Chocolate Ricotta Mousse

So last night I had a hankering for something sweet. I thought about making cookies, but every recipe I found called for something I didn’t have on hand. I would have LOVED a cake! But that would have taken too much time. Then I found this recipe that I had saved from Real Simple magazine. 3 ingredients! And I had them! Although the ricotta I had was left over from another recipe, so I only had 1 cup left over. So I halved everything in the recipe, and this was great! My food processor broke while I was blending it, so it doesn’t look as pretty as it should, but it was still great! This is a very handy recipe to have on hand when you get that craving, because it took like 5 minutes to make. Easy!

rating: 9

Chocolate Ricotta Mousse
(from the Feb. 2009 issue of Real Simple magazine)

Ingredients

* 1 15-ounce container ricotta (about 2 cups)
* 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
* 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted, plus more, shaved, for topping

Directions

1. In a food processor, blend the ricotta, sugar, and melted chocolate until smooth.
2. Divide among bowls and top with the shaved chocolate. (The mousse can be refrigerated until ready to serve, up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Product Review: Morningstar Farms Grillers California Turk’y

I am not a huge fan of veggie burgers (I much prefer veggie dogs, and Morningstar Farms has hurt my heart by discontinuing their veggie dogs), but I saw these at that grocery store and figured that since they are “turkey”, I would give them a chance. I baked them in the oven, turning them once about halfway. These were GOOD! I do believe that this is Morningstar Farms first fake turkey product, and I like it! These “burgers” have a little bit of avocado and tomato baked in them. I added another slice of tomato to mine, and some mustard, and put it on a whole wheat bun. Yumm-O. I served these with some baked sweet potato fries and coleslaw. I will buy these again.

rating: 9

Golden Potato Latkes

I’m always looking for new side dishes to make, and this one was a winner. I think I said “wow, these are really good!” three times during dinner. I tried to grate the onion like it says, but nothing was happening, so I chopped it instead. In the one lone review of this on the website, the person mentioned how frying these in butter AND oil gave them a funny taste, so I just used a tiny bit of butter and mostly oil. These were really good! I think what made them taste a little different and good was the matzo meal! I served these with a dollop of sour cream (Toby used ketchup), and then some Riblets and some green beans.

rating: 9

Golden Potato Latkes
(from www.southernliving.com)

Yield: Makes about 2 dozen
Ingredients

* 3  pounds  Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled
* 1  medium onion
* 2  tablespoons  lemon juice
* 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/2  cup  unsalted matzo meal
* 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
* 3/4  teaspoon  pepper
* 6  tablespoons  butter
* 6  tablespoons  peanut oil
* Kosher salt
* Garnishes: small Yukon gold potatoes, green onions

Preparation

1. Grate potatoes and onion through large holes of a box grater; toss with lemon juice. Spread mixture onto 2 clean, dry kitchen towels. Roll up each towel, starting with 1 long side. Wring towels to squeeze out excess liquid. Place potato mixture in a large bowl.

2. Stir in eggs, matzo meal, salt, and pepper. (Mixture will by dry but will hold its shape when pressed together.)

3. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter with 2 Tbsp. oil in a deep electric skillet heated to 375° or in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Drop 6 to 8 loosely packed 1/4 cupfuls potato mixture into hot butter mixture; press lightly to flatten into 3-inch rounds. Cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with additional salt. Repeat procedure with remaining butter, oil, and potato mixture. Serve latkes immediately, or keep warm on a wire rack on a baking sheet in a 250° oven up to 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

Ricotta Omelet With Swiss Chard

I love an omelet for dinner. It makes me feel so French. And I tell you, I am in LOVE with Swiss Chard!! So flavorful and good FOR you. The omelet by itself was a little plain, but if you got a little omelet on your fork with a little chard? Oh my! Really good! Next time I will go a little crazy and put the chard IN the omelet! With this I served some Crash Hot Potatoes and some crusty peasant bread. We ate this by candlelight and spoke only in French. Just kidding about the French part.

rating: 9

Ricotta Omelet With Swiss Chard
(from www.realsimple.com)

Serves 1

Hands-On Time: 10m  Total Time: 10m
Ingredients

* 3 eggs
* 1 tablespoon milk or water
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 bunch Swiss chard, cleaned and stemmed
* 1/3 cup ricotta

Directions

1. Crack the eggs into a small mixing bowl. Add the milk or water, salt, and pepper. Briskly stir with a fork until well beaten; set aside.
2. In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add 4 or 5 of the Swiss chard leaves and sauté until just wilted. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet, then slowly pour in the egg mixture, tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Let the eggs firm up a little, allowing some of the remaining liquid to flow to the sides of the pan. Continue to cook for about another minute, but while the center is still a bit runny, spoon in the ricotta. Tilt the pan to one side and, using a spatula, fold about 1/3 of the omelet over the ricotta filling. Shake the pan gently to slide the omelet to the edge. Holding the pan near the serving plate, tip it so the omelet slides onto the plate.
4. Serve with the Swiss chard.

Southwest Black Bean Soup

I have to say that this is probably the fastest soup I have ever made, and it was actually really good! Again, I marvel at how you can just combine a few simple ingredients and the next thing you know, you have soup! It’s like magic! We all really liked this soup, and there wasn’t much left over. I was going to serve this with some tortilla chips, but then at the last minute decided to make some simple cheese quesadillas. Yay for quick and easy recipes!

rating: 9.4

Southwest Black Bean Soup
(from the magazine “First For Women”)

1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained (but keep 1 can separate)
1 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth
1 tsp ground cumin

In a sauce pot over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic in the oil for about 2 minutes, or until onions are tender. Remove from heat. In a food processor, pulse onions, garlic, and 1 can of the black beans, about 10 times. Return to the sauce pot. Add the rest of the beans, the broth, and the cumin. Cook 5 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with sour cream and parsley spring, if desired.

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone

I think this is the second risotto I’ve ever made. I had a few problems with this. First of all, I forgot how you have to constantly stir the risotto while it is cooking, and I didn’t have my ingredients ready to go! Also, once I was at “the end” of stirring in all of my broth mixture, the risotto was still crunchy! I had to get some more broth going ASAP and stir it in. This ended up being VERY RICH but it was ok. I had planned on it being the main dish (along with a salad), but it was so rich, I thought “I can’t eat a big bowl of this!”, so I made some fake-chicken strips to go along with it. That mascarpone was yummy, though.

rating: 7

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone
(from www.cookinglight.com)

Ingredients

* 2  cups  boiling water
* 1  cup  dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
* 1  (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth  (I used a vegetarian “beef” broth)
* Cooking spray
* 1  cup  uncooked Arborio rice
* 3/4  cup  chopped shallots
* 2  garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2  cup  dry white wine
* 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
* 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh thyme
* 1/2  teaspoon  salt
* 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
* 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
* Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.

2. Bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm.

3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).

4. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Add mushrooms, grated cheese, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently until cheese melts. Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon mascarpone and thyme leaves, if desired.

Bowties and Spicy Broccoli Rabe with Crunchy Crumbs

I always try to have one pasta dish a week (it’s hard keeping it to just one- I love pasta!). I used to be very picky about my pasta shapes…for a while I would only eat angel hair pasta (it’s still my favorite), but have since branched out into other shapes. I didn’t read this recipe close enough when I was making out my grocery list. I have a huge jar of minced garlic in the fridge, but this recipe calls for whole garlic. The head of garlic I have had sitting on my kitchen counter for, oh, 2 years, would have to do. As I started peeling it, I realized it was way past its prime, but I used it anyway. This was my first time using broccoli rabe. I wasn’t quite sure what parts to keep and what parts to trash. It tasted ok, though.  I did leave out the chili (Toby added a shake of cayenne pepper to his). This actually turned out pretty good. Next time I will use more garlic (and fresh garlic!) and maybe use 2 dinner rolls. Those “crunchy crumbs” on top really added a lot. I served this with some cheesy garlic bread and a green salad.

rating: 8.5

Bowties and Spicy Broccoli Rabe with Crunchy Crumbs
(from www.rachaelraymag.com)

Ingredients:

* 1 head garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves and base of each clove trimmed
* 1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 pound farfalle (bowtie) pasta
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* Salt and pepper
* 1 red chile, seeded and finely chopped
* 1 dinner roll, finely ground
* 1 pint ricotta cheese

Directions:

1. Fill a large saucepan three-quarters full with water. Add the garlic, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes; transfer the garlic to a plate. Reserve the saucepan of boiling water. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and halve lengthwise.
2. Add the broccoli rabe to the boiling water and cook until the stems are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse with cold water until cool.
3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente.
4. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved broccoli rabe and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, stir in the chile and transfer to a medium bowl. Wipe the skillet clean, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and warm over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups of the dinner roll breadcrumbs (reserve any remainder for another use) and cook, stirring, until browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and return to the pot. Stir in the ricotta and reserved pasta water, then the broccoli rabe mixture; season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 plates and top with the crunchy breadcrumbs.

Double-Decker Shepherd’s Pie

Ok, this is the last recipe for a while that I will use Quorn Grounds! LOL. I do love them, but I feel like I’ve been eating them a lot lately. So the most time-consuming part of this recipe is peeling and chopping the potatoes. And waiting for them to boil. I left out the chili, and added some shredded mild cheddar on top for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Everything is better with cheese, right? This was good, although Toby and I both agreed it lacked something. Toby suggested (because he knows about this kind of stuff) that next time I cook the Quorn Grounds in some veggie broth beforehand. Also, I think I will cook the mushrooms a little bit longer. Pretty good, though.

rating: 8.5

Double-Decker Shepherd’s Pie
(from the magazine “Everyday with Rachael Ray)

Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 1 cup heavy cream
* Salt and pepper
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* One 8-ounce package white mushrooms, caps quartered and stems chopped
* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 1 bunch scallions, green portions thinly sliced, white portions finely chopped
* 1 large poblano chile, seeded and finely chopped

Directions:

1.Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425°. In a saucepan, combine the potatoes with salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water; return the potatoes to the pot. Mash with the cream until smooth; season with salt.
2.In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate. Crumble the beef evenly across the pan and cook, undisturbed, until the liquid cooks off and the meat begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the finely chopped scallions, the poblano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved mushrooms, 1/4 cup mashed potatoes and the reserved 1 cup cooking water. Lower the heat and simmer until the juices are thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3.Spread slightly more than half of the potatoes evenly in a greased 9-by-11-inch baking dish. Spoon the meat mixture evenly on top, then spoon the remaining mashed potatoes evenly across the filling to enclose. Bake until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the sliced scallions; let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Mexican Casserole

I sure have been using a lot of Quorn Grounds lately. They are really my favorite ground beef substitute. And here’s another great recipe from Cooking Light magazine! This is another quick and relatively easy recipe to throw together. I was out of chili powder, and was worried that would mess the dish up, but it didn’t. I think the real secret ingredient of this dish is the tiny amount of lime juice! It really adds a special something. To me this taste a little like I remember Nachos Bel Grande tasting at Taco Bell. Really good.

rating: 9
Mexican Casserole
(from Cooking Light magazine)
Ingredients

* 4  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
* 1  cup  chopped onion
* 2  garlic cloves, minced
* 1  jalapeño pepper, minced (I omitted)
* 1  teaspoon  chili powder (I omitted)
* 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
* 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
* 1  (12-ounce) package meatless fat-free crumbles (such as Lightlife Smart Ground)- I used 1 bag of Quorn Grounds
* 48  baked tortilla chips
* Cooking spray
* 1  (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
* 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice
* 2  cups  chopped seeded plum tomato
* 2  tablespoons  minced fresh cilantro (I omitted)
* 1/4  teaspoon  salt
* 1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 2  tablespoons  fat-free sour cream
* 2  tablespoons  chopped green onions (I omitted)
* 1/4  cup  sliced ripe olives

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and jalapeño; cook 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and crumbles; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Arrange half of tortilla chips in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; top evenly with crumbles mixture.
3. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in skillet over medium heat. Add beans, mashing with the back of a wooden spoon until chunky and thick; cook 2 minutes or until heated, stirring constantly. Stir in lime juice.
4. Combine tomato, cilantro, and salt. Layer beans and tomato mixture over crumbles mixture in dish. Top with remaining tortilla chips, pressing to slightly crush. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake at 375° for 13 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Cut casserole into 6 equal pieces; top each serving with 1 teaspoon sour cream, 1 teaspoon onions, and 2 teaspoons olives.

Spanish Spaghetti with Olives

I am so glad I subscribed to Cooking Light magazine. I have found so many good recipes there! Like this one! My only problem with this recipe is that I made too much pasta. I can never figure out how much to cook! Anyone else have that problem? This recipe came together really quickly, and everyone liked it. I think next time I will add more capers and more olives (Liam loves olives, so Toby and I were picking through our pasta and giving our olives to him!). This one is a keeper! I served this with some garlic bread.

PS: I was going to use saffron, and when I went to buy it I found 2 different brands, but they were both $15+. I need to find a cheaper source of saffron!

rating: 9.5

Spanish Spaghetti with Olives
(from www.cookinglight.com)

Ingredients

* 8  ounces  thin spaghetti
* 1  tablespoon  olive oil
* 2  cups  chopped onion
* 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
* 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
* 1/2  teaspoon  celery salt (I used celery seed and some salt)
* 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
* 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4  teaspoon  crushed saffron threads (optional)- I omitted
* 8  ounces  extra-lean ground beef (I used 1 bag of Quorn Grounds)
* 1 2/3  cups  marinara sauce
* 1/2  cup  sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
* 1/4  cup  dry sherry
* 1  tablespoon  capers
* 1/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley, divided (I omitted)

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in oregano, celery salt, red pepper, black pepper, and saffron, if desired. Crumble beef into pan; cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in marinara sauce, olives, sherry, capers, and 3 tablespoons parsley. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Add spaghetti to sauce mixture. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.