Chicken and Spinach Soup

3 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 quarts chicken broth

1-2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped

¾ bunch spinach, washed, stems removed

2 Bay leaves

1 T. Herbs de Provence

6 oz. small pasta

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Sauté vegetables in olive oil and butter.  Add remaining ingredients except pasta.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.  Serve with parmesan cheese if desired.

Pork Chop and Spinach Dinner for One

Last night I was cooking just for myself, which means I was experimenting with what was on hand.   I had a single pork chop in the fridge, some spinach, and a wonderfully fresh tomato that I bought at the Farmer’s Market.  I also had a nice chunk of parmesan cheese.  So this is what I did for myself (it could easily be multiplied for two or more):

Drizzled olive oil in a small skillet and set on medium-high heat.

Sprinkled pork chop with garlic salt, pepper, and dried thyme leaves.

Cooked chop in heated pan until brown on each side.

Reduced heat and covered until done, about 5-8 minutes.

While the chop cooked, put two cups of spinach in a sauce pan and added about

one tablespoon of water.

Cooked spinach over medium-high heat until the leaves begin to wilt. Removed

            from heat and covered.

Chopped a tomato into medium dice.

Grated a generous helping of parmesan cheese.

Plated chop and spinach.  Topped spinach with cheese and tomato.

Served with baguette slices and a glass of wine.

Didn’t even think about taking a picture for Transcendental Kitchen.

The Sun Bird's Roasted Pepper Soup

Every year, people  from cold climates (aka Snow Birds) descend upon Arizona in order to avoid bad winter weather and snow.  I know because my daughter lives in Mesa.  I, on the other hand, go north in the summer to avoid the sun of Las Vegas.  I think that makes me a Sun Bird. 

So, I arrived in Denver last weekend, and to my surprise, we had snow yesterday.  I was probably the only person in the entire city who was delighted to have snow in May!  It was the perfect day for staying indoors and cooking.  I made some strawberry orange jam, which tastes great, but the recipe needs more work before I post it.  I also made one of my favorite soups, and that recipe follows.

Roasted Pepper Soup

6 peppers (red, yellow, or orange)

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 14-0z can chicken broth

2 C. water

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Juice of one lemon

Garlic and herb goat cheese for garnish (optional)

Cut pepper in half and remove stem, ribs and seeds.  Place cut side down on a  rimmed cookie sheet.  Roast peppers under a broiler until charred.  Place peppers in a paper bag, or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. 

Pour olive oil in a stock pot and set to medium heat.  Sauté onions until translucent.  Add chicken wroth, water, salt, and pepper flakes. 

Remove skins from peppers and cut in chunks.  Add to pot and simmer for 20 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Serve in bowls and garnish with the goat cheese.

Juliette Fay

I just finished reading Shelter Me by Juliette Fay, and I recommend it highly.  The story of a feisty young widow trying to cope after her husband dies in a bicycle accident, is a sad one—expect to cry—but it is really a story of perseverance in the face of tragedy, of grace given in the most unexpected places, and of the grief we all feel from a variety of sources. 

The story works because it is sparked with humor.  Like I do when I see the rubber chicken of stock comedy shows, I have to laugh every time I read the name of Janie’s church:  Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted Church.  Janie may be sarcastic and “prickly” at times, but her humor serves her well, and we can see the really good woman who lies under the surface of her barbed remarks. I promise that you will enjoy getting to know her.

So how does this great read fit in a blog about food?  Well, check out the recipes for Pology Cake, Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Struffoli that are given in the back.

Rigatoni Ready

I love cooking, but sometimes I feel like switching things up a bit, and preparing dinner earlier than normal, so the kitchen will be clean before dinner is served.  Then, I'm ready to relax and read a book or have fun watching the Food Network, Hell's Kitchen, or American Idol. 


Baked Rigatoni

1 lb. Italian turkey sausage cut in 1" pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
2 small zucchini, sliced in 1/4" rounds
1 yellow squash, sliced in 1/4" rounds
6 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, cut in quarters or eighths, depending on the size
1 24-oz, jar pasta sauce such as Classico Spicy Tomato and Basil
1/4 cup red wine
1 lb. rigatoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella

Pour olive oil in a Dutch oven.  Add sausage, onions, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until sausage is browned and onions are translucent.  Add zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, pasta sauce, and wine.  Simmer gently while heating a large pot of salted water for the rigatoni.  When the rigatoni is al dente, drain, and add it to the sauce. Pour into a 15 x 10 baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  Heat oven to 350.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the top is browned.

Easy Birthday Fruit Tart


Yesterday was my birthday, so I decided to keep it easy, and to still create a yummy dessert.  I had a tart crust in the freezer, so I thawed it, rolled it to an oval shape, placed it on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, then pinched up the sides to create an edge.  (If you don't have your own frozen dough, purchased puff pastry is also good.) 

Next, I peeled four Granny Smith apples and used my new handy dandy Dial-a-Slice Apple Divider (http://www.williams-sonoma.com/search/results.html?words=dial-a-slice%20apple%20divider ) to cut them into small segments.  I then started layering the slices around the edge and worked my way to the middle.  It actually looked like a giant rose.  Then, I sprinkled about 1/3 cup of granulated sugar over the apples, and dotted the tart with 1/4 cup of butter.  I baked it at 400 for 40 minutes. 

When the tart was browned, I removed it from the oven and let it cool. The final step was to combine 1/4 cup of black raspberry seedless preserves with 1 tablespoon of dark rum in a saucepan and to stir until warm.  I used a silicone pastry brush to slather the apples with the boozy mixture.  It was fantastic!

Great Find for Your Cookbook Collection

From Our House to Yours: Comfort Food to Give and Share" I found this cookbook at a library sale last summer, and it has been handier than I thought possible. The book is a compilation of recipes by the Editors of Chronicle Books, and benefits Meals On Wheels of San Francisco.  The recipes are from famous cookbook authors or chefs such as the recipe for Potato and Portobello Mushroom Casserole by Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys restaurant.  I have used this book several times when trying to get ideas about food that travels well.  I highly recommend it if you need a quick and tasty dish for someone just home from the hospital, to welcome a new neighbor, or to hold an old school potluck dinner.  Here is a recipe I recently developed that was inspired by From Our House to Yours.

Robyn's Stuffed Peppers

6 large bell peppers

1 lb. mild Italian sausage

1 lb. hamburger

Garlic salt and pepper to taste

8 oz. mushrooms, cut into chunks

1 14-oz. can Italian diced tomatoes

1 small onion, chopped

1 T. oregano or Italian spices

Slice tops off peppers, and clean out seeds and ribs.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Boil the peppers for 5 minutes.   Drain and sprinkle salt on the inside of each.

Mix the meats together thoroughly.  Place in a large frying pan and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.  Add onions, and cook over medium heat until brown.  Stir in mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes.  Drain.  Add tomatoes with juices and oregano. 

Spoon mixture into bell peppers.

Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes.