tomatoes – Oven Love

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho (Guest Post)

Natalie — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 05:33:49 +0000

I’m back! I’m connected! Hallelujah! Things are inching closer and closer to normal life. We are still in the thick of unpacking, starting to paint and getting acclimated to our new home. Julia from The Crankin’ Kitchen is here to fill in the gaps while I get my act together. Julia’s blog is awesome- you must check out her walnut pork butter, which is happening in my house ASAP. I’ll be back in a day or two to tell you all about our move and how I kind of sabotaged the whole GAPS thing (more on that later). Take it away, Julia!

I’m pretty much on a diet of chopped vegetable dishes. Every meal I’ve eaten in the past two weeks has either consisted solely of a) potato salad, b) green bean salad with basil, sautéed radishes, and hunks of mozzarella, c) citrusy coleslaw, or a hearty helping of one of those next to some protein that I was mostly eating just to stave off devouring a giant bowlful of one of those salads. Now that tomatoes are starting to come in? Oh boy. Watch out. Is it possible to eat all of your daily calories from tomatoes? Can I try? No? Okay, I’ll throw in some grilled corn on the cob slathered with homemade lime mayonnaise and queso añejo. And some peaches and cherries. That’s fine. God I love summer.

Gazpacho is a little difficult for me. On the one hand, it’s probably one of the best soups you can eat. On the other hand, it seems a little shameful to purée fresh, ripe, local (expensive) heirloom tomatoes. Maybe that’s because I don’t have any of my own in a garden in my back yard. I kind of feel that they’re like precious gems and to adulterate them with anything more than some coarse sea salt and a basil leaf is to somehow cheapen them. But when it’s terrible and hot and gross out, gazpacho is something to live for.

Since there’s not much to gazpacho, you must use good tomatoes. Don’t put off this recipe until the winter or something. Go out and splurge on some beautiful tomatoes. And if you have them in your garden, you are lucky and please send some to me. And as with most traditional and iconic recipes, there are a hundred versions, all hotly contested as being the one perfect one I’m sure. I don’t have too many strong opinions on what vegetables should or not should be included in gazpacho and what the levels of vinegar and oil should be. I do strongly feel, though, that using tomato juice is a no-no. I mean, you’re trying to celebrate gorgeous summer tomatoes. Why would you mix them with bottled tomato juice? Gah. But if you want to leave out the cucumber and red pepper, or add in some parsley, go for it. Topping gazpacho with a hard boiled egg is also extremely acceptable.

That’s it. That’s my gazpacho. It’s wonderful. You can certainly chill it if you need some extra cooling off, but I think room temperature allows the flavors to be their best. Unless room temperature means boiling, which it would be here if my air conditioner ever stopped working. Some garnishes you could use if you haven’t already started to dig in, are finely chopped cucumbers and red peppers, parsley, toasted almonds, and crumbled/chopped hard boiled egg.

Seriously gardeners, send me your tomatoes. I hear that you have wayyy too many to eat. Pretty sure.

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho (Guest Post)

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Julia Campbell, The Crankin’ Kitchen

Recipe type: Soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2.5 lbs heirloom tomatoes, chopped
1 medium cucumber, seeded (cut in half width-wise then in quarters length-wise and seeds cut off) and chopped
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded, deveined, and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1½ tsp sea salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Instructions

Mix together the vegetables in a large bowl.
In a blender, purée garlic, salt, olive oil, and vinegar. Scoop about half of the vegetable mixture into the blender. Blend until smooth, in batches if necessary.
Pour blended veggies back into the bowl of chopped vegetables and mix.

Surviving GAPS Intro: Stage 4

Natalie — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:33:31 +0000

For the next 6 weeks, I’ll be chronicling my journey through the GAPS Intro Diet with a little self-made questionnaire.

What did I eat on Stage 4?

With Stage 4, I added olive oil, fresh juice, bread made with almond flour and roasted/grilled meats.

Scrambled Eggs in Tallow with Avocado and Sauerkraut (my typical breakfast.)
Poached Salmon and Chicken
Carrot and Squash Soup with poached eggs and avocado (you might have seen this one on Instagram)
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Squash and Almond Flour Bread (you can see one of the muffins in the photo above)
New Cooked Vegetables- spaghetti squash, tomatoes, green peppers
Fresh Juice- plain carrot or a mixture of carrot/apple/celery
Chicken Vegetable Soup with Turnips
Butternut Squash Fries (so good to have roasted squash again!)
High Protein Chili (pictured above, recipe below)
Avocado Chicken Salad (just mashed avocado mixed with garlic, salt and cooked chicken)
Lots of Bone Broth and Tallow and Salt and Garlic and Sauerkraut and Olive Oil

Did I see any changes or patterns in my symptoms?

For the most part, this stage went much better than expected. I have been fearful about trying new vegetables, but it seems to be going well. I did see a bit of a flare-up with my symptoms when I tried the almond flour bread. I tried a little bit at the beginning of the day and it went well, so then I had more later on.. but I think I overdid it. I’ll have to be careful about how much almond flour I take in.

I also feel like I am getting some real energy back- I actually thought about going out and exercising, which I haven’t felt like doing in quite some time. I’m looking forward to some exercise again after Intro is done- I don’t want to push it and start before my body is ready, since working out puts your body in fight-or-flight mode which interferes with proper digestion. And ya’ll know I don’t have time for that.

Any practical advice from Stage 4?

Don’t assume that your body can handle any amount of new food, even if it tolerates a little bit. This was my lesson from the almond flour bread. It is just not worth it to overdo it and experience your symptoms again. Really try to savor the little bits of these foods that you do get to try, even if you end up deciding to leave it out of your diet for a while. You can always try it again later.

I wanted to note here that I did take some liberties with spices in Stage 4. In the recipe for chili posted below, I added some chili powder and paprika, which are not legal until Full GAPS. I was so excited to make chili with tomatoes that I couldn’t resist throwing the spices in. My advice here is that you know your body best. If you get to this point in the diet and you feel you can add in a few ingredients here or there that are allowed on Full GAPS, try it out. But use your judgement- if you have any symptoms, slow down.

Also, don’t quit your detox baths. They are worth doing! (I have been slacking a big- this is mainly a reminder for me.)

Any encouragement for people in Stage 4?

Don’t stop observing and listening to your body. Now that you are adding new foods so often, you want to be careful about recording your symptoms, looking for patterns and making changes accordingly. Hopefully you’ve gotten into a groove with the GAPS lifestyle and you’re making it work for you. But remember, this is a process. Every day will not be better than the last. Sometimes there are bumps in the road. Sometimes we mess up. Keep trying and don’t despair! You are on your way to better health and learning self-discipline along the way. (And don’t quit now- you’ll be able to eat fruit and honey in Stage 5!)

High Protein Chili

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 30 mins

This is called “high protein” because it’s got three types of meat and is very nutrient dense.

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: GAPS legal, Main, Soup

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 pound grass-fed beef liver (pre-soaked the night before in the juice of one lemon and then covered with filtered water; cover and keep in the fridge)
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground venison, ground pork or other ground meat/sausage
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups crushed tomatoes (preferably homemade or not from a can with BPA)
water or beef broth to cover
1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (optional)
2 teaspoons sea salt
cracked black pepper to taste
4 cups winter squash (optional)

Instructions

Drain the beef liver.
In a blender or food processor, process the liver until it’s broken down (I like it pretty broken down, right before it reaches a paste. If you like it chopped, you can do that, too. I find it’s practically undetectable if you break it down in the blender first.)
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, cook the liver and ground meats until they are browned.
Add onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes and mix. Add spices, if using. Cover with beef broth or water if necessary, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
If you are adding the squash (or any other uncooked vegetable), you can add it to the chili about 30 minutes before you plan to serve it.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip and Valentine’s Day Veggies

Natalie — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:55:34 +0000

Veggies for Valentine’s Day! Let’s make it a thing.

It’s not exactly a box of chocolates, but it’s kid-friendly and pretty adorable. Who can say no to heart-shaped vegetables?

I made up this little tray for a kids’ Valentine’s Day party in under an hour this morning. That includes chopping, arranging the plate and making the dip. And I did it all with kids underfoot or in one of my arms. (Can I get a virtual high five?) Here’s how it went down:

Clean and prep all the veggies (I used cherry tomatoes, carrots and red peppers.)
To make the heart shaped carrots, peel them, cut a triangle in the top of the carrot and then trim the sides to make it look like a heart. Then chop the whole carrot into smaller hearts.
Put a few of each veggie into a muffin cup. (I used two since the pink one was not very sturdy, but you can get away with one. You could also use paper cups.)
Make the dip (recipe below).
Put the dip into a bowl and top with a tomato heart. (Cut two tomatoes on and angle and stick them together.)
Arrange on your plate and store in the fridge until you’re ready to go.

I made my dip with cream cheese, but if you’re dairy-free, you can substitute with a can of white beans. If you don’t eat beans or dairy, well.. I can’t think of a good substitution off the top of my head, so let me know in the comments if you have any ideas.

Whether you go the veggie route or the stuff-your-face-with-chocolate route for Valentine’s Day, I wish you a happy one. I know, I know.. not everyone is on-board with this holiday. But me, I love an excuse to cut my food into shapes, so celebrate we will in this house. Enjoy the day with the ones you love!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Dip

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 block full-fat cream cheese or 1 can cannellini/white beans, drained
½ cup chopped roasted red peppers (drained if using jarred peppers)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)
cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a food processor or mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese until smooth (use the food processor if you’re using the beans). Add the peppers and spices and process until smooth.
Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

End of Summer Chopped Salad with Citrus Honey Viniagrette

Natalie — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 11:45:00 +0000

As I declared and made official in my last post, summer is not over.

It’s still August (I think?). And it’s still warm. And Labor Day is still a few days out.

Since I know you don’t mind, I will carry on with my summer-related nonsense. Sorry I didn’t get my act together for you guys about three months ago, but you can just pin this little number on your “Summer 2013” board and get pumped for next June.

I usually don’t eat salad with dressing (I know, I know, it’s weird), but when I make salads for dinner, I feel like I should provide Nick with a dressing option that actually complements the salad (he will typically just balsamic-vinegar-and-oil anything in a bowl). And then I just do a teeny, tiny drizzle on mine just to test it out.

The last time my mom was in town, she took me on an amazing throw-anything-in-the-cart-because-I-am-the-best-mom-ever Whole Foods shopping trip (love you, Mama!). While we were there, she recommended the O Citrus Champagne Vinegar that I used for the dressing. It’s light, fresh and not too sharp- you can taste it, but it doesn’t interfere with the other flavors of the salad.

What can I say? My mom and I are a couple of geniuses.

Before I go, have we talked about getting kids to eat salad?

It is one of my great quests as a parent to have my children enjoy salads. I was completely against salads as a child. My cousin used to eat lettuce straight from the bag and I thought she was IN-SANE. (Turns out she was the smart one and the healthy one- can’t imagine why.)

Sometimes the whole idea seems futile, but I hope they’ll appreciate the effort someday.

I try to make salads as meals pretty frequently, so when I fix a toddler plate, I just use a smaller bed of lettuce and more of the toppings. Then, gradually, as the kids grow and get used to it, they will get more greens. I also try to sneak spinach or kale into everything- eggs, smoothies, wraps/sandwiches, desserts- I think that helps with flavor recognition (which is totally a real thing, I’m sure).

This particular salad was a toddler win for us- you really can’t go wrong if you’ve got fruit and bacon in the mix. If you want your kids to eat salad, just try adding a leaf or two of spinach to their plate each time. Eventually, they will wonder what it is and put it in their mouth.

End of Summer Chopped Salad with Citrus Honey Viniagrette

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

4 cups fresh spinach
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
½ medium cucumber, sliced or diced
1 ear grilled corn, kernels removed
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ avocado, diced
8-10 cherries, pitted and halved
⅓ cup feta cheese
2 tablespoons citrus champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Divide spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, corn, bacon, avocado, cherries and feta cheese between two bowls.
Whisk vinegar, honey and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over salads and enjoy!

Homemade Honey Ketchup

Natalie — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:42:00 +0000

You guys. I have actually processed and put up almost all of the tomatoes that came out of the garden this year. This is MAJOR. I typically get so overwhelmed with the produce that some of it (okay, a lot of it) goes to the chickens. But this year, I’ve been on the top of my game with a new tomato recipe for each giant basket that ends up on the counter. We’ve done tomato puree, roasted tomato sauce/soup and this homemade honey ketchup so far.

I was a little weirded out by homemade ketchup before (why give up my Heinz?), but the last mountain of tomatoes had me thinking otherwise. I think I was most afraid that I wouldn’t like the consistency or it wouldn’t taste enough like ketchup and all the work would be for nothing.

Wrong-o.

Homemade ketchup is so worth it.

My favorite part was using honey in the recipe instead of white sugar. I was the little girl at McDonalds who dipped her McNuggets into ketchup AND honey. What better way to satisfy my tendencies than to just add honey into the mix in the first place? Stroke of genius, I tell ya.

And who knew that the spices are what make ketchup taste like ketchup? I had no idea that cloves, cinnamon and celery seed were behind that classic ketchup taste. Kudos to you, “spices.” You never get enough recognition on those food labels.

This recipe is ready for canning or freezing, whatever you fancy. As you can imagine, it takes a lot of tomatoes to make a small amount of ketchup, so this recipe is best left for those of us who are searching for ways to use up our garden excess. If you’re looking for a less labor/time intensive homemade ketchup recipe, check out Joy the Baker’s Homemade Curry Ketchup.

(Recipe adapted from Canning.)

5.0 from 2 reviews

Homemade Honey Ketchup

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

4 hours

Total time

4 hours 30 mins

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Condiment

Ingredients

8 lbs. tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup honey
1 cup white vinegar
1 stick cinnamon
1½ teaspoons whole cloves
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon sea salt

Instructions

Wash tomatoes. Remove stem ends and cores. Cut tomatoes into quarters. Transfer to a large colander in the sink; drain. In a 8-10 quart non-reactive pot, combine tomatoes, onion and cayenne pepper. Bring to boiling, stirring often; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring often.
Press tomato mixture into a food mill. Discard seeds and skins. (If you don’t have a food mill, I would think you could blend or process the tomatoes and strain them, but I haven’t tested this method.) Return tomato mixture to the same pot. Add honey. Use a ruler (or wooden spoon and rubber band) to mark the depth of the mixture. Make a note of the depth- you will want to reduce it by at least half, if not more. Bring to boiling, stirring until the honey dissolves; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 hours or until mixture is reduced by half.
In a small non-reactive saucepan, combine vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and celery seeds. Bring a a boil, then remove from heat. Strain vinegar mixture into the tomato mixture, discarding the spices. Add the salt. Simmer, uncovered, until the ketchup is at your desired consistency- anywhere from 30 more minutes to 3 more hours.
TO CAN: Ladle hot ketchup into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars (pints work, too). Leave ½-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Remove jars from canner, cool on wire racks. Makes 4 half-pints or 2 pints.
TO FREEZE: Place pot in a sink filled with ice water, stir mixture to cool. Ladle ketchup into half-pint freezer containers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal and label. Freeze for up to 10 months.

Caprese Salad Skewers

Natalie — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:08:00 +0000

You guys.

I am having a major food-related crisis!

If you have been reading the ol’ blog for a while, you probably know these things about me:

A) I enjoy healthy foods and attempt to live a healthy lifestyle.

B) I enjoy baking and creating desserts that are often FULL. OF. SUGAR.

I have discovered in the last day or two that I have convinced myself that I eat healthily, but I actually consume a lot of sugar in my daily diet. I don’t eat a lot of processed food (I make most of our treats from scratch), but that alone doesn’t mean I’m a picture of health. I have made a lot of changes in the way we eat over the past few years, but I haven’t been able to let go of sugar.

OF COURSE, sugar is bad for you. I am on-board with this, aren’t we all? We know the terrible stuff that happens when you eat tons of sugar. I thought since I don’t drink soda and don’t eat Twinkies that I was in the clear, but in fact, I’m probably a sugar-crazy-zombie, too.

So, I haven’t officially quit sugar (ahhh!!) but I am thinking about it and doing my research, and trying to get my head around the idea of not baking cakes whenever I want. The past day or two, I’ve been making the conscious effort to avoid processed sugar and I do feel a difference. My self-control needs some work, though- maybe this is God’s way of working on me in that area.

You guys, I just love treats. I’m going to have to find a way to work treats into this whole low-sugar idea, because I think we’re meant to enjoy sweet things.. at least sometimes. Why else would God have given us such amazing treats like fruit and honey? I still have to get my head around it, so while I do, let’s focus on something sugarless, but still sweet in their own way..

Caprese salad skewers.

Easy, easy, easy. And healthy, too. (I think, but what do I know?)

These little guys are make-ahead, party-ready, easy-to-snack-on-while-having-a-long-conversation kind of food. Just put the stuff on a stick. It’s not rocket science. People love things at least 2-3 times more when it comes on a stick, trust me.

Anyone out there have any wisdom about the sugar thing? I am planning on reading Nourishing Traditions this weekend- I’ll be sure to report back. If I go forward with this nonsense, will you guys still read the blog? You won’t leave me if I stop making baking giant cakes, will you?

I hope you’ll stay- you’re my faves.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Prep time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes, washed
1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
1 bunch fresh basil (I just pulled out a large stalk from the garden, you can use full leaves or tear them into smaller pieces depending on how much basil you have)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To assemble the skewers, place the tomatoes, cheese and basil alternately on the skewer (tomato, cheese, basil, tomato, cheese, basil, tomato). Repeat until you are out of ingredients. Lay skewers in a shallow baking dish.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whish the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over the skewers to coat. Serve immediately or let the skewers marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days (haven’t tested this, but I imagine they will stay in tact for a day or two). Serve cold.

Joy’s BLT Corn Salad Wraps

Natalie — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Here are some things I’d like to say about this heat wave.

Something is not right when your properly-working-AC is chugging along 24/7 just to keep your house under 82 degrees.
RIP to four of our chickens. Four! 108 degrees is brutal. And sorry to whatever poor garbage man has to pick up our trash tomorrow.. ugh.
Yesterday was the first time I swam in a lukewarm pool. And it was before 10AM. And it was refreshing.

It is madness!

Thank goodness for the brilliant JTB for coming up with this gem of an idea. It’s actually very similar to this Corn, Crab and Tomato Salad I made last summer, but is has bacon. Which in my book is light years ahead of crab on the deliciousness scale (which is definitely a real thing). After an hour in our outdoor bath (I can hardly call that thing a pool. I mean really), this was the most refreshing plate imaginable.

I am usually not a big fan of lettuce cups (so messy and usually filled with disappointing ground meat of some kind), but it was the perfect way to serve this salad. There was something great in each bite- sweet corn, creamy avocado, savory bacon- all wrapped up in the cool, crisp crunch of a lettuce leaf. I would eat this anytime, but it would be particularly wonderful to serve in a picnic setting or after some kind of hot, summer activity.

If this heat wave continues, I am stocking up on bacon, lettuce, tomato and corn and not coming out of the house until it’s below 90 degrees.

(So I guess I’ll see you in September!)

Joy’s BLT Corn Salad Wraps

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

45 mins

Find the original recipe at http://joythebaker.com/2012/06/blt-corn-salad-wraps/

Author: Joy the Baker

Recipe type: Appetizer, Main

Ingredients

3 ears of corn, shucked (she charred hers, I did not)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ cup chopped green onions (I used white onion here)
1 avocado, diced
3 sliced crisp cooked bacon, diced
juice of 1 lime
about 1 tablespoon olive oil (I used roasted garlic grapeseed oil- YUM)
salt and pepper to taste
a good sprinkling of chili powder and smokey paprika
butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce leaves
hot sauce and sour cream for topping

Instructions

Shuck corn on the cob of all their husks and strings. Over a gas burner, or on the flame grill, char raw corn. Rotate corn until cob is charred on all sides. Allow corn to cool before slicing corn kernels from the cob. This invariably creates corn shrapnel all over the kitchen counter.
Add corn kernels to a medium bowl. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes, green onion, diced avocado, and diced bacon. Squeeze in lime juice. Top with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and slices. Stir to combine. Taste and re-season accordingly.
Rinse and clean individual lettuce leaves. Serve alongside a bowl of corn salad to serve. To enjoy, scoop corn salad into lettuce leaves, top with hot sauce, sour cream, fold up like a taco and eat em up!

Farmer’s Soup with Turnips, Spinach and Butternut Squash

Natalie — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 03:23:00 +0000

I have Hilton to thank for this soup.

Hilton is a local farmer who has recently set up shop in our town, selling his organic vegetables to people like me who are dying to have a real farmers’ market. For $20, you bring your own bag and he fills it to the brim with produce. This week, I came home with green beans, tomatoes (red and green), a variety of sweet and hot peppers, turnips with greens, cucumbers, broccoli, oranges, spinach, butternut squash, carrots and onions.

I love this method (similar to a CSA, really) because I end up getting vegetables I wouldn’t normally think to pick up (this week, that was turnips). New veggies usually lead me to new recipes- and on cool days, that means new soups. I like to use the vegetables as the center of the dish- not just the side show. The method for this soup is typical- saute some onion and herbs, add your firmer veggies with liquid and simmer for a while, then add your greens and beans and heat through. The result is a nice balance of savory flavors with a light sweetness from the squash and turnips.

Of course, like most of my recipes, you can certainly customize this recipe to fit what’s in your refrigerator or CSA box. I’m sure I’ll be recreating this soup again in the coming weeks- and I can’t wait to find out what shows up in my bowl.

Farmer’s Soup with Turnips, Spinach and Butternut Squash

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Soup

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or a few sprigs fresh)
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 medium turnips, peeled and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
3-4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 can garbanzo beans or white beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 cups fresh spinach
grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

In a large sauce pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste. Next, add the squash, turnips, tomatoes and broth (use as much liquid as you see fit) and bring to a boil. Return the soup to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the squash and turnips are fork tender. Add the beans and spinach and let simmer another 5-10 minutes. Serve hot with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Guest Post: Chicken Parm Bake

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Hello, Oven Lovers! I’m Jessica (from Jessica Lynn Writes and The Tale of Two Kitchens) and I’m so happy to be here today! I know Natalie from my days of living in Georgia, and as much as I love living my new digs in Italy, I miss seeing her face almost every day and getting to taste all the delicious creations she makes in the kitchen.

I’m thrilled she asked me to pinch-hit for her while she soaks up some quality time with her new bundle of joy, Lucy, but I have to be honest: she left me with some very large oven mitts to fill; Natalie simply rocks in the kitchen. I wracked my brain figuring out what to share with you, but then, as I made this dish for the umpteenth time, I realized it would be perfect.

This is what I’d take over to her family one night if I still lived near her so she wouldn’t have to worry about dinner. It’s actually what I’ve been taking to all the new parents out here—it turns out Italy is the place to have babies.

This Chicken Parm Bake is unbelievably easy and so delicious that I almost don’t want to let the secret out. I love that there’s virtually nothing to clean up, it can be put together in no time, and even though it’s baked it has more flavor than some chicken parms I’ve tasted in restaurants. True story.

Truth be told, you can guestimate and just wing-it with the measurements (enough oil to cover the bottom, half a jar of sauce, plenty of cheese to please, etc.), and if I’m making it for someone else I use a foil container so it can go straight from the oven over to their house.

Chicken Parm Bake

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Main

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast, chopped in bite-sized pieces (can use whole tenderloins if you want to make it even easier)
½—1 Tbs olive oil
2 or 3 garlic cloves minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups favorite pasta sauce (about half a jar)
5-10 basil leaves, julienned (or ½ teaspoon dried basil)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella (divided)
4 ounces Parmesan (divided)
5-ounces package, croutons

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). In a casserole dish (square, small size, or even individual dishes), mix olive oil, crushed garlic and red pepper flakes; spread mixture around to bottom of the dish. Place chicken on top of oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Pour marinara sauce over chicken; spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle chopped basil over sauce. Cover sauce with ¾ of the cheese (mozzarella and Parmesan).
Next, cover every nook and cranny with croutons. Steal one crouton, eat it, and enjoy. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the croutons.
Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and starts to bubble and meat reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees. (If meat isn’t fully cooked yet—usually if you’re cooking them frozen or whole, cover with foil and continue cooking until meat is cooked.)

Guest Post: Tomato Pesto & Mozzarella Melts

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Hey there, “Oven Love” readers! My name is Tina, from My Life as a Mrs! Natalie and I met in Atlanta last year at the BlogHer Food conference (Photo Here)… & we hit it off immediately! It’s hard to NOT hit it off with Natalie – she is super sweet, bubbly, and an absolutely gorgeous person inside and out!
Anyhow, since Natalie is adjusting to having sweet little Lucy around, I am here to give you all a little something tasty!!

Tomato, Pesto, and Mozzarella Melts:

Yes, they are as amazing as they sound (& look).

It’s basically a grown up grilled cheese – Caprese with Pesto Style! And man is it GOOD (and EASY!)

We are talking 6 ingredients (most of which you can buy at any major grocery store):

Sour Dough Bread
Butter
Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella
Pesto (I like to make big batches and then freeze individual portions – but you can find pesto at the grocery store too!)
Balsamic Reduction (You can buy this at the store – or you can boil down regular balsamic vinegar in a saucepan until it reduces and gets thick and syrupy)

8 minutes on a griddle and BAM – Dinner. is. served.

Gotta love a fast and easy dinner: Great for weeknight meals -OR- for the new mom

Natalie: I wish I was there to make these for you! Congrats on your beautiful little girl! Soak it up, girl! xoxo

Oven Love Readers: Thanks for letting me share some grub with ya’ll! God Bless! Don’t forget to stop on by my blog & say hi!

Same Ingredient Recipes ya’ll may be interested in:

Pesto Ricotta and Cherry Tomato Pizza (MY FAVORITE PIZZA EVER!!)
Caprese Baguette with Pesto Mayo & Balsamic Reduction
Complete Recipe Index

Tomato Pesto & Mozzarella Melts

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: My Life As A Mrs

Recipe type: Sandwich

Serves: 4

Ingredients

8 slices sour dough bread
4 tablespoons pesto
2 whole tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
Balsamic Reduction, for topping

Instructions

Build 4 sandwiches (Bread, 1 tablespoon pesto, a few slices of mozzarella cheese, a few slices of tomato, and lastly another slice of bread).
Add 1 tablespoon butter to a hot skillet and melt over medium high heat. Once the butter is nice and hot, carefully add 2 of the prepared “sandwiches” leaving a few inches between them. Place a piece of foil over them and then top with a heavy bottomed skillet (I used a cast iron), allowing the weight to press it down.
Heat for 4-5 minutes (until bottom is crisp and golden), then remove the heavy skillet, lift sandwich with spatula and add 1 more tablespoon butter. Carefully flip the sandwiches (uncooked side down) and then top again with the foil/heavy skillet. Heat for another 3-4 minutes until remaining side is golden and cheese is melted. Remove from skillet and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining sanwiches!
Slice on a diagonal and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Serve hot!
Note: You could use a panini press if you have one!