Tortellini, Spinach, and Chickpea Soup

This is a great recipe. One of my best friends, Katie, shared it with me a couple of years ago. It's another easy recipe, and very tasty. It freezes well too.
I made this batch with gnocchi instead of tortellini to make it vegan - it was a success.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 cups water or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 19ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 28ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree
3/4 tsp salt plus more to taste
10 ounce fresh spinach - washed, stemmed, and chopped OR 1 10ounce box frozen chopped spinach
2 tablespoons fresh basil, or 2 tsp dried
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried
~19ounce package of cheese or other favorite tortellini (or gnocchi)
freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in large soup pot.
Stir in onion and celery, and saute over medium-high heat for ~7 minutes, until onion is translucent.
Stir in garlic; saute for 30 seconds, add water or stock, bay leaves, and carrot.
Bring soup to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until carrots are tender.
Stir in chickpeas, tomatoes, salt, spinach, and herbs - then simmer soup, partially covered, for ~10minutes, until spinach is tender (if using frozen spinach, drop the entire frozen block into the pot - let cook apart).
About 5-8 minutes before serving, add tortellini.
Simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until tortellini are tender.
Add salt/pepper to taste.
Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings.
If you are not going to eat all of the soup at once, do not add all of the tortellini. Add some tortellini each time you heat/reheat a batch, so they don't get soggy and break apart.

Easy Enchiladas

This is a super quick recipe for enchiladas. You can modify it whatever way you'd like - I don't think you can go wrong.

Ingredients:
1 (16oz) can of refried beans or refried black beans
1 (16oz) container of cottage cheese
1 Package of whole wheat or flour tortillas (I like Garden of Eatin's Organic Whole Wheat)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can of green chilies (I like the hot ones, but use the mild ones if want a little spice, or skip it if you don't want any spice)
1 jar of enchilada sauce
1 cup of shredded cheese

optional:
scallions for the top, chopped - both white and green parts
black olives - sliced or chopped


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray 8x11 glass pan with cooking spray.
Mix the refried beans and cottage cheese in a medium sized bowl. Add chopped onion and green chilies to the mixture.
Get a tortilla and place a couple of tablespoons full of enchilada sauce in the middle and spread around so one side of the tortilla is covered in sauce.
Place a few spoonfuls of the bean mixture on the enchilada-sauced tortilla.
Roll up the tortilla and place seam-side down on the pan.
Repeat 5 more times.
Spoon more enchilada sauce on the rolled enchiladas - as much as you would like.
Add cheese on top.
Cover and put in oven for 20 minutes. Uncover, and put back in oven for 10 more minutes.
Garnish with scallions or olives, if desired.

Enjoy!

it's TOFFEE time

I got this recipe from my Aunt Char over ten years ago - thank you, Aunt Char! It's a favorite of mine (and some of my friends). I know it's Christmas time when I start making toffee - the first round was last weekend.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
36 2x2-inch saltine crackers
11.5 oz milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Makes 3-4 dozen - or enough for one family for one day. :-)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover 10x15-inch cookie pan (with sides) with foil and butter lightly. In small saucepan over medium-high heat, blend butter and brown sugar. Heat to boiling and boil for 4 minutes. Place single layer of saltines on foil close together. Pour butter mixture over crackers, spreading evenly. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Allow to soften and spread evenly over cooked crackers. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate until cool (at least 4 hours). Break into pieces (I use a pizza cutter), and store in container in fridge for up to 2 weeks (not likely it'll last that long).

Wheat Berry Salad

I brought this dish to a Thanksgiving meal - it was my "cranberry" contribution. Bonus - wheat berries have a good amount of protein in them.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hard wheat berries
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot, combine wheat berries and enough water to come to 2 inches over the wheat berries. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender. Drain and let cool. Toast the walnuts in a skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine wheat berries, walnuts, celery, dried cranberries, scallion, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


*Recipe taken from The Food Network*

Happy December

Looking forward to sharing some favorite recipes this month!

tortilla soup

I made this last night - was wanting something warm with a little spicy heat. It's a tasty and quick meal!

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-3 bell peppers, chopped (I used one red, one yellow, and one green)
1 medium sized onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tablespoons ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed or chopped tomatoes
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained (use less or more based on heat preference)
1 (32oz) container of vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Most of a (16 ounce) bag of frozen corn
1 (15 ounce)can of black beans
12 oz tortilla chips
Cheddar cheese - shredded
Avocado
Cilantro

Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Stir in the peppers and onion, and cumin, and cook for 5 minutes - until vegetables are tender. Stir in the garlic for a minute or two. Mix in the tomatoes and chile peppers. Pour in the broth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes.
Mix corn and beans into the soup, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Serve in bowls over tortilla chips. Top with favorites such as avocado, cilantro, and/or cheese.

butternut squash risotto

This recipe is pretty easy, just involves lots of stirring - have a glass of wine handy to drink while stirring - makes it more enjoyable
Serves 4

2 Cups butternut squash (roasted then mashed)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Onion, minced
1 Cup Arborio rice
1/3 Cup dry white wine
5 Cups hot vegetable stock
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut butternut squash in half, discard seeds, place in preheated 400 degree oven face up - for about 30 minutes (or until soft). I brushed halves with butter for the heck of it before I put them in the oven, and it turned out perfectly.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook and stir for about 2 minutes (until the onion begins to soften), then stir in rice. Continue to cook and stir until the rice is glossy from the butter, and the onions begin to brown on the edges (about 4-5 minutes).

Pour in the white wine; cook, stirring constantly, until wine has evaporated. Stir in the mashed squash and 1/3 of the vegetable stock; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until the stock has been absorbed by the rice (5-7 minutes). Add half of the remaining stock, continue to stir until absorbed. Finally, pour in remaining stock, and continue stirring until the risotto is creamy. Finish by stirring in Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper.

So good!

garden

I finally planted my front and side gardens last month. My vision was to create lower maintenance gardens using some native plants and flowers. I'm really happy with how it turned out!
Thanks to:
*Mom and Kevin for the garden inspiration
*Neighbors, Brian and Kathy, for their vast amount of gardening knowledge
*Mae, for the hostas

Later Kater

Kater has found a new home. A kind-hearted couple want to provide a long-term foster home or forever home for him.

Happy days!

Homeward Bound Dog Rescue: Kater

Caring for animals brings me a lot of joy.
I have stayed in touch with Homeward Bound Dog Rescue, the rescue where from I adopted Bender, and was asked if I would be interested in fostering a homeless dog, Kater.
I picked Kater up last Saturday; he was in rough shape - exhausted, dirty, stitches in a leg, and just neutered. Seemingly neglected by his previous owners, and up there in his years, Kater needed some love and rest asap.

I am so *happy* to report that just since Saturday Kater has been cleaned up, and appears to be regaining his energy and good health. He has been resting, eating, enjoying a walk a day, and even playing a little. He, like Bender, shows remarkable resilience given his past.

Kater is up for adoption through Homeward Bound. He is 10 years old, and an exceptionally sweet and quiet soul. He is housetrained, doesn't bark, and doesn't get into mischief when left alone. He's great with Bender and other dogs, and I'm sure he'd be great with cats and all other creatures. He is a little arthritic, but it does not appear to bother him - he's just slow-moving at times. If you or someone you know have some love and a forever home for this guy, please contact me or HB. He's a gem!

http://www.homewardboundrescue.com/

The Sample Room

I have to share this little delight with you all. Hands down, my favorite salad is at The Sample Room in NE Minneapolis.

*Warm Roasted Vegetables over Wilted Spinach – green and yellow beans, grape tomatoes, carrots, rainbow chard, red bell peppers and red onion, with Stickney Hill Goat Cheese and black pepper almonds drizzled with red wine vinaigrette*

The Sample Room is one of my favorite restaurants - for the food & wine & feel of the place - I am an even bigger fan because they support local farmers and artisanal producers. So thankful that this is a favorite place of some of my friends too - so I'm not always the one suggesting we eat here.

http://the-sample-room.com/

The Pet Project

Last night I attended the Beats + Barks benefit concert for The Pet Project.
Good people + good music + good cause = very good times.

Twin Cities-based band Goodday Montag organized a benefit show for a terrific local organization called The Pet Project.

***The Pet Project helps people keep their pets by providing pet food and basic supplies to those who are struggling. The Pet Project also provides connections to basic veterinary care and information on finding pet-friendly housing.***

http://www.thepetprojectmn.org/

sewing projects

I started sewing a few years ago - thank you to my very gifted, patient, and humble teacher, Lisa (who previously worked at some of the fashion houses in New York!). I definitely have mastered the tote bag. I have also made three garments - a tunic, skirt, and dress. My machine has been out of order for almost half of a year now - I hope to get it fixed soon!
My favorite place to by fabric is at a little, independent store in NE Minneapolis, Crafty Planet. Incidentally, this little gem of a store is also where I learned how to sew.
Crafty Planet
2833 Johnson St NE, Mpls.
http://www.craftyplanet.com/

Driftless Organics

A few summers ago I took an urban organic farm class. It was then that I first learned about community supported agriculture (CSA) programs. CSA programs allow people to buy into a farm to receive vegetables/fruits, usually weekly for the duration of the summer. Last summer my friend, Lori, bought a CSA share from the Driftless Organics farm. I lived through her CSA experience, and knew that I wanted to buy a share this year.
Fast forward to today. My co-worker and I are splitting a share this summer. Our box of weekly "essential vegetable goodness" is delivered to the neighborhood co-op for pick-up on Fridays. I love opening the box and seeing all that's in it - it's like a getting a present each week. Each box comes with a newsletter that states the contents of the box, how to store the veggies of the week, and has some (very appreciated) recipe ideas - let's be honest, I'm looking for some ideas by the end of the week.
I've also had the good pleasure of going to the farm - it's very close to where my dad lives in WI. Mike, one of the Driftless Organics farmers, spent a morning with my dad, brother, sister-in-law, and me last August - he took us around to all of their different fields, and also shared with us some of their farming practices and philosophies.
Good stuff.
I am so appreciative that I can live in the city and still eat high-quality, organic produce that comes from people I know and from land that I know - this is what we call a win/win/win situation.

The third photo shows two vegetables I was not familiar with until this summer - garlic scapes and yellow patty pan squash. The newsletters explain how to cook with these uncommon veggies.
The fourth photo is of a recipe that came in last week's newsletter, Toasted Sesame Napa Salad.

http://www.driftlessorganics.com

Heidi Haagenson Photography

Heidi, a friend and co-worker and talented photographer, so kindly took some photographs of Bender and I last week.
I *love* how they turned out.
Thank you so much, Heidi!

www.hahphoto.com

A Cook's Journey to Japan: Fish Tales and Rice Paddies 100 Homestyle Recipes from Japanese Kitchens

I feel like I hit the sister-in-law jackpot. My brother's wife, Sarah Marx Feldner, is a very cool gal in every sense. She just had a cookbook published, A Cook's Journey to Japan: Fish Tales and Rice Paddies 100 Homestyle Recipes for Japanese Kitchens. It's a beautiful book with recipes that are flavorful and easy to prepare. I recently made the Pan-Fried Noodles (Yaki Udon, p. 88) - I added some fried tofu. This quick little meal was a perfect summer dinner. Thank you Sarah! ♥Mandy

http://www.sarahmarxfeldner.com/

roasted vegetable linguine with torn fresh basil

My bountiful pot of basil motivates me to make this dish - pending it's not too hot to use the oven. The dish is light yet filling. Add a salad and you've got a wonderful summer meal - you don't need to be a vegetarian to love this meal!

Recipe taken from Vegetarian Times, 2.2010.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11210?section=

garbanzo tacos

If you're a little worried about the ol' garbanzo bean taste, don't be - the taco seasoning takes over the flavor. This is a very tasty taco!

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
2 cans garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas)
1 packet taco seasoning
soft corn tortillas or hard taco shells
lettuce
tomatoes
onions
avocado
whatever else you like on your tacos

What to do:
Put both cans of beans into a skillet - only use liquid from one can. Add in the taco seasoning. Mash and stir, and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

If you want to fry your taco shells:
Heat a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan) over medium-high heat in a frying pan. Put down as many tortillas as can fit. Put some of the taco mixture on the tortilla and fold in half. Brown the tortillas. Put the tacos on paper towel to remove excess oil. Fill with the fixins.