This past Thursday, my son and I shared something that I've catalogued away as a sweet memory to call upon when he hits those years when he realizes how annoying mothers are and quits talking to me. We taught a cooking class together! He told me that he'd handle the cooking and I could do the talking. It was a good division of responsibility.
Our theme was easy meals for busy nights...specifically busy, back-to-school nights. The lazy evenings of summer have passed. Religious education and dance will be starting soon. We'll have to start eating and getting out the door again in record speeds. These are a few meals that I'll start making again with the cooler weather (okay, it was in the 90s today, but it will be cooler soon enough) and the hectic nights.
First up we made cheese tortellini soup. This is such an easy soup to throw together with things you can have in the freezer and pantry. The simple ingredients taste super together. Before the recipe, I have a few tips:
1. You can use dry, fresh or frozen tortellini. (Fresh will cook up the fastest, if time is really of the essence.)
2. You can also use fresh spinach instead of frozen...but you can always have frozen on hand. Set frozen spinach down to the fridge the night before so it is thawed and ready to squeeze and use.
3. This is a thick, hearty soup. You can add more broth to thin it; while you are at it, might as well add a little more bacon and onion at the beginning!
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| The whole family likes this one...and it was pretty popular at class too! |
Cheese Tortellini Soup
3 slices bacon, diced
½ cup onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
32 oz. (4 cups) chicken broth
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
16 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
1. Cook bacon and onion until browned.
2. Add garlic and cook a few seconds more. Add broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add spinach and tortellini, bring back to boil. Cook until pasta is tender (check package directions).
*From Parents magazine
Next up was eggs in purgatory with salami and peppers. We always serve this dish with couscous. It is different, healthy, and pretty tasty...if you like eggs that need to do some penance.
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Eggs in Purgatory is a traditional Italian peasant dish...
as far as I could tell from my limited research |
Eggs in Purgatory with Salami
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces deli-sliced salami, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 Italian green frying pepper, thinly sliced
1 small yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup tomato puree or marinara sauce
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
8 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
Prepared couscous, for serving
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to high and add the salami, onion, peppers and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the salami starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomato puree and 1/2 cup water and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Scatter the parsley leaves into the skillet. Make 4 indentations in the pepper mixture for the eggs. Break 2 eggs into a small bowl, then pour both into one of the indentations. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Cover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to desired doneness.
5. Serve with the couscous.
* From Food Network Magazine
The last recipe we made was Thai chicken tacos. I love this one because it combines two of my favorite foods. (Um...Thai food and tacos, if you couldn't figure that out.) When we make this at home, the nine-year-old eats the slaw and a cheese quesadilla, the four-year-old eats the chicken and a cheese quesadilla, and the rest of us know what's good for us and eat it the way it was intended. But I'm just happy they are trying something...and healthy somethings at that!
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| Served with a little extra Sriracha sauce! |
Thai Chicken Tacos
Makes: 4 servings, 2 tacos each
1 lime, halved
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 - 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
16 corn tortillas, heated
1 recipe Cabbage Slaw
1. Juice one lime half (about 1 Tbsp.); cut remaining half in wedges. In bowl stir together chicken, cilantro, shallot, garlic, the 1 Tbsp. lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, pepper, and chili sauce. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour or up to overnight. In large skillet cook chicken mixture in hot oil over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked, stirring occasionally.
2. To serve, layer two tortillas. Top with chicken and Cabbage Slaw. Serve with remaining slaw and lime wedges.
Cabbage Slaw
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
½ cup shredded carrot (1 medium)
½ cup sliced green onions (4)
⅓ cup sliced radishes
¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro
¼ cup coarsely chopped peanuts (optional)
¼ cup rice vinegar
1. In a medium bowl combine cabbage, carrot, green onions, radishes, cilantro, and, if desired, peanuts. Add vinegar; toss gently to coat.
* From Better Homes and Gardens
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| Calm and in control... |
A LOVELY MOMENT FROM MY DAY: A nice crisp Shell's Oktoberfest in the park, listening to folk music. These are the moments folks...
