…or as I like to call it “The dinner I throw together exhausted after driving home and unpacking post-Christmas.”

This is one of those gloriously easy, delicious, and hideous dinners you can throw together in 10 minutes and it is just so damn tasty. Just make a quick spicy tomato sauce, crack a few eggs into it, pop the lid on, and poach away. If you’re really ambitious you can toast some nice bread and rub a few garlic cloves on it to ensure extra awesomeness.

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Poached Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Inspired by Martha Stewart’s recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced plus 1 more clove, whole
• red pepper flakes
• 1 cup prepared marinara sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
• 3 or 4 eggs
• salt and pepper
• bread of your choice
• butter
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.) Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Toss in the garlic and red pepper flakes (however much you can handle) and sauté for about 30 seconds. Pour in the marinara and let come to a low boil.

2.) Make a few divots in the pan and crack the eggs right into the sauce. Sprinkle some salt and pepper right on top of the eggs. Pop the lid on the pan and cook until the yolk is set and the white is firm, about 5-7 minutes.

3.) Meanwhile, toast up some really good bread. Once it’s ready, rub the garlic clove on it then smear with butter.

4.) Plate the eggs with toast and sprinkle everything with fresh Parmesan.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: savory, spicy, tomato, vegetarian

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Hey! I’m alive.. just crazy busy with my relocation and whatnot. I’m staying here in Kansas City with my folks for a bit while I transition and of course, that means plenty of gentle nudgings and offhand mentions of how such-and-such dish sounds so good and oh wouldn’t it be nice to have this for dinner. In other words, being home is being my mom’s personal chef, and tonight she suggested quiche so I just happened to make it.

I know this is extremely similar to the goat cheese tart, but I’ve said before how I a) love breakfast for dinner and b) love the ease of dishes like this, especially when you use a prepared pie crust. And, well, I was going nuts not posting anything! So enjoy!

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Caramelized Onion & Sun Dried Tomato Quiche

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 prepared or store bought pie crust, at room temperature
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup half-and-half
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 medium yellow onion (not sweet)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1.) Preheat oven to 450° F with rack set in lower third. Roll out the pie crust to fit a 10” tart pan, fit into shell, and prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Bake until golden but not too done, about 7-8 minutes.

2.) Lower the oven to 375° F and let the crust cool while you prepare the filling. Slice the ends off the onion and slice thin. Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat and add the oil.

3.) Once it’s warm, add the onions, brown sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Give everything a good stir to coat the onions in the oil and sugar, and then cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Don’t stir too often otherwise you won’t get good color.

4.) Remove the onions from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Once they’re cooled, chop the onions up a bit and sprinkle over the bottom of the prepared pie shell. Add the sun dried tomatoes, and the parmesan cheese.

5.) Beat the eggs in a large bowl, seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper. Add the half-and-half and milk, and beat everything together. Pour into the prepared shell and give it a little jiggle to settle everything. Sprinkle a bit more cheese over the top and pop in the oven.

6.) Bake until cooked through and set, about 30-35 minutes. If the edges start to get too brown, crimp some aluminum foil around them until the filling is baked. Enjoy with a nice salad or fresh fruit.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2010. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: breakfast, dough, eggs, savory, tomato

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I love discovering new ingredients to play with. Part of the reason I find cooking so exciting and challenging is that there is an endless ocean of cuisine, recipes, ingredients, and food out there to sail though, and although sometimes the waters are choppy, it’s always a fun adventure.

I tried bison meat for the first time recently via it being on sale at my local grocer, and I was amazed by the taste. It really wasn’t gamey as I had expected it to be, but had a very rich, meaty flavor with a great natural earthiness to it. And then I found out it has half the calories and 1/8 the fat as normal beef, plus it’s always free-range. I was in love.

So pondering what to do with a pound of ground bison… meatballs naturally popped into my head. Spaghetti and meatballs is one of those comfort foods universally loved, like pizza or mac n cheese. So why not take on a classic. The meatballs are unbelievably tender and moist despite using such a naturally lean protein (something I was worried about), and the flavor is classically garlicky with parmesan.  My recipe for simple tomato sauce is one of those great things that you can make with pantry staples and it barely takes any time or attention. Plus it always tastes better than the jarred stuff – I guarandamntee it.

Panko.

Meatballs!

Peeking inside!

The mother of all canned tomatoes.

Bay leaf saying hello.

Marinara hot tub.

Spaghetti and meatballs!

Perfect pair.

That’s-a yummy meatball!

—

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Makes 21 meatballs and about 6 cups sauce.

This obviously makes enough to feed an army, but I always make a full recipe because meatballs freeze extremely well. All you have to do is let them thaw in the fridge a few hours before you want to use them and then heat them up in some sauce like you normally would. Also, if you’re not keen on bison meat, feel free to use a 50/50 mix of ground pork and beef, or white meat, like turkey and chicken. One warning about turkey and chicken – they’re extremely lean so adding a glug or two of olive oil to your mix is a good idea so they’re not rock hard.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb. ground bison meat
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano if you can find them)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 dash dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Assembly:

• 1 lb dried spaghetti
• Grated parmesan

Directions

1.) Make the meatballs. Preheat your oven to 350° F with the rack set in the center. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2.) In a small mixing bowl, combine the panko and milk and let sit for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the meatball ingredients and add the panko/milk mixture. Mix gently with your hands until just barely combined, overmixing will toughen the meatballs. Form into 1-inch meatballs and set on prepared baking sheet.

3.) Bake 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time, until cooked through and browned, or until an internal thermometer reads 155° F. Set the meatballs aside while you prepare the sauce.

4.) Get the pasta ready. Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt very well (it should taste like a mouthful of ocean water). Cook the spaghetti while you make the sauce. Strain and keep a towel over the pasta so it stays hot while everything finishes.

5.) Make the sauce. In the bowl of a food processor, mince the garlic cloves in a few short pulses. Remove the garlic and set aside. Add the entire can of tomatoes with their juices. Pulse a few times until almost completely pureed, but not liquid.

6.) In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the red pepper flakes, thyme, bay leaf, and pour in the tomatoes. Season to taste and cook covered for about 10 minutes until slightly reduced. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end if you like the flavor.

7.) Add the meatballs to the sauce a few minutes before serving so they heat through. Once ready, remove the bay leaf and ladle sauce and meatballs over hot spaghetti. Sprinkle more parmesan and chopped parsley over the top and serve with a nice green salad and good red wine.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2010. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: meat, pasta, savory, tomato

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I don’t know about you but after that last post I needed a break from complicated cooking. And since the temperature keeps dropping, my soup Achilles heel weakened me once again and I felt the need to make something that required a lot of simmering and an over-sized Dutch oven.

Now as much as I love Kraft singles between sliced Wonder bread with a bowl of Campbell’s watery tomato soup, sometimes I’m craving something a little more… substantial. I love a good chunky tomato soup so it’s filling and feels like a meal, not just an appetizer or snack, and this recipe fits that bill quite nicely. The texture is thick and hearty, perfect for dipping say, French bread toasted with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled over it. Or maybe a grilled cheese with rye bread and pepperjack sandwiched between it. No matter what you pair with it, this soup is rich, satisfying, and the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold, lazy day.

And a fun note to end with! I recently won Endless Simmer’s contest for Smallest Kitchen (hooray! sort of?) and they gave me a nice little shout-out so I wanted to return the favor. Thanks, guys!

Tomato Soup

Based on the recipe from The Kitchen restaurant in Boulder, CO. Known for their sustainable farming and phenomenal Anglo-American cuisine, they’re also amazingly generous by sharing their recipes on their website so people like me can enjoy their fabulous dishes without leaving home.

Makes six 1-cup servings

Ingredients

• 2 28-ounce cans whole, peeled organic tomatoes
• 1 large or 2 small yellow onions, sliced
• 1 stick unsalted butter (originally I was going to use 1 1/3 sticks, thus there being 2 sticks pictured, but changed my mind in the middle of melting)
• high quality sea salt

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over low heat. Add the onions and season generously with salt. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. You want the onions soft and translucent, but now caramelized or brown.
2. Once the onions are cooked, add the tomatoes and break them up with the back of a spoon.  Raise the heat and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. After the soup has simmered long enough, puree in batches either in a food processor or blender. Return to the pot and bring back up to a simmer, tasting for seasoning.
4. Serve with grilled cheese (pepperjack on rye for me!) or crusty French bread.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: autumn, savory, soup, tomato

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Happy Autumn, everyone! Well, maybe not happy, since this is the weather that greeted me yesterday:

Talk about inspiration for something warming.

You know that scene in “Ratatouille” when Anton Ego is stopped dead in his tracks when he smells and tastes Remy’s ratatouille because it so acutely reminds him of his mother and his childhood? That’s what this dish is to me. Not only does this chili remind me of autumn and thus it was my first dish I happily made for the season, but it so embodies my vision of my mother in the kitchen.  Almost every Sunday in the fall she would make a huge batch of soup or stew, whether it be chili, potato soup, beef tomato rice, chicken noodle, etc, and always make it an all-day affair. Even when I would come home once in awhile from Cornell my mom would still make a batch at an ungodly hour on Sunday morning so I’d have a few Tupperware containers to take back with me.

The chili was always the best though. I remember asking my mother for the recipe time and time again to which she would always reply “There’s no real recipe – it’s a method, and every batch is different, you know that.”

So here is my version of my mother’s method, which she learned from her own mother.  It’s such a simple dish, with very few (and cheap) ingredients. It’s all about time and layering flavors (like any good soup or stew) so this isn’t something you can whip together on the fly and eat 20 minutes later (in my dreams).  I use almost all the same ingredients my mom and grandma do and did, except I change the cooking method a bit to keep the texture of the veggies a bit sharper and I up the spice level quite a bit.  The celery adds such a nice freshness to the chili and alongside the sweet tomatoes, nothing feels or smells more like autumn to me than this dish.

Grandma Esther’s Chili (with my interpretation)

Makes about 10 cups chili

I try to keep things a little figure-friendly by using a mixture of 90/10 ground beef with lean ground turkey.  I also double the veggies to give the chili a really hearty feel with fewer cals than adding more meat.  And the Tabasco is not a usual contender here – I only realized well into the process that I had no cayenne in my pantry (although I am still 100% sure it is in there somewhere) so I subbed with the sauce since it’s just cayenne and vinegar.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces 80/20 or 90/10 ground beef
• 4 ounces ground turkey
• 1 green bell pepper, diced, divided in half
• 1½ unsweet yellow onions, diced, divided in half
• 1 cup diced celery, divided in half
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 28-ounce can tomato sauce + 1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, no salt added
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1½ TBL chili powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne (or 2 dashes Tabasco if you realize you don’t have cayenne… like me)
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1. In a large dutch oven, brown the meat by breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon or fork.  Once the meat starts releasing some fat, toss in half the green pepper, onion and celery.  Season liberally with salt and cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes until very tender.  Taste for seasoning.
2. Once the veggies are tender, add the spices and stir, letting them cook for a few minutes to really bring out their flavor.  Add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 28-ounce can of tomato sauce. Stir, and bring to a low boil.  Do not taste for seasoning here – the flavor will change quite a bit as it cooks so if you have a heavy hand here, it will become an anvil later.
3. Simmer over medium heat, covered, for about an hour.  Stir every 10 minutes.  Once an hour has elapsed, begin tasting for seasoning. Add more salt, paprika, chili powder, cayenne as needed.
4. Add the rest of the veggies and as much more tomato sauce as you want (depending on how saucy vs. thick you prefer it).  The point here is to have some very tender, soft veggies with some that still have a bit of a bite so you get a lot of texture and layered flavors.  Again, season for taste.
5. Cook an additional hour, stirring every 10 minutes.
6. Serve with shredded Colby jack cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, fresh chives, goldfish crackers, saltines, or anything you prefer.  Chili is the ultimate accessory-friendly dish!

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: autumn, family recipe, savory, soup, tomato, vegetables

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