Michael Chiarello is one of my favorite chefs. Check out this recipe he whipped up on the Early Show this morning. It’s a must for my next party!

8 ounces Parmesan cheese, broken into 1″ chunks
8 ounces Asiago cheese, broken into 1″ chunks
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 teaspoon pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for about 10 seconds, to break the cheese into small granules. (Use a rubber spatula to scrape down and recombine between every couple of pulses.)

Transfer the salsa to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Recipe is courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine, June 2009.

Try these out this Labor Day. It may be the last time you fire up the grill for the season. Though we haven’t had much heat this summer, this recipe will heat up your senses!

The three-cheese filling is a nice complement for the spicy peppers. You can also use a milder Chile, such as a cherry pepper. Shredded cheddar cheese can take the place of Parmesan, if you like.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Spoon about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pepper half. Place pepper halves, cheese side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill peppers 5 minutes or until bottoms of peppers are charred and cheese mixture is lightly browned. Carefully place peppers on a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Yield
16 servings (serving size: 2 pepper halves)

Nutritional Information
Calories: 84 Fat: 4.8g (sat 3.1g, mono 1.2g, poly 0.2g) Protein: 7.1g Carbohydrate: 3.5g
Fiber: 0.9g Cholesterol: 11mg Iron: 0.6mg Sodium: 334mg Calcium: 117mg

Jill Hough, Cooking Light, JUNE 2009

Wow! I was just watching Tyler Florence and saw this awesome recipe for chicken soup. Sounds amazing. I’m going to try it tonight. You should too and let’s compare notes.

For the soup:
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 large carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 bay leaf
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
5 parsley stems, plus 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
4 black peppercorns
Kosher salt
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish

For the meatballs:
1 medium onion, diced
Olive oil
6 links organic chicken-apple sausage meat (or any chicken sausage)
1 egg
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 handful fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 pounds frozen cheese tortellini, store bought
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:
Set a large stock pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, half the garlic, carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf, and thyme and gently saute until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, add parsley stems, black peppercorns and salt, to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer while you work on meatballs and tortellini.

For the meatballs:
Caramelize the diced onion in a saute pan with a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage, egg, onion, thyme, parsley, and cheese to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they all come together. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet with a few tablespoons of olive oil until just smoking. Use a small ice cream scoop to drop meatballs onto skillet. Cook, turning, until golden brown.
Drop tortellini straight from freezer into soup. Cook until they float. Once meatballs are browned, add to pot of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Give soup a final seasoning and serve in shallow bowls with a small shower of Parmesan, olive oil, and parsley.

Simple Meatballs

1/4-cup plain dried breadcrumbs

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup grated Parmesan (fresh is way better than the stuff that comes in the container with the green lid)

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 small onion, grated finely

2 cloves of garlic, grated finely

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1-pound turkey (or you can do ½ lb ground sirloin and ½ lb pork)

In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and the parsley, and mix well; season with salt and pepper. Add meat and gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Shape into bite-size meatballs.

With these meatballs you can make:

Spaghetti and Meatballs (just use your favorite jar of red sauce)

Baked Mostaccioli with Meatballs

Meatball Soup

Meatball Sandwiches

As with any pasta salad, you can serve it as a refreshing summer side dish, or you can make it your main dish by just adding a protein, such as chicken or shrimp.  Pasta salads can tend to be heavy and fatty.  The following recipe tickles your taste buds and leaves you feeling happy without weighing you down. 

The Dressing:

6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon capers, drained

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

The Pasta:

1/2 pound gemelli (thin spirals) pasta

Salt

Olive oil

1 pint ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and diced

1 pound fresh mozzarella, bite size dice

8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

The Garnish:

1-cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup packed basil leaves, julienne

Cook the pasta salted, boiling water. Boil for 12 minutes, or until al    dente. Drain and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine all of the above “dressing” ingredients in a food processor and blend until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, add the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.  Serve chilled.  Add grilled chicken or grilled shrimp to make this a main dish or other wish just serve as is.  You are guaranteed to impress someone!