Goat Cheese Marinated in Olive Oil & Herbs

I know what you are thinking. Goat cheese is funky tasting. My friend (we'll just call him Hippie) says "it tastes like lickin' a goat." I don't know if he's licked goats to be able to make this comparison, but he actually loved this appetizer. It's delicious and if you are still afraid of goat cheese you can use feta instead.

1 cup of good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
3 big cloves of garlic - finely minced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 lb of goat cheese or feta
Crackers or french bread for serving

*Combine oil, herbs, garlic, red pepper and black pepper. Pour over cheese; cover and marinate in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge about half an hour before serving and roughly slice into bite size chunks and stir to let the marinade coat each piece. Let cheese come to room temperature before serving to develop flavors.

~Serves 6 as an appetizer. Serve with crackers or french bread.

Caprese

You asked for it, you got it. This is the best Caprese in the world (so I have been told). In the summer all you need are a couple of grilled steaks and this stuff and dinner is served. Enjoy!

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 large cloves of garlic - finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp of good quality extra virgin oil
1 and 1/2 lbs of tomatoes - I use garden fresh tomatoes in the summer and grape tomatoes from the grocery store when the good stuff is out of season. Just slice the grape tomatoes in half.
6 oz fresh mozzarella cheese drained and sliced or cubed.
2 tbsp thin sliced fresh basil leaves

*Whisk the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper and olive oil together in a bowl. Set aside.

If you are using regular large tomatoes, slice them 1/4 inch thick and arrange on a deep platter with the sliced cheese. If you are using grape or cherry tomatoes, slice the tomatoes in half and dice the cheese into about 1/2 inch chunks and toss together on a deep platter.

Pour the dressing over the tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle the basil over the top. Serve with garlic bread (see earlier post for my garlic bread recipe). If you use the sliced tomatoes and cheese its great to stack tomato then cheese on top and eat like an open sandwich. If you do the diced style just spoon the mixture onto the garlic bread.

Potato and Leek Soup with Lavender

I grow lots of lavender and lately I have taken to cooking with it. It's really nice and in my opinion you can use it just about anywhere you normally use thyme. Try this out for an introduction to this lovely herb.

4 slices of bacon
2 large leeks (white part only) - washed and sliced lengthwise then chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
8 cloves of garlic - minced
6 medium potatoes - peeled & diced
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp ground lavender buds (you can use thyme if you don't have lavender)
salt & pepper

*Wash or soak leeks to remove any dirt or sand and set aside. Cook bacon in soup pot until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Crumble and reserve. Add washed chopped leeks to bacon fat and saute gently until they are very soft about 10 minutes. Add garlic, potatoes and stock to leeks and simmer until potatoes are very soft about 25-30 min. Using a blender, puree the soup until smooth and return to pot. Add cream, milk, bacon, herbs de Provence and lavender and reheat until hot but not boiling. Salt & pepper to taste and serve.

~Serves 6

Italian Pasta & Bean Soup

I love the Pasta E Fagioli soup at Olive Garden. So, the last time I had it, I got out a pen an paper and made some notes to help me try to make it at home. This is what I came up with, I hope you like it!

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
Salt & Pepper
2 medium carrots - diced
1 stalk of celery - diced
1 medium onion - diced
5 medium cloves of garlic - minced
1 can 15 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 box 32 oz beef stock
1 can 15 oz small white beans - drained
1 can 15 oz kidney beans- drained
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (if you like it zesty add some more)
1 tsp dry oregano
1/2 cup small elbow pasta
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Garlic bread for serving

*In a large soup pot, heat olive oil for about a minute over medium heat. Add ground beef to the pot and cook for a few minutes breaking up with a wooden spoon. When beef is about half cooked, season with salt and pepper; add the carrots, celery and onion. Cook until veggies are slightly soft and the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute more. Turn the heat up to medium high and add the tomatoes, beef stock, beans, red pepper flakes and basil. When the soup comes to a slight boil; reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 25 minutes stirring occasionally. Then add the pasta and simmer for about 7 minutes more. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper to taste. Top with fresh grated Parmesan. Serve with garlic bread.

~Serves 6

Dutch Oven - Sausage and Shrimp

Good God, just cook this! I would make this once a week if the guys would let me get away with it.

Be sure to use a heavy pan with a tight fitting lid when you make this. It helps to steam the potatoes and the shrimp.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.
1 and 1/2 pounds (24 oz) bulk Italian hot sausage
1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 medium red potatoes, sliced in half and then sliced thin
5 large cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay is good)
1 pint grape tomatoes left whole
14 oz jumbo raw shrimp 27-30 count, peeled & deveined (just buy the frozen ones and thaw them in the fridge the night before).
1 lemon
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
More extra virgin olive oil for garnish
Garlic bread, for mopping up all of the amazing juices.

*Heat 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown while breaking up with a heavy spatula. When the sausage is just barely pink but nearly cooked through, add the onions to the pan and cook while the sausage finishes up. Add the potatoes and garlic to the pan with the sausage and onion and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the red pepper flakes. Pour half of the wine over the potato mixture, cover the pan with the tight fitting lid and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove the lid, add the tomatoes and gently stir into the potato mixture. Arrange shrimp on top of the potatoes and sausage and pour the remaining wine over the top. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste. Return the lid and cook until the shrimp turns pink, about 7 minutes.

Remove from heat. Top the shrimp with the juice of 1 lemon and big drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil then sprinkle with parsley. Serve in shallow bowls to hold the juice. Use the garlic bread to sop up the wonderful juices.

~Serves 6

Chicken Cacciatore

This dish is very family friendly and pretty darn light. I like to serve it with garlic bread and sop up the rich tasting juices.

4 bone in - skinless chicken breasts (the bone is important for full flavor)
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium white onion, cut in half and sliced thin
1 red or green bell pepper, sliced thin
12 oz white mushrooms, sliced thin
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of dry white wine (I like Chardonnay for this). You can use chicken stock instead...I guess.
1 can 14-1/2 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dry thyme leaves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 dry bay leaves
more salt to taste

*Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Then, heat the oil in a large heavy saute pan over medium heat. Brown the chicken meat side down, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from pan and set aside for now.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the onion and pepper, saute and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, and the onions are nearly translucent. Add the mushrooms cooking until the mushrooms begin to release their water and turn light brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes with their juice, thyme, bay leaves, red pepper flakes and salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp) and simmer the mixture covered for 10 minutes.

Return the chicken breasts to the pan and simmer, covered, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes longer.

~Serves 4-6

I actually decided a whole chicken breast is too much for one serving. So I have been using a big heavy knife and saw the breasts in half before I brown them in the first step.

You can also double everything but the chicken and serve the sauce over pasta.

Don't forget the garlic bread!

Garlic Hummus - With Vegetable Dippers

This recipe doesn't use any olive oil but it still tastes great. I serve this as an appetizer when my vegetarian and gluten sensitive friends show up.

2 cans 15.5 oz chick peas (garbanzo beans) - Drain one can, don't drain the other can
2 medium cloves of garlic - peeled
1/2 tsp dry thyme leaves
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
10 grinds of fresh black pepper

*Place all ingredients in a food processor or good blender. Process until completely pureed. Serve with sliced vegetables like celery, carrots and mixed bell pepper slices.

~Serves 4-6 as an appetizer.

Vegetable Minestrone with White Beans

This soup is delicious and really healthy. Sometimes I make a pot and just reheat it by the bowl full all week for lunch.

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion - small dice
2 large carrots - large dice
2 celery stalks - sliced lengthwise and small diced
1 tsp salt
5 cloves of garlic - minced
1 can 14 oz of stewed tomatoes
1 32 oz box of chicken stock (or use vegetable stock to make this vegetarian)
2 cans 15 oz each of great northern beans (any small white bean is fine)
About 8 turns of fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp dry thyme
1 small bunch of kale, about 3 loose cups full - torn in small pieces and rinsed well.

*Add olive oil to a large soup pot over medium low heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and salt. Saute over medium low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Until veggies are tender. Add garlic and stewed tomatoes to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes breaking the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon. Add stock and beans with their liquid to the pot. Stir in the black pepper, red pepper and thyme. Cook at a low simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in the kale and simmer for 15 minutes more. Adjust salt to taste and serve.

~Serves 6