Hillman’s Helpings #77 – Weeknight Broccoli Soup

Hello!

Forget about Red and Blue. Let’s think about green! Broccoli, that is. Last week, there was a really cold night and I had a hankering for soup. I looked into the fridge and came up with a super easy, quick and delicious recipe for broccoli soup that can be made in less than 30 minutes! I used an immersion blender, but you can use a regular blender or food processor if you have one.

Enjoy!

WEEKNIGHT BROCCOLI SOUP
Serves 4 (ish)

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
3 broccoli crowns cut into small pieces
1 14 oz. can of chicken broth
Water
2 tbs. fat free half and half
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes or until the onion is a little translucent. Add the broccoli and cook for one or two minutes longer.

Add the chicken broth, then fill the chicken broth can (about a cup and a half) with water and pour it into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Puree with an immersion blender (or food processor) and return back to the pot. Stir in the half and half and season with salt and pepper to taste. You have the perfect weeknight soup!

Bon appetit!

Note: To make the soup thicker, add another broccoli crown and use half the amount of water.

Sincerely,

Lauren Kase
Hillman’s Helpings

 

Last Night’s Dinner – Sauteed Tilapia with Orzo Pasta Salad

So this recipe actually called for Snapper, and it required getting out the grill pan for the fish. I was lazy last night (and couldn’t find snapper) so I just used Tilapia and sauteed the fillets in a non-stick pan. It was really good!

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
Cooking spray
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons orange juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
Preparation

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.

Heat a grill pan (or saute pan) over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add fish to pan; cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, shallots, parsley, lemon juice, orange juice, and mustard in a small bowl, stirring well. Slowly add olive oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle the shallot mixture over pasta; toss well to coat.

 

The Winner of the Butternut Squash Soup Challenge for Thanksgiving is…

Roasted Butternut Bisque!

This was rich, while still being healthy. I think my guests will love it as a first course.

Serves 4
Ingredients

* 4 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
* Cooking spray
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
* 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
* 2 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
* 1 1/2 cups fat-free buttermilk
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Place squash in a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat squash with cooking spray. Sprinkle squash with salt and pepper; toss well. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until tender.

3. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add squash and broth to pan; bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in buttermilk. Reduce heat, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Place one-third of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Sprinkle with parsley.

 

Last Night’s Dinner – Pepper-Crusted Salmon with Soy Drizzle

Serves 4 – enjoy!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon freshly ground green peppercorns
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Cooking spray
4 teaspoons sweet soy sauce
Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of salmon in peppercorn mixture.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add salmon; cook 2 minutes on each side. Bake at 400° for 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Drizzle fillets evenly with soy sauce.

 

Hillman’s Helpings #76 – Miso Madness

Hello!

Sorry I’ve been away a few weeks. To make up for it, I’ve posted a whole slew of new recipes on the Hillman’s Helpings blog that are perfect for this chilly weather we’re having.

I have to admit, I have a bit of an obsession with miso, which is essentially fermented soybean paste. I was especially surprised to see miso-glazed cod at a wedding I attended last weekend! Recently, I’ve been trying out new recipes that incorporate yellow miso, a mild miso paste, which can be found in a grocery store like Whole Foods in the refrigerated aisle.

Below are a few of my favorite miso recipes.

Enjoy!

Miso-Glazed Salmon
Serves 4

Note: This paste can be used atop any firm fish. Just adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness. For use on Chilean Sea Bass, figure 18-20 minutes.

Ingredients
1/3 cup yellow miso
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4-6 oz. salmon fillets, skinned

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Brunch onto Salmon.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Miso-Garlic Eggplant

Ingredients
1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons yellow miso
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggplants, sliced thin
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Preparation
Preheat broiler.

Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Arrange eggplant slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spread mirin mixture evenly over the eggplant slices, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Broil 8 minutes or until topping is golden. Place eggplant slices on a platter, and sprinkle with onions.

Sincerely,

Lauren Kase
Hillman’s Helpings

 

Hillman’s Helpings #75 – Faux Puttanesca

Hello!

Today’s recipe includes a sauce that can be put over almost anything – chicken, seafood, fish, veal, etc. I call it a faux puttanesca because it incorporates some, but not all flavors of a traditional puttanesca sauce. Anchovies, capers and hot peppers are all part of what Americans know as “puttanesca.” This sauce simply incorporated items from my fridge and pantry, but can be made with the above ingredients if desired.

While I’m not eating today for religious reasons, I’m dreaming about this yummy dinner I concocted on Monday evening.

Enjoy!

TILAPIA WITH FAUX PUTTANESCA SAUCE
Serves 2

Season two tilapia fillets with salt and pepper. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes on both sides, or until cooked through. Remove the fish from the pan.

Add 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil and 1 clove chopped garlic to the pan. Sauté for 1 minute. Add ¼ cup white wine, ¼ cup chicken stock, ½ cup diced tomatoes and a handful of sliced kalamata olives to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce until about ½ of the liquid has evaporated (a few minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste. Lastly, add a few leaves of chopped basil and remove from the heat.

Serve the sauce over the fish.

Bon Appetit!

Sincerely,

Lauren Kase
Hillman’s Helpings

 

Dinner Last Night – Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a lighter version of the classic chicken cordon bleu. It definitely hit the spot!

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 5 teaspoons butter, melted
* 1 large garlic clove, minced
* 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
* 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
* Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place broth in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave at high 15 seconds or until warm. Stir in butter and garlic. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and paprika in a medium shallow bowl; set aside.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, oregano, and pepper. Top each breast half with 1 slice of prosciutto and 1 tablespoon mozzarella. Roll up each breast half jelly-roll fashion. Dip each roll in chicken broth mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place rolls, seam side down, in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining broth mixture over chicken. Bake at 350° for 28 minutes or until juices run clear and tops are golden.

 

Great Fall Soup – Butternut Squash-Leek!

I’ve been experimenting with some butternut squash soups because I want to make a really good one for Thanksgiving. The one below I made a few weeks ago and it was very well-recieved. Bonus: It even freezes well!

Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 whole garlic head
4 teaspoons olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced leek (about 4 large)
4 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 medium)
2 cups water
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic, squash, 2 cups water, broth, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until squash is tender. Place half of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture.

 

The Perfect Fall Dessert – Apple Crisp!

A few weeks ago I went apple picking and came back with a whole bunch of tart Pink Lady apples. I decided to use them for an apple crisp, since they weren’t going to be the best eating apples.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy Ina Garden, Food Network. I omitted the orange zest and juice and it still tasted great. Serve with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Ingredients
5 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.

 

Hillman’s Helpings #74 – It’s Squash Time!

Hello!

It was a big surprise for me to see butternut squashes at the farmers market this weekend. I had to buy one as it had been since February since I’d enjoyed the sweet vegetable. I concocted (with the help of “The New Basics” cookbook) a great recipe that might just become my new staple for guests. It looks fancy because it is presented in little ramekins, but its super easy and fast too!

Enjoy!

BUTTERNUT TIMBALES
Serves 4

Note: A timbale is a large thimble or cone-shaped mold used for various sorts of food. In our case, we’re using 5-ounce ramekins. If you don’t have ramekins, you can use coffee mugs filled half-way.

Ingredients:

½ butternut squash
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup chopped scallions
¼ cup dried breadcrumbs
1 tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Ground black pepper to taste

Spray the ramekins with Pam or cooking spray so that the butternut mixture doesn’t stick.

Peel, seed and shred the squash. I used my food processor but you can easily use a box grater – it just might take longer.

Combine the squash with all the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Divide the mixture among the four ramekins.

Cook at full power in the microwave (yes, microwave) about 6 minutes. If the tops don’t feel firm to the touch, add an additional 30 seconds. Let the timbales sit for 1 minute. Run a knife around the edge and unmold.

Bon appetit!

Sincerely,

Lauren Kase
Hillman’s Helpings