Topic: What are you eating?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yesterday, I made a big batch of stuffed shells.  I used Jumbo shells (normally use manicotti, but grocery store had been out of them for quite some time....why?  Don't know as they had many other types of dried pasta by the same brand!).

Filled them with a mixture of sautéed chopped mushrooms, some garlic, cooked chopped fresh spinach, ricotta, parmesan, an egg, a bit of chopped parsley, freshly grated nutmeg.  Spent ages stuffing them (but enjoyed a classical concert over the radio whilst doing it).  Baked them in a cast iron baking dish with some marinara sauce under them, more sauce on top and sprinkled some more grated parm on top.  Came out nicely and I have a bunch to freeze and was even able to share some of them with a friend.

PD

[OrchestralNut]

Yesterday, I made a big batch of stuffed shells.  I used Jumbo shells (normally use manicotti, but grocery store had been out of them for quite some time....why?  Don't know as they had many other types of dried pasta by the same brand!).

Filled them with a mixture of sautéed chopped mushrooms, some garlic, cooked chopped fresh spinach, ricotta, parmesan, an egg, a bit of chopped parsley, freshly grated nutmeg.  Spent ages stuffing them (but enjoyed a classical concert over the radio whilst doing it).  Baked them in a cast iron baking dish with some marinara sauce under them, more sauce on top and sprinkled some more grated parm on top.  Came out nicely and I have a bunch to freeze and was even able to share some of them with a friend.

PD

Sounds absolutely delicious! 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Sounds absolutely delicious! 

Thanks.  I was quite pleased with how they came out--which is good as it made a lot! lol  Friend was quite happy with how they came out too (I also sent him home with a salad which he complained about at the time, but enjoyed it despite himself in the end.  He keeps saying that he hates salad, but seems to like mine.  It's probably more to do with the effort of making them I suspect.  ).

Do you ever make any sort of stuffed shelves ON?  If so, any favorite stuffing and/or sauce recipes?

PD

[OrchestralNut]

Do you ever make any sort of stuffed shelves ON?  If so, any favorite stuffing and/or sauce recipes?

PD

No, this I have never made. I have made stuffed green peppers once, and only because girlfriend's family had gotten a hold of a huge bulk amount of green peppers. 

I love a freshly made homemade salad, especially during the spring and summer with garden produce.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

No, this I have never made. I have made stuffed green peppers once, and only because girlfriend's family had gotten a hold of a huge bulk amount of green peppers. 

I love a freshly made homemade salad, especially during the spring and summer with garden produce.

Like you, I probably eat more salads during the summertime when you can get wonderful vine-ripened tomatoes, etc.  I'm trying to explore more fall and winter salad recipes.  Part of the trick, though, is finding (and/or adapting) a recipe that isn't for a huge crowd or at least can keep well for several days in the fridge.

When you made your stuffed peppers, did you do a more traditional rice and ground beef recipe?  Or something more contemporary or different?

[OrchestralNut]

When you made your stuffed peppers, did you do a more traditional rice and ground beef recipe?  Or something more contemporary or different?

I think it is more traditional. Here is the recipe.

https://www.spendwithpennies.com/stuffed-peppers/

I think I used all ground beef, instead of ground beef/Italian sausage mix.

Caveat, skip step 3 of pre boiling the peppers. Unnecessary.

[OrchestralNut]

Ahhhhhhh, the wonderful aroma of red peppers roasting in the oven. Bliss!

Making my girlfriend's favourite soup: Roasted Red Pepper and tomato soup.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Ahhhhhhh, the wonderful aroma of red peppers roasting in the oven. Bliss!

Making my girlfriend's favourite soup: Roasted Red Pepper and tomato soup.

Oooh!  That sounds nice!  What all do you put in it?  I love soups! 

PD

[OrchestralNut]

Oooh!  That sounds nice!  What all do you put in it?  I love soups! 

PD

Yup, I make homemade soup probably once a week, minimum.

The recipe is from a Best of Bridge Sunday Suppers cookbook. I've adjusted a few things to make it my own.

General ingredients:

4 large red bell peppers (oven roasted, then peeled)

28 oz. can of diced or whole tomatoes

1 onion, diced

4 cloves of minced garlic

Tsp. of fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

4-5 cups of broth (vegetable, chicken, turkey or ham bone)

2 Bay leaves (always mandatory in a soup, in my opinion)

1 lb of sliced Italian sausage (optional)

1/2 cup of cream (optional)

Cut red peppers in half, place cut side down on a parchment paper or foil lined baking sheet. Roast for about 30-35 minutes at 450 F.  Let cool, then peel off skin.

Cook your sausage in Dutch oven until no longer pink. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside.

Sautée your onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaves, and S&P. Bring to a simmer. Add roasted red peppers and any juices. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Add cream. Let cool for a bit, then purée soup with an immersion blender or other blender until smooth.

Add back your Italian sausage and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Wonderful with some added croutons and grated parmesan cheese.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yup, I make homemade soup probably once a week, minimum.

The recipe is from a Best of Bridge Sunday Suppers cookbook. I've adjusted a few things to make it my own.

General ingredients:

4 large red bell peppers (oven roasted, then peeled)

28 oz. can of diced or whole tomatoes

1 onion, diced

4 cloves of minced garlic

Tsp. of fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

4-5 cups of broth (vegetable, chicken, turkey or ham bone)

2 Bay leaves (always mandatory in a soup, in my opinion)

1 lb of sliced Italian sausage (optional)

1/2 cup of cream (optional)

Cut red peppers in half, place cut side down on a parchment paper or foil lined baking sheet. Roast for about 30-35 minutes at 450 F.  Let cool, then peel off skin.

Cook your sausage in Dutch oven until no longer pink. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside.

Sautée your onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaves, and S&P. Bring to a simmer. Add roasted red peppers and any juices. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Add cream. Let cool for a bit, then purée soup with an immersion blender or other blender until smooth.

Add back your Italian sausage and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Wonderful with some added croutons and grated parmesan cheese.

Thank you for sharing the recipe!  I don't believe that I've ever made a roasted red pepper and tomato soup though I've had it before and like it.  Personally, I'd be tempted to leave out the sausage (though I do enjoy it) and keep it vegetarian (or maybe use chicken stock vs. veggie stock).  Like you, I do make stocks quite often and like to have it on hand.  I do also have cartons on hand of various types of stock too:  chicken, beef (seldom use), vegetable and mushroom. 

For what its worth, I learned a trick from Jacques Pepin:  use an old milk container (this was more in the day when paper cartons were more in the use) or you could use a juice carton, open it up further and when you have extra bits of things like parsley stems, thyme, carrot ends, celery bits, onion bits, etc., add them to the container and keep it in your freezer.  Take it out when you want to make stock and add it into the pot.

PD

[OrchestralNut]

Thank you for sharing the recipe!  I don't believe that I've ever made a roasted red pepper and tomato soup though I've had it before and like it.  Personally, I'd be tempted to leave out the sausage (though I do enjoy it) and keep it vegetarian (or maybe use chicken stock vs. veggie stock).

The sausage is a recent add on of my own. I make it vegetarian just as often!

[OrchestralNut]

For what its worth, I learned a trick from Jacques Pepin:  use an old milk container (this was more in the day when paper cartons were more in the use) or you could use a juice carton, open it up further and when you have extra bits of things like parsley stems, thyme, carrot ends, celery bits, onion bits, etc., add them to the container and keep it in your freezer.  Take it out when you want to make stock and add it into the pot.

PD

That's a good tip. I always have a large freezer bag of vegetable ends on the go (carrots, celery chunks and leaves, bits of herbs, etc) and keep it in the freezer. When the bag gets full, I take it out and make a large batch of vegetable broth or if I have cooked a chicken, turkey or ham, use the bones to combine with the vegetables to make broth.

Then I put them in various sized freezable containers (2 cup or 4 cup size), label and freeze them for future use. Since doing this, I've hardly ever bought store broth and have wasted few vegetable scraps! 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

That's a good tip. I always have a large freezer bag of vegetable ends on the go (carrots, celery chunks and leaves, bits of herbs, etc) and keep it in the freezer. When the bag gets full, I take it out and make a large batch of vegetable broth or if I have cooked a chicken, turkey or ham, use the bones to combine with the vegetables to make broth.

Then I put them in various sized freezable containers (2 cup or 4 cup size), label and freeze them for future use. Since doing this, I've hardly ever bought store broth and have wasted few vegetable scraps! 

GMTA!  I often freeze stock (or use it to make soup a day or two later) too.  You can also reduce it (concentrate it) to take up less space and then just add more liquid when you want to make soup (or use it in other dishes).  Do you ever poach chicken?  If so, you can also save that liquid to add when making soup.  I also like to freeze some of my soup too; nice for an easy lunch or dinner.

PD

[OrchestralNut]

Do you ever poach chicken?

I don't believe I have ever poached anything before. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I don't believe I have ever poached anything before. 

Haven't yet.    It's a great way to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts (like for chicken salad).  I also often used to poach salmon.  Poaching eggs for brunch?  Yum!

Why not give it a shot?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Currently cooling on a wire rack:  frittata! I had some leftover salmon and some leftover pasta and wanted to be good and use up the leftovers.  Included some chopped onion cooked in olive oil, whisked up some eggs with a bit of leftover whipping cream (naughty I know!), added eggs to pan, added in some flakes of salmon, cooked pasta, chopped parsley and dill, salt and pepper and transferred to greased cast iron gratin dish and bang into toaster oven.  Will be able to have that for breakfast, lunch or dinner over the next few days.

PD