Smoked Turkey Sausage and Greens with Penne

Our winter CSA provide ample greens each week. This recipe is a tasty way to use them.

Smoked Turkey Sausage and Greens with Penne

4 c water
salt
1 lb whole wheat penne
1 lb mixed greens (kale, mustard, etc)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lg onion, minced
1 T anchovy paste
1 t salt
1 t ground black pepper
2 t Trader Joe's South African Smoked Pepper
4 T olive oil
1 pkg smoked turkey sausage, sliced
2-3 T Parmesan cheese

Bring water to a rolling boil. Add a generous shake of salt. Cook penne according to package directions.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion and garlic and anchovy paste. Saute for a couple of minutes and add mixed greens and sliced sausage. Season with salt, pepper and a few twists of Trader Joe's South African Smoked Pepper.

When pasta is done, drain and add to the large skillet. Toss to coat and saute for  a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Serve with salad greens and additional Parmesan cheese.

Celeriac Soup

Celeriac is also known as celery root. It has a really mild taste and is readily available in grocery stores in the fall. I used to make this soup for a friend who had difficulty keeping other foods down due to the effects of chemotherapy. It is delicious and the bonus for making it now means that I can remember him.

My celeriac soup

2 - 3 lb of celeriac root, peeled and chopped

2 leeks, chopped

1 apple, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 potatoes, chopped

4 ribs of celery, chopped

4 T butter

1 clove garlic

32 oz chicken broth

13 oz chicken stock

½ c half and half

Melt butter in large soup pot. Add vegetables and cook until reduced and onion is translucent. Add stock and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Blend to a puree with immersion blender. Add half and half.  Serve with garlic croutons.

Garlic Croutons:

Split a loaf of French bread in half lengthwise. Rub French bread with garlic and cut into pieces.  Toast under broiler until crisp.  Serve with soup.

Claire's Smoked Almond Dip

If Claire is coming over to our house for a party, you can bet that I will ask her to bring this dip (along with her cinnamon rolls)! 

Claire’s Swiss Cheese Bacon Smoked Almond Dip

10 pieces of bacon

8 oz cream cheese, softened

½ c mayonnaise

2 ts Dijon-style mustard

4 green onions, chopped

1 ½ c Swiss cheese, shredded

½ c smoked almonds, chopped

1.     Fry bacon, drain and crumble.

2.     Mix all ingredients and bake in pre-heated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Top with additional sliced almonds.

  

Claire's White Chicken Chili

My friend, Claire, makes the best white chili. Thanks for sharing your recipe! We make this with red chili and cornbread for a chili feed.

White Chicken Chili 

§  1 - 2 lb cooked chicken, cubed (I either poach chicken breasts in chicken broth and then use the broth when called for in the recipe, or buy a rotisserie chicken)

§  1 T oil

§  1 onion

§  3 cans white beans (2 great Northern, 1 garbanzo)

§  1 can Rotel, original

§  3 cloves minced garlic

§  1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

§  2 t ground cumin

§  1 t oregano

§  ½ t cayenne (more or less to taste)

§  14 oz chicken broth

§  3 c shredded Jack cheese

§  1 8 oz carton sour cream

Cook onion and spices in oil until transparent. Combine all but last 2 ingredients in soup pan or crock pot. Cook for 1 hour. Add cheese and sour cream. Heat through.

Curried Mixed Beans and Roasted Veggies with Quinoa

Curried Mixed Beans and Roasted Veggies with Quinoa

1 bag of mixed beans with lentils, pre-soaked and drained

1 32 oz box of chicken or veg stock

1 32 oz box of chicken or veg broth

1-2 eggplant

3 delicata squash

2 onion

3 carrot

1 sweet potato

3 peppers

1 bunch kale

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3-4 TBS olive oil

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

2 TBS curry powder

1-2 tsp garam marsala

¼ to ½ c quinoa

1. cut up veg into bite-sized  pieces and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast in 450 oven until caramelized about 30 minutes. Turn veg over about halfway through cook time. Make sure each side is nice and brown.  I use two pans and roast two sets. I use this time to soak the beans.

2. Add broth and stock to soaked beans and bring to boil, then turn down to simmer. Add 2 TBS curry powder and 1-2 tsp of garam marsala.

3. Add kale and chopped garlic. Add quinoa; cook for at least 15 minutes. After veg finished roasting add them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread.

Lentil and Ham Soup

I came across this soup when I searched for something that I could make with lentils and ham. It is a riff on a German lentil soup.

2 c brown lentil, rinsed
3 stalks celery, diced
2 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 qts water
1 pkg Knorr's concentrated beef stock
3 t beef bouillon granules
3 c butternut squash, cubed
2 c diced ham (or sausage would be good; or both!)
2 bay leaves
2 t celery salt
1 t freshly grated nutmeg
5 shakes of hot sauce or 2 t of German/French mustard
1 T worcestershire sauce (or Chinese black vinegar)
1 T dried parsley
2 T fresh cilantro (optional; I just had some that needed to be used so I threw it in there)
2 t caraway seed
1 t freshly cracked pepper
a few twists of TJ's South African Smoke Seasoning

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

Spicy Bacon Peach Chutney (to top your burgers)

My cooking club has an annual picnic where one of the things that people bring is a gourmet burger topping. We've tried many different types of toppings, but this, my friends, is the ultimate burger topping. It is delicious! You could also eat it with crackers.

Spicy Bacon Peach Chutney 

1 lb of thick cut bacon cut into 2 in pieces

4-5 lg sweet onions, cut into 1 in pieces

2 t smoked pepper (I use TJ's South African Smoked Pepper Grinder)

1 t salt,

2 green apples, cut into 1 in pieces

4 peaches, cut into 1 in pieces

1 c apple cider vinegar

1 c water

1 c brown sugar

2 T Dijon mustard

2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced

1 T smoked pepper (I use TJ's South African Smoked Pepper Grinder)

1.     Cook the bacon over medium heat until just beginning to get crispy. Remove from pan. Add onions and sprinkle with salt and smoked pepper. Cook, letting them brown and stirring, brown and stirring, until caramelized up to 1 hour. You really want to get those sticky brown bits.

2.     Put green apples, peaches, vinegar, water, mustard, brown sugar, jalapeno, and smoked pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer until reduced and thick about 45 min.

3.     Stir in bacon and caramelized onion and simmer together for about 5 min.

4.     Serve on top of your favorite burger or with crackers.

Shredded Chicken with Greens and White Beans

1 pkg split chicken breasts (3 or 4 pieces) with rib meat
2 T olive oil
salt
pepper
TJ's Everyday Seasoning or Smoked Pepper Seasoning
3 lb mixed greens, chopped (chard, kale, beet greens, etc)
2 T chopped garlic
1/4 c white wine
1 T anchovy paste
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes or equivalent fresh
1 14 oz can white kidney beans, drained

Heat oil in deep skillet. Generously season chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, Everyday seasoning and smoked pepper seasoning. Place chicken in skillet skin-side down and cook on medium high heat for 6 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook for another 6 minutes.  Remove chicken and set aside.

Add more oil to the skillet if necessary. Stir in greens until wilted. Add garlic and continue to saute for about a minute. Add wine and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer and add tomatoes, beans, and anchovy paste. Stir until incorporated.

Add chicken back into the pot and cover.  Simmer until chicken's internal temperature comes to 160 F or about 20 minutes. Shred the chicken and stir into the greens.

Serve over brown rice.

Pasta with White Clam Sauce

This is such a delicious recipe. Don't be afraid of all of the garlic -- using both smashed and minced garlic infuses the sauce with more complex flavor. Also, don't be afraid of the anchovies.

1 lb whole wheat noodles (linguine or spaghetti)
1 jar clam juice
1 lg can of clams in juice
1 c white wine
1/4 c olive oil
5 smashed cloves of garlic
5 minced cloves of garlic
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 tin of flat anchovies or 2 t of anchovy paste
1 t lemon peel/zest
salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley
fresh parmesan cheese

Set a pot of salted water to boil. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add smashed garlic cloves and anchovies. When the anchovies have melted into the oil, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for about a minute and add the white wine. Let the wine reduce by half; then, turn the heat down to low. Add clam juice and lemon zest. Add pasta to boiling water and cook for the minimum of cooking time 6-7 minutes. Add clams and their juice to the skillet. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Toss the pasta with the sauce for a couple of minutes for the noodles to finish cooking to al dente. Add parsley, fresh ground pepper and salt to taste.

Turn pasta out into pasta bowl and top with parmesan curls. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the goodness.

My Favorite Trader Joe's Products

My Favorite Trader Joe's Products

I can't help it. There are some things that I can easily find at Trader Joe's that I can't get as easily in other places. I don't like Trader Joe's for their pre-packed foods as much as I love their staples. Do you have some favorites to share?


1. South African Smoked Pepper Grinder
I use this in just about everything. It truly is my favorite thing at Trader Joe's.

2. Everyday Seasoning Grinder
 When I am not using the smoked pepper, I use this. Sometimes I use both!

3. Roasted Corn
You can find this in the frozen section. It is great to add to salads and soups.

4. St. Andres Cheese
This cheese is amazing; it's soft, aged, and rich; reminiscent of butter, but you could eat the whole thing! TJ's is really great for cheese in general. There are many reasonably priced choices.

5. Harvest Grain Blend-This pilaf has such amazing flavor and texture.

6. Coffee -There are so many choices and fair-trade to boot!

7. Tofu- Great tofu for a great price.

8. Light coconut milk - great price!

9.  Wine!

10. Chips and salsa

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a new family favorite. In fact, I made it twice this week.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped

2 jalapeños, minced with seeds and ribs removed

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

½ red onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 T olive oil

1 T cumin

2 t dried oregano

1 small can tomato paste

1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, undrained (I would used diced instead)

1 t salt

1 t ground black pepper

10 – 12 c of equal parts chicken broth and chicken stock

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (or 1 lb of cooked shredded chicken)

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped with stems (reserve some for garnish)

juice of 1 ½ limes (cut more limes into wedges for serving)

2 medium zucchini, diced
1 bag Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn (optional)

For garnish:

Cojita cheese (or Queso Fresco, Chihuahua, Monterrey; or Mexican crema, or sour cream)

Sliced avocado

Crushed tortilla chips

Lime wedges

Chopped cilantro

1.     In a large soup pot, sauté onion, jalapeños, red and green peppers, red onion, garlic in olive oil until onion is transparent. Add cumin, oregano, and tomato paste; then, sauté a few minutes more. Add broth/stock, tomatoes, chicken and salt and pepper, ½ of the cilantro, and lime juice. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer for 30 minutes. A few minutes before serving add zucchini and most of the remaining cilantro (save a couple of T for garnish) and roasted corn if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2.     Serve with garnishes sprinkled on top.