Posts from — September 2009

*Warning:
With any dish that has any level of heat, just remember that you can always add heat, but you can’t take it away. Use peppers conservatively in the beginning.

2 (32 ounce) boxes low sodium chicken broth
1 -2 tablespoon Knorr “Caldo de Tomate” (by the bouillon cubes)
1 regular sized can fire roasted diced tomatoes, lightly pulse in food processor
1 regular sized can hominy, rinsed
1 regular sized can black beans, rinsed
1- 2 tablespoons diced chipolte peppers in adobe sauce
4 gloves garlic, minced
½ cup onion
1 medium Idaho potato, cut into bite sized pieces
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
Juice of ½ lime
1-2 cups cooked shredded chicken (optional)
Cilantro, as a garnish (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Broken up Tortilla Chips

Heat up chicken broth with Caldo de Tomate. Add in onions and garlic once boiling, add in chipolte peppers (more can be added if you are looking for a spicier soup). Add in tomatoes and hominy and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Then add beans, potato and lime juice and season with more Caldo de Tomate if needed. Let simmer for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. The beans will start to split and the potatoes will start to fall apart. Add in tomato paste, turn off heat, let sit for 10 minutes and garnish with the above options.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
8-12 ounces sweet Italian sausage cut into bit sized coins
½ cup diced (1/2-inch) eggplant
½ cup diced (1/2-inch) zucchini
½ cup diced (1/2-inch) red bell pepper
¼ cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cans (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, petite dice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
Cayenne or black pepper, if you like heat
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1. Melt the butter with the oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add the sausage meat and warm for 5 minutes, reserve in a separate dish, leaving fat in pan.

2. To the same pot, add the eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Stirring occasionally, cook until softened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the reserved sausage, the tomatoes, parsley, basil and cayenne. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Spoon the mixture into an 8×9-inch, oven-to-table baking dish to fit and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven until the cheese melts, about 15 to 20 minutes.