More uses for stale bread......this time - soup!

The Drunken Cheesy Bread only used up part of my stale-bread-in-the-freezer supply. The rest went to make this easy soup - Pappa al Pomodoro - from Rachael Ray. According to many sources, including this article in the NYT by Mark Bittman, the name of this soup translates loosely to "tomato mush". Hmmm, maybe sometimes it's better not to translate things into English. Most recipes I found included tomatoes, bread, olive oil and basil as the core ingredients.

Rachael says that the soup is thick enough when
your spoon will stand up in the pot.

In her cookbook, 365: No Repeats, she explains that she got this particular recipe from a gentleman in Italy who INSISTS that if you're going to make this soup, you MUST make it exactly as written - including the chopped raw onion and the drizzle of olive oil at the end to finish it off. Only the basil is optional. Not wanting to disrespect the originator of this recipe, I did follow the instructions to the "T", only leaving out the optional basil since it's no longer in season. This soup would be a great end-of-summer soup when the garden is loaded with tomatoes and basil, but my basil is long gone and I try not to shell out any money for those pitiful little fresh herb packs at the grocery store, so I skipped it.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Certainly it would have been wonderful with the basil, but it was delicious without. I was a little skeptical about the raw onion garnish but we all agreed that the onions did add something, as did the drizzle of EVOO. Easy to make, very hearty and very satisfying. Rachael claims this recipe makes 4 servings but we got at least 6 large servings, maybe more.

Now that I've tried it as instructed, I'll feel free to add a few dried herbs in the winter months to add a little herbal zing. Wegmans makes a rosemary olive oil sourdough that would be REALLY good in this soup.

Smoky Chipotle Chili Con Queso Mac

Source: adapted from Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats

coarse salt
1 pound penne rigate
1 1/2 pouns ground beef sirloin
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander (I used about 1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons ground chipotle powder (that seemed like way too much, so I used 1 tablespoon ground chili powder and 1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder)
coarse black pepper
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (I skipped this)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups smoked Cheddar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (I skipped)
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leave, chopped
1 14-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (I couldn't find fire-roasted and then forgot to add the regular diced tomatoes!)

My notes: This was pretty tasty, but it certainly did not come together in 30 minutes and there was 3 of us prepping. When you have 3 different pots going, it's very difficult to get it done within 30 minutes. To up the taste next time I would probably try chipotle in adobo and definitely try to find the fire-roasted tomatoes to see if those added some needed flavor. All in all, a nice comfort food and kid-friendly dish.

I talked bout this recipe HERE.

Pasta with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Source: Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, brushed clean and chopped (I used assorted wild and white button)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (I used dried)
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup cognac (I used dry sherry)
1 cup chicken stock or broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup heavy cream
A few dashes of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 pound linguine or fettucine (I used rotini)
coarse salt
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and salt and cook al dente.

Preheat a large soup pot over high heat with the EVOO and the butter. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add the cognac, stir for 1 minute, then add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and cook for 1 minute more.

Transfer the mushrooms and the liquid to a blender or food processor and puree until really smooth (I left it a bit chunky for the pasta version). Return the puree to the soup pot and add the remaining 1/2 cup stock and the cream. Add a few dashes of hot sauce and bring up to a simmer, then cook for 5 minutes. Bring to a bubble, add the cooked pasta, and turn the heat off. Toss to coat; add the parsely and the Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

For Mushroom Bisque, follow the above recipe, but add a total of 3 cups of stock and omit the pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

My notes: This was easy to throw together and quite tasty. Because of an oversight, I did not add all of the Parmesan cheese and would definitely use it all next time and/or add a bit of less-fat cream cheese to help add flavor and thicken up the sauce. I used a wheat blend rotini.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Baked Egg Cups

Source: Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices soft white sandwich bread
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 vine-ripe tomato, chopped
4 eggs
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 400º.

Preheat a small skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of EVOO and the chopped bacon, and cook for 3 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. Add the garlic, onions, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook until the onions start to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.

With a serrated knife, cut the crusts from the bread. With your fingertips or a rolling pin, flatten or roll out each slice of bread as thin as you can get it. Nestle each thin slice of bread into the cup of a nonstick standard 1/2-cup muffin tin, pushing the bread down on the bottom of the tin and pushing it up the sides of the tin. The bread will reach the top of each tin and be slightly above the rim. If the bread breaks or tears, just smoosh it together a little, it will still be fine. Brush the bread with the melted butter.

Add the tomatoes to the bacon and onions. Turn the heat up and toss around to evaporate some of the tomato liquid, about 1 minute.

Working one at a time, crack the eggs into a small bowl and then carefully transfer to the bread-lined muffin tins. (Don't forget to fill any empty tins with water to help protect your pan.) The goal is to not break the yolk. Sprinkle each egg with a little salt and pepper. Top each egg with one quarter of the tomato-onion mixture and then sprinkle each one with a little grated cheese. Place in the hot oven and bake 15 minutes.

To serve, use a butter knife to nudge the cooked toast and eggs out from each tin and onto a plate.

Pasta with Swiss Chard, Bacon, and Lemony Ricotta Cheese

Source: Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats

Serves 4.

1 pound cellantani (ridged corkscrew-shaped pasta) or other ridged short-cut pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch of Swiss chard, cleaned and coarsely chopped
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. When the water comes to a boil, add salt and cook the pasta al dente.

While the pasta cooks, preheat a large, deep skillet over moderate heat. Add the EVOO and bacon and cook until the bacon crisps, about 3 minutes. To the bacon add the garlic, onions, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until the onions are lightly caramelized. Add the chopped Swiss chard, toss to coat, and wilt the chard down. Turn the heat up to high and add the chicken stock and a couple of ladles, about a cup, of the starchy boiling water from the cooking pasta. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta with the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Place 1/4 cup of the ricotta mixture in the bottom of each of 4 pasta bowls and reserve.

Add the lemon juice to the Swiss chard. Drain the pasta well and toss with the greens for a minute or so to let the juices absorb into the pasta. Turn the heat off and add the grated Parmigiano cheese to the pasta and greens and continue to toss to distribute. Serve the pasta immediately, dishing it up on top of the ricotta cheese. Stir the lemony ricotta up in your bowl to mix with the pasta.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

Source: Rachael Ray

Serves 4 (more like 6 for us)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used about 1.5 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (yikes, no more than 1/2 teaspoon for us!)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated (I used bottled ginger paste)
1/2 pound shiitake mushroom caps (a couple of cups), sliced
1 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut into sticks lengthwise (I used 3 baby bok choy - it could maybe use 4)
Salt and pepper
1 quart chicken broth (I used organic, low-sodium)
1 cup seafood stock, available on soup aisle or 1 cup clam juice (I used clam stock)
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound vermicelli (thin spaghetti) (I used Chinese-style wheat noodles)
4 scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, three turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and bok choy, then season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and seafood stock or clam juice. Put a lid on the pot and bring soup to a boil.

Add shrimp and noodles and cook for three minutes. Add in scallions and cook two minutes, then turn off soup and let it sit 2-3 minutes more. Adjust salt to taste and serve.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad

Source: 365: No Repeats, by Rachael Ray

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons honey (3 gobs)
1 teaspoon chili powder (1/3 palmful)
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 (10-ounce) box frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
6 cups baby spinach

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

To the cooked onions, add the bell pepper and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro and the spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Wild Mushrooms

Source: Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

2 tablespoons of EVOO (I did not use any oil at all)
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
1/4 pound shiitake mushroom caps (I used 1/2 pound), sliced
2 portobello mushrooms, sliced (I used about 5 ounces of white button)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 14-ounce can pumpkin puree (I used 2 cups of butternut squash puree)
1/2 cup (2 turns around the pan) heavy cream
pinch of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated (I used more like a pinch)
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I didn't have any)

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic, onions and mushrooms. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender and mushrooms are browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add chicken stock and heat for one minute. Stir in pumpkin and incorporate - it will be thick. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Top with cheese and chives.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese Dressing

Source: based on Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats

Serves 4.

Vegetable oil, for drizzling
1 pound ground chicken (she calls for 1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (she calls for 1 1/2 teaspoon)
1 1/2 teaspoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning (she calls for 1 tablespoon)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 celery rib from the heart, with greens, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
Crusty rolls, split
1/2 cup sour cream, reduced-fat sour cream, or Ranch dressing (she calls for 1 cup)
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (she calls for 1/2 cup)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
leaf lettuce

Place a healthy drizzle of oil in a mixing bowl. Add the turkey, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning, garlic, scallions, and celery. Mix the burgers and form into 4 1-inch-thick patties.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the burgers for 6 minutes on each side (I think I did less - about 4-5 minutes). Remove to a plate.

Wipe the pan clean and reduce the heat to low. Melt the butter in the pan. Add the hot sauce to the melted butter. Return the patties to the skillet and turn to coat in the hot sauce-butter mixture. Place the burgers on bun bottoms. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream or Ranch dressing with the blue cheese crumbles and season with salt and pepper. Top the burgers with lettuce and blue cheese sauce, then set the bun tops in place.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Chicken or Turkey Spanakopita Burgers

Source: Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red onion, half chopped, and half thinly sliced
1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, defrosted
1 teaspoon dried oregano, lightly crushed in the palm of your hand
1/4 pound feta crumbles
1 package (1 1/3 pounds) ground chicken or ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning (a palmful)
1/3 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Topping:
2 roasted red peppers, drained
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives (10 to 12 olives)

4 crusty rolls, split (This makes more like 6 burgers if you're doing 4-5 ounce burgers.)
1 cup coarsely chopped or shredded arugula
Hot pepper rings or pepperoncini (optional)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. To one side, add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts, add the garlic and all the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the garlic and onions to a bowl to cool. Return the pan to the heat. (I think she forgot a step here. I think you are supposed to keep the chopped onions and sliced onions separated in the pan. The chopped onions go into the burger mixture and the sliced onions are saved to put on top of the burger.)

Wring the defrosted spinach dry by twisting it in a clean kitchen towl over your sink. Separate the spinach as you add it to the bowl with the cooled onions and garlic, and season with the oregano. Add the feta crumbles, then the chicken or turkey, grill seasoning, and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix, score the meat into 4 equal sections, then form 4 patties, 1-inch thick. Raise the heat on the pan to medium high. Add the patties and cook for 6 minutes on each side.

Season the cucumbers and tomatoes with salt and pepper.

Place the topping ingredients (peppers, olives and parsley) in a food processor, season with salt and pepper, and process until a paste forms. Place the cooked burgers on the roll bottoms. Top with the sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, sauteed onions, shredded arugula, and hot peppers, if using. Slather the roll tops with the red pepper and olive paste and place atop the burgers. Serve with chips.

Rachael says 4 servings, but it's more like 6.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Spiced Grilled Chicken and Veggie Pockets

Source: Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats

1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 pounds chicken tenders (I used chicken breasts cut into thick strips)
1/2 English or seedless cucumber, finely chopped
3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped (I used cherry)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced (I used 2 large)
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (I used 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 cups of shredded red leaf lettuce (I skipped)
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 pita pockets
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to high.

In a shallow bowl, combine the yogurt, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and cilantro. Add the chicken tenders and coat evenly in the yogurt marinade. Marinate for 10 minutes. Shake off any excess marinade, then grill chicken for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until charred at the edges and firm and cooked through. (DH basted the chicken with ALL of the marinade.)

While the chicken is working, in a large bowl combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, scallions, bell peppers, carrots, parsley, dill, and shredded red leaf lettuce.

For the dressing, in a small bowl, combine the mustard and red wine vinegar. In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the EVOO.

When you remove the chicken from the grill, place the pitas on the grill to blister and warm through. Chop the grilled chicken into bite-size pieces and add to the veggies along with the dressing; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat thoroughly. Cut the pitas in half; fill the pockets with the chicken and veggies.

4 servings (There is really enough salad to fill at least 6 pita pockets, if not 8)\

I talked about this recipe HERE.