Tortellini w Chicken Portabello & Spinach

/>This is a leftover makeover! Yay!
After my Spinach Pecan Stuffed Portabello Caps I had mushrooms and spinach left (hey, bagged spinach was BOGO at Publix) so this became dinner shortly thereafter. Another quick and easy meal whipped up for the blink of an eye that the baby wasn't in either arm.

Tortellini with Chicken, Mushrooms & Spinach

1 9 oz package of fresh cheese filled tortellini
1 6 oz bag of pre-washed baby spinach
2 large portabello mushroom caps, cut into batons
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
2 6oz chicken breasts, cooked
2-3 Tbsp basil pesto, prepared or homemade
1/2 cup shredded cheese such as Asiago or Parmesan
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, reduce heat slightly and gently cook the tortellini until tender. If you boil them, they will break and spill their contents as well as cook unevenly. When plump and tender, drain the water and set aside.

Meanwhile in a skillet, heat 2 tbs of olive oil and saute the mushrooms and garlic until the garlic just begins to brown.

Stir together the stock/water with the pesto and pour into the mushroom mixture. Add the cooked chicken, spinach and the cooked pasta and gently stir to incorporate. The dish should be well covered in pesto but not soupy or saucy.

Transfer to a serving platter and top with shredded cheese and toasted pecan pieces.

Leftover Makeover: Tortellini

When I have to make dinner in a hurry, I turn to Buitoni's Three Cheese Tortellini, found in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. It freezes well (so I stock up when it's on sale), can go straight into a pot of boiling water (yes, even from the freezer), and has a nice toothy bite that the dried tortellini's just don't have. Dinner in 15 minutes: twice...

Our first tortellini dinner: Cheese tortellini with chicken and potabella mushrooms in a creamy pesto sauce.

Here's my leftover makeover: tortellini, spicy chorizo in saffron-tomato broth. Crumble in tortilla chips and YUM

Mediterranean Black Rice Salad

This cold dish uses a Japonica rice blend, featuring the whole grain goodness of mahogany and black rice. If you're as tired of brown rice as I am, this blend is a welcome addition to your pantry. It's earthy, nutty, sweet and hearty! Add in some traditional Mediterranean ingredients like lemon, fennel, sundried tomatoes (skip the oil-packed variety and reconstitute your own to control the fat content), tons of fresh parsley and more, and you have a flavorful, healthful side dish that is also an excellent use of leftover rice!

1 cup Lundberg Black Japonica Rice
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes , rehydrated in boiling water and drained
1 cup of black olives, sliced
1 seedless cucumber, peeled adn diced
1/4 cup goat cheese or feta cheese
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
juice from 1 lemon
1/2cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/2 cup onion, small dice
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup pine nuts for garnish

Bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil. Sir in the rice, cover with a lid and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until rice is tender. Rinse rice under cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine fennel, onion and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes while rice is cooking.

Add all of the ingredients, except the goat cheese and pine nuts, to the fennel-onion mixture, stirring to incorporate. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 24 hours.

Stir prior to serving and garnish with goat cheese and pine nuts.

Leftover Makeover: Fresh Mozzarella and Sun-dried Tomato "Fondue"

Fresh Mozzarella and Sun-dried Tomato "Fondue"



Everything Bagel with Sundried Tomato "Fondue," Arugula and Fried Egg

During the holidays I made a warm, gooey, savory dip that I called Fresh Mozzarella and Sun-dried Tomato "Fondue." It's not a true fondue, but it's a cheesy, garlicky, messy dip so "fondue" just seemed appropriate as I spent hours dipping bread into the pot and reveling in the bold flavor of the extra virgin olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs, and swooning from the creaminess of melted fresh mozzarella balls.

Despite my desire to eat every drop of this stuff I had leftovers. So here's the next Leftover Makeover: Everything Bagel with Sundried Tomato "Fondue", Arugula and Fried Egg. You can see I broke my yolk (mmm...) but feel free to fry your egg as long as you like. Can't find arugula? Use fresh baby spinach.

Everything Bagel with Sun-dried Tomato "Fondue," Arugula and Fried Egg

(serves 2)
1 everything bagel, split and toasted
1/4 cup Sun-dried Tomato "Fondue", warmed
1/2 cup arugula
2 eggs, fried to your liking

Place 1/2 a bagel on two plates. Top each bagle with a handful of arugula, a couple of Tbsp of the warmed "fondue" and one fried egg.

Leftover Makeover: Black Bean Soup

Michael's Black Bean Soup


Eggs with Black Beans and Tortillas

Michael makes a GREAT black bean soup. I'm attempting to post the recipe, but he never makes it the same way twice and honestly, he throws it together super fast when I'm not looking. Here's the basics of Michael's Black Bean Soup which always provides more than we can eat in one sitting, and is the inspiration for today's Leftover Makeover:
Michael's Black Bean Soup

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Lots of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup water
possibly curry
most likely cumin
some other random spattering of "warm" spices like cinnamon, clove, allspice, ginger
sometimes 1 can of coconut milk (usually, but is optional)
1/2 cup of salsa, plus more for garnish
sour cream for garnish
cilantro for garnish
lime wedges for garnish

Sautee onions and garlic until aromatic. Add curry just to toast/carmelize. Deglaze by adding water. Add 1 can of beans, salsa, cumin and any other spices that turn you on and simmer until everything smells irresistible. Add the other can of beans and coconut milk to a blender or food processor and puree. Add the puree to the soup pot and cook on low, stirring occasionally to ensure the soup isn't sticking to the bottom. To serve, scoop into individual bowls, and garnish each serving with sour cream, salsa, cilantro and lime wedge.

This is his basic recipe and if you cook regularly you'll be able to figure out how it all comes together. It's delicious and has multi-layered textures and flavors. However, there's always something leftover. Here's the Leftover Makeover for Michael's Black Bean Soup which has thickened while refrigerated overnight, and makes a great breakfast, lunch, anytime meal that's packed with protein and very satisfying:

Eggs with Black Beans and Tortillas
(Serves 1)

1 egg
2 tortillas
1/2 - 1 cup leftover black bean soup
2 Tbsp salsa
cilantro leaves
queso fresco, paneer, or farmer's cheese (any crumbly cheese you like: goat, boursin, whatever works for you)

In a small pot bring 2-3 cups of water (enough to cover an egg) to a boil with 1 Tbsp salt. Add the egg, boil for 1 minute, remove from heat, and let egg continue to cook in the hot water for 4-5 minutes. run egg under wold water, peel, and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium high heat and lightly brown tortillas on both sides.

Rinse out the egg-cooking pot and gently warm up the leftover black bean soup. You may need to add a few spoonfuls of water if it seems too thick (although you do want it somewhat thick so that it's not soupy or runny).

To Serve: Place tortillas side-by-side on a plate. Top each tortilla with about 2 Tbsp of the black beans. Split the egg in half lengthwise and place each half on top of the beans. Top eggs with about a 1 Tbsp of salsa, crumbled cheese and fresh cilantro leaves.