Vegan Eggplant Meatballs

Looks like 3DDinners sort of tapered out there about 5 months ago – whoops! I don’t have a legitimate excuse for the lack of posts... just busy at work and unmotivated to spend any more time than necessary at the computer, but KK and I have now started repeating recipes that are not on the blog.  We realized that the blog was an excellent space to collect modifications to recipes saved on Pinterest and in Gmail, so I’m going to give it another try! I probably won’t spend as much time fancifying the pictures or recapping photos (at least for now), but at least you’ll be able to see what we’re eating for dinner in Apt. 3D!

Last night we had a vegan meal.  Well, it was a vegan recipe, but then KK decided we should use a jar of Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions Classico sauce instead of something truly veggie-friendly.  I used an eggplant straight from my mother-in-law's garden.  It was 14 oz., and I managed to make 19 "meatballs" from it.  Before rolling out the "meatballs," I decided they needed additional seasoning, so I added more crushed red pepper flakes and oregano.

Vegan Eggplant Meatballs

Slightly adapted from Skinny Taste
Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb. eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup water
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp dried parsley
Cooking spray
1 cup breadcrumbs or panko
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Marinara sauce, as much as desired
8 oz. spaghetti (we used Perciatelli)

Directions

1. Heat ½ Tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add eggplant and ¼ cup water to the skillet, season with salt and pepper.  Stirring occasionally, cook 10-15 minutes, or until tender.  Transfer cooked eggplant to a food processor.

2. Add remaining ½ Tbsp oil to the skillet.  Cook onion and garlic over medium heat until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.  Add onion mixture to the food processor, along with the drained beans and parsley.  Pulse mixture until well combined and chopped; be careful not to puree the mixture.

3. Preheat the oven to 375°; spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

4. Add breadcrumbs and red pepper flakes to the eggplant/bean/onion mixture; stir until just combined.  Season to taste with additional (garlic) salt and pepper.  Roll out 12-20 “meatballs,” 1 to 2-inches in diameter.  Place on prepared baking sheet and cook until firm and slightly browned, about 25-30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat water and cook pasta according to package directions.  If desired, warm marinara sauce in a medium saucepan.  Serve cooked “meatballs” over pasta with marinara sauce.

Eggplant & Caramelized Onion Pasta

We celebrated Parade Day, a.k.a. Leprecon Day, a.k.a Hoboken St. Patrick's Day yesterday.  Keeping the tradition alive, I made Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole and Carbomb Cupcakes which we enjoyed with mimosas and Irish coffee.  We also had green bagels, and casseroles cooked by friends: a French toast casserole and an egg casserole with sausage and sun dried tomatoes.  Both were delicious! The city of Hoboken has tried to quell the early St. Patrick's Day festivities over the past few years, and the streets were noticeably less crowded than years past, but we still hosted a party and had a great time with our friends!

I love eggplant! If we’re out to dinner and there’s eggplant on the menu, KK is willing to bet that’s the dish I’ll order.  And he’s usually right.  In fact, I ended Parade Day with dinner at Cafe Michelina last night and ordered eggplant parm.  As with the Spinach & Eggplant Casserole I made in Hilton Head, the eggplant adds volume and filling-ness (I’ve just made up a word) to this meal.  The original recipe focused on getting the eggplant started before the pasta, but I recommend (and have noted below) you start with the onions, giving them plenty of time to caramelize over medium-low heat.  Slice the onions as thin as you possibly can – using a mandolin works best! I’m really fond of the sherry flavor in caramelized onions, but using little water or vegetable broth instead are both good non-alcoholic substitutes.  If you don’t like the skin of eggplants, you can optionally peel the eggplant before cutting it up and roasting it.  After the individual components of the meal cook separately (pasta, onions, eggplant), the meal comes together quickly by tossing everything into the same pot!

Eggplant & Caramelized Onion Pasta

Adapted from  Alexandra Cooks

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

Olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb. pasta such as Gemelli or penne

Sherry or cooking wine

24 oz. jar pasta sauce

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Parmesan cheese, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

3.  Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Season onions lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until caramelized. After about 15 minutes, deglaze the pan with a splash of sherry or cooking wine.  Continue caramelizing for another 10-15 minutes.  Add garlic and basil in the final minute of cooking.

4. As onions cook, cut eggplant into ½ - 1-inch cubes.  Toss lightly with olive oil, then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast in the oven for 25 minutes until the eggplant is lightly browned and tender.

5.  Combine pasta, eggplant, caramelized onions, sauce, and crushed red pepper in the pot used for cooking the pasta.  Stir to combine, and heat until sauce is simmering.  Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

I think it's quite obvious that, by the increased volume of soup posts I’ve shared over the past few months… I love soup! It’s great for a hearty dinner, and also turns into wonderful leftovers that I can have for lunch at work.  I’m a huge fan of Ziploc Twist 'n Lock containers because I worry less about spillage when I carry leftovers, especially soups, in my purse.  This recipe caught my eye because I really like stuffed peppers (evidenced here and here).  I figured a soup version of stuffed peppers would be a big hit with both of us, and I was right! Better yet, it was really easy to make: cook the meat, combine the remaining ingredients, simmer, and enjoy! It was a little under-seasoned, so I added extra Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes, indicated below, and a lot of black pepper. In lieu of rice, this soup would also work with quinoa or small pasta such as stellini.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Adapted from Skinny Taste

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

2 ½ cups cooked rice

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

28-oz. can diced tomatoes

15-oz. can tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. If rice is not cooked yet, prepare rice according to package directions.

2. Season ground turkey with salt and pepper; brown meat in a Dutch oven on high heat, about 5-10 minutes.  Once no longer pink, drain excess fat, reduce heat to medium-low and add peppers, onions and garlic; cook until onion begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

3. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover, and simmer on low for 30 minutes.  Stir in rice, and serve immediately. 

Creamy Creamless Tomato Soup

Boohoo! The weekend’s warm weather has turned cold and snowy again, and I’ve come down with an awful cold! Feeling under the weather, I left work early yesterday, and I plan to work from home the rest of the week to keep my germs quarantined (I’ll look for my coworkers to thank me later J).  Luckily KK asked me to make soup over the weekend, so the leftovers came in handy today as a comforting lunch for me!

Creamy yet creamless.  You're probably wondering how that works! The health benefits of no cream are somewhat offset by the bread that's used to thicken the soup, but it's definitely a healthier alternative to heavy cream.  The original recipe called for thick sandwich bread, but we had a bag of unopened croutons that we were itching to get rid of.  I can wholeheartedly (after just finishing the leftovers!) confirm that using croutons was a great substitute.  Ours were seasoned with garlic and Italian spices, so they added nice flavoring to the soup.  After much stirring, I was unable to find the bay leaf, so I gave up and blended the soup with my immersion blender.  The bay leaf must've been emulsified, because we never found it! If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup to a standard blender in batches and blend until smooth.  As you can see from my picture, I copied Tracey, and served the soup with mini grilled cheese croutons.  To make them - I toasted up two pieces of bread, coated both sides with a little butter spread, microwaved for 15 seconds with the cheese (this is a KK-mandated step in grilled cheese making as he swears it leads to perfectly melted cheese), then grilled the sandwich on a heated skillet.  I cut the sandwich into 10-15 little pieces, and they were the perfect addition to this soup. Enjoy!

Creamy Creamless Tomato Soup
Adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
2 (28-oz.) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3 cups small croutons
2 cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and bay leaf to the pot.  Stirring frequently, sauté until onions are translucent and soft, 3-5 minutes.  Pour in the canned tomatoes and their juices.  Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, break tomatoes into smaller pieces.

2. Stir in brown sugar and croutons; bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.  Stirring occasionally, cook until croutons are soft and begin to break down, 5-8 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.

3. Remove soup from heat, stir in remaining olive oil, and carefully use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  Return soup to the heat; cooking on medium high, stir in chicken broth, and bring to a boil to heat through.  Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Vegetable Polenta Casserole

After a busy week at work, I headed down to Atlantic City for my friend Leigh's bachelorette (and birthday) party at Harrah's on Friday! We started the evening with margaritas and family style Mexican food at Dos Caminos.  Usually, I prefer Dos Caminos brunch over their dinner, but the variety we got to try with the family-style dinner menu was fantastic.  After dinner, we headed to The Pool After Dark for some dancing.  To clarify - it's the indoor pool area at Harrah's which turns into a club at night, but there is no swimming... just dancing! Much to KK's dismay, I didn't do any gambling, but it was still a really fun night out! Keeping Saturday night a little more low key, KK and I finally watched Captain Phillips which was also excellent!

Since I ate what felt like more than my fair share of Mexican food at Dos Caminos on Friday, KK picked a recipe packed with vegetables for dinner.  KK was also eager to finish an open bag of polenta we've had in the pantry for quite some time.  We didn't finish it this time around, but we loved this dish, so I have a feeling the polenta will be finished in a few weeks.  The original recipe called for a bag of frozen spinach, but we used a box.  I recommend microwaving the spinach for 20 seconds, then breaking it into smaller pieces with a knife before stirring it into the polenta.  The rest of the casserole came together easily.  I seasoned both the polenta and vegetable mix with salt and pepper.  I went a little light on the mozzarella because my 8x8 pan was looking quite full! As usual, KK and I both topped off our individual servings with extra crushed red pepper.  KK thought we'd finish the entire casserole, but it was surprisingly filling, so we have leftovers which I'm already planning to have for lunch this week!

Vegetable Polenta Casserole

Adapted from Budget Bytes

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup polenta

1 cup water

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

15-oz. can diced tomatoes

½ tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large Dutch oven or pot.  In a small mixing bowl, stir together polenta and water.  When broth is boiling, pour in polenta/water mix.  Reduce head to medium low and simmer until thickened, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After mixture has thickened, add frozen spinach and stir until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Meanwhile, dice the onion, zucchini, and squash, and mince the garlic.  Combine the onion, garlic, and olive oil in a large skillet; saute over medium heat until the onions soften.  Add zucchini and squash to the skillet and saute for 5 minutes.  Next, add the diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper; season with salt and pepper.  Stir skillet mixture to combine and let simmer for 10 minutes.

3. While the skillet mixture simmers, preheat oven to 350.

4. When polenta and spinach mixture is warmed through, pour it into the bottom of a greased 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.  Cover polenta with vegetable mixture, and top with shredded cheese.

5. Bake casserole for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly on top.  Serve immediately.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

KK and I went skiing with a group of friends at Gore Mountain over the long weekend.  We ducked out of work a tad early on Friday to beat traffic, and had a "romantic" Valentine's Day dinner along the way at Kingston Yards Grill (don't worry, we actually celebrated on Thursday night at our favorite sushi spot - Teak!).  My friend Emily handled most of the cooking, so I strangely did not spend much time in the kitchen over the weekend.  She made eggs, bacon and home-style potatoes for breakfast every day; grilled steaks (chicken for me!) one night, and her family's "Very Good Chicken" the other evening - delicious! We skied on Saturday and Sunday, and spent the evenings sipping wine by the cabin's fireplace.  KK and I had not skied in 3 years, but conditions were great and neither one of us fell! Another highlight of the trip was Emily's Frenchie, Ruby June.  Ruby was definitely in puppy heaven with all the attention she received over the weekend! We decided to make this trip an annual tradition, so I'm already looking forward to a repeat weekend of fun in 2015!

There’s something about pesto that makes a meal feel fancy! Perhaps it's because pesto seems like a step above jarred marinara sauce? Or because it’s easy to whip up homemade pesto (assuming you have a large quantity of fresh basil on hand)? Whatever it is – both KK and I are huge pesto fans.  As with most of my meals, the protein and sauce come together as the pasta cooks.  I like to keep busy while the pasta water boils :) If you have it on hand, this recipe would be perfect with leftover cooked chicken.  If you go that route, throw your refrigerated pre-cooked chicken into the sauce mixture a few minutes before the pasta finishes, allowing enough time for the chicken to warm up completely.  Garnish each serving with more fresh basil, pine nuts, or crushed red pepper.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Adapted from Make and Takes

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

8 oz. pasta, such as bowtie or rotini

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into 1-in cubes

¾ cup evaporated milk

¼ cup pesto

¼ cup grated Parmesan

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Reserve 1 cup pasta water, and set aside cooked pasta.

2. Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken until no longer pink inside.  Plate and set aside.

3.  Using the same skillet, bring evaporated milk to a boil on high heat, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to medium, and let mixture boil and thicken for 4-5 minutes.  Stir in pesto and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.  Toss in cooked chicken and pasta; stir to combine.  If pasta mixture looks sticky, add some of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches a desired consistency.  Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Taco Ranch Chicken Sandwiches

 Thanks to public transportation, I don't typically mind commuting in the snow, but today's commute was absolutely brutal.  The wind gusts were so strong that my umbrella flipped out on me, and the snow hurt as it hit my exposed skin! I keep telling myself this means there will be fresh snow on the ground when KK and I go skiing this weekend (first time in 2+ years) with friends at Gore Mountain.  With all this snow, I should also mention how very thankful I am for the Hunter Boots that I got for my birthday last year (thanks dad!!).  If this is what winters are going to be like from here on out, I need to find a pair of manly snow boots for KK - anyone have any brands they recommend?

I realize this isn’t necessarily one of the healthiest meals I’ve prepared for you, but it is certainly one of the more tasty ones.  KK decided we’d increase the amount of chicken from the original recipe to make each sandwich meatier and more filling.  When assembling the biscuit sandwiches, make sure to leave free a small edge so you have enough space to seal the sandwiches.  I didn’t properly seal one of mine, and some of the filling escaped while the biscuits were cooking.  You can get fancy while sealing the sandwiches by using a fork or even scissors to crimp around the edges, or you can go my route and just close them off with your fingers.  Because we increased the amount of chicken, I was unable to fit all of the filling into the sandwiches, so we just ate the leftover filling on the side.  To reheat any leftovers, cut each sandwich into fourths, microwave for 20 seconds, and then heat in the toaster oven to avoid soggy biscuits.  The dressing will stay fresh for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  I liked the combination of ranch dressing and taco seasoning so much that I might start adding it to regular salads as well!

 Taco Ranch Chicken Sandwiches

Adapted from Pillsbury

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 ½ Tbsp taco seasoning, divided

1 ½ cups ranch dressing

1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 medium plum tomato, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

16.3 oz. Pillsbury Grands! Homestyle Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Lettuce, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375; lightly spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Combine chicken, onion, and 1 teaspoon taco seasoning in the skillet.  Cook 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently until chicken is cooked through and onions are soft.  Remove skillet from heat and allow mixture to cool slightly.

3.  Combine ranch dressing and 2 tablespoons taco seasoning in a medium bowl.  Reserve 1 cup of the dressing for dipping in a small bowl.  Add cheese, tomato, garlic, and chicken mixture to the medium bowl.  Stir to coat the mixture with the remaining ranch dressing.

4. Separate dough into 8 biscuits.  Place 4 biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet; use fingers to press each biscuit into a 5-inch round.  Divide the chicken mixture evenly onto the center of each biscuits.  Press remaining 4 biscuits over top of the chicken mixture, pressing the top and bottom edges together firmly to seal the sandwiches.

5. Mix together Parmesan cheese and ⅛ teaspoon taco seasoning in a small bowl.  Rub mixture on top of biscuit sandwiches. 

6. Bake 16-20 minutes until sandwiches are deep golden brown, allowing time for inside of biscuits to cook.  Cool 3-5 minutes prior to serving.  Serve on a bed of lettuce, with dipping sauce on the side.

Strawberry Pretzel Parfait

Last weekend was action packed, this weekend was the same! On Friday, KK and I went out to dinner at La Carbonara, and then headed to a friend's 30th birthday party.  A lot of my friends are turning 30 this year, including me - my 30th is just over a month away! Along with the good company, the party host served my new favorite appetizer - Trader Joe's Mac & Cheese Bites.  We fully embodied the "married couple" persona on Saturday morning by cashing in a Groupon for a discounted BJ's membership.  The apartment is now fully stocked with toilet paper, cleaning supplies, shampoo, conditioner, and 4-lb. bag of candy corn :) We redeemed ourselves Saturday evening by visiting KK's cousin at his new, fancy apartment in Long Island City.  Casa Enrique, which opened only a few months ago, served up some excellent margaritas, guacamole, and enchiladas! Since work's been crazy the past few weeks, I had a little work to get through this afternoon, but now I'm looking forward to the Paprika Chicken KK has on the menu for tonight!

Speaking of candy corn, you probably know that I have a serious sweet tooth.  In a perfect world, I would be able to eat dessert or candy with every single meal.  Instead, I try to ignore my sweet tooth cravings and reserve dessert for special occasions.  I even ask that KK buy ice cream flavors I don’t like (strawberry or mint chocolate chip are his go-to choices) to avoid the temptation.  But sometimes, that just isn’t enough.  Last week, with a little Googling for “easy desserts for two,” I found this wonderfully quick and easy recipe.  Fresh strawberries would probably make this dish even better, but without any on hand, thawing frozen strawberries under warm water did the trick.  Instead of dragging out my food processor, I crushed the pretzels in a plastic bag.  It might have been a little more “manual” labor, but it made cleanup easier and I know KK appreciated that! This dessert is best served immediately, otherwise the pretzels will become soggy.  If the rest of the recipes on Dessert For Two are this easy and delicious, I think it’s quickly going to become one of my favorite blogs!

Strawberry Pretzel Parfait

Adapted from Dessert For Two

Prep time:  25 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

12 strawberries, fresh or frozen, diced

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup pretzel mini twists

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

¼ tsp cinnamon

Pinch of allspice

¾ cup sour cream

2 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions

1. Spread strawberries in shallow dish and sprinkle with sugar. Let sit for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place pretzels in a large Ziploc bag and crush with your hands until pretzels are broken into small pieces.  Alternatively, pulse pretzels in a food processor.  Drizzle the melted butter, cinnamon, and allspice over the crushed pretzels and stir to combine.

3. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and brown sugar, breaking up any large brown sugar clumps.

4. In two serving dishes, layer sour cream, strawberries, and pretzel mixture. Repeat until all ingredients are served.  Enjoy immediately!

Spinach and Cheese Pinwheels

As I mentioned in my last post, I spent most of Saturday prepping for my Wine, Cheese, and Dirty Santa party.  I chopped veggies for a crudité platter, laid out an assortment of cheeses, pepperoni, and crackers, and started some crockpot mulled wine which left the apartment smelling glorious.  Per usual, I neglected to take pictures of the Southwest Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing, but I promise you that they were delicious! KK was not able to find a tomatillo at the grocery store, so I substituted it for a green pepper and some lemon juice, and the dressing was delicious.  The dressing recipe made way too much, but no complaints here because we’ll be using it for veggie dip and salad dressing for the rest of the week! I also made baked brie with pepper jelly, but again, it was consumed before I managed to snap a photo of it! My friends brought an assortment of desserts for the party: homemade marble cupcakes, chocolate peppermint cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and a 6-pack of Crumbs cupcakes.  Whatever we didn’t finish on Saturday, I brought to Sunday’s Superbowl party instead. It was the perfect way to make use of the leftovers without too much going to waste!

The only thing I did manage to snap a (quick) picture of were these pinwheels.  I’ve had a box of Puff Pastry in the freezer for a few months, so KK was glad when I found not one, but two recipes to use it with this weekend! The baked brie was a hit, as were these pinwheels.  Don’t forget to thaw your puff pastry before starting.  I hate when recipes say a dish only takes 30 minutes, but neglects to clearly mention any thawing or marinating time required! I didn’t roll the pinwheel log tightly enough on my first try, and I struggled a bit to cut the pinwheel slices.  After re-rolling the log, it was much easier to cut the pinwheels.  After cutting the log, reshape the pinwheels into circles so they bake up in a round shape.  Some of my pinwheels looked more like ovals, but they tasted just as good!

Spinach and Cheese Pinwheels
Adapted from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Time: 25 minutes + 40 minutes for puff pastry thawing
Makes: 20 pinwheels

Ingredients
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
½ cup shredded Muenster cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan
⅛ tsp garlic powder
Flour for dusting
1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Directions
1. Preheat 400 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water.

3. In another small bowl, stir together Muenster cheese, Parmesan, and garlic powder.

4. Lightly flour work surface.  Unfold thawed puff pastry and, using a floured rolling pin, roll lightly.  Brush surface with egg wash; reserve remaining egg wash for later.  Top puff pastry with an even layer of the cheese mixture, followed by the thawed spinach.

5. Tightly roll up the puff pastry to form a pinwheel log.  Carefully slice the log into ½-inch pieces, and place pinwheels onto baking sheet.  Brush tops and sides with remaining egg wash.  Bake 15 minutes, or until puff pastry turns golden brown.  Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

Happy Super Bowl weekend! We've already had a busy weekend, and kickoff is still hours away! We celebrated a friend's birthday on Friday with dinner at Zack's and drinks at Cork City; discovered a fun wine/social networking app called ViVino; and I hosted my annual Wine, Cheese, and a Dirty Santa party with my girl friends.  I spent Saturday afternoon prepping for the party, so I promise I'll eventually have a recipe recap for you! Tonight we're watching the game at our friends' apartment in town.  With the game being played less than 7 miles from the apartment, going anywhere requiring the car would be a bad idea! Since we are so close to MetLife Stadium, Hoboken has some Super Bowl swag of it's own.  The picture below, courtesy of my old roommate who snapped it bright and early this morning, is of Super Bowl roman numerals on Hoboken's Pier A.  I'm not rooting for any team in particular tonight (better luck next year, Redskins!), so I'm most looking forward to tonight's commercials!

The original recipe called for adding a full cup of water to the sausage as it cooked.  I was tempted to skip that step, but ended up adding half the water to make sure we didn’t end up with a dry shell filling.  I used heaping teaspoons of chili powder, hot salsa, and hot enchilada sauce.  And guess what? This meal was rather spicy! If you can’t handle spicy foods, consider using less chili powder or more mild varieties of salsa and enchilada sauce.  Nevertheless, this meal was pretty good.  KK preferred this dish over the one I made a few weeks ago, most likely because he loves enchilada sauce.  I liked them both, and probably wouldn't be able to tell which shell was which if you gave both of them to me at the same time!

Mexican Stuffed Shells

Adapted from Barbara Bakes

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

14-16 jumbo pasta shells

1 lb. ground chicken sausage

2 tsp chili powder

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

dash cayenne powder

½ cup water

4 oz. low fat cream cheese

1 ½ cup salsa

10-oz. can enchilada sauce

1-2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Sour cream, optional topping

Green onions, optional topping

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.

2. After pasta water boils, preheat oven to 350°.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, cook chicken sausage and spices over medium-high heat; use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up large pieces of sausage.   When sausage is almost cooked, add water and continue to cook until water is absorbed.  Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese, and stir until cheese melts.  Set aside to cool.

4.  Coat bottom of 9x13 baking dish with salsa.  Stuff each pasta shell with meat mixture, and place in prepared 9x13 pan open side up.  Spread enchilada sauce over stuffed shells.  Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes; salsa will be bubbling and shells will start to brown.  Uncover baking dish, sprinkle shells with cheese mixture; bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until cheese melts.  Serve warm.  If desired, top with sour cream, green onions, or more salsa.

Pesto Chicken Pillows

This is a guest post from yours truly, KK!  MC ended up working later than expected on Wednesday, so I took it upon myself to cook dinner.  Luckily, MC made it home in time to check them while they were in the oven, as she was better able to judge when the rolls were fully baked.  I likely would have taken them out of the oven too soon, but the extra 5 minutes in the oven cooked them to perfection!  I don't know if I'm biased because I made them myself, but I must say these were pretty tasty!  Pesto, cream cheese, crescent rolls, and breadcrumbs, what's not to like?!

Pesto Chicken Pillows
Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Time:  1 hour
Serves:  4-6

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into 1-in cubes
Cooking spray
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup pesto
2 8-oz. packages Crescent Rolls
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
¼ cup butter

Directions
1.  Heat olive oil on skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken thoroughly.

2.  Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with foil.  Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray.

3.  In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, pesto, and cooked chicken.  Season with salt and pepper, and stir until combined.

4.  Unroll the crescent dough.  Press two triangles together to form a rectangle.  Spoon the chicken mixture in the center of the rectangle and bring the corners of the crescent dough together, pinching to seal.  Repeat 8 times to form 8 pillows.

5.  Place the breadcrumbs on a plate.  Melt the butter in the microwave, and then dip each chicken pillow into the melted butter; alternatively, use a pastry brush to coat each pillow.  Roll each butter-coated pillow in the breadcrumbs.

6.  Place chicken pillows seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken pillows are golden brown and cooked through.

Tomato & Spinach Risotto

Courtesy of Martin Luther King, Jr., I hope many of you are enjoying a day off from work right now! We spent the weekend catching up with friends we see far too infrequently! On Saturday, KK and I caught dinner with my old roommate (counting time in college, we lived together for almost 8 years!) and her boyfriend in Hoboken.  Thanks to Groupon, we had $21 off our dinner at Sushi House.  It was a great evening catching up!  On Sunday, I met a friend/former coworker for dinner at Eataly.  It was surprisingly crowded for a Sunday evening, presumably due to others also enjoying the long weekend, but we were happy to sip on glasses of wine at La Piazza as we waited for our table at La Pizza & La Pasta.  After heading back to Hoboken, I met up with KK and his friends who had spent the afternoon/evening watching football at Village Pourhouse.  Thankfully, we were able to sleep in today.  Right now, we're watching The Price is Right, even though it just isn't the same without Bob Barker. After the show's over, I'll head to the gym so I can preemptively work off the Thai-Style Chicken Flatbreads that I'm making for dinner tonight!

Although I don’t make it often (here and here), I do love risotto.  The second link is especially interesting because it’s oven-baked risotto, not the traditional type like this meal which requires constant stirring.  Nevertheless, the smooth, creamy, cheesy consistency is so warming and it’s perfect to serve as a main course in the wintertime.  Serve this risotto as a side dish, or with chicken, or remove the chicken entirely and use vegetable broth to make it suitable for vegetarians.  The key to risotto is to stir.  And stir.  And stir.  Whatever you do – don’t let the broth be fully absorbed by the rice before adding more liquid; if that happens, you’re risotto will not reach its full state of creaminess.  Risotto is also best consumed as soon as it’s removed from the heat.  It will continue to cook in its own heat, so it becomes dry and overly mushy as it sits.  The juices from the tomatoes, spinach, and cooked chicken added to the creaminess of this dish, which is why I think I liked it even more than some of the other risottos I’ve tried in the past.  I promise the effort from all of your stirring is worth it – this risotto was delicious and will absolutely be repeated in the near future!

Tomato & Spinach Risotto

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Time: 35 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 ½ cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt & pepper, to taste

1 tsp olive oil

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into 1-in cubes

¾ cup Arborio rice

¼ cup sherry or dry white wine

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3 oz. baby spinach

1 tsp dried basil

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep warm.

2. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until onion begins to brown, 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in another large nonstick skillet.  Cook chicken thoroughly, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes.

4. As chicken cooks, begin cooking risotto.  Add rice to skillet with onions, coating rice with the butter.  Pour in wine and stir until nearly absorbed by rice. Add ½ cup chicken broth, stirring continuously until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth to the rice mixture in ½ cup increments, stirring constantly until liquid is nearly absorbed before adding more.

5. When there is 1 cup of broth left (after three pours), add tomatoes and continue stirring.  Add baby spinach and basil when pouring the last ½ cup chicken broth over the rice.  Continue stirring until liquid is almost absorbed and spinach wilts.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and cooked chicken; season with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

Macaroni and Cheese Soup

Macaroni and cheese, especially Velveeta, reminds me of my childhood.  I have strange memories of squeezing the foil pack of Velveeta cheese into the pot of cooked pasta as my dad stirred the mixture.  I also ate a lot of Easy Mac in college, but now I can’t stand it.  Nevertheless, If KK weren’t around or if calories ceased to exist, I might eat mac and cheese 2-3 times/week.  Although my picture doesn’t do it justice, this soup was remarkably creamy, and the store-bought breadcrumbs added an unexpectedly pleasing crunch to the soup.  The original recipe recommended using whole milk, but we drink skim or 1%.  In using skim instead of whole milk, the soup didn’t come to its creamy state of perfection until I used the immersion blender to smooth it up.  If you’re making this for kids, the immersion blender also helps break up the diced vegetables, hiding the added nutritional value from potential picky eaters.  Before adding the pasta, it will look like you have a lot of liquid for the soup, but the pasta absorbs some of the liquid, and it forms the perfect ratio of soup to noodles.  I’m looking forward to the leftovers, although I imagine more of the soup will be absorbed by the noodles… but I’m OK with that because it just means the leftovers will be more like mac & cheese than soup.

Macaroni and Cheese Soup

Adapted from Famed Cooks

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

8 ounces dry elbow macaroni

½ cup diced onion

½ cup diced celery

2 Tbsp butter

⅓ cup flour

⅔ cup sherry or white wine

3 cups chicken broth

½ tsp cayenne pepper

3 cups milk

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Breadcrumbs for topping, optional

Directions

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, sauté onions and celery with butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add flour to pan and stir for 1 minute.

3. Next, add liquids to the pan.  Start by adding the wine, bringing the mixture to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Then add chicken broth and cayenne pepper, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes as mixture begins to thicken.  Finally, whisk in milk and simmer for another 3-5 minutes until hot.  Keep pan at a simmer; do not bring to a boil.

4. Add cheese in 1-cup increments, stirring after each pour until the cheese melts.  If soup looks clumpy, use an immersion blender to smooth out the liquid.

5. Pour in cooked macaroni, stirring until the pasta is warmed through.  Serve immediately, topping with breadcrumbs if desired.