Meatless Mondays: Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart

This must be my 1008th post this summer about zucchini and summer squash, but I like to think that this one is the most dazzling of them all! Ellie Krieger's first cookbook features this vegetarian Ratatouille Tart with a cornmeal crust, and it seemed like the stars had finally aligned for me to whip it up. I had everything I needed (minus the eggplant), and I had the time to put it together.



Although the tart is easy to make, it does require a bit of time because there are a few steps. I roasted all my veggies the day before and stored them in the refrigerator until I was ready for them. I baked up the cornmeal crust early in the afternoon of the day we ate this for dinner. I let it hang out and cool on the counter after par-baking it, then I let it hang out in the fridge too.

When assembly time rolled around, it went quickly and smoothly because I had everything ready to go. The veggies went into the crust, along with a good sprinkling of cheese, and then I baked it up. It filled the house with the most amazing smells, and it turned out looking completely gorgeous!



It ended up tasting delicious, except for the crust. I'm not sure where I went wrong, but the crust turned out wet and soggy and mushy. I know that the veggies were giving off a lot of liquid; I squeezed them out over the sink before assembling the tart so they would release the excess. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. You could still eat the tart, and of course the veggie part of the thing was pretty much to die for. But maybe next time I should just roast the veggies immediately before assembling the tart? I don't know exactly, but it is definitely worth a second try because I know this tart has wonderful potential!

Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart
adapted from FoodNetwork.com
makes 8 servings

Ingredients
For the crust:
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. canola oil
3 Tbsp. water

For the filling:
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced (1/3 cup)
Cooking spray
1/2 lb. thinly sliced yellow summer squash rounds (I used this in place of eggplant)
1/2 lb. thinly sliced zucchini rounds
1/2 lb. small tomatoes, thinly sliced (Ellie uses 3 medium tomatoes)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Make the crust: 1. Combine the cornmeal, flour, and salt in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Add the butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Add the water and pulse until the mixture forms a loose dough.

2. Remove the dough from the processor and press into the bottom and about 1/8 inch up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim. Press aluminum foil into the bottom and up the sides of the pan on top of the dough. Weight it down with uncooked rice or pie weights.

3. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the rice and foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Prepare the filling: 1. Heat 1 tsp. of the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook the shallots, stirring, until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange the squash, zucchini, and tomatoes on the sheets in a single layer and brush with the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and roast the vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Assemble the tart: 1. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lay the squash slices on the bottom of the tart, overlapping them if necessary; cover with one-third of the mozzarella and some of the shredded basil. Add the zucchini and shallots, top with another third of the mozzarella and the remaining basil, then the tomatoes. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and all of the Parmesan.

2. Bake until the cheese is melted and the vegetables have further wilted, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into 8 slices. Serve warm.

Meatless Mondays: Tabbouleh and Batata Harra (Spiced Potatoes)

As promised, here is the other half of my Middle Eastern meal from the other night. I figured it would be smart to blog today about the meatless side dishes I served, in honor of Meatless Mondays! I had the pleasure of making a Tabbouleh for the first time for this meal. Although I mostly used Cat Cora's recipe, I did make some changes to her formula.

I want to try her version soon, but I loved this one! Mine was more what you would consider a standard Tabbouleh, with tomatoes and cucumbers and parsley. Cat Cora's swapped out the tomatoes for red grapes, and fresh mint in place of the parsley. Yum! But I happened to have the tomatoes and parsley on hand already, so that is what I went with. It's a very easy side salad to make; the bulgur literally prepares itself once you pour boiling water over top. Once all your veggies are prepped and chopped, everything just gets tossed together with olive oil and lemon juice.

For the Batata Harra, or Lebanese Spiced Potatoes, I had to do a little bit of research. A couple weeks ago, my family ate dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant, and there was a very big menu. I finally opted for a large tasting plate for my entree, but I had my eye on the Batata Harra as well. Since I did not order the potatoes in the end, I decided I would just find out how to make them myself; they sounded too good to pass up! And they were simple and very delicious. They have quite a kick; I used both a fresh jalapeno and cayenne pepper, and you could definitely feel the heat.

My preparation method was different from the recipe I found; I made mine a bit healthier. In the original recipe, the potatoes are deep fried, and then all the aromatics are tossed in more oil. I decided to bake my potato pieces, and then I tossed the aromatics in a much smaller amount of oil. I'm happy to say that my dish still turned out extremely flavorful, and the potatoes were deliciously crispy. I don't know what the restaurant version of these tastes like, but I'll be making these at home again for sure!

Tabbouleh
adapted from Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist
makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
1 2/3 cups boiling water
1 cup bulgur
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber (about 1 medium)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted

Directions
1. Pour the boiling water over the bulgur in a large bowl and stir just until all the grains are moistened. Cover and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature.

2. Pour the oil and lemon juice into the soaked bulgur. Add the scallions, parsley, oregano, tomatoes, and cucumber; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Cover and refrigerate tabbouleh for at least 1 hour so the flavors have a chance to meld. Top with the pine nuts just before serving.


Batata Harra (Lebanese Spiced Potatoes)
adapted from Food.com
makes 1 lb. potatoes

Ingredients
1 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp. fresh lime juice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the potatoes with some salt and pepper, and 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil. Spread on a nonstick baking sheet, or a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray, and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.

2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add the scallion, garlic, jalapeno, cayenne pepper, coriander, salt and pepper. Saute the mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Toss the potatoes in the scallion mixture until well coated. Take the skillet from the heat; stir in the parsley and lime juice. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

CEIMB: Tuscan Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

Okay, I am really sorry about these bad pictures. I don't know why, but for some reason it was darn near impossible to get good shots of this meal. And that is quite a shame; the pictures do not do the food justice!

For this week's Craving Ellie in My Belly dish, Margaret of Tea and Scones selected Tuscan Roasted Chicken with Vegetables. I was looking forward to this; I just recently have come to love roasted tomatoes and roasted zucchini, and this recipe includes both. Plus, there's roasted fennel (love fennel!) and lots of fresh lemon flavor and sprigs of rosemary. All the makings of a fabulous meal were there.

For some reason, this one kinda disappointed me. I can't exactly put my finger on why. For starters, I did use a whole 4.5 pound chicken rather than the bone-in chicken breasts that Ellie used. I added onions to the veggies; we just love roasted onions. Because the chicken took about 2 hours to roast, I set it in the roasting dish and cooked it for an entire hour before adding the veggies. The veggies still ended up a little overdone, I thought. The zucchini virtually fell apart when I used tongs to lift it out, so much that I couldn't get many full pieces of zucchini to serve. Same with the tomatoes; they were just a mushy mess.

The onions and fennel held together well, though! And the flavor of the chicken was very good. Lots of fresh rosemary, garlic, and lemon was stuffed into the cavity of the bird, so Ellie's flavors were definitely reflected there. I don't know; I just think in the future I will try roasting different veggies with the chicken, ones that are sturdier. Or, I could roast them for an even shorter time.

It was still great to try this, because I have wanted to for a while now. Thank you for that, Margaret! Be sure to check out the full, unedited version of Ellie's recipe over on Food Network's website, here. And to see the CEIMB blogroll, click here.

Meatless Mondays: Slow-Roasted Tomato Pasta

Here's a meal that takes quite a bit of time to prepare, with hardly any effort put forth. The hardest thing required of you to do is wait around while you smell the slow-roasting tomatoes and wonder how much more you can stand! I found the recipe for Slow-Roasted Tomato Pasta in Cooking Light and knew it would be on my dinner table eventually; it just looked too good, and too easy, to pass up.



To roast the tomatoes, you simply cut them in half (or quarters), seed them, and let them roast in the oven at a lower temperature for 4 hours. The tomatoes get unbelievably sweet and tender; the flavors become intense and concentrated and wonderful. I highly recommend cooking tomatoes this way sometime; it's worth all that time in the oven.



To finish the meal, you saute some garlic in a skillet, then add crushed red pepper and the reserved tomatoes. A splash of pasta cooking liquid is added, then the mixture reduces slightly before being combined with the pasta noodles. Toss well, add a sprinkle of basil and Parmesan cheese, and you've got delicious simplicity at its finest! All that, and it's vegetarian!

Slow-Roasted Tomato Pasta
adapted from Cooking Light
makes 6 servings

Ingredients
3 lbs. plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
6 whole peeled garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
12 oz. uncooked long-cut pasta
dried basil, to taste
shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. oil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and the black pepper. Bake for 4 hours.

2. Heat a large skillet over low heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and the garlic; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic, and chop. Combine garlic, tomatoes, and crushed red pepper in pan.

3. Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 1/2 tsp. salt until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium-high under the tomato mixture, and stir in the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes. Add pasta; cook for 1 minute, tossing to combine. Remove from heat; transfer to serving dishes and sprinkle basil and cheese on top, if desired.

CEIMB: Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto Pasta

I am thrilled to be able to present you with this week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe, because Ellie Krieger herself has chosen it for us! That's right. Somehow Ellie managed to find out about our little blogging group, and she kindly offered to share with us a new dish that she has come up with. Needless to say, we jumped on it and it was placed on the rotation for this week.

The dish, Whole Grain Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto (or whole grain rotini, which is what I used), is definitely one of Ellie's best, at least in our opinion! Not only is it packed with flavor and nutrition, but it's absolutely, uniquely delicious and so very easy to make! As you are boiling some water for pasta, you can easily assemble the pesto sauce. It starts out with some toasted almonds and a clove of garlic, which are chopped finely in a food processor.

Meanwhile, you slow-roast about 6 tomatoes in the oven (Ellie also presents the option of using a can of diced, fire-roasted tomatoes), which makes the tomatoes' flavor concentrate and become tangy-sweet. Sooo, sooo good. After they have roasted, into the food processor they go, along with some fresh basil, red wine vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes.

You blend in some olive oil, then add salt to taste. What I could not get over at this point was how creamy the sauce became. I suppose if I had not processed the ingredients too much, I could have had a chunkier pesto, but I happen to like it the way it turned out. It wasn't completely smooth; there were still little nut pieces and basil flecks, which gave the sauce a great texture. Finally, you throw in some Parmesan cheese and gently pulse to combine. That's it for the sauce.

I was about 97% faithful to the original recipe. I did use rotini instead of spaghetti, and I also reduced the olive oil by 1 Tbsp. (I used 2 instead of the recommended 3) and bumped up the red wine vinegar from 1 tsp. to 4 tsp. I do like things tart, and this made it slightly more so. Finally, I served the pasta on a bed of fresh spinach, just to plump up the bowls a bit. Overall, we absolutely loved, loved, loved this dish! Even my son, who routinely gives me trouble at dinnertime, inhaled this and declared it "really good!" That's a huge compliment from him!

So, Ellie, if you're reading this, thanks so much for this wonderful recipe! I can hardly wait to make it again (and again). And if you have any other new recipes lying around that you want us to try, please don't hesitate to share! I hope the other ladies in the group had as much fun making, and eating, this as I did! You can find this recipe on our main CEIMB site, here. That's also where you will find the blogroll, so do stop by if you get a chance!

Two Dips: Black Bean Hummus and Salsa Verde

This week, I'm going to be posting recipes that can be used for Cinco de Mayo. I've never really celebrated Cinco de Mayo, to be honest. However, I'll use just about any excuse to try out themed meals made from scratch, and Mexican was sounding really good. So, I present to you the first of my Mexican posts, and it's appetizer time!

I made two dips over this past weekend; the first was one I have made before, but loved so much that I was eager to make it again. It's a great, unique spin on hummus. Instead of the traditional chickpeas, you use black beans, and you add in jalapeno for heat, cilantro for brightness, and lime juice for a nice, south-of-the-border punch. It's a fantastic dip, equally good on pita bread and tortilla chips, wonderful on fresh, crisp veggies, and a zesty treat on a sandwich. I can't get enough of this stuff.

The second dip I made was a salsa verde. Now, let me preface this recipe by saying that I am not usually the salsa-maker in our house. My husband has been making and perfecting his salsa recipe for years now. His finished product is always fiery-hot and addictive. But I wanted to try my own hand at it for a change, and this is what I came up with. I totally made it up as I went along, so all the measurements can be tweaked to your own personal tastes. Also, I call it a salsa verde because the color and taste of the dip ring truer to a green salsa, but this does contain some tomatoes. It's funny, you can't see them in there, but they are necessary for sweetness and balance. At least I think so. I roasted all the peppers I used prior to adding them. I really love the extra level of smokiness the roasting gives them. That's an optional step, though; feel free to skip it and just throw the peppers in raw.

Black Bean Hummus
adapted from Cooking Light
makes about 3-3 1/2 cups

Ingredients
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed (this time, I used a can of black beans w/ diced jalapenos)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (plus more for garnish, optional)
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Directions
1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients and process until smooth. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve with pita chips, fresh veggies, etc.

Salsa Verde
recipe by Bri
makes roughly 2 cups

Ingredients
1 poblano pepper
2 jalapeno peppers
4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the poblano and jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet and roast in the oven, turning frequently, until all sides of the peppers are blackened (about 20 minutes or so). Remove to a heatproof bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to cool slightly, until you can handle them. Peel the skin from the peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and place in the bowl of a food processor.

2. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and onions and place in the food processor. Toss in the garlic, cilantro, some salt, and pepper, and then blend everything to combine. You can make this as coarse and chunky, or as smooth as you like it. Add extra salt and pepper, to taste.

CEIMB Rewind: Turkey Meatballs with Quick and Spicy Tomato Sauce

This week I decided to do a recipe rewind, and go back in time to late April, 2009, before I was a part of Craving Ellie in My Belly. This week's actual recipe pick was Ellie's Baked Beans with Ham, but I had to opt out this time. For one, I have been nursing a flu bug or something that has knocked me out a bit, so I haven't been cooking a whole lot these past few days. Even if I was feeling top notch, though, I'm not sure I would have made this. I've never been a fan of baked beans; maybe Ellie's version would have converted me though! If everybody's reviews of this are good, I may have to revisit it another week.



For now, however, I'm going to tell you about Ellie's Turkey Meatballs with Quick and Spicy Tomato Sauce, from her book The Food You Crave. I've actually made this meal twice now, but when I made it most recently I finally photographed it so I could blog about it.

This is a wonderful interpretation of spaghetti and meatballs. I mean, sometimes when you make a healthier version of an old classic, you find yourself wanting for more. But not with this recipe. The meatballs are incredibly moist, thanks in part to the grated carrot and chopped onion inside. The veggies create that needed moisture, since ground turkey can be sort of dry otherwise. The sauce is classic but has a great spicy twist, thanks to some chipotle peppers for that awesome heat. The whole-wheat spaghetti is a great pairing with the sauce and the meatballs; hearty, and stands up to the strong flavors.

The first time I made this dish, which was over a year ago, my husband took the leftovers into work the next day. One of his coworkers tried some and demanded the recipe. When Andy told me this, I realized that this particular coworker had asked for at least 3 or 4 of Ellie's recipes before this. So, we ended up buying him her first cookbook for his next birthday. I just thought all of you CEIMBers would appreciate hearing that I had converted yet another Ellie fan to our ranks!

I hope everybody enjoyed the Baked Beans with Ham this week, and thanks to Danica of Danica's Daily for hosting.

To see the full recipe for the Turkey Meatballs and Sauce, click here.

Chili-Espresso Rubbed Pork Chops with Roasted Garlic Quinoa

Pork is one of those things that I'm constantly seeking new inspiration for, to try preparing it in ways I never have before. I found a recipe for Chili-Espresso Rubbed Steaks in Cooking Light a few months back, and decided to bookmark it and use it for boneless pork chops instead of flat-iron steaks.

The recipe was very simple: put together a spice blend which contained, among other things, espresso powder and chili powder, rub it all over the chops, and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Then, the original instructions advised you to cook the meat on your outdoor grill, but I opted for the oven instead, and baked my pork chops. Then, a combination of cherry tomatoes, parsley, sherry vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil was processed until not quite smooth, heated through, and used as a gravy that was to be put on top of the chops. Easy and elegant, full of tart and tangy flavors, and of course, healthy! I couldn't ask for more.

In the same issue of Cooking Light (August 2010) I also found a quinoa side dish that I decided to make along with the pork chops. I liked the fact that the quinoa utilized tomatoes as well, so it was easy for me to just use one whole small container of the cherry tomatoes to prepare this whole meal. Along with the tomatoes, you added a whole head of roasted garlic and some fresh spinach to the cooked quinoa, so it was packed with veggies and flavor. I prepared a simple side of green beans to complete the meal.

We loved the whole thing, every part of it. The pork chops were so delicious; we were big fans of the spice rub, which was at once spicy and smoky and peppery. The rub also made a nice crust on top of the meat, which yielded a tender, juicy chop underneath. It paired so well with the tomato gravy, which was tart/sweet and sort of coarse from the way it was blended.

The quinoa was just as flavorful. The roasted garlic was mellow and creamy, the tomatoes were a nice pop of tanginess, and the whole thing was lightly seasoned with crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of salt. I'm happy to say that I've found yet another great way to cook and serve quinoa, as this one was devoured by everyone. It's always a victory when that happens!

Chili-Espresso Rubbed Pork Chops

adapted from Cooking Light

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tsp. espresso powder

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 (6-ounce) boneless pork chops

Cooking spray

1 cup cherry tomatoes

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. sherry vinegar

Directions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients; stir well. Rub spice mixture evenly over both sides of the pork chops; cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place steaks on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or lined with foil and then sprayed with cooking spray. Bake the chops for 35 minutes, until cooked through and the internal temperature is between 145 and 160 degrees F. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.

3. While the meat rests, place the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until coarsely chopped. Spoon tomato mixture into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 1 minute. Serve with the pork chops.

Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, and Spinach

adapted from Cooking Light

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 whole garlic head

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained (I used half red, half white quinoa)

1 Tbsp. dry white wine

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup baby spinach leaves

1 cup cherry tomatoes, whole or halved

1 Tbsp. shaved fresh Parmesan cheese (mine was shredded)

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove papery skin from garlic head. Cut garlic head in half crosswise, breaking apart to separate whole cloves. Wrap half of head in foil; reserve remaining garlic for another use. Bake for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.

2. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and red pepper to pan; cook 1 minute. Add quinoa to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine; cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

3. Remove the quinoa from the heat and stir in the garlic pulp, spinach, tomatoes, cheese, and salt. Serve immediately.

Chicken Sausage Rigatoni in a Spicy Vodka Sauce

This pasta rocks. I'm being quite serious. You need to try this stuff. I even diverged from the recipe, making it a bit less fattening, and it was still magical. Here, I'll break it down for you.

Chicken Sausage Rigatoni in a Spicy Vodka Sauce...well, the name alone pretty much sells it, right? This one comes from The Food Network's Sunny Anderson, and after eating this meal I have to say I'm liking her more and more. I caught her making this pasta one afternoon, and decided that it was going straight to the top of my must-make list. I was drooling in the general direction of the television. It was bad.

It's a pretty straighforward dish. Boil up some water for pasta, and then get started on your sauce. Brown some chicken sausage in a pan, add veggies, then throw in seasonings and tomatoes, and simmer. Then, you finish the sauce with some vodka and some cream, and then you add some cheese and parsley before tossing the whole shebang with rigatoni. However, what seems like such a simple dish is nothing short of spectacular in flavor.

I think the secret is this: along with your veggies, you add in one jalapeno pepper, and then you toss in some hot paprika along with the seasonings. These are such simple additions, but they contribute so much to the overall taste of the dish. There's a great blast of heat from the pepper, and the paprika lends a new depth to the tomato sauce that I absolutely loved. I think I want to add paprika to all my tomato-based sauces now! It was that good.

I made this a touch healthier by omitting the butter Sunny used in combination with olive oil to brown her meat, and by using a lot less cream than she did. I read some reviews of the dish where the authors used only 1/4 cup and it still turned out fine. So, I added just 1/4 cup of half-and-half to mine, and I thought it was fantastic. It didn't turn the sauce into a cream sauce at all, but it did give it some lightness that cut the acidity nicely. Oh, and I cut way back on the cheese, too. I didn't miss it, either. And yes, there was booze in it, but it wasn't that much, so I'd like to believe that this was still healthier than it could have been! It was so savory and satisfying, and I can hardly wait to make it again.




Chicken Sausage Rigatoni in a Spicy Vodka Sauce
from Sunny Anderson via Food Network
makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. butter (I omitted)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. chicken sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup roughly chopped onion
1 jalapeno, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped green pepper
1 tsp. Hungarian hot paprika
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with basil (I used crushed)
1/3 cup vodka
1 cup heavy cream (I used 1/4 cup half-and-half, and it was still creamy enough for us)
1 lb. rigatoni
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
3 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley leaves (I omitted)

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter with the oil. Add chicken sausage and brown, 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up large chunks with a wooden spoon. Add onions, jalapeno, and garlic, and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add green pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, to taste, and cook 3 minutes more.

2. Generously salt pasta water and add the rigatoni. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, add tomatoes to the sauce and bring to a simmer, for about 10 minutes. Add vodka and cream and cook a few minutes more. Toss in cheese and chopped parsley.

3. To serve, drain the pasta well and add to the sauce. Mix until pasta is nicely coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

CEIMB: Tomato-Tortilla Soup

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe was Tomato-Tortilla Soup, chosen by Mary over at Popsicles and Sandy Feet. I remember making this soup last winter and loving it, but I never blogged about it. I think it's probably just because I was so bad at blogging back then, and not because this soup wasn't memorable! In fact, it was a very welcome repeat here at my house.

I just adore the simplicity of this meal. Just saute some onions, then add garlic and cumin. Throw in your jalapeno, two cans of diced tomatoes (I used one can of regular and one can of tomatoes with diced green chiles), and a carton of chicken broth, along with some dried oregano. Let it simmer for a brief period, then you're ready to blend it!

This was my favorite part. Since the last time I made this, I've acquired an immersion blender (thanks, K and E!) and I am a bit obsessed with it. It makes such quick work of pureeing a soup, among other things! Best of all, with this soup you're able to make it as chunky or as smooth as you'd like it to be. I opted for almost completely smooth; that's just my personal preference.

To finish off this soup, you remove it from the heat and add some lime juice. Then, you can top if off with some fresh cilantro and sour cream, as well as corn tortilla strips that have been baked until crispy in the oven. I love the corn tortilla strips! I had to make twice as many just to have enough for the soup; we all kept snacking on them before the soup was ready. I added some scallion tops and fresh lime zest to the garnish; I think it just added a little something extra special.

My husband went for his soup with sour cream, and I left mine without it. (That's why at the top of my post you see one bowl of soup all decked out, and then this last picture above is my sour cream-less version.) My hubby also had a grilled cheese alongside his, which he said was fantastic dipped in the soup. My son drank his through a straw, so whichever way you choose to ingest this soup, it's spicy and warming, tangy and tart, and just plain awesome.

Thanks to Mary for choosing this; I'm so glad I was able to revisit this, and give it the proper blog love it deserves! You can check out the full recipe on Food Network's website, here. And don't forget to check the CEIMB blogroll for everybody else's results!

CEIMB: Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Spinach

This week's Craving Ellie In My Belly recipe was chosen by Jennifer of The Rookie Baker. It was Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Spinach, and it was excellent! I knew I'd like it, just based on the list of ingredients, but I had no idea how much I'd love it.

The preparation is fast and simple. Cook up some red onions in a skillet, followed by some garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, and some salt and pepper. I had no white wine on hand, so I used some red instead. I thought it tasted great, and it tinted my onions an even purpley-er (invented word alert!) color, so it was kinda fun to look at, too. I did whir up my can of diced tomatoes with my immersion blender, so there would be no discernible chunks.

After a brief simmering period, you throw in your shrimp and some fresh spinach. The shrimp I used was already cooked, so I put them in last and just warmed them through. The spinach wilted down nicely, and gave the dish a nice, vibrant dash of color.

I guess the reason Ellie recommends the diced tomatoes is because if you use tomato puree, the sauce becomes a bit too thin, too runny. That's what ended up happening with my sauce. At the end of cooking, the sauce was sort of all pooled up on the bottom of my skillet and not so mixed up with the other components. It all worked out fine in the end; I just scooped up some of that sauce when dishing it up and spooned it down over the top.

As for the taste, I was pleasantly surprised! As I said before, I knew I would like this meal, but I didn't know it would have so much flavor. The crushed red pepper really did give everything a good kick, and the wine imparted tons of depth. The tomatoes were perfectly tart, the oregano gave it a nice Italian feel, and the shrimp was succulent and perfect. I don't think I'd change anything about this dish (other than what I already changed, of course!), which is saying quite a lot. I almost always change up a recipe, even if just a little. But this one is wonderful as is.

I had a hard time finding the full recipe online, but I found half of it! The ingredients list for this recipe can be found here.

As for the directions, they're simple:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente and according to the directions on the package.

2. Meanwhile, thinly slice the red onion and preheat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil, then the onion. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, the oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the shrimp and spinach and cook, stirring, until the shrimp is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the drained, cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until well combined.

CEIMB: Chicken Sliders with Warm Tomato-Corn Salad (and Israeli Couscous)

This week, Craving Ellie in My Belly is making Chicken with Warm Tomato-Corn Salad, chosen by Danica of Danica's Daily. I decided to deviate just a bit from Ellie's original recipe this time. I took a look at the chicken part of the recipe and decided I wanted to jazz things up a little. I love a simple piece of grilled chicken just as much as the next healthy-eating gal, but I took this opportunity to put a yummy rotisserie chicken to good use. I'll be using half my (albeit slightly anti-healthy) store-bought chicken for another meal this week, so I decided the other half would make some very delicious barbecue pulled chicken sliders.

As for the tomato-corn salad portion of the recipe, I didn't change a thing! This was so fresh, so bright, so colorful and flavorful and just perfect. I was fortunate enough to be able to use home-grown corn (thanks again to Andy's parents!) that was so sweet and tender, it was hard not to just eat it by the cob. The cherry tomatoes were fantastic; as I've been saying on my blog for a little while now, I have really come to embrace them when they are cooked exactly this way.

The cilantro was just enough pop for me, the lime juice was a welcome taste of acid, and as for the avocado...well, everybody enjoyed it but me! I have tried (and failed) in the past to like avocado, but so far I can only eat it if it is blended into something else. I guess I like the flavor, but not the texture. I'm admittedly weird when it comes to food textures, and I'm working on it! This group really does help with that. Look at me and tomatoes, BFFs now!

Anyway, we decided to serve the avocado alongside everything in slices. I heard that the slices were really good on the pulled chicken sandwiches, too. For my other side dish, I served a simple pilaf of Israeli couscous (a favorite around here) that went over well. My mother in-law had never eaten this before, and she loved it. We like introducing people to Israeli couscous, because everyone seems to enjoy it once they've had it. It's sort of a cross between regular, smaller couscous, pearled barley, and orzo. It's easy to make and so versatile! If you ever find it in your grocery store, I highly recommend giving it a try.

But back to the Warm Tomato-Corn Salad! It was a huge hit at our dinner table; even "the picky one" devoured it without a single complaint. That right there speaks volumes about this dish. I mean, it was veggies, and it was embraced by my 4 year-old! Thanks again, Ellie, and thank you, Danica, for the great pick! It was summery and perfect!

You can find the full recipe, complete with Danica's fun Cajun variation on the chicken, on her blog, here.

CEIMB: Panzanella with Chicken Sausage

Wow, this is the first time I've had to write two blog posts in one day! I knew it would have to happen eventually. I had both my Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Club post to do, as well as my regular Thursday Craving Ellie in My Belly post. Phew! Fortunately, this is the kind of busy that I like to be! Having to do some extra time in the kitchen is not a problem for me.



Now, onto this week's CEIMB recipe! This week's pick was Panzanella with Chicken Sausage from Ellie's So Easy book, chosen by Peggy of Pantry Revisited. I was glad she picked this one, because panzanella is something that has always intrigued me. I'd never made it, and never eaten it until now. I love salad, and I love bread, but for some reason the idea of an actual bread salad always seemed too bizarre to me.

As it turns out, I love bread salad! In fact, we all did here at my house. My hubby and I scarfed this down, and even my picky 4 year-old thought the idea of bread in his salad was pretty cool. I used some chicken sausages from Sam's Club (and hey, by the way, I'm kinda mad at Sam's Club right now. After I got the sausage home, I removed the outer cardboard liner and discovered that it had an expiration date of May 24th! We had to return it, and buy some more, and it turned out that almost every single package in their store was past date! We found one of maybe 2 or 3 packs that were good. Argh! And don't even get me started on the Sam's Club bleach stain incident of 2 weeks ago....).

Anyway, the sausages ended up being pretty tasty! They were provolone and sun-dried tomato flavor, and I did enjoy them in the end. As for the salad, I really was surprised at how much I loved it.

I've talked several times before in various blog posts about how I have come to love roasted or burst tomatoes, but haven't yet been able to fully embrace tomatoes in their raw form. So, I made my salad with burst cherry tomatoes, and I made the rest of the salad with regular cherry tomatoes. I think it worked out well. The dressing was simple but so good, and I used half a loaf of roasted garlic fougasse (which I haven't figured out how to pronounce, but it sure is good!) bread I found at the grocery store. I loved how the bread did soak up the other flavors in the salad, but it was a nice sturdy bread that held up well to the dressing and did not get soggy or mushy at all.

So once again, Ellie Krieger has made a believer out of me! She has proven that if I merely try something I've been skeptical about, chances are I will like it very much. This one exceeded my expectations. Thank you, Peggy, for taking me out of my comfort zone! The recipe for this one can be found here, on her blog.