SPINACH, CHICKEN AND TORTELLINI SOUP

This is one of those quick but delicious soups. I like to make this when Im in a hurry and dont have much time to make a quick dinner. This with a nice loaf of crusty bread with butter and its a meal. You can substitute small ravioli in this too. I use whatever I have on hand. If this soup has to sit for awhile, I would cook the pasta separate and add it when I serve the soup. Otherwise the pasta absorbs alot of the broth and it becomes very thick.

SPINACH, CHICKEN AND TORTELLINI SOUP Serves 4-6 main dish servings

2 lg. cloves garlic, minced

1 lg. onion, sliced

1c. sliced celery

1tb. oil

4c. chicken broth

2 whole chicken breasts, (bones ok and will add more flavor, you debone and shred it later)

1 pkg. (10oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/2tsp. oregano

24 frozen mini cheese ravioli OR tortellini

1/2 tsp. salt - pepper to taste

In lg. pot saute garlic, onion and celery in the oil till golden. Add broth,and chicken breasts then cover and poach till breasts are done. Remove and let cool. Add spinach and oregano and cook over med heat about 5min. Add 1c. more of water and ravioli to the pot. Cover and cook till ravioli are done. While cooking ravioli, shred cooled chicken. Add to pot with s & p. Serve hot with grated Romano cheese on top and with a nice crusty loaf of sourdough or Italian bread. YUM!

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms with Tomato and Bread Salad

I stumbled onto this recipe and it sounds so good. Its a vegan meal pretty much unless you dont eat cheese or dairy either. I could eat this for dinner but I know my boyfriend would be looking for the meat so if I decide to make it, I might throw a chop or burger on the grill too while these were cooking..... Just for him........cuz I love him :)

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms with Panzanella

8 portabello mushroom caps
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing mushrooms, plus 1/4 cup
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained well
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
1 clove garlic, grated with microplane or small side box grater
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/8 teaspoon
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
6 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves, about 20, torn
4 cups crusty bread, torn or coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Panzanella, stale bread salad, requires that you soak and wring out the bread before assembling the salad. If you make this with fresh crusty bread or the bread has staled a bit but not hardened, the juice from the tomatoes should be enough to tenderize the bread's crusty edges.
Preheat grill to medium-high and oven to 425 degrees F.

Using a damp towel, brush mushroom caps to clean. Using a pastry brush, coat the caps with extra-virgin olive oil and grill with lid down or roast about 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until tender but still firm at center.

Wring the spinach out in a clean kitchen towel. Separate the spinach with your fingers and combine with artichokes, ricotta cheese, egg yolk, grated garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and nutmeg. Remove mushroom caps from grill.

To portion-control the filling, divided the stuffing into 4 parts then just split each of those evenly between 2 caps. Sprinkle the caps with Parmigiano and cook 5 to 6 minutes more in the preheated oven to set filling and lightly brown tops.

Do not seed tomatoes. Chop and place in a salad bowl. Add basil, bread, onions, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, lots of salt and pepper and toss with your hands to combine.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Thyme Vinaigrette

I used to make this in the Spring at the restaurant I worked at. It was very popular. This has a dressing recipe but at home I would make a Red Onion/Thyme vinegar first to use in the dressing recipe itself. That vinegar also won a First Place ribbon at our local county fair.


Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Thyme Vinaigrette Serves 4

1 bag spinach, washed and large stems removed
1 belgian endive, sliced thinly
1 8oz pkg. fresh ripe strawberries
1 pkg. quail eggs

Dressing:
1/2c. olive oil
1/4c. white wine or champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tb. chopped fresh thyme
1 sm. red onion, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste



Directions:
First cook quail eggs....
1 10-pack fresh quail eggs*
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 cups ice cubes

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

*Quail eggs are available at some supermarkets, farmers' markets, and specialty foods stores Place quail eggs in small saucepan; add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Bring to boil. Remove pan from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add ice cubes to pan; let stand 15 minutes to cool. When cool cover with the vinegar in a glass bowl. You want glass so the vinegar doesn't react with the bowl. Let them sit until the shell becomes like rubber, this makes it easy to shell.Then peel and rinse them well with water.

Wash spinach and drain well. On a plate put spinach leaves, sprinkle with finely sliced Belgian endive. Top with 2-3 strawberries, cut in wedges. Drizzle with dressing and top with a few cooked quail egg halves.