Italian Wedding soup

So, I haven't posted in forever. My maternity leave ended, so things like blogging, working out, and sleeping got pushed aside. I have managed to keep cooking dinner almost every night though! I have to say, I'm pretty proud of that. One way I do this is by planning a series of meals that all stem from one main item that I can make on a weekend. Meatballs were the first item I chose. On Sunday, I made meatballs and Italian wedding soup. I used 1/2 of the meatballs in the soup and froze the other 1/2. We had the soup for dinner that night and for several lunches throughout the week. Then later in the week, I reheated enough of the meatballs to make meatball subs. The remainder of the meatballs became spaghetti and meatballs for my husband one evening when I was out. I'll post the meatball recipe later this week, but for now here is the Italian Wedding soup recipe. I made this recipe up based on about 4 I found online and in my cookbooks. I really love how it came out. Aside from making the meatballs, it's also really simple. It is a nice hearty soup, perfect on a rainy, chilly day (which we have had plenty of recently) with some crusty bread.

Italian Wedding Soup
1lb uncooked meatballs
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced or pushed through a garlic press
1 bay leaf
6 cups of chicken broth (I used 4 cups + 2 cups of water with 2tsp Better than Boullion)
2 cups of water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1.5 cups uncooked pasta
6 stalks of swiss chard, middle stem removed, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
salt and pepper

Melt butter in large saucepan or dutch oven. Saute onion, garlic, carrot and celery until soft. Add wine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth, water, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add meatballs and pasta, lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and pasta is done. Add swiss chard and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Serve hot. This recipe makes about 6 servings unless your father, brother, and husband are all eating it.

Notes:
*Reheat over low if you won't be eating until later
*You could probably make this with frozen meatballs, but I think one reason I like it so much is that the meatballs cook right in the soup adding a nice flavor that already cooked meatballs would not.
*Once everything is added to the soup, you may want to add another cup or so of water depending on how much broth you like in your soup
*You may need to play around with the overall broth-to-water ratio depending on the type pf chicken broth you use. I originally used all broth and no water and felt it overpowered te flavor the vegetables and meatballs gave the soup
*Feel free to use a different green (escarole, spinach, etc.) depending on what you like and what's in season

Sorry there are no pics, but, hey, at least I'm posting!

Bacon, Spinach and Cheddar strata

Baby girl's bedtime is 8pm. However her bedtime "routine" starts at 7:15. First she eats, then she takes a bath, then we read her a story, then she eats again and then she goes to bed. We're also trying to gently teach her to fall asleep on her own, so that can take even more time. Since I am breastfeeding, I am a rather integral part of the bedtime routine, so I can't be downstairs making dinner while my husband takes care of bedtime. So, things that I can prep ahead of time, then pop into the oven so they are ready  just about at the same time she falls asleep are great. I found this strata recipe in Everyday Food and changed it up a little so it is a full meal. Note that the magazine says it serves 4. If you are having it, and only it, for dinner I would say it serves 2. Add some salad and bread, and it could definitely feed more though.

Bacon, Spinach and Cheddar strata (adapted from Everyday Food):
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 package baby spinach, chopped and stems removed
1 red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup of onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
4 pieces bacon (I use thick sliced bacon, if you use thin-sliced bacon, I would recommend using 6 slices), cut into small pieces
3 cups day-old bread cubes
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk (I used a combo of skim milk and cream, since I don't always have whole milk)
1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add bacon and saute until almost cooked, about 3 minutes if using thick-sliced bacon. Add onion, garlic clove, and red pepper, and cook until bacon has finished cooking and vegetables are soft. Remove garlic clove. Add spinach and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Put bread pieces into an 8-inch square baking pan. Pour vegetable-bacon mixture evenly over the bread.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and 1 cup of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over bread and vegetable-bacon mixture. Top with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. [Here is where you can put the entire mixture in the fridge until it is ready to bake and then eat]. Bake until set in the middle and golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.

Variations:
- Vegetarian! I don't think this necessarily needs bacon, although it does add a nice smoky flavor
- Ham, crumbled sausage or pancetta instead of regular bacon

Pasta and meat sauce

I used to buy jarred pasta sauce (I was, and still am, particularly fond of Rao's), but then I realized how easy it was to make my own. I made this recipe up myself, so the measurements are inexact at best. But it makes a nice pot of sauce, so that you have some leftover to freeze. It's really simple, and feel free to experiment - use less garlic if you are not a garlic person, use a different combo of tomatoes if you like more or less chunks, etc. I like to make the sauce during the baby's morning nap (10am), simmer it for an hour or two, then let it sit for the rest of the day to really let the flavors meld. Then I reheat over low heat at serving time.

Lisa's meat sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 an onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
4-5 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a garlic press
1 lb ground beef
1 28-oz can tomato puree
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tbsps tomato paste
1 "shake" or pinch red pepper flakes
fresh or dried oregano and basil
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tsp sugar, if needed

Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan (I use a 2.75 quart enameled casserole). Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until meat is almost cooked through but still has a few pinkish spots, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. If sauce tastes a little "sharp" stir in sugar.  Spoon over pasta and enjoy!

Mom's Scottish Oatmeal Scones (with pics!)

My mom has been making these scones for as long as I can remember and I love them! They are not your typical English cream scone. I like them toasted with honey...the perfect breakfast when you need something quick.

Be gentle with the dough and don't overmix - it is similar to making pie crust.

Mom's Oatmeal Scones
1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick), chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup shortening (i.e., Crisco), chilled and cut into small pieces
1 cup of oats (she uses quick, I use rolled...just don't use instant)
1/3 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, add1 tsp of white vinegar to 1/3 cup of milk and let it "sour" for a few minutes)

Preheat the oven to 375. Mix or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Work the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or your fingers until the dough the texture of oatmeal.

Stir in the oats. Add the buttermilk, mixing just enough to moisten the dry mixture (you might need a bit more buttermilk depending on the amount of moisture in your flour, the weather, etc. just be careful not to make the mixture soggy!). Turn dough out onto a floured surface and pat into a circle 7-8" in diameter.

Cut into 8 equal-sized wedges and transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes or until edges are just starting to brown.

Variations:
*Brush the tops of the scones with melted butter before baking
*Sprinkle the scones with sanding sugar before baking
*Add chopped fruit or raisons

Basic Brownies

Sometimes there is nothing better than a brownie! My brother's girlfriend made these brownies for a family gathering a couple of years ago and I thought they were the best ones I had tasted in a long time. I made them the other day and was very happy to hear someone say, "this is how a brownie should taste." Can't get a better compliment than that!

Unfortunately, I do not know where this recipe originated, so I cannot give proper credit:

Basic Brownies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into 16 pieces

4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan (I use Pam for Baking and despite my intial wariness, it works wonderfully!).

2. In a saucepan over very low heat, melt butter or margarine and chocolate, stirring the mixture constantly.  Remove from heat, and stir the sugar into the chocolate.  Allow the mixture to cool slightly.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.  Stir in the vanilla.  

3. In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture.  Fold in the walnuts, if using.  Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

4. Bake in oven 30 to 35 minutes

*Note: a 9x13 inch pan is recommended, and this is what I used. However, I do think one could use an 8x8 or 9x9 inch square pan to get a slightly denser brownie. If you try this the baking time may change, so check the brownies to make sure they are not overdone/underdone.

Riso alla Pitocca (risotto with chicken)

I love risotto, but many recipes require constant stirring and I don't have time for that. What if baby wakes up and I have to leave the risotto for a few minutes? I'd hate for it to be ruined! Thus, when my mom gave me this recipe for Riso alla Pitocca, which requires very little stirring, I was thrilled. I often add extra broiled vegetables at the end, but there is no need to do that if you are not a veggie person. Also, the original recipe calls for chicken thighs, but I am still wary of dark meat, so I stick with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can make this earlier in the day and rewarm it gently at dinner time. It also makes a great lunch the next day!

Riso alla Pitocca (risotto with chicken): adapted from Lidia's Italy
1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup celery , diced
2 plump garlic cloves, diced or pressed through a garlic press
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 fresh bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
5 cups hot chicken broth, plus more if needed, or 5 cups hot water with 5 teaspoons of Better than Bouillon chicken base (I find this easier and more cost effective than always having chicken broth on hand)
2 cups Italian short-grain rice, such as Arborio
2 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Set broth (or water with Better than Bouillon) to heat over medium heat. Dice the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. You can also put these into a food processor if you want them to be chopped up very finely. I am lazy about getting out and washing the food processor, and I like bigger chunks so I just dice them by hand. Heat the oil in a large saucepan (I use an enameled cast iron dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add the veggies to the oil, along with 1 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until soft and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan (about 5 minutes), stirring frequently. While the veggies are cooking, cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Add to the pot, along with the bay leaf and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook until chicken is just barely cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Raise heat to high and pour in the wine, scraping up any brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until wine has almost evaporated. Pour in the hot broth and the rice. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low (so the Riso is still bubbling gently), cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until the rice is creamy and fully cooked. If the broth has all been absorbed but the rice is not yet at the consistency you like, add more hot broth and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and stir in the butter pieces, then the grated cheese. Serve hot with more grated cheese.

Variations:
- I like to broil some peppers and zucchini and add those at the end so the rice becomes a complete "one-pot" meal with plenty of veggies.
- My mom has made this with chicken sausage instead of chicken thighs/breasts and says it is great. But make sure you get high-quality, fresh chicken sausage, not the pre-cooked variety.