Category: International

Kale, White Bean, and Turkey Sausage Stew

This was actually the first dinner I ever made Ben, and though I’ve posted a picture of it before, I’ve never gotten around to putting the recipe up! Adapted from a Real Simple recipe, it’s definitely one of my favorites- a light but still hearty stew that couldn’t be easier to make!

Ben and I kicked off the Christmas season by having this stew with some crusty bread and a glass of Moscato in front of the TV as we watched the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting! I always love the cozy feel of those first few days of December, when Christmas music (which is now officially given my “OK” to listen to since it’s after Thanksgiving) is still fresh on the radio. I’ve been taking full advantage of my precious Pandora Mariah Carey station with the hopes of hearing “All I Want for Christmas is You” at least 6 times in one sitting 😛

I have to say, I don’t get the same warm and fuzzy feel from the twelve gazillion jewelry commercials on every single TV channel…

I hope this stew warms your bones the same way it warmed ours tonight! Happy December, ya’ll!

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Kale, White Bean, and Turkey Sausage Stew
Recipe Type: Stews, Soups, Chilis
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Claire McCormick of Claire Tastes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Here’s a light (but still hearty!) stew to warm your bones on an early December night! Just chop a few veggies, add them all to a big stockpot, and simmer for about half an hour as you shop for Christmas gifts online or decorate the tree!
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp EVOO
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 4 turkey sausage links, fully-cooked and sliced thinly
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2-3/4 cup white mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cans Great Northern or Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cans sliced, peeled tomatoes or diced tomatoes, in their juice
  • 6 whole carrots, sliced
  • 1 large bunch of fresh kale or spinach, rinsed well and torn into small pieces
  • 1 32 oz carton of low-sodium chicken broth (plus additional if needed! I ended up adding 1 tsp of Better than Bullion and about 2 more cups of water)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried Italian herb blend
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • A sprinkling of dried bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Grated parmesan cheese, to taste
  • Crusty whole grain bread
Instructions
  1. Slice onions, mushrooms and garlic thinly.
  2. Heat EVOO in a saute pan on medium heat.
  3. Saute onions, mushrooms, and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes. Make sure to scrape up all the brown bits in the bottom of the pan!
  4. Add onion mixture to a large stockpot.
  5. Transfer sliced turkey sausage to the saute pan, adding additional oil if needed. Cook on medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on both sides.
  6. Add sausage to stockpot.
  7. Add chicken broth and all herbs to stockpot.
  8. Add tomatoes and carrots to stockpot and turn heat to medium-high. Allow liquid to come to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low so that stew is slightly bubbling.
  9. Add drained beans to pot and simmer stew with lid tilted for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  10. Right before serving, stir in kale pieces until bright green in color (about 2 minutes).
  11. Ladle stew into bowls. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper and parmesan cheese.
  12. Serve with a side salad and crusty whole grain bread.

photo 3 (43)

Claire1 Comment

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Crock-Pot Chili

Why do I crave soup every night? Seriously, ya’ll, there must be something wrong with me. I just loooooooove a big hearty stew when the weather starts to get chilly (okay, I’d probably eat it in the summer too… have I mentioned gazpacho is my weakness? but I digress.) and there’s something about a loaf of crusty bread or handful of tortilla chips or wheat crackers to dip, until they get just chewy enough to pick up with a spoonful of hearty goodness.

The best part about stew is that you can honestly add any ingredient you want and completely custom-design! (Sometimes that’s also a problem for me. Note to self: sweet potatoes, peas, and dried mint don’t mix well. Literally.) I usually raid my pantry for canned beans and veggies that I can find in there, and use a 1:1 veggies to beans ratio in most of my stews. Two cans beans, a can of corn and a can of tomatoes, and some chicken broth (Better than Bullion is my favorite)… throw ‘er into the crock-pot AKA mostingeniousinventioninthehistoryofmankind with some kind of protein and spices, set to high, and in a few hours your work is done. Oh, the smells that will waft through your nostrils when you walk through the door after work or an afternoon of errands.

I have to admit this one is probably my absolute favorite stew recipe. I make it so much that it’s a wonder Ben doesn’t plead with me to stop. But he seems to like it too. It must be the sweet potatoes. No, the turkey sausage. Black beans and cumin combo? I don’t know what it is, but just try it. You won’t be disappointed. I do have to say, though, that I think the deal-breaker in this one is the Latin Style Black Bean Soup base from Trader Joe’s that I used in place of chicken broth. A few extra calories, but the creaminess is definitely worth it. And you can still add more water or broth if it’s too thick for you!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Crock-Pot Chili
Recipe Type: Stew/Chili
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Claire McCormick
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
A hearty, “warm up those bones” stew that will leave you completely satisfied! I altered the original Real Simple recipe (see link below) in order to use up some of the Trader Joe’s black bean base I had in my pantry, which turned out to be JUST the right thing for this stew to thicken it up and add a little bit of sweetness! Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips, and a dollop of plain greek yogurt to mix in.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 cup white mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 4 links fully cooked turkey sausage (any variety), thawed and sliced into 1/4″ slices
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • salt and black pepper
  • 2 14.5 oz cans peeled or diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 14.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed
  • 1 14.5 oz can kidney beans, rinsed
  • 2 cups frozen yellow corn kernels
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 28 oz carton Trader Joe’s Latin Style Black Bean Soup (http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=1022)
  • Plain greek yogurt, tortilla strips, shredded cheddar cheese or cornbread for serving
  • Dried parsley for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a saute pan on medium-high heat, add oil until hot. Saute onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and garlic until just tender- about 5 min. During last minute, add sliced turkey sausage and stir until the sausage is nicely browned on both sides.
  2. Add mixture to a large crock-pot. Add chili powder, cumin, cocoa, cinnamon, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
  3. Add tomatoes and their liquid, black bean broth, sweet potato chunks, and all beans. Add 1 cup water to thin stew a bit and stir together.*
  4. Set crock-pot on high heat for 4-5 hours.
  5. About 30 min before serving, add corn kernels.
  6. Serve with plain greek yogurt or sour cream, tortilla strips, or cornbread. Garnish with a little sprinkle of dried parsley, too!
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups chili (does not include the optional cheese/yogurt/tortilla chip toppings) Calories: 263 cal Fat: 2 g Carbohydrates: 49 g Fiber: 14 g Protein: 14 g
Notes
*Edit (1/10/14): Some of you have decided to try this one and have given me great feedback that you’ve had some issues fitting everything into the crock pot. I admit, I had this same problem. And so I decided it was time to be honest with you, my dear readers… when I made this in my little crock pot, instead of trying to shove the top of the crock pot on and sit on it, or tape it down with duct tape or something, I reserved half of the mixture (uncooked, without additional water added) and froze it in a gallon-sized ziplock bag for later. This helped ensure that the pot stayed only about 3/4 of the way full to ensure faster and more even cooking (“crocking?”). I also had another batch of soup ready to throw into the pot a few weeks later! (It was like I planned it that way or something!)

Original recipe adapted from RealSimple.

Black bean sweet potato stew

 

ClaireLeave a comment

“Tex-Mex Meets Sweden Part 2:” Kladdkaka (Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake)

During Rebecca’s visit I also wanted to do something more “Swedish” to acknowledge her love for that nation and to send her off on a high note! I googled “Swedish chocolate dessert recipes” (OK, slightly selfish for the “chocolate” part) and basically this is the most popular chocolate recipe in Swede-land. Kladdkaka is a deliciously sticky chocolate cake, sort of a cross between a molten chocolate lava cake and a brownie. The key is that it doesn’t have any leavener in it, which keeps it mostly flat and gooey on the inside. Finish it by sprinkling with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream or ice cream. And some strawberries on top. That’s essential 🙂

Anyway, here’s my first take at this (surprisingly simple!) Swedish recipe.

Next time I’ll have to figure out a way to add peanut butter to it… “Sweden meets America?”

photo 1 (41)

 

Kladdkaka (Swedish Chocolate Sticky Cake)
Recipe Type: Dessert, Chocolate, Cake
Cuisine: Swedish
Author: Claire McCormick
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
A decadent sticky chocolate cake sure to satisfy even the biggest chocolate lover’s craving!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving
  • Strawberry slices, for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
  3. Whisk eggs and sugar.
  4. Add flour mixture to eggs and butter. Stir until just combined.
  5. Add vanilla and melted butter. Stir thoroughly.
  6. Pour into well-greased or sprayed 9″ cake pan.
  7. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, or until center of cake is just set.
  8. Allow to cool in pan for 1 hour before serving.
  9. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar and ice cream and strawberries on the side.

ClaireLeave a comment

Balsamic Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, Onions, & Chickpeas

Fire-Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes and Onions

Fire-Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes, Onions, & Chickpeas
Recipe Type: Healthy, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Author: Claire McCormick
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
An easy summer go-to dinner packed with protein and bursting with flavor! Serve with your steamed leafy greens of choice and chicken if desired!
Ingredients
  • 1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and sliced into quarters
  • 1 onion, sliced thinly
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp good balsamic vinegar
  • 1 large bunch fresh kale, steamed with a few drops of red wine vinegar
  • Cooked chicken breast (I rubbed a little olive oil and some creamy peppercorn dressing seasoning onto it before cooking from frozen)
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa (I roasted my uncooked quinoa first)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Feta cheese, to taste
Instructions
  1. Mix tomatoes, onion slices, garlic, garbanzo beans, basil, rosemary, and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Pour over tomato mixture and stir. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the flavors to marinate.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 deg. Spread tomato mixture evenly into a 9×12 casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until onions are slightly soft and sweet!
  3. Serve over cooked quinoa and steamed kale. Add chicken on side if desired. Top with crumbled feta cheese.

ClaireLeave a comment

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

This is my new favorite way to bake chicken. Throw some veggies and herbs into a casserole dish, top with some chicken breasts or thighs, rub with a bit of EVOO and a few more spices, and bake! The best part of this way of baking chicken is that all the juices from the chicken seep down into the veggies while they cook, adding a lot more flavor and keeping everything super tender! Oh, and the fact that it’s all in one dish to stick in the fridge for leftovers after. If there are any leftovers. We seem to have a problem with that in our house. 🙂

First step is adding all the veggies into the bottom of a greased casserole dish. I used a bag of frozen spinach (thawed and cooked), some chopped fresh kale, frozen basil from our garden, about 3 cups of broccoli florets, and some sautéed onions. I tossed in about a teaspoon of Better than Bullion (love that stuff), a bit of hot water to dilute, and some garlic powder.

photo 1 (35)

Next step is to add the chicken on top. This chicken was marinated in a regular old freezer bag for a few hours (flipping the bag about halfway through) with just about a fourth cup of olive oil, about half a cup of balsamic vinegar, about 2 tsp of minced garlic, some dried basil, and a bit more garlic powder. Don’t worry about exact measurements for this part- I eyed it all. Oops. 🙂

Carefully lay the chicken on top of the greens n’ onions like so:

photo 2 (32)

Sprinkle a bit of rosemary on top, and some more dried basil if you wish (can you tell I like my spices?), and now you’re ready to stick ‘er in the oven!

Bake at 375 deg for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the tomato mozzarella and basil salad. Drain a can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice, chop up a few grape tomatoes, remaining fresh basil, and a small block of mozzarella. Mix all together in a bowl and try to refrain from eating it by the spoonful like I wanted to after this picture.

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When the chicken has about 10 min left on the timer, spoon about a 1/3 cup of the tomato-mozzarella mixture on each breast. Cover with tinfoil and return to oven for the rest of the time!

When you take it out, it should look something like this.

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Or this:

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Ok I’ll stop now. I just like taking pretty pictures. 🙂

Serve over quinoa (I toasted mine first) with a little drizzle of balsamic reduction and some garlicky pita bread on the side!

But just one more. For kicks and giggles.

photo (19)

Bruschetta Chicken Bake
Recipe Type: Entree, Chicken, Dinners
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Claire McCormick
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
My new favorite way to bake chicken! All in one dish and plenty (let’s hope) for leftovers!
Ingredients
  • 6 chicken breasts, thawed and pounded thinly
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp dried basil, plus more to taste
  • 1 10-12 oz package frozen spinach, thawed
  • 3 c. fresh broccoli florets
  • 2 c. fresh chopped kale
  • 1 onion, chopped and sliced thinly
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 c. cubed fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 6 leaves fresh basil, chopped finely
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Garlic pita bread, for serving
  • Balsamic reduction, for serving
Instructions
  1. Place chicken breasts in large ziplock storage bag. Add olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dried basil, and balsamic vinegar. Shake bag to coat chicken evenly.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning bag halfway through.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 deg.
  4. Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
  5. Heat skillet to medium high and sauté onion until golden and soft.
  6. In a large bowl, combine onion, spinach, kale, broccoli, and remaining garlic powder and dried basil. Spread evenly in bottom of casserole dish.
  7. Top with chicken breasts and additional spices, if desired.
  8. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  9. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh chopped basil in a small bowl.
  10. Spoon tomato mixture over chicken.
  11. Cover casserole dish with tin foil and return to oven for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted. (I also reduced the heat to 350 because I’m paranoid.)
  12. Serve over toasted quinoa.

 

ClaireLeave a comment