Classic Minestrone Soup

Minestrone, a classic Italian soup, features a wide range of  vegetables, beans, and pasta. Our recipe version focuses on techniques for building great flavor in stages. The result? Deep, rich, satisfying tastes and textures without being over-cooked. You’ll find this soup highly flexible – use seasonal vegetables, or whatever you have on hand.  We think you’ll agree that this minestrone easily earns its reputation as a healthy, winter comfort food.

Comforting Minestrone Soup
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 celery stalks, dice
2 carrots, cut on the bias into slices
2 small potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 Parmesan cheese rind
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
1 can (15.5 oz) Great Northern beans
1 can (15.5 oz) butter beans
1 cup ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 cup frozen peas
3 cups chopped kale
Parmesan cheese, shaved, for serving

Directions:
1. Start by making the mirepoix. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the celery and carrots, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until softened.

2. Add the potatoes and garlic and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste.

3. Add the bay leaves, Parmesan rind, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, Great Northern and butter beans, ditalini pasta, salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for another 20-25 minutes. Use tongs to remove the Parmesan rind, bay leaves, and thyme stems.

5. Stir in the red wine vinegar, frozen peas, and chopped kale. Cook for one more minute, or until the kale just begins to wilt. Serve with shaved Parmesan cheese as a garnish on top.

Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin or "rooster in wine" is a traditional French peasant stew that became popular thanks to Julia Child's encouragement. While the original recipe might turn a tough old rooster into something delicious,  it's equally delightful with chicken thighs and or legs. Red wine, mushrooms, bacon, onions, and thyme all infuse wonderful flavors into this ultimate comfort food dish. A slow braising technique coaxes a mélange of easy ingredients into a dance of gustatory perfection!

Coq au Vin - Chicken in Wine
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
1/2 lb bacon, diced
4 drumsticks, skin on and bone-in
4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone-in
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 large carrots, cut into 1-inch diagonal pieces
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon brandy
2 cups red wine (a good red wine like a pinot noir)
1 cup chicken broth
8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 lb frozen small pearl onions
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Prepare the onions, garlic, and carrots.

3. In a large Dutch oven fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

4. Remove most of the bacon fat, leaving about 3-4 tablespoons in the Dutch oven.

5. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with Kosher salt and pepper. Sear the chicken legs and thighs on all sides in the Dutch oven until the skin is a crispy golden brown, then remove the chicken pieces.

6. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and sauté the diced onions until softened and translucent.

7. Add the garlic and carrots to the onion and sauté for a few more minutes until the garlic is fragrant.

8. Dust the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of flour and stir until coated. Cook for about 2 minutes.

9. Add the tomato paste and cook until fragrant, then add the brandy to the mixture. Cook the brandy down for a minute, then continue to deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the chicken broth and stir until combined. Add the seared chicken pieces back to the pot with the cooked bacon, and the sprigs of thyme.

10. Cover the pot and place in the oven. Bake for 20-40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked to 165 degrees F.

11. While the chicken is baking, prepare the mashed potatoes.

12. While the chicken bakes, prepare the pearl onions. In a skillet, sauté the pearl onions in two tablespoons butter until they are lightly golden brown on all sides.

13. Then, sauté the mushrooms in the same skillet, adding olive oil as needed, and cook until browned.

14. Add the cooked pearl onions and mushrooms to the Dutch oven. Carefully taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed. If needed, continue to simmer on the stovetop to thicken the sauce. The sauce will also thicken more as it cools.

15. Serve the Coq au Vin on a bed of mashed potatoes (or egg noodles or cauliflower rice), and garnish with fresh parsley.

Summer’s End Dinner

Summer’s end is nearly here – time to plan one last hurrah on the back patio! IN THIS ISSUE, we’ve planned a perfect end-of-summer dinner menu with Orange & Thyme Pork Tenderloin, an Arugula, Heirloom Tomato & Whipped Ricotta Salad, Grilled Carrots with Minted Yogurt Sauce, and a refreshing Blackberry & Lemon Iced Tea. Cheers to this (Unusual) Summer! 

Blackberry & Lemon Iced Tea
Makes 8 cups iced tea

Nothing says summer like iced tea. We’ve decided to spruce up this favorite by adding fresh blackberries and slices of lemon to the tea we love so much. A great accompaniment to any al fresco meal.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh blackberries, divided
1/4 cup sugar
8 cups water, divided
8 black tea bags
1 lemon, sliced

Directions:
1. Mash or puree 1 cup of blackberries with 1/4 cup sugar.

2. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the tea bags to the hot water and steep for 6-8 minutes, then remove the tea bags.

3. Pour the hot tea over the blackberry mixture and let sit for 1 hour. Then, strain through a fine mesh sieve.

4. Add 3 cups of cold water and taste the tea. Adjust the sweetness to your preference, then refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

5. Serve on ice with a garnish of lemon wedges and remaining cup of whole blackberries.

6. Optionally, add a float of bourbon on top before serving.

Arugula, Heirloom Tomato & Whipped Ricotta Salad
Serves 4 - 6

Whipped ricotta turns this salad into a creamy, dreamy delight! Spicy arugula complements the lemon-y, smooth whipped ricotta and the ripe grape tomatoes punctuate each bite with bursts of brightness.

Salad Ingredients:
15 oz fresh ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 oz arugula
Heirloom cherry tomatoes
Basil, chiffonade cut for garnishing

Vinaigrette Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a food processor or high-powered blender, whip the ricotta with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt until very smooth.

2. Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small jar.

3. Toss the arugula with the vinaigrette. Spread the ricotta on a large serving plate.

4. Top the ricotta layer with arugula, heirloom cherry tomatoes, and a garnish of basil.

Grilled Carrots with Minted Yogurt Sauce
Serves 4 - 6

Carrots are transformed on the grill! With some simple seasonings and the utility of a grill basket, simple carrots become elevated into a flavorful, sweet, and savory side! Dressed up with an easy za’atar yogurt sauce, this side dish is worthy of repeating often.

Ingredients:
10 carrots, or about 2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 3” matchsticks
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar

Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or about half of a small lemon)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Za’atar spice blend

Garnish:
Fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Directions:
1. Peel the carrots, and cut into 3” long matchsticks. 

2. Prepare the carrots for grilling: Place the carrots in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss Sprinkle with garlic powder, Kosher salt, pepper, and sugar.

3. Grill the carrots in a grill basket over high heat until slightly blistered, a little charred, and just tender, stirring often.

4. While the carrots are grilling, prepare the yogurt sauce by whisking all of the yogurt sauce ingredients together.

5. Serve the grilled carrots with a drizzle of yogurt sauce, and a generous garnish of fresh cilantro.

Orange & Thyme Pork Tenderloin
Serves 4 - 6

Pork tenderloins are perfectly primed for adapting to flavorful marinades. This marinade features fresh orange juice, thyme leaves and a few other classic marinade flavormakers like Dijon mustard, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder. It’s an easy and delicious recipe!

Ingredients:
2 pork tenderloins

Marinade:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only

Directions:
1. Prepare the marinade in a medium bowl by whisking all of the ingredients together.

2. Add the pork tenderloins to the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour for the flavors to infuse into the meat.

3. Fire up the grill! Let the marinated tenderloins warm to room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling. Place the marinated tenderloins on the hot, well-oiled grill, and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side. Turn until all sides have seared and browned, and then, turn o one burner (or turn to low) to create a direct/indirect environment. Place the seared tenderloins on the cooler, indirect side, and continue to cook until their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.

4. Once the pork tenderloins reach 145 degrees F, place on a clean plate, and cover loosely with a tinfoil "tent" for about 10 minutes. This allows the meat to rest, and the juices to soak back into the meat. 5. Slice the grilled tenderloins, and serve warm.

Quick Pickles

Say the word, "pickle," and your mouth responds. The salty-sour taste of a pickle satisfies some intangible need while adding plenty of pizzazz to any plate. Pickles come in many forms -- nearly any fruit or vegetable can be pickled into your new favorite. 

IN THIS ISSUE, we feature the simplicity of making your own small batches of refrigerator pickles with an easy no-canning approach.

Easy Pickled Asparagus 
Makes about one quart

These pickled asparagus spears are a beautiful and tasty addition to any crudite or antipasto plate! The quick blanching and plunge in ice water ensures that the final pickled spears are tender. The white wine vinegar brine is mild in flavor while the rosemary, crushed red pepper, and garlic season the spears nicely.

Ingredients: 

1 pound asparagus, trimmed to 1" shorter than the jar 

2 cloves garlic, whole 

1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds

1/2 tablespoon peppercorns 

1-1/4 cups white wine vinegar (at least 5% acidity) 

1-1/4 cups water

1 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

2 sprigs rosemary

Directions: 

1. Blanch the asparagus. Boil in a large pot of water for 2 minutes, and then plunge into an ice bath to preserve the green color and to stop from over-cooking.

2. Clean and sterilize a quart-sized canning jar. Fill the jar with the blanched asparagus and garlic. Tightly pack the asparagus and rosemary in the jar with tips up. Place the mustard seeds, peppercorns, and crushed red pepper into the jar.

3. Prepare the brine. In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a boil. Boil for three minutes. Let the brine cool.

4. Pour the brine into each jar, covering the vegetables completely.

5. Cover and refrigerate the pickles overnight before serving.

6. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy the pickles for up to one week.

Quick Carrot Pickles 
Makes about 2 pints

These pickled asparagus spears are a beautiful and tasty addition to any crudite or antipasto plate! The quick blanching and plunge in ice water ensures that the final pickled spears are tender. The white wine vinegar brine is mild in flavor while the rosemary, crushed red pepper, and garlic season the spears nicely.

Ingredients: 

6 medium carrots, trimmed into sticks 1/2" short than the jar 

1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

Brine Ingredients: 

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water 

1 tablespoon kosher or pickling salt 

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 

1/2 teaspoon pepper corns 

4-6 whole cloves

Directions:

1. Slice the carrots into sticks -- approximately the same size and length.

2. Closely pack the carrot sticks in two clean canning jars along with the ginger and garlic slices.

3. In a medium saucepan, bring the brine ingredients to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove the pickling liquid from heat and slowly pour over the carrots until about 1/4 inch from the top, covering the carrots completely.

4. Cover and refrigerate the pickles overnight before serving.

5. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy the pickles for up to one week.

Spicy Pickled Green Beans 
Makes about 3 pints

You’ll enjoy these green beans that feature a kick! Pickled green beans get a little spicy with the addition of jalapeño strips. Try these spicy pickled green beans in a salad, or on their own as a snappy snack!

Ingredients: 

1 pound green beans, trimmed to 1/2" shorter than the jar

3 jalapeños, sliced into thin strips 

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon peppercorns

1-1/2 cups apple cider vinegar 

1-1/2 cups water 

1 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions: 

1. Blanch the prepped green beans and jalapeño strips by boiling in a large pot of water for 2 minutes. Plunge them into an ice bath to preserve the green color and to stop from over-cooking.

2. Clean and sterilize 3 pint-sized canning jars. Fill the jars with the blanched green beans, jalapeño slices, and garlic slices. Tightly pack the green beans in the jar vertically. Divide the mustard seeds and peppercorns into the jars.

3. Prepare the brine: In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a boil. Boil for three minutes. Let the brine cool.

4. Pour the brine into each jar, covering the green beans completely.

5. Cover and refrigerate the pickles overnight before serving.

6. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy the pickles for up to one week.

Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Avoid turning on your stove or oven - make fresh summer rolls for dinner instead! A fun alternative to a salad, rice paper wrapped “summer rolls” are a delicious way to eat a healthy serving of summer vegetables. Bring these colorful summer rolls with spicy peanut sauce to the table – they will be eaten up in no time!

Avoid turning on your stove or oven - make fresh summer rolls for dinner instead! A fun alternative to a salad, rice paper wrapped “summer rolls” are a delicious way to eat a healthy serving of summer vegetables. Bring these colorful summer rolls with spicy peanut sauce to the table – they will be eaten up in no time!

Ingredients:

1 package rice paper wrappers
2 cups fresh edamame, shelled (or thawed frozen edamame)
1 red pepper, cut into matchsticks
3 green onions, sliced
2 carrots, spiralized
1 bunch cilantro leaves
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/4 red cabbage, thinly sliced

Spicy Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup fresh peanut butter
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 lime, juiced 1 clove garlic, finely minced, or crushed
1 tsp ginger, finely minced, or grated

Directions:
1. Prepare all of the vegetables and stage in individual prep bowls.

2. Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients, thinning with water, as needed.

3. Singly, submerge the rice wrappers in water for 15-20 seconds each, then artfully fill with the vegetables. Fill the bottom 1/3 of the wrapper with veggies, leaving a generous margin to each side. Roll once half-way covering veggies. Place additional vegetables in the top 1/3 taking care to artfully place so that a beautiful pattern may be seen on the top 1/3 of the wrap. Fold over both sides on wrap. Finish the rolling motion until the wrap is fully rolled and sealed.

4. Slightly moisten a serving plate, and place the rolls on the plate in a single layer (not touching). Refrigerate for a short time or enjoy them immediately. (They will not keep moist for very long, so enjoy them soon!

5. Serve the rolls whole or cut in half with a personal serving of sauce on the side.

A Modern Makeover for Casseroles

Sensible and hearty, casseroles are a great answer to "what's for supper?" IN THIS ISSUE, you'll find several great recipes: a sweet and savory Apple & Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese, a ground beef version of Shepherd’s Pie, and finally, a delicious Chicken & Brown Rice Broccoli Bake - delicious!

Build a Healthy Meal with Dinner Bowls

Loaded with more energizing goodies than a traditional salad, the trend of "healthy bowls" is a delicious and filling answer to "what's for dinner?" We like to carefully prepare our ingredients, and arrange them artfully in little clusters for curated bites of tasty awesomeness. IN THIS ISSUE, we present three super healthy recipes featuring an array of vegetables, protein sources, whole grains, and very flavorful dressings. Cheers to a healthy and wholesome New Year!