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Orzo with Chicken, Red Pepper, and Shiitakes

Delicious!!!

Orzo Chicken Shiitake

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 1⁄8 teaspoons salt
  • 3⁄8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1⁄4 lb shiitake mushroom, stems removed, caps cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 ounces mild goat cheese
  • 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 cup orzo

Directions

  1. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Put the chicken in the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 5 minutes longer. Remove. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut the breasts crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in the same pan over moderately high heat. Put in the bell pepper, shiitakes, thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds longer. Remove from the heat.
  3. In a large pot of boiling water, cook orzo according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
  4. In the frying pan, combine the reserved pasta water with the goat cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring almost to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the orzo, chicken and 3 tablespoons of the parsley. Serve topped with remaining tablespoon parsley.

Based on a recipe from Food & Wine “Quick From Scratch One-Dish Meals Cookbook.”

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Tomato and Cannellini Bean Soup

Delicious!!!

Tomato and Cannellini Bean Soup

Ingredients

Servings: 6

Beans

  • 1 cup dried cannellini or other small white beans, soaked overnight
  • 1 onion, quartered through root end
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Kosher salt

Soup

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
  • ½ teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb, cored, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves torn into pieces
  • Chopped unsalted, roasted almonds (for serving)

Preparation

Beans

  • Combine beans, onion, garlic, and bay leaves in a large pot and add cold water to cover by 2″. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, add several pinches of salt, and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook at a bare simmer until beans are creamy but still hold their shape, 35–45 minutes. Let beans cool in cooking liquid; discard bay leaves.
  • Do Ahead: Beans can be cooked 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Soup

  • Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Add tomatoes, ½ tsp. red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and cook tomatoes, undisturbed, until caramelized and borderline blackened on one side, about 5 minutes. Break up tomatoes, scraping bottom of pot, and continue to cook, scraping and stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are caramelized all over, about 5 minutes more. Transfer tomatoes to a plate.
  • Heat another 2 Tbsp. oil in same pot over medium. Add onion, fennel, garlic, and a pinch or so of red pepper flakes, if desired; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft and starting to brown around edges, 8–10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and tomatoes, scraping up browned bits. Drain beans and add to pot along with broth (for a thicker soup, use half of the broth plus 2 cups bean-cooking liquid). Bring to a simmer; season with salt. Cook until flavors meld, 30–45 minutes. 

  • Just before serving, stir in chard and cook until wilted. Ladle soup into bowls, top with almonds, and drizzle with oil. 


From Bon Appetit, November 2015

You can swap other greens, like spinach, for the chard. This soup tastes even better after being chilled for a day or two.

If you are looking for beautiful portrait, wedding, nature, or documentary photography, or someone you know is looking for photography that helps to create a more artful and beautiful life, please contact me.  Photography and Prints meant to last a lifetime! For more details about having an amazing and fun photo experience, please contact me.