Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Stoup

I recently decided to give Rachael Ray's new show Rachael Ray's Week in a Day a try. And I confess, I love it! I do like to spend an afternoon cooking and end up with a bunch of stuff I can pick on during the week. But for me it's more about lunches and breakfasts than having dinner prepared in advance. Regardless, I was excited about a bunch of recipes she features.

I have made "stoup" before and love the concept. It's Rachael Ray's cute way of naming a chunky soup - like a cross between a soup and a stew. And I loving making things like this on the weekend, when the house can smell all good while it's cooking, and then taking it for lunch. In addition, this uses broccoli raab which is something I've been trying to eat more of (dark green leafy veggies).

All the flavors come together great in this dish. And in fact, it's a bit spicy! If you are sensitive to heat you may want to cut down on the chili pepper. But for me, it made it even better.

Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Stoup
4 servings

Salt
1 large bundle broccoli rabe, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds bulk Italian sweet or hot sausage
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or very thinly sliced
1 red chile pepper, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon lemon zest
A few grates nutmeg
6 cups chicken stock-in-a-box
2 cups water
About 3/4 cup orecchietti pasta
Grated pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for topping
Crusty bread, such as ciabatta

In a medium pot, bring a few inches of water to a boil over medium heat, then salt the water. Trim the broccoli rabe and cut it into 1 1/2 to 2-inch lengths. Simmer in boiling water to reduce the bitterness, about 4 to 5 minutes, then cold shock in ice water and drain very well.

Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat with extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan. Add the sausage and brown and crumble, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onions, garlic and chile and cook a few minutes more. Add the thyme and lemon zest, then add broccoli rabe and season with a little nutmeg. Stir in the stock and the water and bring to a boil. Simmer a few minutes to combine the flavors. Turn off the heat, cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat the stoup over low heat and bring to a low boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, about 10 minutes. Ladle the stoup in shallow bowls and garnish with cheese. Serve with crusty bread for mopping.

Note: For a milder version, use only 3 tablespoons of chili powder and ½ teaspoon cayenne.




See more hearty recipes for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays hosted weekly by Kahakai Kitchen.

Tandoori Chicken with Date-Nut Couscous

I haven't made anything from Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine in a while. I found this recipe for Tandoori Chicken with Date-Nut Couscous in the April, 2007 issue. This recipe was part of a feature in an article about buying in bulk - like at Costco or Sam's Club. I'm a big fan of roasted chicken legs and also couscous so I knew I needed to try this out.

I chose to marinade the chicken over night because that is just easier since I have a full time job and hectic work weeks. So it ended up being pretty quick to throw everything together. I love when quick and easy dinners during the week end up having so much flavor - and this definitely did. Using yogurt as a marinade is new to me, so that was fun to experiment with something new. I ended up halving the recipe and I had enough food for dinner, leftover lunch and a bit for the dogs.

You can find the recipe for Tandoori Chicken with Date-Nut Couscous on the Every Day with Rachael Ray website.

Red Rice with Chorizo

I didn't mean to make so many Rachael Ray recipes this weekend. Yet here is another one from the February, 2007 issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine. I originally planned to make this Red Rice with Chorizo around Valentine's Day -- because it's "Red". But my Superbowl plans fell through tonight and I wanted something quick.

I was excited to try out this recipe because I ordered some chorizo from La Tienda. It's the real thing - imported from Spain. Actually, the chroizo I ordered is dry-cured and I'm not quite sure if I was supposed to use it or not. But i was dying to make something with it and this recipe seemed simple.


Using the dry-cured chorizo added a tougher texture to the dish. It was less sausage-like and more pepperoni-like. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It is a quick and easy recipe that yields a very tasty meal.

This recipe makes alot of food. I think it can feed six instead of just four. Also, I think there is a typo. The recipe calls for a 15-ounce can of sliced black olives. I could not find one. The regular size can, which is a 15-ounce of something like soup, only contains 6.5 ounces. I used that one and it was the perfect amount.

Red Rice with Chorizo (4 servings) Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 8 ounces chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice 1 1/2 cups red salsa 2 cups thawed frozen corn One 15-ounce can sliced large black olives 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:
In a heavy medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water and the salsa and bring to a boil, stirring once or twice. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

Fluff the rice and stir in the corn. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the olives and cilantro.

Potatoes, Chicken and Carrots . . . Oh, My!

I admit it. I ate dog food for dinner. It's not what you are thinking. I didn't open up a can of Pedigree and dig in. Each month Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine has a pet-friendly feature. This month the recipe was for an Orange Bowl. It is basically a stew with chicken, sweet potatoes and carrots.

When I got home from work I wasn't hungry so I didn't rush to make myself dinner. I had the chicken in the fridge and new I needed to use it up so I took a few minutes to cut everything up and put it in the pot. The dogs were starving once I got it done but they had to wait even longer so that it would cool enough for them to be able to eat. I did put it down for them after about twenty minutes but it was still kind of hot. They ate off the first layer but then it got amusing. They'd dip in to pick out a carrot or sweet potato and then drop it on the floor to cool and then sit patiently next to their bowl looking at the food before they tried that again.


This smelled so good because I love both cooked carrots. I just sucked into my computer and when I realized that I was finally hungry it was late. The big pot was just sitting there. So I made myself a bowl. It was pretty good! I just sprinkled on some salt.

Check out the round-up of Weekend Dog Blogging hosted each week by Sweetnicks.

Potted Sweet Potatoes, Carrots and Chicken (4 Servings) Ingredients: One 32-ounce container (4 cups) chicken broth 4 peppercorns 2 whole cloves 1 fresh or dried bay leaf Three 6-ounce chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks 3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks One 16-ounce bag baby carrots Salt

Instructions:
Combine the broth, cider, peppercorns, cloves and bay leaf in a large pot, cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the chicken and vegetables, and simmer, skimming if necessary, until tender, about 20 minutes. Spoon out the peppercorns, cloves and bay leaf and discard. Season to taste with salt. Let the dish cool slightly before serving to pets.

Stuffed Roasted Strawberries

They taste better than they look! I first saw these Stuffed Roasted Strawberries on 30 Minute Meals. I had the Food Network on one day while I was doing things and I happened to catch Rachael Ray putting strawberries into the oven. I was intrigued by that. When I started to pay attention I noticed that the strawberries were being filled with chocolate! At that point I knew I wanted to try them to use as my entry for Sugar High Friday #27: Chocolate By Brand hosted by David Lebovitz. Strawberry season is just starting down here in Florida. This is a perfect way to eat more fresh strawberries!

As is typical for me, my strawberries ended up looking nothing like hers. Even though I cut off the bottoms so that they were level, over half of them tipped over while roasting. I filled my strawberries with some chopped Lindt Lindor Dark Chocolate Truffle pieces which I received as a Christmas gift. The result is like a warm inside-out dipped strawberry. It is a fun dessert because it is light and unusual. All my friends know that Lindt is my favorite chocolate so I received a whole bunch of yummy Lindt chocolate. Ah, the simple pleasures . . .


Stuffed Roasted Strawberries
Serves 4

Ingredients
12 extra-large strawberries (the bigger the better!)
1 to 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
Spray whipping cream (the real kind in the can in the dairy section)
Cocoa powder, for garnishing

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the tops of the berries off just below the stem. Cut the tips off (about 1/4-inch), so that the berries will sit upright. Next, use a small spoon or a melon ball scoop to hollow out the strawberries, working from their tops, in order to create a cavity in each one. Stuff some chocolate into the cavity of each strawberry and place them upright in a baking dish. Lightly sprinkle the berries with sugar, if using. Roast the berries until soft and the chocolate is melted, about 10 to 12 minutes.

To serve, place 3 strawberries on a dessert plate in a triangle. If the berries have given off liquid in the baking dish, spoon it over them. Spray a small mound of cream in the center of the berries, and top each berry with a rosette of cream. Sift a little cocoa powder over the plate, and serve!

Food Network Awards

The Food Network. Love it or hate it, every foodie turns it on every now and then. This evening I was looking for a recipe on FoodNetwork.com when I saw an ad for the Food Network Awards which will be an event held at the annual South Beach Food & Wine Festival (which this year has partnered with the Food Network for the first time) in February, 2007. The award show will be televised on the Food Network sometime in April, 2007.

The first-ever Food Network Awards combines the fun of Food Network with the glamour of South Beach to make a completely unique, entertaining, off-beat awards ceremony unlike any other. From a red carpet hosted by Ham on the Street's George Duran and walked by the likes of Snap, Crackle and Pop, to appearances by your favorite Food Network stars, this is a fresh, new awards show. The best part? We're asking our viewers to get in on the fun. Cast your votes now in our five viewer's choice categories and don't forget to watch the Food Network Awards, coming in April, 2007.

I am intrigued by this because I love award shows. AND, I love food. AND, we get to vote! When I saw the bright red "Vote Now" on their homepage, my mind sped forward and I put my judging cap on. This is important since I will be voting for the likes of Paula Dean and Emeril. And I suppose I will have to make my decision one way or another about Rachael Ray. I excitedly clicked my way over to the voting page . . .

Viewer's Choice Award Categories are:

* Favorite Comfort Food Combo
* Best Ballpark Eats
* "Professional Grade" Food Applicance You Can't Live Without
* Favorite Childhood Classic Read
* Favorite Cool & Classic Cocktail

You can't necessarily tell it from the category headings, but there is no voting for ANY Food Network show. The "nominees" are various foods, drinks, books, appliances and baseball stadiums. I felt fleeced for a moment but I voted anyways. I am slightly suspicious of advertising being incorporated into everything. But, the awards show could be interesting to watch - if they do it right. But Snap, Crackle and Pop being on the red carpet smells like overkill of advertising to me. There is also a sweepstakes you can enter to win a trip to the awards show.

Doggie Burgers (and birdie burgers too)

My guys got a treat yesterday. I made them Isaboo's Bacon-Cheese-Barley Burgers from the December/January issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine.

These are pretty easy to make. And what I like about them is that even though they take about 30 minutes to complete, you can do other things most of the time. It takes about 20 minutes for the barley to cook. The ingredients are really healthy: barley, chicken stock, cheese, and a little bit of bacon. The only problem I had was that they fell apart a bit while I was cooking them.

I kept telling my dogs that they were getting special treats and Charlie Bird got jealous. He wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It's so healthy so I gave him some too. Cheese is one of his favorites but he really liked the barley too.


This recipe make four patties. I gave my two dogs one each and brought the other two over to my friend's house for her two dogs. All four of them snarfed it down and were very happy.

Isaboo's Bacon-Cheese-Barley Burgers 1/2 cup pearl barley 2 cups fat-free chicken broth 2 slices lean bacon 1 large egg 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions
In a medium saucepan, bring the barley and chicken broth to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the barley is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.

While the barley is cooking, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Reserve the fat from the bacon for cooking the burgers. Finely chop the bacon and add to the cooled barley. Mix in the egg, bread crumbs and cheese. Combine thoroughly and score into 4 equal pieces. Wet your hands and form the pieces into patties.

Reheat the bacon fat and cook the burgers over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side.


Check out the round-up of Weekend Dog Blogging hosted each week by Sweetnicks.

Rachael Ray's Tuscan Cacciatore Risotto

I love risotto. I sometimes order it at restaurants, but I don't make it. It just takes too much time. So I don't get to enjoy the delights of risotto that often. But when I saw Rachael Ray's recipe for Tuscan Cacciatore Risotto featured in the December/January 2007 issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray, I knew I wanted to make it. This past long weekend was the perfect time.

And I am glad I did! This is definately a restaurant-quality recipe. The end result is rich, creamy and filled with delicious cold-weather flavors. While I was making the risotto, I nibbled on melon wrapped in prosciutto. It was the perfect fresh start before indulging in the rich risotto.

Quite a bit of rosemary is called for in this recipe. I am not a rosemary fan and I was hesitant. But I made the recipe according to Rachael's instructions and added 2 full Tbsp. And I'm glad I did because I think this is the first time I truly ENJOYED rosemary. You could definately taste it, but it blended perfectly with the red-wine, bits of chicken and rice. The balance was perfect.

Will I make it again? For myself, probably not. I had to stand over a steaming pot of aborio rice for about 45 minutes constantly stirring. And there are many other risotto recipes I would like to try if I am going to go through all of that work. However, I would definately make this for a special dinner for a small group. It sucks to be in the kitchen like that for entertaining, but if I ever do a risotto, I would choose this one. It is very impressive.

Rachael Ray's kick start kiwi smoothie

This morning I made a Kick Start Kiwi Smoothie. I found the recipe in the December/January 2007 issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine.

What a exhilarating drink! The little bit of lime juice and the tart sweetness of the kiwi fruit yields a very refreshing taste. It is quite light but also fulfilling. Drinking this is a great way to start the day.

note* each serving is only 2 Weight Watchers points.

Kick Start Kiwi Smoothie 4 kiwi, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1 banana 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt 2 Tbsp honey 10 cubes ice cube(s)

Instructions
In a blender, combine all ingredients except for 2 kiwi slices. Server in tall glasses and garnish each with a kiwi slice.