We're definitely in between seasons and our recipes this week reflect that cool bite in the air. Recipe researcher Sheila Kern scanned Shop Cheap and zeroed-in on items that fit perfectly with that early fall feeling: avocado, grapes, cauliflower, tomato soup and strawberries. Enjoy!
Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
From www.allrecipes.com
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish.
Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown.
Cauliflower Soup
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 stick butter, divided
1/2 whole onion, finely diced
1 whole carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 whole (to 2 whole) cauliflower heads (roughly chopped)
2 Tablespoons fresh or dried parsley (chopped)
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth or stock
6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons to 4 teaspoons salt, to taste
1 cup (heaping) sour cream, room temperature
Directions
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown.
Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine.
Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.
In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.
Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.
Serve immediately.
Sweet & Scrumptious Skillet Chicken
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups hot cooked rice
Directions
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's well browned on both sides.
Stir the soup, sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire in the skillet and heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with the rice.
Spaghetti Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes (about 1/2 pound)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 large carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups Swanson Chicken Broth
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
1 cup water
3 ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's well browned, stirring often. Remove the chicken from the saucepot.
Add the remaining oil to the saucepot and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots and cook for 1 minute. Add the celery and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir the broth, soup and water in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Stir in the spaghetti. Cook for 10 minutes or until the spaghetti is tender. Stir in the chicken and parsley, if desired, and cook until the chicken is cooked through.
Curried Chicken and Grape Salad
From www.pillsbury.com
Makes 5 servings
Ingredients
Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Salad
3 cups diced deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2-lb chicken)
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
Directions
In large bowl, stir dressing ingredients until well mixed.
Fold in chicken, celery and grapes. Sprinkle with almonds.
Strawberries and Grapes with Mint and Vanilla
From www.epicurious.com
Bon Appetit | May 1997
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 12- to 16-ounce baskets strawberries, hulled, quartered
2 cups seedless green grapes
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Combine all ingredients in large bowl; toss to coat fruit. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 and up to 4 hours. Spoon fruit into bowls and serve.
Cajun Guacamole
From www.californiaavocadogrowers.com
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
4 ripe, Fresh California Avocados
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup small cherry tomatoes (cut in halves or quarters, if large)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. chopped, fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 of that amount of dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Directions
Set aside a small amount of the diced red peppers for garnish.
Coarsely mash (DO NOT PUREE) avocados; stir in lemon juice.
Fold in remaining ingredients.
Top with reserved tomatoes and serve.
Serving Suggestions:
Place in a bowl in the center of a serving plate and surround with celery stalks and cooked shrimp for dipping.
California Avocado Breakfast Burrito
From www.californiaavocadogrowers.com
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 flour tortillas (about 11 inches in diameter)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
⅓ cup chopped onion
3 Tbsp. butter
8 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
1 California Avocado (8 ounces), diced
Sour cream for garnish
Tomatillo or tomato salsa for garnish
Directions
Wrap tortillas in foil; warm in a 400 degree F oven.
While the tortillas heat, saute bell pepper and onion in butter until soft, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile beat together eggs and salt.
When vegetables are done, pour egg into pan; gently stir in avocado.
Cook, over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until soft curds form, about 3 minutes.
Put 1/4 of the egg mixture down the center of one warmed tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese.
Fold in top and bottom of each tortilla.
Roll up from side.
Repeat with each tortilla.
Garnish each burrito with a dollop of sour cream and a spoonful of salsa.
Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
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