2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.
In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.
Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Chicken Curry Crepes
Crepes, made in advance (recipe listed under "breakfast")
1 whole chicken, stewed, deboned and cut into small pieces
1 head of brocolli, cut into small pieces and cooked slightly
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz light sour cream
2 t curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Combine all incredients except crepes and cheese. Roll filling in crepes and lay in baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a little additional filling sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
1 whole chicken, stewed, deboned and cut into small pieces
1 head of brocolli, cut into small pieces and cooked slightly
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz light sour cream
2 t curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Combine all incredients except crepes and cheese. Roll filling in crepes and lay in baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a little additional filling sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Pancetta Pasta
This can be made in any quantity. This is my best guess for 4 servings...
12 oz bow tie pasta (cooked and drained)
8 oz pancetta - cut into small cubes
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c bread crumbs
6 oz. thin asparagus, chopped into 1-inch lengths
6 oz. cherry tomotoes, halved
6 oz. freshly grated parmesean cheese
Pine nuts
Course salt and pepper
Brown the pancetta in a large skillet. Add the olive oil and heat through. Add the bread crumbs and toss to coat and toast a little in the pan. Add the pasta and toss in the asparagus, tomotoes and parmesean cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper and garnish with pine nuts.
12 oz bow tie pasta (cooked and drained)
8 oz pancetta - cut into small cubes
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c bread crumbs
6 oz. thin asparagus, chopped into 1-inch lengths
6 oz. cherry tomotoes, halved
6 oz. freshly grated parmesean cheese
Pine nuts
Course salt and pepper
Brown the pancetta in a large skillet. Add the olive oil and heat through. Add the bread crumbs and toss to coat and toast a little in the pan. Add the pasta and toss in the asparagus, tomotoes and parmesean cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper and garnish with pine nuts.
Friday, July 20, 2007
3 Days in Kansas City
Here's a different kind of recipe. I recently found an article in Cooking Light magazine extolling all of the great things about Kansas City. They even have a suggested 3-day itinerary...
Day One: Cruising the Central City
Begin your exploration in the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, where jazz legends Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Big Joe Turner once jammed. At the American Jazz Museum (816-474-8463, http://www.americanjazzmuseum.com/) you can see a bronze sequined sheath Ella Fitzgerald wore as she belted out the blues, listen to more than 100 jazz recordings, and tinker with rhythms on studio equipment. The museum's Blue Room, a popular smoke-free jazz club, is open four nights a week. I just went to their website and found these hours...
The BLUE ROOM is open:
Monday & Thursday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Friday 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Saturday 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Indigo Hour:
Happy Hour in the Blue Room!
Friday 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., featuring:
Blue Room Martinis ($4)
Drink Specials: Beer, Wine & Wells ($3)
Live Music
Appetizer Buffet ($2/round)
Door Prizes
And best of all - Ida McBeth is there about twice a month. Anyone up to head out there on August 3 with me?
OK - Back to the magazine suggestions...
Just across the lobby from the jazz museum is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (816-221-1920, http://www.nlbm.com/) which showcases the history of the leagues through a wealth o fmemorabilia and a re-created field featuring 12 life-size bronze sculptures of league legends. If you're lucky, you'll run into famed player John "Buck" O'Neil, 94, (Buck died on October 6, 2006) the Kansas City resident and museum chairperson stops in regularly.
When it's time for lunch, stroll down to the original Arthur Bryant's (816-231-1123; http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/), a favorite barbecue joint. The place looks like a bit of a dive, but you'll need to arrive before noon to avoid a line that snakes out the door. Try the burnt ends, a local favorite consisting of the blackened portions of lean beef brisket slow-smoked with a combination of hickory and oak wooks, then slathered with the restaurant's spicy sauce and served over white bread.
(Donna's note - If you can, head back to 18th and Vine for dinner one evening at the PeachTree Inn. Delicious and a wonderful atmosphere. ) (Update - I believe they have moved to the Power and Light District.)
Walk off lunch with a stroll through the city's Crossroads Arts District (816-472-5701, http://www.kccrossroads.org/). This mile-square swath south of downtown once full of abandoned buildings is now home to more than 60 art galleries, one-of-a-kind boutiques, and topnotch restaurants, such as Webster House (816-221-4713), a 19th-century school now housing an antiques shop. On the first Friday of every month, most galleries and shops stay open past dark as the streets fill with performers, concessionaires, and shoppers. Before dinner, pop into Union Station (816-460-2020, http://www.unionstation.org/) once the third-largest train station in the nation. Recently renovated, it's filled with theaters, restaurants and a science center. Afterward, head to frequent Cooking Light contributor Lidia Bastianich's restaurant, Lidia's Kansas City (816-221-3722, http://www.lidiaitaly.com/), behind the station. If you're hungry enough, order the daily "pasta tasting" an all-you-can-eat spree through three freshly made past a dishes.
If you visit during the summer, toss a blanket on the grass in Southmoreland Park after dinner and catch a free play. The city's four-week Heart of America Shakespeare Festival (816-531-7728, http://www.kcshakes.org/) runs nightly (except Monday) beginning in the middle of June.
Day 2: Strolling the Market and the Plaza
Lace up your walking shoes, and head for the City market (816-842-1271, http://www.kc-citymarket.com/), five blocks from the banks of the Missouri River. An eclectic mix of international shops and restaurants borders a four-block plot, peddling everything from local wildflower honey to Yucatan ceramics. On Wednesday, Saturdays and Sundays, more than 120 vendors crowd the center of the square, offering the season's freshest fruits, vegetables, and herbs. at night, the area hosts a thriving social scene. You may also want to tour the Arabia Steamboat Museum (816-471-1856, http://www.1856.com/), which houses more than 100 tons of pristine 1856 merchandise recovered from the Arabia's sunken remains in the nearby river You can watch as workers continue the meticulous cleaning and preservation process used on the remaining cargo yet to be displayed.
For lunch, duck into Blue Bird Bistro (816-221-7559). The unassuming cafe is located in a brightly painted 1890s building where vegetarians have plenty of choices, such as the green curry ladled over jasmine rice and garnished with fresh tomato.
Afterward, visit the historic Country Club Plaza (816-753-0100, http://www.countryclubplaza.com/), America's first suburban shopping center. The 140-block plaza was created in 1922 and modeled after Spain's marketplaces. Today, it contains nearly 200 stores and restaurants, plus more than one million dollars in outdoor artwork and sculpture. Grab an art and architecture guide at the customer service office, and keep your eyes peeled for Giralda Tower, a small-scale replica of a famous 300-year-old Seville landmark, and it's three graceful mermaids, which frolic in a ceramic-tile-lined pool. As you stroll the plaza, take notice of the dozen or so ceramic heads topping the apartment building on Summit and 48th. The pieces are self-portrait busts created by past students of the Kansas City Art Institute that the building's owner mischievously impaled atop his building.
For dinner try the Grand Street Cafe (816-561-8000, http://www.grandstreetcafe.com/), and enjoy the Maryland blue crab cakes served with tomato salad, followed by the popular grilled pork chop marinated in olive oil, onions, and fresh herbs from the restaurant's own garden. Then catch some tunes at cozy Jardine's (816-561-6580, http://www.jardines4jazz.com/), one of only a handful of Kansas City's 20 or so jazz clubs that have live music seven nights a week.
Day 3: In Search of Artwork and Fountains
Start the day with a jog or bike ride along the harry Wiggins Trolley Track Trail (816-346-0200) which winds through scenic southern sections of the city and the university of Missouri. Grab a latte and a chocolate-filled croissant at Aixois (816-333-3305, http://www.aixois.com/), with outdoor seating adjacent to the northern trailhead, then head for The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (816-751-1278, http://www.nelson-atkins.org/), considered one of America's finest art museums. Though a $200 million expansion is underway, you can still view the facility's renowned collection of Asian art and European paintings. Admission is free, and the museum is closed on Mondays. The sculpture park at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is home to Claus Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen's playful Shuttlecocks installations.
The Nelson-Atkins is also home to Rozzele Court (816-751-1278, http://www.nelson-atkins.org/), an open-air courtyard restaurant featuring columned arches, cloistered walkways, and an 1,800-year-old fountain imported from Rome.
After lunch, tour the neighboring Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (816-753-5784, http://www.kemperart.org/). The small museum boasts works from Dale Chihuly, Andy Warhol, and Franz Kline. Don't miss walking among the bronze legs of the giant Spider sculpture or the feet of the Crying Giant, both on the front lawn.
At this point in your visit, you'll have noticed a lot of fountains in Kansas City. In fact, it is home to more fountains than any city in the world except Rome. And as the number of fountains has proliferated, it's become an unwritten rule that new commercial buildings incorporate a fountain into their designs. You can learn more by obtaining a fountain walking tour brochure from the Country Club Plaza's customer service center. Many of the city's fountains are clustered in the Plaza, including the landmark J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain.
Top of your visit the way many residents welcome the weekend with a pint of brew on the rooftop deck of ODowd's Little Dubline (816-561-2700, www.odowdslittledublin.com), where people watching is premium.
Day One: Cruising the Central City
Begin your exploration in the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, where jazz legends Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Big Joe Turner once jammed. At the American Jazz Museum (816-474-8463, http://www.americanjazzmuseum.com/) you can see a bronze sequined sheath Ella Fitzgerald wore as she belted out the blues, listen to more than 100 jazz recordings, and tinker with rhythms on studio equipment. The museum's Blue Room, a popular smoke-free jazz club, is open four nights a week. I just went to their website and found these hours...
The BLUE ROOM is open:
Monday & Thursday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Friday 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Saturday 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Indigo Hour:
Happy Hour in the Blue Room!
Friday 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., featuring:
Blue Room Martinis ($4)
Drink Specials: Beer, Wine & Wells ($3)
Live Music
Appetizer Buffet ($2/round)
Door Prizes
And best of all - Ida McBeth is there about twice a month. Anyone up to head out there on August 3 with me?
OK - Back to the magazine suggestions...
Just across the lobby from the jazz museum is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (816-221-1920, http://www.nlbm.com/) which showcases the history of the leagues through a wealth o fmemorabilia and a re-created field featuring 12 life-size bronze sculptures of league legends. If you're lucky, you'll run into famed player John "Buck" O'Neil, 94, (Buck died on October 6, 2006) the Kansas City resident and museum chairperson stops in regularly.
When it's time for lunch, stroll down to the original Arthur Bryant's (816-231-1123; http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/), a favorite barbecue joint. The place looks like a bit of a dive, but you'll need to arrive before noon to avoid a line that snakes out the door. Try the burnt ends, a local favorite consisting of the blackened portions of lean beef brisket slow-smoked with a combination of hickory and oak wooks, then slathered with the restaurant's spicy sauce and served over white bread.
(Donna's note - If you can, head back to 18th and Vine for dinner one evening at the PeachTree Inn. Delicious and a wonderful atmosphere. ) (Update - I believe they have moved to the Power and Light District.)
Walk off lunch with a stroll through the city's Crossroads Arts District (816-472-5701, http://www.kccrossroads.org/). This mile-square swath south of downtown once full of abandoned buildings is now home to more than 60 art galleries, one-of-a-kind boutiques, and topnotch restaurants, such as Webster House (816-221-4713), a 19th-century school now housing an antiques shop. On the first Friday of every month, most galleries and shops stay open past dark as the streets fill with performers, concessionaires, and shoppers. Before dinner, pop into Union Station (816-460-2020, http://www.unionstation.org/) once the third-largest train station in the nation. Recently renovated, it's filled with theaters, restaurants and a science center. Afterward, head to frequent Cooking Light contributor Lidia Bastianich's restaurant, Lidia's Kansas City (816-221-3722, http://www.lidiaitaly.com/), behind the station. If you're hungry enough, order the daily "pasta tasting" an all-you-can-eat spree through three freshly made past a dishes.
If you visit during the summer, toss a blanket on the grass in Southmoreland Park after dinner and catch a free play. The city's four-week Heart of America Shakespeare Festival (816-531-7728, http://www.kcshakes.org/) runs nightly (except Monday) beginning in the middle of June.
Day 2: Strolling the Market and the Plaza
Lace up your walking shoes, and head for the City market (816-842-1271, http://www.kc-citymarket.com/), five blocks from the banks of the Missouri River. An eclectic mix of international shops and restaurants borders a four-block plot, peddling everything from local wildflower honey to Yucatan ceramics. On Wednesday, Saturdays and Sundays, more than 120 vendors crowd the center of the square, offering the season's freshest fruits, vegetables, and herbs. at night, the area hosts a thriving social scene. You may also want to tour the Arabia Steamboat Museum (816-471-1856, http://www.1856.com/), which houses more than 100 tons of pristine 1856 merchandise recovered from the Arabia's sunken remains in the nearby river You can watch as workers continue the meticulous cleaning and preservation process used on the remaining cargo yet to be displayed.
For lunch, duck into Blue Bird Bistro (816-221-7559). The unassuming cafe is located in a brightly painted 1890s building where vegetarians have plenty of choices, such as the green curry ladled over jasmine rice and garnished with fresh tomato.
Afterward, visit the historic Country Club Plaza (816-753-0100, http://www.countryclubplaza.com/), America's first suburban shopping center. The 140-block plaza was created in 1922 and modeled after Spain's marketplaces. Today, it contains nearly 200 stores and restaurants, plus more than one million dollars in outdoor artwork and sculpture. Grab an art and architecture guide at the customer service office, and keep your eyes peeled for Giralda Tower, a small-scale replica of a famous 300-year-old Seville landmark, and it's three graceful mermaids, which frolic in a ceramic-tile-lined pool. As you stroll the plaza, take notice of the dozen or so ceramic heads topping the apartment building on Summit and 48th. The pieces are self-portrait busts created by past students of the Kansas City Art Institute that the building's owner mischievously impaled atop his building.
For dinner try the Grand Street Cafe (816-561-8000, http://www.grandstreetcafe.com/), and enjoy the Maryland blue crab cakes served with tomato salad, followed by the popular grilled pork chop marinated in olive oil, onions, and fresh herbs from the restaurant's own garden. Then catch some tunes at cozy Jardine's (816-561-6580, http://www.jardines4jazz.com/), one of only a handful of Kansas City's 20 or so jazz clubs that have live music seven nights a week.
Day 3: In Search of Artwork and Fountains
Start the day with a jog or bike ride along the harry Wiggins Trolley Track Trail (816-346-0200) which winds through scenic southern sections of the city and the university of Missouri. Grab a latte and a chocolate-filled croissant at Aixois (816-333-3305, http://www.aixois.com/), with outdoor seating adjacent to the northern trailhead, then head for The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (816-751-1278, http://www.nelson-atkins.org/), considered one of America's finest art museums. Though a $200 million expansion is underway, you can still view the facility's renowned collection of Asian art and European paintings. Admission is free, and the museum is closed on Mondays. The sculpture park at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is home to Claus Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen's playful Shuttlecocks installations.
The Nelson-Atkins is also home to Rozzele Court (816-751-1278, http://www.nelson-atkins.org/), an open-air courtyard restaurant featuring columned arches, cloistered walkways, and an 1,800-year-old fountain imported from Rome.
After lunch, tour the neighboring Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (816-753-5784, http://www.kemperart.org/). The small museum boasts works from Dale Chihuly, Andy Warhol, and Franz Kline. Don't miss walking among the bronze legs of the giant Spider sculpture or the feet of the Crying Giant, both on the front lawn.
At this point in your visit, you'll have noticed a lot of fountains in Kansas City. In fact, it is home to more fountains than any city in the world except Rome. And as the number of fountains has proliferated, it's become an unwritten rule that new commercial buildings incorporate a fountain into their designs. You can learn more by obtaining a fountain walking tour brochure from the Country Club Plaza's customer service center. Many of the city's fountains are clustered in the Plaza, including the landmark J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain.
Top of your visit the way many residents welcome the weekend with a pint of brew on the rooftop deck of ODowd's Little Dubline (816-561-2700, www.odowdslittledublin.com), where people watching is premium.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Chicken Enchiladas
These freeze well...
28 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
2 pkg. Enchilada Seasoning Mix
3 large chicken breasts
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
2 medium sized potatoes
1 ½ c. vegetables (corn, peas, black beans)
1 ½ c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Combine tomato sauce and enchilada seasoning mix in medium size bowl. Set aside.
In large skillet place diced chicken breasts, peppers and onion, sprinkle with 1 package of seasoning mix, brown very lightly until chicken is tender.
While the chicken is cooking, peel and cube the potatoes. Boil in water until slightly soft. (Do not overcook – makes them mushy later).
Drain the potatoes and add to the cooked meat mixture then add your favorite mix of veggies.
Take a tortilla and spread with one tablespoon of the seasoned tomato sauce you set aside. Next layer with meat and vegable mixture. Sprinkle with 1 – 2 tablespoons of Mozzarella and roll up placing in a 13 x 9 dish. Continue this process until you have used up all of the mixture. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and cover with cheddar cheese. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.
The enchiladas may be cooked ahead and frozen or stored in the refrigerator then cook right before serving.
28 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
2 pkg. Enchilada Seasoning Mix
3 large chicken breasts
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
2 medium sized potatoes
1 ½ c. vegetables (corn, peas, black beans)
1 ½ c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Combine tomato sauce and enchilada seasoning mix in medium size bowl. Set aside.
In large skillet place diced chicken breasts, peppers and onion, sprinkle with 1 package of seasoning mix, brown very lightly until chicken is tender.
While the chicken is cooking, peel and cube the potatoes. Boil in water until slightly soft. (Do not overcook – makes them mushy later).
Drain the potatoes and add to the cooked meat mixture then add your favorite mix of veggies.
Take a tortilla and spread with one tablespoon of the seasoned tomato sauce you set aside. Next layer with meat and vegable mixture. Sprinkle with 1 – 2 tablespoons of Mozzarella and roll up placing in a 13 x 9 dish. Continue this process until you have used up all of the mixture. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and cover with cheddar cheese. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.
The enchiladas may be cooked ahead and frozen or stored in the refrigerator then cook right before serving.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Grilled Zucchini
2 -3 Zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 2 inch pieces
butter or margarine
Lawry's seasoning salt
2 - 3 T fresh grated parmesean
Pat zucchini dry and spread cut surface with a thin layer of butter. Sprinkle liberally with seasoning salt and then grated parmesean. Grill or broil till zucchini is soft and topping is lightly browned.
butter or margarine
Lawry's seasoning salt
2 - 3 T fresh grated parmesean
Pat zucchini dry and spread cut surface with a thin layer of butter. Sprinkle liberally with seasoning salt and then grated parmesean. Grill or broil till zucchini is soft and topping is lightly browned.
Orange Chicken
So, this one is officially tried and true. Jean made it recently for dinner guests and it was a hit...
1 egg
1/3 c orange juice
1 - 1 1/2 c herb-seasoned stuffing mix, crushed
1 - 1 1/2 t paprika
1 T grated orange peel
1 t salt
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
6 T butter or margarine, melted
Orange slices (optional)
In a shallow bowl, beat egg; add orange juice. In another bowl, mix paprika, orange peel, salt and stuffing mix. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then into crumbs, turning to coat well. Pour butter or margarine into 13 x 9 inch bakng dish. Place chicken in baking dish, turning once to coat both sides. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear. Garnish with orange slices if desired. Yield: 4 to 8 servings.
1 egg
1/3 c orange juice
1 - 1 1/2 c herb-seasoned stuffing mix, crushed
1 - 1 1/2 t paprika
1 T grated orange peel
1 t salt
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
6 T butter or margarine, melted
Orange slices (optional)
In a shallow bowl, beat egg; add orange juice. In another bowl, mix paprika, orange peel, salt and stuffing mix. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then into crumbs, turning to coat well. Pour butter or margarine into 13 x 9 inch bakng dish. Place chicken in baking dish, turning once to coat both sides. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear. Garnish with orange slices if desired. Yield: 4 to 8 servings.
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