Tomato Bisque

Courtesy of Gini Guiernot

Ingredients:
1/2 cup onions (chopped)
1/2 cup butter divided
1 1/2 tsp dill weed
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
6 cups tomatoes chopped (boiled for 1 minute and then peeled)
1 6oz can tomato paste
4 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp. flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 tsp honey
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cups half-n-half cream

In a large pot, melt 6 tbsp. butter.  Saute' onions, garlic, herbs on med low for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste and chicken stock and heat to simmer.  In a small pot make a roux with the flour and remaining 2 tbsp. butter, whisking constantly over medium heat for 3 minutes, without browning.  Add roux to stock, whisking to blend.  Add salt and pepper.  Bring to boil to thicken, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.  Add honey, cream and half and half.  Serve directly or freeze.

Pasta with Asparagus

Skinnytaste.com  
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 227.6 • Fat: 7.0 g • Protein: 5.4 g • Carb: 38.3 g • Fiber: 6.9 g   

Ingredients:  

• 1 lb thin asparagus, cut into 2" pieces (tough ends trimmed)
• 6 oz uncooked pasta such as Ronzoni Smart Taste or Dreamfields
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

In a large pot boil 4 cups water with salt. When boiling, add asparagus and cook 3-5 minutes, until tender crisp. Drain asparagus in colander reserving 1 cup liquid before draining.

Fill pot with salted water, cover and boil for pasta. When water boils cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden, addasparagus, salt and pepper and sauté about 1-2 minutes, tossing with oil and garlic.

In a small bowl combine egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup reserved asparagus liquid, salt and pepper. Mix well. After pasta is drained return to pot andmix with egg mixture. Cook on medium-low about 2 minutes, until sauce thickens and sticks to pasta. Toss in asparagus and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If pasta seems too dry add more reserved liquid a tablespoon at a time.

Serve with additional grated cheese.

Broccoli Salad

Courtesy of: Jordan Seely

4 bunches broccoli, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces

1/3 c. chopped red onion

10 pieces bacon fried and crumbled

1/2 c. grated cheese

1 c. cashews

Dressing:

1 c mayonnaise

1 c. miracle whip

1/4 c. sugar

2 T vinegar

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Make several hours before serving. Immediately before serving, add cashews.

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

Courtesy of: PW

• 1 bunch Asparagus
• 4 Tablespoons (up To 5 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

After you wash the asparagus thoroughly, stack a bunch together and lop off the tough/thick bottom an inch or so.

Spread out the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pat it as dry as you can, as you don’t want any water to “steam” the asparagus in the oven.

Begin by generously drizzling olive oil all over the asparagus and then sprinkle the asparagus generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast the asparagus for about ten minutes. The secret here is for the oven to be very hot so the asparagus can begin to brown on the outside without overcooking and getting too flimsy. You want the finished asparagus to still have a bite to it.

Enjoy!

Fresh Green Beans

Courtesy of: PW

Ingredients

• 1 pound Green Beans
• 2 Tablespoons Bacon Grease (can Substitute 1 Tablespoon Butter And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 cup Chopped Onion
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• ½ cups Chopped Red Bell Pepper
• ½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Kosher Salt (can Substitute Regular Table Salt; Use 1/4 To 1/2 Teaspoon)
• Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Snap the stem ends of the green beans, or cut them off in a big bunch with a knife if you’d like. Just don’t tell Granny.

Melt bacon grease in a skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and onions and cook for a minute. Then add green beans and cook for a minute until beans turn bright green.

Add the chicken broth, chopped red pepper, salt and black pepper. Turn heat to low and cover with a lid, leaving lid cracked to allow steam to escape. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid evaporates and beans are fairly soft, yet still a bit crisp.

You can add more chicken broth during the cooking process, but don’t be afraid to let it all cook away so the onions and peppers can caramelize.

Have a wooden spoon handy to protect your fair share.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Courtesy of: Robin Miller, foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 2 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place butternut squash halves on a large baking sheet flesh side up. Place 1 teaspoon butter in the middle of each squash. Sprinkle brown sugar over each squash. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast 25 minutes, until flesh is fork-tender. Reserve 2 halves for future meal.

Summer Corn Salad

Courtesy of: Barefoot Contessa

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
6 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

4 Red Bell Peppers, Seeded and cut in half
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup tomatoes, diced

Saute' the meat, onions and garlic. Mix in the rice, cheese, sour cream and tomatoes. Blanch the bell peppers for 5 minutes. Stuff, sprinkle with more cheese and cook for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.