Escarole and Bean Soup

Here's a recipe for one of the easiest soups to make in the world: Escarole and Bean Soup. The biggest burden is cleaning the escarole. I recommend filling a large bowl with water. Remove the core from the escarole by cutting the head in half. Place the half flat on your board. Cut the core out by making a V with your knife. Ditch the core and the dodgy outer leaves. Place the separated escarole leaves in the water. Let rest for about five minutes. Drain in a colander. Repeat, and repeat again. Yes, three times should be the charm.

This soup can be frozen for later usage. It holds up just fine.

Escarole doesn't get all the glory that spinach and kale receive, but it is packed with vitamins and it works really well in soups. Plus, it totally reminds me of my amazing grandmother, so yeah, it's a winner in my book.

Escarole and Bean Soup
Makes 6-8 servings

1 medium head of escarole, cleaned and roughly chopped
1 19 ounce can Cento cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 inch piece of prima donna or parmigiano cheese
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat up olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about three minutes.

Add escarole. Let escarole wilt for about five minutes.

Add the beans, broth, water, cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer partially covered for 20-30 minutes. Serve with grated cheese. A drizzle of olive oil and some bread are also really nice with this.

Pork Chops Alla Pizzaiola

Pork Chops all Pizzaiola is the perfect din for a weeknight. It may not be easy to pronounce, but is totally easy to make.

The dish requires few ingredients, and all are items that I usually have on hand.

Pizzaiola means "in pizza style." Usually, steak is the meat of choice, but we don't eat a lot of red meat up in here so this recipe works for us.

The recipe calls for bone-in pork chops, but I often use boneless. It works just fine with either.

If you don't have Herbes de Provence on hand, you could easily substitute Italian seasoning.

This is super nice to serve with rice and a big salad or sautéed spinach. It's also easy to double, which is what I usually do.

Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola
(4 servings)
From "Giada's Family Dinners" by Giada DeLaurentiis

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4-inch-thick bone-in center-cut pork loin chops (about 12 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes, or more to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add 2 pork chops to the skillet and cook until they are browned and an instant read meat thermometer inserted horizontally into the chop registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Transfer the pork chops to a plate and tent with foil to keep them warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 pork chops, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

Add the onions to the same skillet and saute over medium heat until crisp-tender, about five minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, herbes de Provence and 1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend and the juices thicken slightly, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and more red pepper flakes if you like it spicier. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet and turn the pork chops to coat with the sauce. Heat until warmed through, a minute or so; do not overcook the chops.

Place one pork chop on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the pork chops. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used thick boneless pork chops instead of bone-in chops.

Stop and Make a Lovely Puffy Pancake

Ahhhh, a proper breakfast.

It's such a luxury to sit down to homemade pancakes or fluffy scrambled eggs when your kid(s) are school age and weekends are chockful of schlepping to this field or that practice. Honestly, I don't know how all y'all do it with more than one offspring in 10 activities every freaking day of the week. God bless.

These days, I do cherish an action-free Saturday when I can rock out an amazing breakfast spread. On Sundays, this momma works.  So, if a fancy schmancy brunch is happening here chances are it is a Saturday.

This Dutch Baby Pancake - aka the Gigantic Fluffy Pancake (that's what me and my little guy call it) - is a total win. The recipe is from "Cravings" by Chrissy Teigen. If you like to read cookbooks like novels (cover to cover), buy this book. It's hysterical. And most of the recipes I've made have rocked. (I wasn't a fan of the mushroom soup. It was the texture. Sorry, Chrissy.)

The Dutch Baby, though. Baby, this one is a keeper. You mix it all up in the blender. It's cooked in one pan. Popped in the oven. Meanwhile, you can down your coffee while it cooks up and you try to interact with people before noon. Eek. (My night owl habits will never die despite trying to act like a responsible bright-eyed and bushy-tailed momma. Deal with it.)

When you unveil the cooked Dutch Baby from the oven, it is a like a magnificent disformed thang of delicious beauty.

The visual and the smell are astounding. For reals. It will deflate slightly upon cooling.

You can serve this dish with a bunch of fruit. Whipped cream and syrup are fab too. We like it with powdered sugar and strawberries. Really, whatever floats your boat!

Here ya go:

Dutch Baby Pancake
From "Cravings"
By Chrissy Teigen
Serves 4

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter melted, plus softened butter for serving
Pancake syrup
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a blender, combine the flour, eggs, milk, salt and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and blend until smooth with no lumps, 20 to 30 seconds.

In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over high heat until foamy. Add the batter and immediately put the skillet in the oven. Bake until the outside of the pancake is puffed and a deep golden color (it will puff up in a bit of a crazy, disorganized way, so don't worry), 17 to 18 minutes.

Remove from the oven, slather with the softened butter and cut into quarters.  Pour syrup over the pancake slices and dust with powdered sugar.

Pasta e Fagioli

This cold dreary March is proving we still need some comfort food. The perfect solution: Pasta e Fagioli.

For best results, let it simmer for a long time. Give it like 45 minutes. And most importantly, cook the pasta in a separate pot of water. That way, all the wonderful broth isn't soaked up by the spongelike qualities of teeny tiny pasta.

Pancetta is an Italian bacon. In my opinion, it's not as fatty and bacony as American bacon. You can purchase it at Italian grocery stores, but even my good ole' Shoprite carries it. I like to buy a pound of it sliced and store it in the freezer. I just take out a couple of slices when I need them for a dish.

Pasta e fagioli is fabulous topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of parmigiano. Serve with bread and vino, of course!

Pasta e Fagioli
Makes 8 servings

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 slices pancetta, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 onion, finely chopped
2 small carrots, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 19 ounce can Cento cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 inch piece of Parmigiano cheese rind (optional)
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
4 cups water
1 cup ditalini, tubetti or elbow pasta

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add pancetta. Stir frequently and cook until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, remove pancetta to a small dish.

To the soup pot, add onion, carrots and celery. Stir to coat in oil. Add, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Add garlic. Cook for another minute or two.

Add cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, broth and water. Return pancetta to pot. Add parmigiano cheese rind, if using. Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cook partially covered for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Fill a separate small pot with water. Bring to a boil and add salt. Cook pasta as directed on package instructions. Drain pasta.

Once soup has finished cooking after 45 minutes, add pasta.

Serve in bowls topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated parmigiano cheese.

Please note: You may need to add more water if you would like the soup more brothy.

Marinated Mozzarella

This is the time of year people start thinking about their showstopping party aps for the Super Bowl. Ok, well maybe not everybody. But the Jersey Girl totally does. I mean honestly, the only thing I care about during the Super Bowl is the food and the half-time show.

Marinated Mozzarella is my go-to. I've been making this literally for a million years. Well, maybe 15, but ….same thing!

I like to serve my marinated mozzarella with toasted garlic baguette, prosciutto, sliced tomato or grape tomatoes and some basil. But you can do whatever you please and it's perfectly rockin' on its own atop your fave cracker.

Your guests will love it no matter what!

Marinated Mozzarella with Garlic Toasts
(Makes 24 servings)

For the mozzarella:
2 to 3 medium balls of fresh mozzarella, drained and sliced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add olive oil. Whisk until well blended. Place mozzarella slices in the bowl. Gently fold mozzarella into oil and herb mixture. Let mozzarella rest for at least an hour at room temperature. Stir occasionally.

For the Garlic Toasts:
1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 long loaf of crusty Italian bread or French baguette

Preheat broiler.

Slice bread with a serrated knife. Rub each slice with garlic on both sides. Place on a baking sheet. Toast under the broiler for a minute or two. Flip slices to toast both sides. Keep a watchful eye on your broiler!

Serve mozzarella and toasts with thinly sliced prosciutto, fresh basil and tomato slices or grape tomatoes, if in season.

Tuna Tartare a Total Star

Tis the season to get the Feast of the Seven Fishes onnnnnnnn.

My planning for the festivities has begun, and I thought I would share with all of you the sleeper hit from  my 2017 spread: Tuna Tartare.

I've had the privilege and honor to be the Feast of the Seven Fishes hostess with the mostess in my family for the second year now. Previously, I schlepped a bunch of food to my sister's house.

I love the tradition of this holiday so much. Basically, some Southern Italian peeps decided to eat at least seven fishes on Christmas Eve until you can't eat no more. There are a lot of contradictions as to why this practice takes place but it has to do with the number 7 and the Bible and the Sacraments and holy numbers and really, no one really knows.

So Tuna Tartare. This was not a traditional dish in my family's Feast of the Seven Fishes menu. But after last year's debut, it totally is now!

If you skeeve fish in the raw form, you may want to move it along. But if you love the freshness and the lightness and the amazingness that is uncooked tuna, this jam is for you. Be sure to get it from your must trustworthy fishmonger.

I followed this recipe to the T, except, I used just basil and zero mint. Mint is always so freakin' hard to find in Jersey and it was beyond skeevy last year up in my markets. But if you get your hands on the gorgeous mint, go for it. I used the olive oil. The recipe says it's optional, but I say no way, Jose.

My Tuna Tartare comes from the "Extra Virgin" cookbook by Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar (you know, Madonna's home girl from back in the day). Fab cookbook. I strongly recommend!

I like doing this one for the huge holiday that is Christmas Eve because it is not only delish but so easy to put together. Sometimes you need a few recipes in your repertoire that take just a handful of minutes when you are preparing many other time-consuming dishes. And this one is a total knockout!

Tuna Tartare
Serves 6 to 8
From "Extra Virgin"
By Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar

2 tuna steaks (3/4 pound each), 1 1/4 inches thick, finely diced
2 lemons, 1 zested and 1 cut into wedges for squeezing
10 fresh mint leaves, finely sliced (chiffonade-style), plus sprigs for garnish
6 fresh basil leaves, finely sliced (chiffonade-style), plus sprigs for garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Flatbread crackers, broken into bite-size pieces

In a large bowl, combine the tuna, lemon zest, mint and basil. Stir gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If using olive oil, add it now.

Spoon generous portions of the tartare onto the cracker pieces.

Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon, and garnish with the mint and basil sprigs.

Roast Turkey Breast Barefoot Contessa Style

Roast turkey is a wonderful thing whether it is the fourth Thursday of November or any ole' day of the year.  Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast by Ina Garten is the perfect dish when you want home-cooked turkey deliciousness for a small crowd. Take a look:

You know you want a piece of that, right?!

I make this for my family of three throughout the year, but you could certainly rock it out for a party of up to six to eight for Thanksgiving. This is also a good first venture in turkey cooking for any newbies up in here as there is no trimming and tying and brining and sticking your hand into slimy holes of animals. TMI, but I'm just keeping it real. So, the turkey breast - you got this!

I follow the recipe exactly but I often use dried sage since it is a rare occasion that I find fresh sage in my markets. And this go-around the thyme in the store was a bust, so my dried spice to the rescue!

I like to whip up a gravy rather than just using the pan juices as Garten recommends. I mean, if you are having turkey in any form it needs gravy, in my humble opinion.

To make the turkey gravy, I place the roasting pan over a burner on medium heat. I add one .87 ounce packet of McCormick turkey gravy mix and 1 to 2 Tbsp. flour to the pan drippings. Whisk into the drippings. Add three to four cups of turkey or chicken broth. Whisk and bring to a simmer. Cook for about five minutes or so. Strain into a second pot for a smooth gravy. And that's it! If you need to adjust the seasonings, go for it.

Here is a pic of my gravy while it's cooking away. I forgot to grab a pick of it all strained and gorg.

 And here is how the turkey looks looks all plated up with mashed potatoes and some garlicky broccoli rabe and some silky smooth gravy, baby:

I also served a little romaine salad, too. Because you can never have enough veg!

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Serves 6 to 8
From "Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That?"
By Ina Garten

1 whole bone-in turkey breast (6 1/2 to 7 pounds)
2 Tbsp. good olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan, skin side up.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper.

Rub the mixture evenly all over the skin of the turkey breast (You can also loosen the skin and smear half of the paste underneath, directly onto the meat.) Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest and meatiest area of the breast. Check the breast after an hour or so; if the skin is overbrowning, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

When the turkey is done, remove from the oven, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and allow the turkey to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm with the pan juices.