Turkey, Kale, and Rice Bake

From Eating Well



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
1 cup thinly sliced celery
4 cups slivered kale leaves
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup low-fat, no-salt-added cottage cheese
1 cup instant or quick-cooking brown rice
6 ounces smoked turkey breast or smoked tofu, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add kale and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the kale begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cottage cheese, rice, turkey (or tofu), water and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

3. Stir the rice mixture, increase the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Spread cheese on top. Broil until the cheese is bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.

Comments:
Adam picked this one after we got a Nook subscription to the magazine. Kind of surprised me, actually. This doesn't seem like his usual area of food choices. It was ok, I guess. I'm not too big a fan of the dark, leafy greens so the kale was a struggle, but overall it was fine. Not sure I'd make it again. Awful lot of prep and effort for something just so-so...

Bacon, Potato, and Leek Turnovers

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed red or Yukon gold potato
2 cups chopped leek
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
12 Savory Cornmeal-Whole Wheat Dough circles (I used this pie crust recipe instead.)

Directions:
Combine potato, chopped leek, and 3/4 cup water in a microwave-safe pie plate or bowl; lightly cover with wax paper. Microwave at high 8 minutes or until tender, stirring every 3 minutes. Coarsely mash mixture with a fork. Stir in chives and the next 5 ingredients (through bacon). Cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place the Savory Cornmeal-Whole Wheat Dough circles on a lightly floured surface. Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture into center of each dough circle. Fold dough over filling; press edges together with a fork or fingers to seal. Place turnovers on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pierce top of each turnover once with a fork. Bake at 425° for 17 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Comments:
I'm sure using the wonderful, flaky, OMGITSSOGOOD pie crust altered the "light" part of this recipe a bit. But it was worth it. I think the directions given are pretty dumb. Why would you cook all this stuff in the microwave? I started that way and when I saw it was pretty much a big waste of time I threw the potatoes and leeks into a pan on the stove with some water and finished them off there. I made four kind of big turnovers instead of 12 small ones. This require a little longer baking time. But I think they turned out great. Very yummy. Might have brushed some eggwash for some color maybe...

Potato, Mushroom, and Leek Croquettes

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
8 ounces coarsely chopped peeled Yukon gold potato
4 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
4 ounces sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped leek
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
1. Place potato in a pan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Press potato through a ricer or food mill into a bowl.

2. Place mushrooms, leek, and thyme in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushroom mixture; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mixture to potato. Add Gruyère, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, and egg yolk; stir until blended. Shape mixture into 8 (2-inch) round patties.

3. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine egg white and 2 teaspoons water in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-­Reggiano and panko in a shallow dish. Dredge patties in flour. Dip in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden.

Comments:
These were almost disasterous. There's definitely something wrong with this recipe as it's written. There's no way you can shape the glop that you create into patties. No. Way. I ended up adding probably half a cup (or more) of breadcrumbs to get it to stick together enough to cook. They were ok, if a bit bland. I added salt to mine. I probably wouldn't bother with these again.

BLT Pasta Bake

From Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats, recipe #36



Ingredients:
1 lb macaroni
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
2 large leeks, trimmed of roots and dark green tops
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock
3 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, grated
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

Directions:
Place a pot of water on to boil for the pasta, once boiling add some salt and the pasta and cook until al dente.

Heat large skillet over medium heat, add the EVOO and chopped bacon and cook until crisp.

While bacon is cooking, split leeks in half lengthwise and slice thinly into half moons. Clean cut leeks thoroughly, drain, and dry. Add leeks to pan with bacon, season with salt and pepper; cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the flour, cayenne, and paprika and whisk together until the roux bubbles; cook one minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise the heat a little. Bring sauce to a quick boil and simmer to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in 3 cups of the grated cheese and the mustard. Set aside.

Add the cherry tomatoes to the leeks and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
Preheat broiler.

Combine leek mixture, cheese sauce, and pasta; salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to baking dish, combine remaining 1/2 cheese with bread crumbs and top pasta. Place under broiler until cheese melts and crumbs are brown.

Comments:
This is really good, although I managed to burn the top under the broiler a little. Ok a lot. But it was salvagable. This recipes makes a whole lotta pasta so I threw the leftovers in the freezer. They should defrost well.

Cauliflower, Sweet Onion, and Leek Quiche

From Everyday with Rachael Ray (can't find it on the site)



Ingredients:
One 9-inch frozen whole wheat pie shell, thawed
1/2 cup packed shredded gruyere cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 tsp EVOO
1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
3/4 cup thinly sliced leeks
salt & pepper
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cauliflower
3/4 cup chicken broth
7 egg whites (about 1 cup)

Directions:
1. Position a baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven and preheat to 400. Using a fork, prick the inside of the pie shell all over. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Arrange half of the cheese in the crust and bake until melted, about 3 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and leeks, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and chicken broth and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining cheese and the cauliflower mixture. Transfer to the prepared pie shell and bake until the filling is set, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Comments:
Ok, so slight fail on this one. I neglected to specify "whole wheat" on my shopping list so I just got a regular pie shell. I used provolone since that's what I had. I use whole eggs (ended up being 5 of them to get to 1 cup.) I did ok other than those things.

I knew that I'd end up baking this for much longer than it said. That always seems to happen with quiches. I ended up leaving it in the oven for about 35 minutes. It was set pretty well by that point. But you can see the end of the wedge still caved in when I plated it. Grrr.

Anyway, quiche-execution problems aside, this was pretty simple and pretty tasty. A little bland - maybe some more salt & pepper - but not bad.

BLT Creamy Mac 'n' Cheese

From Everyday with Rachael Ray (I don't see it on the site)



Ingredients:
salt
1 pound ziti rigati pasta
EVOO
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise and slice crosswise
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tbsp tomato paste
6 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups shredded asiago, grana padano, or parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

2. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Stir in half of the shredded cheese and the reserved cooking water.

3. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Pile into a casserole and top with the tomatoes and remaining cheese. Bake until browned on top, 7 to 8 minutes.

Comments:
This sounded very similar to the BLT Pasta Bake I was going to make last week so when that got bumped I just swapped this out. It was easy to make and tasted very good. I'm looking forward to the leftovers.

Leek & Bacon Tart

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 9-inch frozen pie shell, thawed
2 large eggs, 1 separated
2 leeks, green parts discarded and whites thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 slices thick-sliced smoked bacon, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Prick the crust all over with a fork, fill with pie weights and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes; remove the foil and weights.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white; lightly brush the crust with some egg white, reserving the rest. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Meanwhile, add the leeks to a salad spinner and cover with water. Swish the leeks around to separate the pieces and dislodge any dirt. Slowly lift the basket from its bowl so the dirt stays at the bottom; discard the water and rinse the bowl. Replace the basket and spin the leeks dry.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off all but about 1 tablespoon bacon grease. Add the leeks to the skillet and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl, beat together the remaining whole egg, egg yolk, beaten egg white and the sour cream. Stir in the heavy cream, milk, nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set the crust on a baking sheet. Spread the leek-bacon mixture in the bottom, then pour in the cream mixture. Bake until set, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Comments:
A little more complicated than most RR recipes. I don't have pie weights (we all know what happens when I try to bake pies) so I skipped those and it seemed to turn out ok. I think my shell was only 8 inches so I couldn't fit all the filling in. I also used all milk instead of half heavy cream. It was a teensy bit runny, but nothing serious. Still tasted great.

Adam's suggestion? Add cheese. *sigh*

Broccoli and Cheddar Strudel

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
Salt and pepper
2 large eggs
16 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (4 cups)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
10 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook until the leeks begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the broccoli, season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Transfer the broccoli mixture to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Wipe out the skillet and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, lightly beat 1 egg and stir into the broccoli mixture along with the cheddar cheese and mustard. Set aside.

3. In the skillet, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. In a small bowl, lightly beat the remaining egg and set aside. Place 1 sheet phyllo dough on a work surface with the short side closest to you; cover the remaining phyllo sheets with a damp kitchen towel. Brush the phyllo sheet lightly with the melted butter, beginning with the edges. Stack 4 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing all but the last sheet with butter. Place half of the reserved broccoli mixture on the short end of the phyllo, leaving a 3-inch border of dough along the sides and bottom. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, then fold in the two sides and gently roll up into a log, brushing the inside flap with the egg to seal the strudel. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make another strudel.

4. Place the strudels seam side down and 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides with the remaining egg. Bake until golden-brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

Comments:
As I'm sure you loyal readers of my blog (all two of you) know, I don't do phyllo. My version is obviously made with puff pastry. Why go through all that pain and suffering about keeping the phyllo damp and brushing butter when you can defrost the puff pastry while you're making the filling, roll it out a little, and fold it? Keep it simple!

Anyway. This recipe was easy to make and I liked the subtle leek flavor. I've been on a leek kick lately. They've been on the grocery list for the past three weeks straight. This dish is also similar to the calzones I make occasionally. Yum.

Chicken with Sourdough Stuffing

From Better Homes and Gardens' Simple Slow Cooker Recipes



Ingredients:
6 cups crusty open-textured sourdough bread cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 1/4 to 4 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
1/3 cup thinly sliced leek or onion

Directions:
1. For stuffing, in a large bowl combine bread cubes, tomatoes, and carrots. In a small bowl combine chicken broth, thyme, and pepper. Drizzle broth mixture over bread mixture, tossing gently.

2. In a 4 to 5-quart slow cooker place chicken and leek. Lightly pack stuffing on top of chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 6 1/2 hours. (High 3 to 3 1/2 hours.)

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer stuffing, chicken, and leek to a serving platter. Discard juices.

Comments:
This was pretty good. The edges got kind of crusty (and maybe just a teensy bit burnt) but it was no big deal. Slow cookers rock and this new Monday plan is working very well.

Leek-and-Gnocchi Bake with Three Cheeses and Crispy Prosciutto

From Everyday with Rachael Ray February 2009 (I don't see it on the website either. What the heck.)



Ingredients:
1 tbsp EVOO
8 thin slices prosciutto, halved crosswise
2 leeks - trimmed and cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
salt & pepper
Two 10 to 12-ounce packages potato gnocchi
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
ground nutmeg (I left this out)
1 cup grated fontina
1/2 cup grated asiago
1/2 cup grated parmesan (or parmigiano-reggiano)

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO. Working in batches if necessary, add the prosciutto in a single layer and cook, turning once, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add the leeks to the skillet and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi float to the surface, about 3 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute, the whisk in the milk. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in the fontina and asiago until melted.

4. Preheat the broiler. Drain the gnocchi and place in a casserole dish. Stir in the leeks and cheese sauce and top with the parmesan. Broil the casserole until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Top with crumbled prosciutto.

Comments:
This was fantastic. I actually used prosciutto this time rather than subbing bacon. It was too salty for my tastes so I'll probably swap it out again in the future. You never know until you try it though, right? Other than that, this turned out great. And Adam even ate some of the leftovers today so I know it had to be good! Leeks and gnocchi. What's not to like?

Farfalle with Turkey, Leeks, and Broccoli

From Cooking Light March 2008



Ingredients:
broccoli rabe (I used regular broccoli)
farfalle
olive oil
leek
red pepper
garlic
turkey sausage (I used ground turkey)
lemon rind (I used juice)
ricotta cheese (the stuff I had was bad so I left this out and used more parm)
parmesan cheese
salt

Comments:
Leeks are wonderful. I just love them. This dish is a fabulous mixture of flavor, texture, color. It's simple to make and even with my swaps and substitutions it turned out fine. I might go easier on the red pepper next time though as my lips tingled after eating it.