Marinara Sauce

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 (32-oz) cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add the celery, carrots, and ½ tsp each of salt and pepper.  Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about1 hour.  Remove and discard the bay leaves.  Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste. 

("Everyday Italian")
makes about 8 cups

Italian Egg Sandwich

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 large egg

1/8 tsp salt

pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 slice of rustic whole grain bread

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup warm marinara sauce (see previous recipe)

In a small skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat.  Crack the egg into the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook until the white is firm and the yolk is almost set, about 4 minutes.  Meanwhile, toast the bread until golden brown.  Brush the remaining teaspoon of oil over the toast.  Rub the garlic over the toast, then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.  Spoon the marinara sauce over the Parmesan cheese and top with the cooked egg.  Serve immediately. 

Serves 1
(from Everyday Italian)

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Salmon Baked in Foil

4 skinless salmon filets (about 5 ounces each) 

3 tomatoes, chopped, or 2 big handfuls of grape tomatoes, halved

1 bunch asparagus, halved lengthwise

2 shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)

¾ tsp dried oregano

¾ tsp dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim the tough, woody ends of the asparagus. Cut the asparagus horizontally in half. In a medium bowl, stir the tomatoes, shallots, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, ½ tsp of salt, and ¼ tsp of pepper. In the center of each of four large sheets of aluminum foil, place ¼ of the asparagus. Place 1 salmon fillet atop the asparagus on each sheet of foil. Sprinkle the salmon fillets with the remaining ½ tsp each of salt and pepper. Spoon the tomato mixture over the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and tomato mixture, covering completely, and seal packets closed. Place the foil packets on a large, heavy baking sheet. (The salmon packets can be prepared up to this point 6 hour ahead. Refrigerate until ready to bake.) Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 30-35 minutes. Transfer the foil packets to plates and serve.

Serves 4

"Everyday Italian"

Beef Stroganoff

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10 oz. package whole wheat egg noodles

1 lb. sirloin steak, sliced into thin strips

1 large yellow onion, chopped

16 oz. mushrooms, sliced

1 ½ cups beef broth

1 tsp dried thyme

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

½ cup light sour cream

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions, until al dente. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak, season generously with salt and pepper and cook until brown on the outside, but not completely cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

In same skillet, turn heat down to medium, add 2 tablespoons butter, and add onions and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and thyme. Cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle vegetables with 2 tablespoons flour; stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, until flour is cooked through. Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add steak back to the pan and stir to combine. Turn heat to low and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Add red wine vinegar and cook 1 minute more. Turn heat off but keep pan on the burner. Add sour cream, parsley, and cooked egg noodles and stir until combined. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

4 large carrots, peeled and diced

4 large parsnips, peeled and diced

1 cup red pearl onions, peeled

1 tsp herbs de provence

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp coarse salt

¾ tsp black pepper

1 big bag spring mix (about 6 cups)

2 small pears, thinly sliced

½ cup walnuts, toasted in a dry skillet over low heat , until fragrant, about 3 minutes

apple cider vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 425. Spread chopped vegetables on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs de provence. Toss with fingers to combine; divide vegetables between two cookie sheets if necessary to avoid crowding. Vegetables should be in a single layer on the pan. Roast for 20 minutes; shake pans to toss vegetables and roast for 15-20 minutes more, until vegetables are golden brown. Set aside to cool. (This can be done ahead of time)

Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

¼ tsp coarse salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a jar or Tupperware and shake until well combined. Set aside. (Can make dressing several days in advance and keep in refrigerator until time to use)

Place lettuce in a large bowl and top with cooled roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with pears and walnuts. Just before serving toss with dressing and toss to combine entire salad.

Serves 6

("Giada De Laurentis")

Roasted Sweet Potato Soup

6 large sweet potatoes, chopped into 1" pieces
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
water
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice

Preheat oven to 425.  Place sweet potatoes on a large sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tsp salt, pepper, and oregano. Toss with fingers to combine. Divide vegetables onto two trays, so they are in a single layer.  (Vegetables should be in a single layer on the pan). Roast 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are golden brown and very tender.

In a large pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook 10 minutes, until onions are soft.  Stir frequently.  Add cooked vegetables to pot along with enough vegetable broth to just cover vegetables. Put lid on pan and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer, with lid on, 15-20 minutes. Add water as necessary so soup isn't too thick.  Remove from heat. Use a hand-held immersion blender (or food processor) to puree soup, again adding water as necessary to thin soup out. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Pesto with Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

4 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 zucchini, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 yellow squash, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup homemade basil pesto (see recipe from a previous entry)
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Combine chicken, zucchini, and squash on a large cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Do not crowd pan; Use two pans if necessary. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until chicken and vegetables are golden brown, stirring half-way through cooking time. Remove from the oven and stir in pesto and tomatoes. Gently toss together until evenly coated with pesto. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and stir. Serve warm or cold.