Butternut Squash and Spinach Ravioli With Won Tons

This past weekend Rudy and I got to visit with Rudy's sister, cousin and Aunt.  We love seeing family...even nicer when they come to us!

On Saturday night I made a yummy ravioli dish for everyone.  It was time consuming but fairly easy.  Here is the recipe and the how to if you are craving a yummy vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:

1 package of won ton wrappers
1 container of fresh cut butter nut squash
4 cups fresh spinach, stems removed
1 small jar of pesto
walnuts, toasted
olive oil
shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten

Instructions:
Steam butternut squash and spinach until tender, and mix with 1/4 of the jar of pesto and salt and pepper to taste. You can add a bit of cheese in too if you are a cheese fan!  Take the remaining pesto and add olive oil and a bit of water to create more of a "sauce".  Stuff each won ton wrapper with a small amount of the mashed mixutre and seal with egg by folding the won ton over and pressing the sides down.

Then place the ravioli into boiling water and boil until the rise to the top - about 3 minutes.  Place on plates and top with pesto sauce, roasted nuts and a bit of parmesan cheese.

It was so good!  And very light!

A MidSummer's Meal on a Midwinter's Night: Grilling Indoors

I am so excited that my friend Lindsey sent me this great post to share with you today.  Here we are with our boys and friend Meggan about this time last year.

Lindsey is very talented Mom of sweet Xander and elementary school art teacher.  She is the creative genius that made our beautiful QTO logo and I can't wait to show you guys more of her talent over the next several months with some other projects.  Thanks Lindsey for your help!

Lindsey writes:

My husband is the real cook in our family, but his work schedule doesn’t leave him much time to spend in the kitchen. The following is a crowd-pleaser that he typically grills up in our backyard or when we have guests to our river cabin.
WARNING: It is a bit spicy! However, that spicy kick is just what I needed to warm up on this chilly winter’s night.

Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches
This recipe is adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.
Follow my super easy steps or jump on over for the recipe:
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/chicken-and-roasted-pepper-sandwiches/

Tools:

• Of course, you can go out and fire up your grill, but I got an awesome stovetop griddle/indoor grill as a wedding gift.
• You may even have so fancy electric grill, BUT you can totally do this with a broiling pan in the oven.
• Measuring cup and spoons
• Small bowl or ramekin
• A bowl or plastic bag for marinating
• Marinating brush

Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon thyme (During the summer, I grab some from the garden)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (You don’t want the chicken too thick, so either pound it out, cut it, or use 8 chicken tenders like I did.)
8 slices rustic artisan bread, 1-inch bias-cut (we love Private Select Whole Garlic Loaf)
¼ cup softened goat cheese (Even friends who said they don’t like chevre say they enjoy this)
1 red pepper (or one 7-ounce jar of roasted red peppers)
½ cup fresh basil, watercress, or baby spinach
Note: If you wanna be thrifty, buy the chicken and bread when you see them on sale, and freeze them. Then when you see goat cheese on sale or manager choice, pick up the rest of your ingredients and get grillin’.

Get Cookin’:
If you are roasting your own red pepper, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Line cookie sheet with foil.
Cut pepper in half and remove seeds.
Place halves face down on the foil and roast for 20 minutes.
When you take them out, close the foil up around them, and let them sit for 15 minutes before cutting.

For the marinade, whisk together the first 5 ingredients.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a small bowl or ramekin.
Place remaining marinade in a bowl or plastic bag with chicken for 15 minutes.

Preheat indoor grill to medium high and spray with oil.
OR preheat oven to broil.
Either way I cook the chicken 7-10 minutes on each side.
The internal temperature should be 160 degree when it’s done, but like most of us, I just cut a piece open to check it.

While the chicken’s cooking you can brush your bread with the reserved marinade. If you are worried that it isn't going to be enough add a touch out olive oil, but you’d be surprised how little it takes to lightly coat the bread. (DO NOT use the marinade that the raw chicken was in, silly!)

When the chicken is done throw the bread on the grill or under the broiler. WATCH IT CLOSELY if you are broiling it will take less than couple of minutes on each side.

Then just build your sammy! Bread, goat cheese, spinach, chicken, peppers, more goat cheese on the second slice if you’d like, or you can eat it as an open-faced sandwich.

Additional comments and suggestions:

• I think this would make a great heavy hors d’oeuvre if you served it open on a smaller slice of bread and cut up the topping like bruschetta!
• My 20 month old son enjoyed the chicken. I just made sure to scrape off any of the crushed red pepper.
• Leftovers are great for lunch or reheated on your panini press.

Or use the chicken in a tasty salad.

Thanks so much Lindsey!

This looks so good doesn't it?  I hope your week is off to a great start!

~ Sarah

Really Awesome Soup Recipe I Invented - Santa Fe Chicken and Barley Soup

Well I don't know if I invented it or not.  I bet if you googled the ingredients a recipe already exists but since I created it with random ingredients in my kitchen I am going to claim ownership of it...at least on this blog anyway!

Rudy LOVED this soup.  We are big soup people and I am always on the hunt for good recipes.  I immediately wrote this down so I could make it again.  I have made it twice now and it has been great both times.

I am going to call it Santa Fe Chicken and Barley Soup.  Because I bet people in Santa Fe eat soups like this all the time.  :)

Santa Fe Chicken and Barley Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 can tomatoes and chilies
• 1 can navy beans
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 6 cups chicken broth (vegetable if you are vegan or vegetarian) or 6 cups water and 3 chicken bouillon cubes.
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
• 1 heaping tablespoon of cumin
• 1/3 cup quick cooking barley
• 1 cup cooked chicken (leave out if your are vegan or vegetarian)

Mix all ingredients together in a large pot and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add barley and chicken and simmer for 20 minutes until barley is cooked and vegetables are tender.  Serve with corn muffins and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup - Zero Points!

For you weight watchers folks, this recipe will be appreciated.  I made it last night to take to a neighbor who recently had their first child.  I am going to pair it with a nice salad and bread.  I thought it would be a nice light dinner amid the traditional casseroles and pasta dishes.

Ingredients:

4 cups veg broth

12oz butternut squash peeled and cut into one inch pieces

2 small apples peeled and cut in to one inch pieces

1/2 large Vidslua peeled and cut into one inch pieces

1/4 tsp salt

1/8tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

 

Directions:

Bring all to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the squash is nice and soft.  Finally purée  all ingredients using an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.  Then add in spices and enjoy!

Fall Party Recipe: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili and Spicy Cheddar Corn Muffins

I made this chili on Monday night for a girl's Bible study and it was a big hit.  Most of them went back for seconds which is always a sign of a winner!  Light and healthy, this chili recipe is gluten allergy, vegetarian and vegan friendly if you have guests that have certain dietary needs.  The corn muffins not so much - but they sure were good!

You can find the chili recipe here from My Recipes. 

For the muffins, I found a corn muffin mix that only required milk or water and simply added a cup of cheddar cheese and about a 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.  Then I baked them according to the directions on the pacakge.  So good and so easy!

Just In Time For Cinco De Mayo

Yummy recipes!

Rum Ritas (my take on Margaritas because Tequila just ain't my thang...) and layered Mexican casserole.

RumRita Punch

24 ounces frozen limeade concentrate (thawed)
12 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)
1 oz orange extract
6 cups water
3 liters soda (sprite)
1 1/2 cups rum

Mix it together and put in a pitcher ready to serve when your guests arrive!  Or ready to drink poolside without having to get up to mix another drink!

Layered Mexican Casserole

1 pack of small corn tortillas, torn in large pieces
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and chopped
1 can black beans
1 container fresh salsa
1 container guacamole
1 small onion finely sliced in rings
1 pack taco seasoning mix
1 can cream of celery or mushroom soup
2 cups Mexican cheese
fresh cilantro chopped
sour cream (optional)

Layer bottom of baking dish with pieces of tortillas then top with 1/2 of the beans, guacamole, chicken, onions, soup, taco seasoning and a third of the cheese and salsa.  Repeat with another layer.  Then top with one last layer of tortillas, salsa sprinkled on top and remaining third of cheese.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes covered.  Uncover for the last 15 minutes.  Serve warm topped with sour cream, extra salsa and fresh cilantro.