook slowly over medium heat. Do not burn the garlic!!

Once the garlic and pepper are fragrant, add two ladles of boiling pasta water to the saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Using a pasta ladle, transfer cooked pasta directly to the simmering garlic sauce in the pan. Toss gently so that the pasta is coated in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another minute or two. Add another ladle or two of pasta water. You do not want dry pasta! Drizzle with more olive oil and top with parsley. Toss. Turn off heat. Serve with parmigiano cheese.

Perfection!