Stracciatella (Spinach & Egg Soup)

Recipe from The New Basics Cookbook
by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins


As you can see I did not use the photo of the finished soup as my main picture because you would have looked at it and passed this post right up!

I chose this recipe because it sounded interesting, not to mention easy, and would be quick to make; and who doesn't need quick during the holidays?!

Not the most enticing looking soup, but it wasn't half bad. Not sure if I will give this another try. Then again I may - it was quick and healthy, and some days I don't feel like making a real complex meal.

Success meter (1-3): 2

Chiffonade the spinach and place in large soup bowls.

Top the spinach with Parmesan-Reggiano and freshly ground pepper.

If I do try this again, I will add the spinach and cheese to the broth. It was a bit messy stirring the broth in the bowl itself. Also would use a little less cheese. The Parmesan was deffinitely the dominant flavor.

Bring the broth to a boil, remove from heat and add egg mixture, stirring constantly.

Looks great! IF I were making a custard - which I wasn't.

I brought the broth back to a boil to make sure the eggs were cooked, stirring constantly in hopes the egg would form ribbons - like they do when you order egg-drop soup from a Chinese restaurant.

No beautiful ribbons - just curds.

I told you it was not pretty - but really, it wasn't bad.

Actually as I sit here and type this, I'm thinking it would be worth a second try; even just for the sake of getting the egg to form ribbons instead of curds. Maybe I poured the egg in too fast, I was trying to take a picture of the egg being poured and forming ribbons (I had swirled the broth beforehand to keep the egg moving in a circular motion). Hmmm..

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa - Back to Basics
by Ina Garten




Let me start off by saying I would definitely use arugula in this salad as called for in the recipe; I used spinach that I had in the fridge that I wanted to use up. The peppery flavor of arugula would be a nice contrast to the sweet butternut squash. To me the spinach came across rather "flat" in taste and texture.

As for the dressing I did not have cider vinegar - used champagne vinegar, apple juice in place of apple cider, and I would cut the oil by half - all I could really taste is the olive oil. Not sure how much of an apple presence there would be if I had the correct vinegar and cider.

Monica of A Beautiful Mess raved about this salad; so maybe if I had the correct ingredients for the dressing it would have turned out better. This is definitely worth a second try and would look beautiful on the Thanksgiving table!

Success meter (1-3): 2

Make sure your squash is almost ready before

adding the cranberries. They turn out quite

chewy and hard if cooked too long.

The beginning of what I thought would be a great dressing.

Arugula makes for a prettier presentation. 

You can find the recipe at Barefoot Contessa and on Monica's blog.

Book Eighty-Three: Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge

by Grace Young



                                        Stir-Fried Garlic Spinach



This post is a two-for-one for me. One more book I get to check off my list (though I just purchased it) and my first post of many from this book for I signed up for another on-line cooking group.

I am looking forward to cooking with the Wok Wednesdays group which is similar to the Tuesdays with Dorie baking group that I am in. We cook two recipes a month from the book and post as the name suggests, on the designated Wednesday. The host of the month posts the recipe. Look for future posts titled Wok Wednesdays.

The best part of this adventure is not only will my wok find a more permanent place on the cooktop rather than the back of the cupboard, but this is two dinners a month I don't have to worry about. That is the hardest part of cooking for me; figuring out what to make for dinner.

This is a wonderful book full of useful information; from how to season your wok to wonderful photos of ingredients and how they are prepared prior to stir-frying. I love that she uses everyday items, nothing out of the ordinary - none that I have come across anyway.

After reading about the different types of woks and their care, I am bummed that I have a stainless-steel wok rather than a carbon-steel one. The carbon-steel is lighter, has better heat conduction, and after time, develops its own non-stick surface. Oh well, c'est la vie.

There isn't much to say about the recipe itself, it has only four ingredients and cooks up in a flash! This was a fun recipe to start with. Though I did make the cashew chicken recipe first, the same day I bought the book. Look for that post in two weeks!

Success meter (1-3): 3

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Four simple ingredients:

Spinach, garlic, salt and sugar.

Not sure why my garlic looks pink in this photo.

We have a multicultural dinner going on here tonight.

Good ole American beef (bbq'd of course!),

Afghan bolani and Chinese stir-fry spinach!

(I've always been on the eccentric side.)

Visit Matt's page at Green Eats Blog for the recipe.

This is going to be a fun book to cook through. Why not purchase the book yourself and join in on the fun! You can purchase it here, or better yet, look for it at your local independent bookstore if available.

Book Eighty: The Wellness Lowfat Cookbook

by The Wellness Cooking School and
The University of California at Berkeley

  

                                                                          Potato and Spinach Casserole


We have been eating a lot of meat, chicken and fish lately. Mostly chicken and I was wanting something meatless. Normally when I look for a meatless meal they seem to always include a lot of cheese, cream, and/or butter; or that is what I am drawn to (e.g. Five Cheese Pasta which is really, really good.)

If I had more time I would consider starting an on-line cooking group called Meatless Mondays. However I am already in two other groups, Tuesdays with Dorie and Wok Wednesdays which are keeping me quite busy, not to mention cooking through the numerous books on my shelves; the reason I started this blog.

As I sit here typing away, the aroma is heavenly - I can't wait to begin devouring this.

I pulled this out of the oven after fifty minutes - the time suggested in the recipe. The potatoes were not even close to being done. I changed the oven temp to 375° and at full convection. I cannot tell you exactly how long I cooked it for at that temperature for I got side tracked on the computer. I am guessing that 20 minutes passed (the amount of time I think it took hubby to run to the store and return) and checked it again. STILL not done. Grrrrr.. mind you that I dressed my salad when I pulled it out at the fifty minute mark. To say the least, my lettuce at serving time was a bit wilted. Note to self: do not dress salad until you know for sure that your main course is done. After an additional thirty minutes it was finally ready to serve. The potatoes to me were al a dente. Andy said he would like them to be cooked a bit more. They did soften up more after being re-heated for lunch the next day.

I added salt and pepper at the table. The recipe did not call for it, and as salt does, it brought out the flavor and made it taste even better. I would add it next time while assembling the layers as well as adding some of the breadcrumb/parmesan mixture in-between the layers. I would highly recommend adding fresh thyme for it added a bit of pizazz.

I served this with a simple green salad with my favorite salad dressing made up of walnut oil, cabernet vinegar, sweet/hot mustard and a dash of salt and pepper.

Success meter (1-3): 3

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Book Forty: Seafood

by Williams-Sonoma


           Cajun-Spiced Catfish on Wilted Greens

I had not planned on blogging this evening. I was just going to run to the store and pick up some fish and goods for a salad. However I wanted something other than my "go to fish" of salmon. So to the bookshelf I went and found the following recipe.

I have heard that catfish is not the greatest so I opted for red snapper, which my fish market did not have so I came home with rock cod that was recommended by the young man behind the counter. He said it is the same thing...

This was quick and easy - great for a weeknight meal. The Cajun rub was not as spicy as I would like and I never thought paprika does much for a dish other than adding color. I would make this again, only using store bought Cajun spice or tweaking this one a bit.

Success meter (1-3): 2

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Book Twenty-Three: Food to Live By

by Myra Goodman


                            California Waldorf Salad

 This is one of my all-time favorite salads. Do not let the title fool you - erase the memory of mayo covered fruit and marshmallows! This is made with fresh spinach and a yogurt/mayo dressing flavored with curry. You won't be sorry if you try this one!

A friend made the best granola from this book, and me, being unable to wait for her to get me the recipe (it took awhile) I went to my local book store and purchased the book myself, and happy that I did. I had another favorite book that I would buy everyone for Christmas and planned to give to my daughter once she had her own place, and she has asked for this book instead.

I have a handful of cookbooks that I cook out of repetitively; this being one of them. I feel as though I'm cheating, blogging on not only a book I have cooked from, but a recipe I have made so often that the page has detached itself from the binding. (Yes, you would think I would not need to read the recipe again - but I do not retain information very well, or for very long!) Today, being the first day that we have had sun in a long time, I wanted to celebrate this beautiful day with a fresh and healthy salad.

 Success meter (1-3): 3+

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A very sad picture indeed....does not do the salad justice.

(all the goods are at the bottom)