Monthly Archives: January 2013

Herbed Ricotta Tart

Sometimes I think I could just change this blog to “A Fork In Each Tart”.  Every time I make a tart, I devour it.  I think I could eat them every single day.   And there are so many different ways to make a savory tart.  My favorite so far is Summer Squash and Ricotta Galette.  A thisclose second is Rustic Summer Squash Tart.  Both of those tarts are made with refrigerated pie crust (easy peasy!) and are so, so good that I really have to stop myself from eating the entire tart by myself in one sitting.  I came across this Herbed Ricotta Tart and didn’t expect it to be as good as the other two tarts because a) it uses pizza crust instead of pie crust and b) it only has scallions and herbs.  But once again, yet another tart did not disappoint.  I devoured this one just as easily as the others.

Scallions, chives and dill are mixed with ricotta and eggs, poured onto pizza dough and topped with parmesan cheese before being baked until golden brown.  The scallions and chives do not overpower this vegetarian tart but instead provide a subtle onion flavor.  Any herb, such as thyme or basil, would be great substitutes or additions here also.  That is the great thing about tarts – any mixture of herbs and vegetables will work perfectly.  And trust me, this tart is good cold right out of the fridge like cold pizza.  If you haven’t jumped on the tart train yet, please get onboard.

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The ingredients:

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Unroll dough and press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray or mold into a square or circle, carefully rolling up the sides (as I did) onto a baking sheet.

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Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add thinly sliced green onions to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Combine cooked green onions, ricotta cheese, sliced fresh chives, minced fresh dill, salt, freshly ground black pepper, eggs, and egg white.

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Pour onion mixture into prepared crust; sprinkle mixture with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 35 minutes or until center is set. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

Quick Chicken Noodle Soup

Every once in a while I end up making a recipe that is so simple and classic that I wonder why in the world I haven’t attempted to do this before?  This Quick Chicken Noodle Soup is perfect in its simplicity while being light yet filling at the same time.  When it’s winter and cold outside, what’s a better meal to have than a warm bowl of soup?  And when you aren’t feeling good, what’s better than a warm bowl of comfort?

Chicken, noodles, carrot, celery and onion are mixed in one big pot with broth and water and the perfect pot of soup comes together.  Any pasta or noodle will work here, like rotini or orzo, but I chose to use no-yolk egg noodles which worked perfectly.  Also, I used precooked chicken but this would be a perfect use for leftover chicken breast since it makes the soup come together than much faster.  Flat leaf parsley added at the end brings a fresh flavor boost so I wouldn’t leave it out.  Flavored with nothing more than salt and pepper, this soup is a keeper which I will make over and over.

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The ingredients:

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Combine 2 cups water and chicken broth in a microwave-safe dish, and microwave at HIGH for 5 minutes.  While broth mixture heats, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add onion, celery, salt, pepper, and carrot; sauté 3 minutes or until almost tender, stirring frequently.

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Add hot broth mixture and pasta; bring to a boil.  Cook 7 minutes or until pasta is almost al dente.

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Stir in chicken; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

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Stir in parsley.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • No-yolk egg noodles
  • Precooked chicken strips

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

Cajun Hot Crab Dip

You know when you want to make a dish for a get-together and you don’t really have much time to get something made?  That’s when I turn to dips.  Whether you want a cold dip or a hot dip, they generally take the same amount of time to make (since cold dips need time in the fridge for the flavors to meld).  What’s especially great about dips is all the ingredients can usually be mixed together in one bowl and while it’s either chilling or baking, you can take care of whatever else needs to be done before the event.  This Cajun Hot Crab Dip is a warm, comforting dip which is perfect for any shindig.

Crab, shallots, garlic, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning and water are blended before being added to more crab, mayonnaise, cream cheese and lemon.  A crunchy topping of panko and chives (which I added later so it isn’t in the pics) gives this low-calorie dip a crunchy final coating.  Before buying Cajun seasoning, take a look online for homemade recipes because you might have everything you already need without adding another spice bottle in your cabinet.  Try this dip on baguette slices or with pita or pretzel chips.  One of my friends said this dip tastes like a crab cake so if you like crab cakes, you’ll probably like this.

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The ingredients:

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Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and coat pan with cooking spray.  Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

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Place 1 cup crab in a food processor.  Add the shallot mixture, 1/4 cup water, pepper sauce, and Cajun seasoning to crab; process until smooth.

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Spoon mixture into a large bowl, and stir in remaining crab, mayonnaise, cream cheese, red pepper, salt and pepper.

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Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart glass or ceramic casserole dish coated lightly with cooking spray.  Combine panko and chives in a small bowl; sprinkle over crab mixture.  Coat panko mixture with cooking spray. Bake at in a preheated 450°F oven for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving as this dip will be very hot.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Light mayonnaise

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

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