Chopped Kale Salad with Pecorino, Raisins, and Walnuts

Smitten Kitchen is one of my favorite food blogs (other than NPC of course).  Deb is amazing.  She takes amazing pictures and has great recipes that I can relate to and really enjoy.  Not to mention, she does all of this amazing work in a tiny little NYC kitchen.  I can only hope that NPC will be where Smitten Kitchen is one day! 

While scrolling through recipes for Easter, I came across a kale salad that just looked delightful!  I needed at least one dish that was “atypical” for Easter and was sure to please since I was hosting for about 12 other people that day.  After all, my NPC reputation is always on the line!  This chopped kale salad turned out to be a hit…and I even earned a “fancy” label J  Go figure!  I’ll take that any day!

Chopped Kale Salad with Pecorino, Raisins, and Walnuts

½ c walnut pieces

¼ c golden raisins

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp water

¼ c panko

1 tiny clove garlic, minced or pressed

kosher salt

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch Tuscan kale

2 oz pecorino (ground in food processor)

½ lemon, juiced

black pepper

Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over low-medium heat, tossing occasionally.  Let cool.  In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer white wine vinegar, water, and raisins for 5 mins, until plump and soft.  Set aside in liquid.

Toast breadcrumbs and garlic in a skillet together over low-medium heat with a pinch of salt until golden.  Set aside. 

Note: Garlic will be fragrant once it is properly toasted.  However, garlic burns quickly and turns rancid.  Be sure to stir constantly to prevent burning.

Trim heavy stems off kale and remove ribs.  Add kale to bowl of food processor and pulse a few times until chopped.

Modification: Chopping the kale is one of the changes I made to the original recipe.  I decided to chop in a food processor because it literally takes a few seconds to do.  Also, since kale is so bitter, it helps to get small bites of kale with the other salad ingredients for an amazing combo that isn’t overpowering.

Put kale in a large bowl.  Add pecorino, walnuts and raisins.  Add olive oil and lemon juice and toss until all the kale is coated.  Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and leftover vinegar mixture from raisins.  (I used all of the vinegar mixture.)  Let sit for at least 10 mins before serving.  Top with breadcrumbs just before serving.

Dijon Vinaigrette Potato Salad

Last month, my husband’s boss had a fiscal year-end celebration for his team and their families at his house.  This was the second year in a row he had this and the food has been great both times.  But this year, the one thing that stuck out to me (of all things) was this healthy, light, and tangy potato salad that was served.  I did what I normally do – gave my kudos to the chef and asked her what the heck she put in them.  Once she told me, I knew I could make it at home myself…so I did!

This Dijon vinaigrette potato salad is a French-style potato salad.  Honestly, it was my first time having it.  Why is it that potatoes can be paired with anything and be delicious???  Okay, sorry for the tangent.  Many of us in America are used to the potato salad swimming in mayo and mustard.  They have zero nutritional value and are heavy and filling.  Don’t get me wrong, I have had my share of the cholesterol-laden potato salads too, and many are quite yummy.  But it’s nice to find a healthier alternative when you want some variety. 

Dijon Vinaigrette Potato Salad

6 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil

¼ c white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp dried basil

¼ c sliced green onion

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 mins or until just tender; drain.  Cool for 30 mins.

Tip: Potatoes are done when a knife or fork easily pierces the potatoes with little to no resistance. 

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.  Add warm potatoes; toss gently to coat.

Note: Leftover Dijon vinaigrette can be used for salads for the next few days.  Store in the refrigerator.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

I made this potato salad as a side to a healthy Sunday dinner.  I served this with roasted chicken wings, roasted tomatoes and asparagus.  The potato salad paired well with these lighter options.  It made for a colorful, easy, and flavorful Sunday night.

Haircot Verts with Tomatoes

Okay so I know we haven’t been giving you a lot of side dishes.  But, sometimes you need something to actually go WITH your entrée right???  Well, here is a great option.  It’s easy, healthy, and flavorful. 

I didn’t make many changes to the Food Network Kitchens recipe but I chose to use haircot verts instead of green beans and I added garlic.  Other than that, the recipe is simple and flawless.  Haircot verts are just French green beans.  They’re longer and thinner.  I prefer the flavor but I can’t really put my finger on the distinct taste differences.  For me, I prefer haircot verts because I can usually find packages of perfectly fresh haircot verts in the produce section of most grocery stores and I don’t have to pick through mounds of green beans that are either shriveled or browned.  I try and make cooking easier whenever possible.

I could pair this with just about anything.  This time, I made it for Easter dinner.  We had honey glazed ham, broccoli-rice casserole, haircot verts with tomatoes, cornbread and a yummy peach cobbler for dessert.  It was a fantastic Easter dinner but you know what was completely gone by the end of the night???  The veggies!  That should tell you something :)

Haircot Verts with Tomatoes

½ onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp EVOO

1 ¼ lb green beans or haircot verts, trimmed

15oz can crushed tomatoes

1 ¼ c water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

pinch of cinnamon

Cook onion in a pot with EVOO for about 3 mins.  Add garlic and sauté another 2 mins or so.  Add beans, tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon.  Partially cover and simmer 35 mins.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Tip: Cook until most of the water is evaporated.  It is important that you only partially cover or the steam won’t escape (which means the water isn’t evaporating). 

My Favorite Thanksgiving Stuffing

It's almost here! It's almost here! Thanksgiving is almost here! Thanksgiving is totally my fave holiday! I love everything about it... it's so low key - there are no cards to send. There are no gifts to wrap. The whole thing is about gratitude, being thankful for what you have, friends and family. Throw in some football and THE FOOD and I am in heaven. 

I stuff my turkey with herbs, onions and apples, so I don't know if this is "stuffing" or "dressing" but whatever you want to call it, it's my favorite part. (For the record, mashed potatoes and gravy second, turkey third, sweet potatoes forth, cranberry anything fifth, rolls sixth, and that weird green bean mess last - in case you wanted to know.)

My Favorite Stuffing (Dressing?) - adapted from Sunset Magazine
Makes one LARGE side dish. Serves 8.

Preheat the oven to 350 (if you are making this with a turkey, preheat to turkey temp.)

3/4 loaf of soft French bread
1 1/2 cup milk
1 pound sausage (I used chicken sausage)
1/2 pound of sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 garlic clove
1 medium onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 pounds chopped Swiss chard
1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1/4 teaspoon dried sage)
Salt and pepper

Cut bread into 1/2 inch slices. Place slices in a large bowl and add milk. Mix gently with a spoon to moisten all slices and set aside while you chop up all the veggies.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Squeeze sausage from casings and cook meat, crumbling as it cooks. Add in mushrooms if using, and the onions, celery, parsley and garlic. Cook until meat is done and onions are beginning to get tender - about 5 minutes. Add chard and 1/2 cup stock and cook until chard is wilted. About 10 minutes. 

As the chard wilts, squeeze bread slices and break into small pieces. Add 1 cup of the Parmesan, chopped sage, salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Fold in meat mixture. Spoon everything into a buttered baking dish and top with the last bit of Parmesan. Bake 30 minutes or until the inside reaches 150 degrees. 

We had this with baked chicken thighs and a spinach salad. It was a great Sunday night dinner - a perfect prep for Thanksgiving!

A few things about this recipe...
The original recipe calls for 2 pounds of meat - I like to up the veggies and lessen the meat to make for a lighter side. A pound of meat is still a lot of meat. 
I've cooked this with a turkey three times. It's very forgiving and you can adjust your cook time and temperature a lot. 

Enjoy!!

Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes and Onions

Balsamic vinegar tends to put the finishing touch on just about anything.  It’s a staple in my cabinet and I use it whenever I want to give something a little “zing”.  When I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, I knew that this was going to make an appearance in our kitchen. 

The original recipe called for just the asparagus and tomatoes but I added onions because (as you all know by now) I love them.  I can’t make a dish without onions.  When I went to the store and was shopping for ingredients for this dish, I saw yellow pearl onions and thought it would be the perfect accompaniment for the tomatoes.  Boy was I right…

Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes and Onions

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus, trimmed

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ c halved grape tomatoes

1c yellow pearl onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper, divided

3 tbsp crumbled goat cheese

 

Inspired by Cooking Light

Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 mins or until crisp-tender.  Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add tomatoes and onions; cook 3 mins.  Add garlic and cook another 2 mins or until onions are cooked through.  Stir in vinegar; cook 3 mins.  Stir in salt and ¼ tsp pepper. 

Arrange asparagus on a platter; top with tomato mixture.   Sprinkle with cheese and remaining pepper.

Note: Cook the asparagus and sauté the vegetables simultaneously so the asparagus doesn’t get cold.

I served this side dish with baked chicken and honey-almond rice.  It made for a great meal!