le•top Chef Series: Tomato Chickpea Soup

And now for a budget-friendly soup…

Some folks said they’d use fresh basil instead of the cilantro. Or only use the cilantro as a garnish.

Mouth watering and full of fresh flavors, this soup, with soft chunky tomatoes and healthy chickpeas, will be an instant winner with the family.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (14 oz) can cooked chickpeas or 1-1/2 cups home cooked chickpeas
• 3 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1-1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt and fresh ground pepper

In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion until soften. Add garlic, chickpeas, water, cooked rice, tomatoes, paste, and dried parsley. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add in chopped cilantro, season with salt & fresh pepper to taste. Remove from heat, let stand for about 7 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Soup will thicken up, too. You’re ready to eat! Tastes wonderful with fresh baked bread on the side.

Source: simpledailyrecipes.com.

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Le Top Chef Series: Grilled Chicken with Tortellini Pasta Salad

By Tara Duggan, Chronicle Staff Writer

The pasta salad is somewhat decadent, so you don’t need much of it.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound small dried tortellini
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 stalks celery hearts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 slices prosciutto, diced, or some julienned salami
• 1 cup small cherry tomatoes, halved if large
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella pearls or about 3 ounces diced fresh mozzarella

DRESSING:

• 3 tablespoons fresh pesto, stirred before measuring
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pasta cooking water or plain water (if needed)
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Add frozen peas during the last 5 to 8 minutes so that they cook along with the tortellini.

Meanwhile, flatten chicken breasts with a mallet to a uniform 1-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Grill in a lightly oiled grill pan over medium-high heat until browned, 5-8 minutes per side. Lower heat and continue cooking until no longer pink in the middle but still juicy, about 2-4 minutes. Let rest a few minutes.

When peas and tortellini are done, drain, reserving pasta water for dressing, then gently rinse in cold running water until cool. Allow to drain completely. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. If the dressing is very thick, add 1 tablespoon pasta cooking water.

Combine tortellini, peas, celery, prosciutto, tomatoes and mozzarella in a medium bowl. Gently toss with the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with the chicken.

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Le Top Chef Series: Confetti Yogurt Pops

…A Delectable Dessert in about 10 MINUTES!

Makes six (6) popsicles

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups low-fat yogurt
• 1 cup assorted berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries)
• 5 pretzel rods (halved), OR 10 baked snack stick crackers

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, gently stir together the yogurt and fruit. Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups. Cover molds/cups with foil. Use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick. Freeze until firm. Remove foil and mold/cup before serving. (Store for up to a month.)

Recipe from Parents.com

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Le Top Chef Series: Mini Cheddar Burgers

Perfect activity for little hands, and perfect to eat for little mouths!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Grill: 8 minutes

Makes 12 mini burgers

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2  pounds ground beef (90 percent lean)
• 1  tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4  teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2  teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4  teaspoon black pepper
• 12  small round dinner rolls (such as potato rolls or dollar rolls)
• 24  leaves fresh arugula or other leafy green, cleaned
• 12  slices sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces total)
• 12  slices plum tomato

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat gas grill to medium-high or prepare charcoal grill with medium-hot coals. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion flakes, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
2. Shape seasoned beef into 12 small patties, about 1/4-cup mixture for each, forming patties that are 2-1/2 inches across and 1/2 inch thick.
3. Split the rolls in half and toast the cut side on the grill, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large platter. Top buns with arugula leaves.
4. Transfer hamburger patties to the grill and cook 2 minutes. Flip and cook 2 additional minutes or until cooked through. Top burgers with cheese. Slice should be roughly the size of the burger; if not, cut or fold it to fit. Grill until slightly melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Transfer burgers to lettuce-topped buns and place a plum tomato slice on each. Serve warm.

source: parents.com

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Le Top Chef Series: Wholesome Brownies

Happy bakers in the kitchen!

…submitted by guest contributor: Dawn

“Wholesome” Brownies from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book (with comments from Dawn)

1  6-oz. package (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 scant cup quick-cooking rolled oats
¼ cup wheat germ
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt, if desired
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Makes 8 inch square pan (I usually double the recipe and put in a 13 X 9 pan, or a cookie sheet to make thinner brownies which are not as chewy as those made in a 13 X 9 pan).

1. In the top of a double boiler or in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, melt the chocolate chips and the butter or margarine. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir the mixture until it is smooth. Set it aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, dry milk, baking powder, salt and nuts. Set the mixture aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, and mix in the brown and white sugars and the vanilla until the mixture is thick.  Stir in the melted-chocolate mixture. Fold in the oats mixture until it is just blended. Pour the batter in a greased 8 inch square baking pan.

4. Bake the brownies in a preheated  350F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is crisp but a toothpick  inserted in the center of the pan comes out slightly moist. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely before cutting the cake into 5 strips in each direction. (Cut in these small portions, only 85 calories each.)

Editor’s Note: This is one recipe that Dawn tells me she has made many times, so it must be good!! Should I be on the look-out for any in my mailbox? 😉

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le•top Chef Series: Sweet Potato Biscuits

…In under 20 MINUTES!

Another recipe submission by my friend, Dawn. I asked her why she had all these quick recipes if she didn’t cook, and she replied, “Did I say I actually used the recipes?” Thanks for sharing these great, quick recipes, Dawn!

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients:
•    1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
•    2 heaping tablespoons sugar
•    4 teaspoons baking powder
•    1/2 teaspoon salt
•    3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
•    1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
•    2 to 4 tablespoons milk (depending on the moisture of the potatoes)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate, large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes and butter. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix to make a soft dough. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time to mixture and continue to cut in. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. Evenly roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a greased pan and coat tops with melted butter. Bake for about 15 minutes. (Watch your oven: If the biscuits are browning too fast, lower the temperature.)

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Le Top Chef Series: Artichoke Spread

…In about 5 MINUTES!

One of my dearest, long-time friends in Logan, Utah shares this recipe with us. Dawn proclaims she is not a cook, but I’m thinking she says that so her friends (like me!) will cook for her! 😉

Artichoke Spread

Ingredients:
1 – 13.5 oz can/jar Artichoke Hearts in oil, drained
1 to 2 – 4.0 oz. can chopped Green Chilies (these aren’t very hot chilies, so 2 cans is for flavor preference)
2/3 C Mayonnaise (normal or low fat)
2/3 C Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 t Seasoned Salt

Directions:
Pulse all ingredients in a Cuisinart – couple seconds (not going for baby food puree!). If you don’t have a Cuisinart, coarsely chop the artichoke hearts and then add remaining ingredients and mix. Pour into glass baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbling. For the FAST version, microwave for 3 minutes – you forego the crunchy edges for speed!

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