Spinach Stuffed Shells

Cooking for two is tricky sometimes -- if you make too much, you'll have leftovers coming out of your ears, and if you make too little, there's no chance of anyone having seconds.

I have a few trusty dishes that are the right size for two -- enough for hearty portions and a day or two of leftovers, perfect for taking to the office for lunch or a tasty midnight snack.

These stuffed shells are a quick and easy, with an infusion of spinach for a bit of color. Paired with a nice salad and glass of wine, your Tuesday night can turn into a lovely dinner date for two.

Spinach Stuffed Shells

Dinner for Two? Done.

Ingredients:
1 package large-sized pasta shells
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2-3 cups ricotta cheese (If you can find smoked ricotta, even better!)
Couple splashes light cream or half/half
S/P to taste
Garlic powder
Italian herb seasoning
1 jar of quality spaghetti sauce
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese

To Do:

• Prepare pasta shells per packaging directions -- boil until al dente and then drain. 
• Let cool on a baking sheet
• In a large bowl, mix together the spinach, ricotta, cream, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and the seasonings.
• Fill the cooled shells with the spinach mixture and place in one layer of a 9x9 oven-safe dish that's been lightly covered with some of the pasta sauce. (The best way to fill the pan is to build an outside frame of shells, then fill in the center.)
• Cover shells with the rest of tomato sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake until cheese is melty and bubbly. Sprinkle with more chopped spinach or fresh basil if you have some on hand.
• Serve with a green salad and crusty bread, or as a side dish.

Yum.

xoxo

Shopping List: Fancy Tuna Fish in a Jar

I have a confession. I've switched teams, folks. No more canned tuna for Chez Gourmess. I've taken a leap of faith and happily joined the jarred tuna camp. Yes, you might spend a few more dollars on it, but the quality and taste are worth the extra $ alone. So, go find a lovely jar of tuna -- plain or with some added seasoning, and definitely packed in olive oil not water --  and put it in your cart.

Just this once -- trust me.

My new favorite -- plain or with some pizazz!

Once you get it home, here's what to do with your fancy tuna:

• Heat crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, a couple TBS of butter and some olives or capers in a pan and add in the tuna. Toss with pasta and top with some grated Romano cheese. Divine!
• Make The Best Tuna Salad Ever.
• Add it to your cheese/charcuterie plate.
• Make a tuna melt -- use a sharp or smoked cheddar or Gouda.
• Add tuna to some sun-dried tomatoes, olives and a bit of balsamic glaze and toss with your favorite greens for a lovely salad.
• Make egg salad, spread onto a sliced croissant and top with tuna and juicy slices of tomato
• Eat it right out of the jar.

Yum.

xoxo,

LPG

Wedding Revisited

“We had a happy marriage because we were together all the time. We were friends as well as husband and wife. We just had a good time.”― Julia Child

This is the second year in a row that I've been in London for work and have missed our wedding anniversary. (Sorry, Chris!) This year is #14 -- not a silver/gold momentous occasion, but something to celebrate for sure. Our wedding was one of the best weekends ever and the one thing I remember the most from way back then is how much fun everyone was having during our wedding weekend.

We got married in the Adirondacks, just in time for the changing of the leaves from bright summer green to autumnal reds, yellow golds, burnt oranges and muddy browns. The cool air smelled sweet and there was music and sunshine and hearts were happy. Every time fall rolls around, I start to feel the same way as I did that day  -- blessed and lucky.

Our petite wedding cakes -- mini cakes for all!

One of my favorite things about our wedding meal was the mini wedding cakes we served each of our guests. (Chris and I spent hours painting the bride on the toppers blonde to match my hair.) They were unique and cute and of course delicious with raspberry preserves tucked into the center -- a great reminder that life is sweet.

So, on the anniversary of this glorious day, I wish for you that your days will always be sweet and full of good times with your best friend, just like they are at Chez Gourmess.

Cheers to a lifetime of love, leaves and laughter. 

xoxo,

LPG

Slow Cooking: Chicken with Apples and Such

I've been traveling for work a lot this year -- poor Chris has had to fend for himself for more days than I'd like to admit between May and the end of this month. He's pretty great at breakfast, and is very self-sufficient, but I do like to leave him something in the slow cooker to enjoy when I'm gone.

So tonight, while I arrive in  jolly old England for a week in the London office, he can dig into a steaming, fragrant bowl of slow-cooked chicken breast that's seasoned with a pinch or three of garam masala (a lovely mix of cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg).

Ingredients for Yum.

Slow Cooker Chicken with Apples and Such

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small bag tri-color baby carrots, chopped
• 4 apples, seeded, cored and chopped
• Salt/Pepper at will
• Pinch Herbes de Provence
• 2-3 pinches Garam Masala
• Pinch bacon salt
• 2 TBS or so of smoked maple syrup (or regular if you can't find smoked)

To Do:

• Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker crock and put on the 6 hour setting.
• Pack your bags, jump in the car, head to the airport and know that even though you get to chill in the BA Lounge, your hubs is eating better than you are.
• Miss him terribly for the next week.

Chris can ladle this over a mountain of quick-cooking couscous or cut thick slices of crusty bread to dip in the bowl while he sits on the couch, gets caught up on Netflix, and enjoys some bachelor time for the next several days. (If I can't be there to snuggle up next to him, at least I know he'll be eating well.)

Cheers!

xoxo,
LPG

My Favorite: Apple Pie in a Jar

We celebrate the end of summer with an annual trip to Vermont. The fresh air, Lake Champlain (or "Lake Champagne" as I call it since vaca is all about cocktail hour) and the Adirondack and Green Mountain views are a wonderful respite from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, and the food -- oh the food. It's the literal version of "Farm to Table."

At the end of vacation, we head to the country store and stock up on our favorite Vermont treats before the sad drive home, and I never fail to grab a couple jars of Maple Apple Drizzle, a.k.a. "The Apple Pie in a Jar."  It's delightful.

"The Apple Pie in a Jar"

What shall we do with this Friday Favorite treat? Here are some ideas:

• Grease a cupcake tin and cut pie dough into circles the size of a small saucer, then place/press into the cupcake pan sections and bake until lightly golden. Alternatively, roll out cinnamon roll dough and do the same. Then, fill the baked mini pie crusts with the Maple Apple Drizzle, and warm in the oven. Top with shredded sharp cheddar or crumbled bleu cheese.
• Fill crescent roll dough with a spoonful, roll up and bake as directed
• Top your favorite vanilla ice cream or stir into plain or vanilla yogurt
• A great alternative or addition to syrup for pancakes and waffles
• Scoop some into a nice dish and add to your cheese platter at your next party
• Fold into cream cheese and top bagels and muffins
• Add a spoonful or two along with chopped apples, onions to your next pork roast pan
• Stir into applesauce 
• Use in fall/winter cocktails that call for maple syrup (strain out the apple pieces first)
• Or, just eat by the spoonful -- no judgment!

Sounds good to me.

Happy Friday!

xoxo,
LPG

Make-It-Up Monday: Potato and Leek Soup with Chicken and Mushrooms

Mondays are hard.

The last thing anyone wants to do after a full day at work is come home and make a complicated, three course meal involving so many ingredients and prep bowls and pans that you run out of room on the kitchen counters. Slow cooker leftovers make weeknight cooking a breeze, but the enthusiasm for a dish can wear off after having the same meal (or a version of it) two nights in a row, so Monday night means coming up with something new.

But no need to stress. I use Monday night as the time to clean out the fridge and pantry and turn it all into an easy, delicious meal. Just take a look at what you have and get creative -- but not too crazy, it's Monday after all. Have leftover roast chicken? Frozen veggies? Crescent roll dough or biscuit mix? Turn it into a Monday night version of Chicken Pot Pie. Too much cooked spinach or veggies left over from your weekend trip to the farmers' market? Whisk together some eggs and butter and cheese, add the spinach and some sautéed onions and maybe a splash of cream, and make a Monday night Quiche. Leftover meatloaf? Chop it up and gently warm in your favorite tomato sauce, then server over pasta -- Monday night Spaghetti and Meat(loaf)balls. You get the idea, yes?

Tonight, we're having a Monday night version of Potato and Leek Soup, but with a twist. I had onion left over from the Slow Cooker Chicken Chili with Sweet Potato and Peppers, and a leek and mushrooms from my latest organic box delivery. The chicken was in the freezer, and the spices and stock were in the pantry.

Tip: To thaw frozen meat quickly, keep in plastic packaging or put in a freezer bag, and place in a bowl full of cold water. Pour out the water after about 5 mins and refill the bowl. After about 3-4 refills, the chicken should be thawed.

Once I had my ingredients, I went to work on my basic routine for making a soup/stew -- heat butter or oil in a large pot, soften onions/garlic/leeks, add other veggies in order of how long it will take them to cook starting with the longest (potatoes), add some liquid to aid in cooking, brown your meat (or don't), add it, some seasonings and more liquid, then cover. Let the magic of Monday night cookery do the rest.

Potato and Leek Soup with Chicken and Mushrooms

Monday Night, Done Right!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 leek, washed and chopped (white end only)
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 handfuls of wild mushrooms (mixed types), cleaned and chopped
• 3 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cubed
• Olive oil
• Herbes de Provence
• Salt/Pepper to taste

To Do:

• Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, then add in the onion, garlic and leeks and cook until tender. 
• Stir in the potatoes and 1/2 of the stock and simmer uncovered until liquid starts to thicken, about 5-10 minutes. 
• Add in the mushrooms and continue to simmer.
• In the meantime, brown the chicken in a medium pan with a bit of olive oil, then drain and set aside. Note: don't cook through -- just brown it.
• Add in the chicken, remaining stock and TBS or so of the HdP and heaping pinches of S/P
• Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the stock is velvety and thick (the starch in the potatoes will help with this). Ideally, let it simmer on low at least another 15 minutes -- 20 if you have the time. You can test the chicken after 15 min, and if it is tender and juicy, it's time to turn off the heat and remove the pot to a cool burner. If not, give it a few minutes more.
• Serve with crusty bread, some nice cheeses (Manchego, Bleu, Aged Gouda, etc.) and maybe a simple salad of butter lettuce or arugula wtih diced heirloom tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and splash of red wine vinegar.

Monday night dinner? No problem.

xoxo,

LPG

Slow Cooking: Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Peppers

The Sunday tradition at Chez Gourmess is to sleep in, laze around with a cappuccino à la Chris, and put something delightful in the slow cooker to enjoy the rest of the week.

I love using the slow cooker because I can get creative (no measuring, really), the house smells amazing all day, and there's no stressing since whatever goes into the pot will turn out nicely -- you can't really mess it up.

Ready, Set, Slow!

A few things to note about using a slow cooker:

• Unless you're making a soup, less is more when it comes to liquid so don't overdo it. Basically whatever amount of liquid you have in the pot will at least double when it's done cooking.
• If you're using alcohol in your recipe, a little goes a long way.
• Save the fresh herbs for plating the dish -- use dry in your slow cooker recipe.
• Use a little more seasoning that you normally would if you were stove top or oven cooking. And  before you serve it, see if the seasonings need adjusted, as the lengthy cooking time can reduce some of the strength of your spices.
• Try not to lift the lid while cooking. (Chris polices me on this as the suspense always kills me)
• Brown your protein before adding to the cooker if you can -- it adds a nice depth of flavor and keeps the meat from turning to mush. This includes bacon. No one wants soggy bacon. 
• If you're in a rush and need to use frozen meat, you need to use a high heat setting to avoid bacteria growth as the meat thaws - low and slow is great, but not for this. Keep it to 4 hours.
• If you use frozen veggies, thaw them first and drain to reduce an over abundance of liquid.
• I rarely use beyond the 8 hour setting, and if you're using 10 hours, it should be for a large roast or for pulled pork since any veggies or fruits will basically disintegrate into mush.
• Cook and add rice or pasta after your cooker is done -- if you put it in while cooking it will turn to mush, even at the 30 minute mark as some suggest.

Today's Slow Cooker Sunday recipe welcomes football season and the return to school with a smoky, spicy chili that's relatively healthy to boot.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Peppers

"Mmmm. That's chili you can dance to." -- Chris

Ingredients:

• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Olive oil
• Chili powder
• Paprika
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 pkg ground chicken breast
• 1 pkg spicy chicken sausage, chopped
• 1 bag frozen red, green and yellow bell peppers (thawed and drained)
• 1/2 jar chopped roasted red pepper strips
• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 jar salsa
• Chili sauce
• Optional: Drizzle of Hot Honey

To Do:

• In a large skillet, brown the onion and garlic and seasonings over medium-high heat until soft and fragrant.
• Add in the chicken breast and sausage and cook until browned.
• Lower the heat and add the peppers. Stir until any excess liquid has reduced.
• Remove from heat.
• Add the cubed sweet potatoes to the slow cooker crock and then stir in the salsa and chili sauce -- and the drizzle of honey if using.
• Pour in the chicken/pepper mixture and add a bit more of the spices and stir to combine.
• Set to 6 hour setting, top with lid and go enjoy the beautiful afternoon.
• When done, let cool a bit then season to taste and serve with tortilla chips, or over rice or quinoa, along with sliced avocado and lime wedges and top with shredded smoked cheddar, fresh cilantro, a dollop of Greek yogurt or guacamole, salsa -- or however you like your chili!
• Use leftovers in burritos, top with a runny egg for breakfast, make taco salad, or add a jar of queso and make a dip...yum!

A few other slow cooker favorites:

Harissa Stew

Pulled Pork

Hoisin and Red Wine Beef Roast

Fancy Chicken Stew

Happy Sunday!

xoxo,

LPG