Saturday, March 11, 2006
Dinner at Home
We had a friend over for dinner, and we needed something hearty as we were about to go to a party...
Cream of Spinach Soup
The spinach makes this soup incredibly velvety in texture. Although you can use a blender to puree this soup, I much prefer my immersion blender. I use the Braun Multiquick which I got on sale for about $25. It is an incredibly powerful and useful tool. It also makes cleanup a lot quicker since you can blend in the same pot in which you cook.
Ingredients:
-5 cups broth
-4 cups spinach, washed
-2 small turnips or 1 large turnip, roughly chopped
-1 onion, roughly chopped
-5 cloves garlic, peeled
-1/2 cup cream
How to:
1) Sautee the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil until lightly carmelized.
2) Add the turnips and stock, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer (covered) until the turnips are soft.
3) Add the spinach and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4) Puree the soup and then add the cream.
5) Serve.
Serves: 6-8
Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic Vinagrette
Ricotta Meatballs in an Artichoke Tarragon Tomato Sauce
Meatballs:
Ingredients:
-2 pounds ground beef
-12 oz ricotta
-4 tb grated parmasean
-1/2 onion, minced
-2 tb garlic powder
-salt to taste
-2 tb chopped parsley
-2 tb oregano
-1 tb black pepper
-2 eggs
-1/2 flax seed
-2 cans chicken broth
How to:
1) Mix all ingredients thoroughly with hands.
2) Roll into one inch balls.
3) Bring broth to a boil in a deep, wide sauce pan.
4) Reduce heat and add all the meatballs to the broth, cover, and let simmer, shaking sauce pan occasionally, until done.
5) Drain off excess broth.
Sauce:
Ingredients
-3 cans diced tomatos
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-8 cloves garlic, peeled
-2 tb oregano
-2 tb parsley
-3 tb chopped, fresh, tarragon
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 cups artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
How to:
1) Sautee onions and garlic in a bit of oil for a few minutes.
2) Add all the rest of the ingredients (except artichoke hearts) and simmer on low for approx. 45 minutes.
3) Puree.
4) Add artichoke hearts.
5) Pour sauce over meatballs and simmer for a few minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Cream of Spinach Soup
The spinach makes this soup incredibly velvety in texture. Although you can use a blender to puree this soup, I much prefer my immersion blender. I use the Braun Multiquick which I got on sale for about $25. It is an incredibly powerful and useful tool. It also makes cleanup a lot quicker since you can blend in the same pot in which you cook.
Ingredients:
-5 cups broth
-4 cups spinach, washed
-2 small turnips or 1 large turnip, roughly chopped
-1 onion, roughly chopped
-5 cloves garlic, peeled
-1/2 cup cream
How to:
1) Sautee the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil until lightly carmelized.
2) Add the turnips and stock, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer (covered) until the turnips are soft.
3) Add the spinach and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4) Puree the soup and then add the cream.
5) Serve.
Serves: 6-8
Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic Vinagrette
Ricotta Meatballs in an Artichoke Tarragon Tomato Sauce
Meatballs:
Ingredients:
-2 pounds ground beef
-12 oz ricotta
-4 tb grated parmasean
-1/2 onion, minced
-2 tb garlic powder
-salt to taste
-2 tb chopped parsley
-2 tb oregano
-1 tb black pepper
-2 eggs
-1/2 flax seed
-2 cans chicken broth
How to:
1) Mix all ingredients thoroughly with hands.
2) Roll into one inch balls.
3) Bring broth to a boil in a deep, wide sauce pan.
4) Reduce heat and add all the meatballs to the broth, cover, and let simmer, shaking sauce pan occasionally, until done.
5) Drain off excess broth.
Sauce:
Ingredients
-3 cans diced tomatos
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-8 cloves garlic, peeled
-2 tb oregano
-2 tb parsley
-3 tb chopped, fresh, tarragon
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 cups artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
1) Sautee onions and garlic in a bit of oil for a few minutes.
2) Add all the rest of the ingredients (except artichoke hearts) and simmer on low for approx. 45 minutes.
3) Puree.
4) Add artichoke hearts.
5) Pour sauce over meatballs and simmer for a few minutes to allow flavors to meld.
# posted by Giao and Alexis @ 8:10 PM 
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