Lentil Vegetable Soup
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons Greek seasoning
1 1/2 cups lentils
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
4 cups water, plus more if needed
Directions
Heat a large soup pot over high heat and swirl in the olive oil. Add the vegetables, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to low and saute until the vegetables are lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add broth, water, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the lentils. Stir well and cover the pan. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes u til the lentils are soft and creamy. Serve hot in soup bowls.
Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Quiche
Ingredients
1 prepared 9-inch pie crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ a large sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup cooked spinach
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy creak
2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a small skillet and saute the onion and pepper until tender and soft/ Stir in the thyme. Set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl combine the spinach, eggs, and cream.
Spread the pastry on a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges.
Spread 1 cup of cheese in the bottom of the crust. Top with the onion and peppers. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
Steaks Au PoivRE
I SERVED BAKED POTATO AND GREEN BEANS WITH THE STEAK.
Ingredients
2 beef tenderloin steaks, 6 oz each
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorn
1 1/2 tablespoons green peppercorns
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup red wine
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Directions
Place the peppercorns in a plastic bag and coarsely crush the peppercorns with a mallet
Pat the filets dry with paper towels. Place the steaks between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to an even ½- inch thick.
Sprinkle the filets with salt and then press the crushed pepper evenly on both sides. Allow resting at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter and the oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high.. Place the steaks in the pan and lower the heat to medium. Saute the steaks for 4 minutes on 1 side and then for 3 minutes on the other side, for medium-rare. Remove the steaks to a serving platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the saute pan. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the wine and stir. Add the cream and stir. Return the steaks to the pan and the pan and coat the steaks in the sauce.
Mahi Mahi
Ingredients
3 ¼-inch slices of red onion from a large onion, cut in half
8 (6ounces) mini sweet bell peppers, seeded and quartered
1 clove garlic, grated
1 teaspoon fajita seasoning or taco seasoning
2 Mahi Mahi fillets about 5 ounces each
¼ cup salsa
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Avocado oil
1 lime
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Heat one tablespoon of avocado oil in a medium skillet. Add the sliced onions and peppers.
Drizzle a teaspoon of oil in the bottom of a small baking dish.
place the mahi-mahi pieces on top and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon and drizzle with butter, top with sliced lemon, and sprinkle with the parsley and cilantro, cover and bake at 350 for about 30 mins or slightly firm to touch.
Black Bean And Corn Saute
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/21 a small onion, finely chopped
1 cup cooked with cooking liquid or canned black beans
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup canned green chiles, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup fresh corn kernels
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and very soft, about 10 minutes.
Drain the black beans, and reserve 1/4 cup of the liquid. Add the beans, the reserved bean liquid, and the remaining ingredients to the saucepan; cover, raise heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately.
Beef Stroganoff
Serve with a salad.
Ingredients
1 pound beef tenderloin fillet tips
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter,
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 small onion, sliced
4 oz sliced mushrooms
2 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
5-6 oz egg noodles, cooked to package directions
Chopped parsley leaves, garnish
Directions
Cook the noodles, drain, and reserve.
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Add beef and flour mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until beef is browned. Gradually add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add mushrooms; cover and cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
Reduce heat to low; gradually stir in sour cream mixture. Cook, uncovered, 1 minute or until heated (do not boil). Stir in parsley, if desired. Serve over the egg noodles.
2 servings
Ingredients
For the lamb: marinade
4 small loin lamb chops {grass-fed}
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
’Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the ingredients in a plastic zip; lock the bag and add the lamb. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
For the mustard sauce:
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ cup chicken or beef stock
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon instant flour {Wondra}
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat all the ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat until thickened. Keep warm.
Cooking the lamb
Preheat an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill or an air fryer; Drain the lamb and grill for 6 minutes on one side and 6-7 minutes more on the second side, Place the lamb on a serving dish and spoon the mustard sauce over the lamb.
Honey-Ginger Oven Roasted Carrots
For 2 servings
Ingredients
4 large organics carrots (cut into 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. with a cover
Pour the oil into a small baking dish. Add the carrots and drizzle with the honey. Sprinkle the ginger, salt and pepper over the carrots. Mix everything well. Cover the dish.
Bake for 30 minutes until just tender.
Italian Style Rice
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 green onion minced
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1 cup chicken stock
1 /2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Sauté green onion on a medium saucepan with 1 tablespoon of oil until soft. Add garlic and rice. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
Lower the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook 15 minutes. Add the peas and parsley. Cover the pan and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the cheese snd serves with the fish.
Italian Style Sea Bass
Ingredients
12 oz Chilean sea bass, cut into 2 portions
1 fresh lemon squeezed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
2 pats butter
Salt, pepper to taste
1 tablespoon each fresh parsley, basil, minced
1/4 cup or more of Italian flavored bread crumbs
Directions
Oil a baking pan large enough to hold the fish.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
Lay the Sea Bass skin side down in the pan.
Whisk the lemon juice with the dill, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, and garlic together.
Drizzle over each piece of fish, reserving some for the top.
Top each fillet with Italian bread crumbs and a pat of butter…
Bake in a preheated oven for around 20 minutes.
Baked Tomato Slices
Ingredients
1 large beefsteak tomato
2 ¼ inch thick slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
Several fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Directions
Cut the tomato in half horizontally. Place them I cut the dude up in a small baking dish.
Top with mozzarella and basil. Drizzle with oil.
Place in the oven for the last 5 minutes of the fish’s baking time.
Italian Style Rice And Peas
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 green onion minced
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1 cup chicken stock
1 /2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Sauté green onion on a medium saucepan with 1 tablespoon of oil until soft. Add garlic and rice. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
Lower the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook 15 minutes. Add the peas and parsley. Cover the pan and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the cheese snd serves with the fish.
Healthy Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Makes about 1/2 cup. Can easily be doubled.
Ingredients:
Dressing
1/2 small clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salad
Half a head of Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces and1/2 cup croutons
Directions:
Place garlic and salt in a medium bowl and mash with the back of a spoon to form a paste. Add lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, anchovy paste, and pepper; whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly. Add cheese and whisk to combine.
Chicken Piccata
Ingredients
Four 6 oz boneless, skinless cutlets (turkey, chicken, veal, pork, or fish), pounded until thin
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, preferably Wondra
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons white wine, or dry vermouth
1 lemon, juiced (4 tablespoons),
1 tablespoon capers
Directions
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly coat in flour. Shake off excess.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter, swirl them around the pan, and add the cutlets. Turn the heat to medium and saute for 2 minutes per side. Add the wine, lemon juice, and capers, swirl them around in the pan and turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
Orecchiette Pasta
Ingredients
Hakf Pound Dried Orecchiette Pasta
2 large zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
2 cloves garlic, minced
Half a red onion sliced thin
Salt & Pepper To Taste
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced into thin strips
Directions
Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook as per package instructions until the last 4-5 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and reserve one cup of pasta water.
In the drained pasta pot, pour 3 tablespoons of the sundried tomato oil into the pot and heat until warm. Add the zucchini and remaining ingredients. Stir and cook for three minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Return the pasta to the pot and adding water as needed to keep it moist.
While this post is about dinner for two, I am posting my traditional meatball recipe because when I make the entire recipe. That way I can freeze them in small batches for the future. Add a Garden Salad to round out the menu.
Italian Meatballs
Makes 18 to 20 meatballs. Make the meatball mixture early in the day.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground pork
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs
1 cup freshly grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
3 tablespoons chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3cups stale Italian bread, crumbled
1 ½ cups lukewarm water
Olive oil
Directions
Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Blend bread crumbs into the meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still, hold its shape. Refrigerate for several hours.
Shape the meat mixture into 3-inch balls.
Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches.
When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp, remove it from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)
For dinner for two;
Place a ladle of sauce in a small baking dish. Place 4 meatballs in the dish. Cover with sauce. Cover the dish and bake in the oven with the ravioli.
Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup tomato paste
¼ cup of chopped fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper (optional)
Two 26 oz containers can of finely chopped Italian tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and stir until well mixed. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook partially covered for 1 hour.
Ravioli Bake
I love that ravioli; i can be cooked this. No more breaking apart in boiling water. If you double the recipe use two baking dishes that can go into the dishwasher. The ravioli need to be in a single layer to cook properly.
Ingredients
2 cups marinara sauce
Half a package of frozen cheese-filled ravioli (25 to 27 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Defrost the ravioli on a plate in a single layer covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom and sides of rectangular baking dish 13x9x2-inches, with cooking spray.
Spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce in a baking dish. Arrange the ravioli in a single layer over the sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in center.
Salmon
2 servings
Ingredients
2 salmon filets (6-7 oz. each), skin om
2 thin pats of butter
2 teaspoons honey
Topping
1/2cup finely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Sp Coat an 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray
Place the pats of butter in the baking dish and place the salmon fillets on top skin side down. Brush each fillet with a teaspoon of honey.
Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Divide the mixture in half and press onto the salmon fillets.
Bake the salmon for 15-19 minutes.
Boils Potatoes With Herb Butter
Ingredients
2 lbs new potatoes
1 teaspoon salts
Sauce
¼ cup butter
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Wash the potatoes well. Cut each in half. Cover with cold water, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
Drain the potatoes in a colander. In the same cooking pot add the sauce ingredients and simmer over low heat until the butter melts, Add the potatoes, stir well and let heat for a minute or two.
Dilled Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled
2 large green onions, diced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
Directions
Halve cucumbers lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out and discard seeds. Slice crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick pieces. Place in a colander set over a bowl, and toss with 2 teaspoons of salt; let stand for 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, dill, vinegar, green onions, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Remove cucumbers from the colander, and pat dry with paper towels. Add to bowl with t dressing; toss to combine.
Pizza Margarita
Marinara Pizza Sauce
1 cup Italian crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 dried Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper
Dough
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup lukewarm water
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Topping
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz sliced fresh mozzarella
A large handful of fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Directions
For the dough
Combine all the ingredients for the dough in the large bowl of an electric mixer and with Cthe paddle attachment mix until the ingredients come together around the paddle. Attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.
For an overnight rise: Spray a large ziplock plastic bag with olive oil cooking spray. Place the dough in the bag and close the top. Place the bag in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to make the pizza, remove the bag from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making the pizza.
Turn the oven to 450 degrees F and let the oven heat for 30 minutes.
For the sauce
Combine the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl
For the pizza
Prepare the crust: flour your hands lightly and pat the dough evenly into a lightly oiled 16″ pizza pan.
Brush the dough lightly with olive oil.
Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the sauce,
Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and cover the baked dough with fresh mozzarella slices and basil leaves.
Bake 8-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the crust is lightly brown.
Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
