Beet Gazpacho with Shrimp and Cheddar Bay Biscuits

I am not exaggerating when I tell you how simple and delicious this is! This is so tasty, you will want to make it again and again and share it with friends and family.  AND .... you can even buy a box of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuit mix rather than make them yourself!


Ingredients
2 15 oz. can sliced cooked beets, roughly chopped, juices reserved
1 large English cucumber, roughly chopped
2 large fleshy tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 T Kosher salt
1/2 c fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
1 lb. cooked shrimp
    Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Puree' beets with the reserved juice, cucumber, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, oil, salt, and basil in a blender or food processor until almost smooth.  Season with more salt as desired. Chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Divide gazpacho among 4 serving bowls. Drizzle with oil, and top with shrimp and a few basil leaves. Service with biscuits.

Recipe for biscuits; click here.

Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com

And the beet goes on!

Blackened Shrimp Chowder

Ingredients

2 T butter
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
3 baby bell peppers, various colors, chopped
2-1/2 T flour
2 10 oz. cans clam juice
1 13 oz. can coconut milk
1/2 C water
3 T Old Bay blackening spices
1 tsp. dried basil
1-1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled & tailed removed
10 oz. pkg. frozen corn
2 T capers
8 oz. mascarpone cheese

Heat butter in a Dutch oven.  Add celery, onion and pepper; stir 5-6 minutes over medium heat until tender Stir in flour to coat. Add claim juice, coconut milk, water, blackening spice and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add shrimp, corn and capers. Cook 2-5 minutes or until shrimp are bright pink. Remove from heat. Stir in mascarpone and continue stirring until melted. Serve with fresh basil leaves and polenta.  Polenta can go in the bottom of the bowl and the chowder on top, or you can serve it on the side.

Sit back and enjoy every spoonful!

Vegetarian Sancocho

Sancocho is a Spanish soup/stew, typically made with meat.  This is a vegetarian version that Angie Martinez made on The Chew.  It is very yummy and improves with age.  I liked it even more the second day.


Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 unripe green plantain (peeled and roughly chopped)

1/2 pound yucca (peeled and roughly chopped)

1/2 pound sweet potato (peeled and roughly chopped)

1 medium green bell pepper (seeded and chopped)

1 medium tomato (chopped)

1/2 pound dried red kidney beans (soaked overnight)

4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 sprigs fresh oregano

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

4 sprigs fresh cilantro (plus extra leaves for garnish)

2 tablespoons aromatic bitters (optional)

1 tablespoon sugar

kosher salt

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the garlic and ginger and cool until just fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in the plantain, yucca, sweet potato, bell pepper, tomato, and beans, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the parsley, oregano, bay leaf, cilantro, bitters, if using, and sugar along with 3 cups water and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Season with salt.

To serve, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Delish!

Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

For the meatballs: 

¾ pound ground chicken
½ pound chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the soup:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup ¼-inch diced carrots (3 carrots)
¾ cup (¼-inch diced celery (2 stalks)
10 cups homemade chicken stock
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
¼ cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1- to 1¼-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don’t have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese. 

(Recipe taken from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.)

Enjoy!

Sausage, Cabbage & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

8 oz. (or 4 links) hot or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 large onion, chopped
2 large sliced carrots
2 celery stalks, cut in 1/2" pieces
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 c water
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 small head of green cabbage, cut thin
1 T flour

Break sausage into chunks into a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned.
Add onion, carrots & celery.  Cover and continue cooking over medium heat until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add broth, 1 c water and garlic.  Simmer 5 minutes or until carrots are almost tender.
Stir in cabbage; cook 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
In a small bowl, stir flour and remaining 1/4 c water until blended.  Add to soup and cook 2 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from Woman's Day - March 2010)