Browned Butter & Sage Pumpkin Ravioli

433.  It's Autumn and I love when the seasonal options are made available.  Trader Joes never disappoints with a variety of spice, pumpkin and squash flavored items.

The pumpkin ravioli in the fresh refrigerated section was a must have!  

In a large frying pan I melted 1 stick of salted butter and let it bubble away until all the foam disappears and the butter turns a nutty brown color.  All the milk solids drop to the bottom and toast to wonderful buttery bits.  I then placed my fresh sage leaves in the butter and they crisp up rapidly.  Then remove them to a paper towel to use as garnish.  The sage flavors the browned butter.

On the side I have water boiling and add the fresh Pumpkin Ravioli.  It is so brightly colored yellow on one side and orange on the other filled with pumpkin.

After the sage is removed I added chopped garlic, about 2 cloves.  It will simmer and cook quickly.  

Spoon the finished pasta into the browned butter and turn the ravioli over to coat with the yummy butter.

You can add any vegetable or no vegetable at all to the dish.

Then place the crispy sage on top as a garnish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  WOW!!!  

"Why are terms of endearment always food? Honey, cookie, sugar, pumpkin."

- Jodi Picoult.

Chicken Souvlaki

431.  There is a great diner, serving Greek dishes, located in Long Beach, New York.  It sits on a corner directly across from another diner.  Rumor has it, there were two friends who opened the Greek diner together.  They couldn't see eye to eye, so one of the friends quit, walked out and went directly across the street and opened their own diner. It's funny because each restaurant is great, but the one that serves Greek dishes is the original diner and always a favorite.  (Although, the second diner has better french fries, breakfast foods and coffee.)

So, the diner that serves Greek dishes makes a killer Chicken Souvlaki served over a large salad.  Each time I go I intend to try something else on the menu but inevitably will choose the Souvlaki.  Missing that great diner, I decided to try to duplicate the meal, impossible, I know, but I took the risk.  

What would I need?  Well, chicken of course, Romain and iceberg lettuce, red onion, feta cheese, pita bread, Kalamata olives, Tzatziki, and tomato. The marinade for my chicken was pretty simple.  I cubed two large chicken breasts and placed the meat in a ziplock adding salt, pepper, minced garlic, fresh thyme, fresh oregano chopped fine, juice from a whole lemon, a shake of garlic salt.  I let this marinade in the refrigerator for several hours.  I then placed it on wooden skewers that I soaked in water, then grilled them.  Trader Joes has a Tzatziki Dip that is very delicious and is a perfect compliment.  Here is a recipe from Yummly that is similar.

You could leave the pita whole and wrap all the items inside to eat like a sandwich.  I prefer everything over a salad.  And that is what we did.

"Yassas"  Meaning, 'To Your Health'"

"Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French.  Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek.  Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it (all) good.

~Alice May Brock

Summer Salad Bowls

419.  When it is hot outside and you have worked a long day, the last thing I am looking for is a heavy carbohydrate meal with red meat.  The thought of a cool, crisp salad with yummy toppings fills me up and satisfies my hunger.

I am enjoying the packaged salad mixes that you can find in stores.  They range from iceberg lettuce for a Caesar salad to a ZaTara salad mix from Trader Joes.  I elevate the salad and make it into a meal by adding proteins, vegetables, seeds, nuts, fruits and cheeses.

In this salad pictured, I broiled a breast of chicken that I butterflied and seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic salt.  While that was roasting I lined up my bowls, emptied a bag of Sweet Kale salad mix with cabbage. I added sliced cucumbers, red cabbage shredded, spring onions, and Monterey Jack shredded cheese.  In a separate bowl I steamed a cup of green beans, drained them and added olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  I sprinkled salt and ground black pepper over the salad then drizzled it with olive oil.

Once my chicken was roasted, I sliced it and laid it across the top onto the cheese so it would melt.  The finishing touch was to add a scoop of the cool seasoned green beans and empty the packets that accompany the salad.  This particular salad comes with a poppy seed dressing, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.  Perfection!  So cool, crisp, warm chicken and melty cheese with the sweet and savory toppings.

This second Salad Bowl takes on a Southwest flavor.    I started with a piece of fresh salmon, sprinkling it with salt, ground pepper, garlic salt and olive oil.  Broiling salmon is tricky because you can over do the fish easily.  So, I place the pan in a cold oven and turn it on to bake at 400 degrees to be able to monitor the process closer.  The bottom skin will crisp up nicely.

I line up my bowls and add the Southwest salad mix into each bowl, spinach, spring green onions sliced and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar Cheese over the salad, salt, ground pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

 I make a batch of guacamole or purchased guacamole and several jalapeños sliced with seeds and all.  On this particular salad I had found broccoli bites in the freezer section so I popped those in the oven with the salmon.  

Once the salmon is to your liking, remove from the oven, gently remove the skin from the bottom of the fish and place hot onto the cheese.  Place a dollop of guacamole to one side and a dollop of Daisy Sour Cream to the other side.  Toss on the jalapeños hot broccoli bites and the crispy fish skin to the side.  Finally, drizzle the packet of Southwest salad dressing over the fish and onto the salad.  You do not need to mix the salad.  The individual portion will be mixed as you eat.

Now it is your turn.  What combinations will you create?  You could create an Asian salad with dumplings or a Steak Salad with fries.  Use your imagination and see what works.  It's a challenge but so enjoyable.

"Too many simple green salads suffer from a lack of imagination."

~ James Beard

"Many people eat salad dutifully because they feel it is good for them, but more enlightened types eat it happily because it is good!"

~Laurie Colwin

Tortellini Pasta Salad

 

418.  For a light refreshing evening meal simply make a pasta salad which incorporates veggies, pasta and light vinaigrette dressing.  But to elevate the salad, why not use tortellini instead?  Why do we only eat pasta salad when we are going to a picnic?  

I coated and baked chicken thighs to accompany the pasta salad.  While the chicken baked, I worked on my salad.  Of course making homemade tortellini would be the ultimate!  But I used the fresh pasta in the refrigerated section of Trader Joes.  It was a three-cheese filling and the regular sized tortellini.  I then chopped white onion, red radishes julienned, yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes halved, fresh green peas (also from Trader Joes), celery and celery tops chopped, fresh parsley and basil.  Seasoned with salt and pepper and a bit of garlic salt.  

I do not like to add radishes if my salad will be resting in the refrigerator.  They have a tendency to bleed onto the pasta.  Once my tortellini was perfectly boiled, I rinsed it in cold running water.  Placed it in the bowl with my chopped items then add olive oil and red wine vinegar.  Stir around till everything is evenly distributed and coated with the dressing.  If you think the salad will need more oil or vinegar, simply drizzle over, stir and taste for seasoning.  

What a simple and lovely pairing this meal proved to be.  And so refreshing on a hot summer day.

Trust me, tortellini is a great substitute in pasta salad.  And the filling could be any flavor you choose.  You only need to edit what you would mix with the pasta.  Now wouldn't pesto be a great addition?...hmmmm.

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta."

~Frederico Fellini