Spinach-Potato Hash

Tags

egg, potato, sausage, spinach

I never used to be a fan of potatoes. I had nothing against them, I just preferred pasta, or even rice, over potatoes if given the choice. Needless to say, this disappointed some of the people who would enjoy the meals I cooked in college, but they learned to deal with it. If they could only see me now… or eat with me!

I actually have cravings for potatoes now. A lot of times, it’s for potatoes and cheese, but lately I’ve been all about potatoes and eggs. I was craving potato hash so badly that I made do with what I had on hand…. tater tots, cheese, salsa, and eggs. Yeah, it was kind of a desperate attempt to use whatever I had on hand to achieve my ultimate goal.Granted, it didn’t satisfy my craving so I went online then went to the store after I found this recipe. It combines normal hash ingredients with spinach, for an extra yum-factor that makes it unique.

Spinach-Potato Hash
Note: Can also be served on a tortilla with salsa and scrambled eggs as a breakfast burrito.

1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces ground sausage
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups baby spinach leaves
2 to 4 eggs, fried to desired doneness

Preheat over to 400 degrees F. Place diced potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss to coat then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake potatoes for 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through and tender when poked with a fork.

While potatoes are baking, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ground sausage and cook until browned, crumbling with a spoon as it cooks. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Add onions to the pan and cook until softened and browned. Add the Italian seasoning, and season with salt and pepper as it cooks. Add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute more.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the cooked sausage back to the pan. When potatoes are done roasting, remove from the oven. Add the potatoes to the pan with the sausage and onions; fold to incorporate. Add the spinach and toss to combine and to slightly wilt the leaves.

Transfer the hash to a serving dish.  Season with salt and pepper as necessary.  Fry as many eggs as you’d like and serve over hash.

Source: Adapted from Joy the Baker

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Cheddar-Herb Biscuits

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Biscuit, Cheddar, garlic

I went to Red Lobster for the first time a few years ago. I had never been privileged enough to try the Cheddar Bay Biscuits that everyone seemed to rave about. They were awesome! Personally, I thought they were the best part of the meal. Over the years, I had forgotten about them, but when I got a craving for them, I decided to find a copycat recipe. One that didn’t call for Bisquick, as so many did.I don’t remember the Red Lobster biscuits well enough to compare, but these were super good! Especially fresh out of the oven. Yummy little bits of cheese tucked into buttery biscuits with a slight kick of garlic. Mmmm mmm good!Cheddar-Herb Biscuits

Yield: 10 biscuits

Cheddar Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, cold
1 cup buttermilk
1¼ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Butter-Herb Topping:
3 tablespoons butter, melted
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt. Cut in butter until coarse crumbs are formed. Add cheddar cheese and lightly mix to coat cheese. Mix in buttermilk just until moist; dry spots are acceptable to avoid over mixing. Drop the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until browned and golden.

While the biscuits are baking, combine melted butter, garlic powder, dried parsley flakes, and salt. When the biscuits are fresh out of the oven and still hot, but the butter mixture over the biscuits evenly. Serve immediately.

Source: Slightly adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Tags

broccoli rabe, broccolini, Italian, pasta, pork

How many people have actually heard of broccoli rabe? Rapini? Those are the two names this green most commonly goes by in the United States, and usually it’s sauteed and served as a side dish at restaurants. Despite the name, it has absolutely no connection to broccoli, but it does have little florets that look very similar to broccoli interspersed among the leaves. It is actually most closely related to turnips! My guess is that it’s similar to turnip greens, but I’ve never had them so I can’t say for sure. I do know that it is quite tasty and is one of the few vegetables that I really enjoy. It wilts down nicely when sauteed with garlic, and is even tastier when thrown in with pasta and sausage!

Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli rabe might be difficult to find, but if you happen to come across it, it is definitely worth trying. It’s typically found with all the other greens, like kale, collard greens, and mustard greens. If you can’t find it but still want to try this delicious and simple dish, just use broccolini. Broccolini is related to broccoli, and similar in taste, but has long stalks and small broccoli florets.

Broccolini

This dish is light, with only an olive oil and garlic sauce coating the pasta, and it has a perfect ration of sausage to greens. And if you’re anything like me, it’s a great way to add some green to your diet!

Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

1 pound broccoli rabe or broccolini, about 2 bunches, stalks trimmed and quartered crosswise
1 pound dried orecchiette pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spicy pork sausage, casing removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orecchiette until tender but still firm, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. One minute before the pasta is done cooking, add the broccoli rabe to the pot, stirring until crisp-tender. If using broccolini, add it to the pot 3 minutes before the pasta is done cooking. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until the sausage is brown and juices form, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli rabe and pasta, and toss to coat; add enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten, adding ¼ cup at a time as needed. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and ground pepper, adding salt to season as needed. Transfer to bowls and serve.

Source: Adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

Mango Lemonade

Tags

lemon, mango

A few days ago, we had an event at my workplace where people came to sample wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks, and food while visiting with our tigers, lions, and bears. I work at a non-profit animal sanctuary and this was a fun way for people to come see our animals, from a safe distance of course, especially with alcohol involved! 🙂 My best friend/coworker made a pasta salad, while I was put in charge of finding a non-alcoholic drink. After some browsing online, I came across a recipe for mango lemonade. The recipe I found didn’t sound great, but it was a great idea so upon further research I found a delicious sounding recipe that I just had to try.

I’ve been buying mangoes whenever I see them on sale lately, dicing them up and saving them in the freezer. It was great to find another recipe to use them in, other than the most amazing mango bread, and it helped me use part of my 10+ cups of diced mango. Yeah, I know, I’ve really been stocking up…

This is a perfect drink for summer, with the tart lemon and sweet mango. The color is absolutely beautiful, too! If you want more mango flavor, you can of course add more mango. I also might try using sparkling water next time, to give it a little fizz and pizazz.Mango Lemonade

Yield: About ¾ of a gallon

2½ cups diced mango, about 3 mangoes
1½ cups lemon juice
1¾ cup granulated sugar
8 cups water

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine sugar and 1 cup water. Heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils slightly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the diced mango and the lemon juice. Blend until the mangoes are completely pureed. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a pitcher and use an immersion blender to puree. Add the chilled sugar mixture and the remaining 7 cups of water. Stir well to combine. Serve chilled or over ice and enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Joylicious

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Tags

mozzarella, portobello, tomato

The weather is finally how it’s supposed to be with summer right around the corner. It went from rainy and stormy to being HOT! With temps near the mid 90’s, I find myself eating lighter meals, and trying to avoid hot foods. Grilling is a great option to keep the heat outside, which makes these grilled portobello mushrooms perfect. They are topped with a cool caprese salad, which is a very popular Italian combination of tomato, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. These are another perfect dish from Giada De Laurentiis, and are great as a vegetarian main dish or as a vegetable side dish.
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

4 large portobello mushrooms (about 5 inches in diameter), stemmed
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon minced garlic
2 ripe tomatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
8 ounces fresh water-packed mozzarekka, drained and cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high heat. Brush the portobello mushrooms with 3 tablespoons olive oil, coating the top and bottom of the mushrooms, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until the mushrooms are heated through, about 5 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil; toss to make sure everything is coated evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, place each hot mushroom gill side up and spoon the tomato salad atop the mushrooms, dividing the salad equally among the 4 mushroom caps.

Source: Giada’s Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis