Simple By Cindy

Farro and Kale Salad

Jun. 8
2016

When I read this recipe, I wasn’t sure the combination of ingredients would be very pleasing to the palette.

I decided to give it a try, however, because I liked the mix of the farro and kale. Although it is an unusual pairing, it piqued my curiosity.

Wow! This recipe turned out to be just perfect in every way. So many of the ingredients provided great, flavorful textures. The cherries were a lovely addition, surprising me by adding just a touch of sweet and tart at the same time. The citrus dressing is delicious. This recipe is addicting.

I chose not to add the goat cheese. I wasn’t crazy about the addition of this ingredient. But if you love goat cheese, I would add it a little at a time so it does not overwhelm the other beautiful flavors of this dish.

You can use this as a side to any main dish or as a salad for brunch. It is easy to make and is a definite “crowd pleaser”.

This recipe is courtesy of Giada DeLaurentis and will serve 4 people. They will love it.

Ingredients for the Farro and Kale Salad

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. very good extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot diced
1 cup farro, rinsed
2 cups of chicken broth (you can use low-sodium as well)
2 sprigs oregano, tied with cooking string
1 tsp. kosher salt
Juice of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 orange
1 small bunch kale, stemmed and finely shredded
1/2 cup dried cherries or 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved or quartered
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
4 ounces goat cheese

Put the walnuts in a small, heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat.

Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes.

Cool completely on a small baking sheet.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the shallot and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the shallots have soften and are fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add the farro and toss in the olive oil and shallot mixture, stirring often for about 3-4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in 2 cups of chicken broth, the oregano sprigs and 1/2 tsp. salt.

Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is cooked through and tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Remove the oregano sprigs, drain the farro (if needed) and set aside.

Whisk together the lemon juice, orange juice, remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl.

Add the warm farro and toss to coat.

Add the kale, cherries, cucumber and walnuts and toss to combine.

farro and kale Kale, cherries and walnut in bowl

Crumble the goat cheese, toss it gently just to mix and serve.

It’s that simple!

Tomato and Onion Tart

Jun. 6
2016

This tomato tart is easy and fast! I researched several recipes for tomato and onion tarts, most of which included making your own pastry dough, which takes a lot of time and effort. When trying to get dinner on the table quickly, that is not a realistic option.

I purchased a frozen deep-dish pie-crust, onions, a few tomatoes and some cheese. I added some basil from my garden and created my new recipe for a “tomato tart”. Okay, so I know it is not a “tart” but I am going to call it that anyway.

It came out beautifully. The onions were cooked perfectly, which gave the tart a delicious caramelized flavor. They really complimented the cheese and tomatoes. You can add any herb that you prefer such as thyme or oregano, but I think the basil is a ideal fit for this tart.

This recipe is just right for either any family week-night meal or for company. It has a charming presentation and is mouth-wateringly good. This is a “simple” recipe. Promise!

Ingredients for Tomato and Onion Tart

2 large onions, (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced thin
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 deep dish frozen pie crust (or any crust of your choice)
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound plum tomatoes (about 2-3) cut into thin slices
1/2 pound yellow tomatoes (about 2) cut into thin slices or 1/2 inch wedges
4-5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus 1/2 tsp. set aside
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a large heavy skillet cook onions with salt in oil (about 1/2 teaspoon), covered, over moderate-low heat stirring occasionally, until softened about 12-15 minutes.

Remove lid and continue to cook onions, stirring occasionally, until golden and any liquid evaporates.

Remove skillet from heat to cool onions slightly.

Preheat oven to 375.

Spread onion mixture over pie crust.

Top with shredded cheese.

Arrange tomato wedges and in circles over cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Place basil leaves on top of tomato wedges.

Place tart in the middle of the oven and cook for 1 hour, until pastry is golden.

It’s that simple!

Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil

Jun. 3
2016

There many so many wonderful chefs that have easy recipes to explore. Among my favorites is Lydia Bastianich.

Her current and archival recipes are always reliable, and I will be posting a few of my favorites in the weeks to follow.

This recipe was created after a trip her daughter had made to Italy. Her daughter had remembered a recipe that had fresh green beans, cherry tomatoes and cubes of fresh mozzarella. Lydia took it one step further and added breadcrumbs and cheese.

Lydia calls this a “gratinate”.

What a wonderful and delicious outcome. Anything with the addition of cheese and breadcrumbs is bound to be successful.

I have met Lydia in person and she is a warm, endearing woman, who enjoys sharing her recipes and cookbooks with people and loves the feedback she gets from them.

Make this recipe. You won’t be sorry! It serves 6 people and is scrumptious!

Ingredients for the Green Bean Gratin

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes (about 3 cups), preferably small cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella
4-6 fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin shreds (chiffonade)
1 cup grated Parmigiana-Reggiano
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (I used 1 cup)
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375.

Arrange a rack in the top half of oven.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

Trim both ends of the green beans.

Place the green beans into the boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until they are bright green and still firm enough to snap.

Drain and place them in a large bowl filled with ice water. Let them sit for a bit to stop cooking process.

Drain the beans again and sprinkle with salt.

Cut the mozzarella into 1/2 cubes.

Toss the grated cheese and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl.

Lightly grease the baking dish with a teaspoon or more of the butter.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese-and-bread-crumb mix on the bottom of the baking dish.

green beans breadcrumbs on bottom of dish

Mix together the green beans, tomatoes, cubes of mozzarella and basil slices.

Drizzle all over with olive oil and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and toss together so green bean mixture is well coated.

Place into the baking dish, scraping up all the crumbs.

Sprinkle over with remaining breadcrumbs, cut the rest of the butter into small pieces, and scatter them all over the top.

Place the dish in the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate dish to the front of the oven and bake another 10 minutes.

Check to see if the top is browning and bake for a few minutes more, until the top is dark golden and crusted.

If the crumbs still look pale after 20 minutes, raise the temperature to 400 or 425 and bake until you can see it is done.

Serve the gratinate in the baking dish.

It’s that simple!

Creamy Lemon-Pepper Orzo

Jun. 1
2016

Do you always make the same thing for dinner? I, too, have my go-to dinners that are fast and easy. Since I have started this journey on my blog, I research and experiment with new dinner ideas all the time. I love sharing them with all of you!

I tried this recipe for it’s unique ingredients.

I thought the Greek yogurt, peas, tarragon and basil paired together wonderfully. The addition of the lemon and the lemon zest put a nice zippy life into it. The pasta had a hearty, yet light taste. Overall, it was tangy and flavorful.

The recipe is paired with grilled chicken breast. The flavors of the yogurt and chicken together worked perfectly.

This is another great recipe from The Food Network Kitchen, and serves 4.

Really delicious! Give it a try!

Ingredients for the Lemon-Pepper Orzo

1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus 1-2 tbsp. for the orzo
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup whole wheat or other whole grain orzo
1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed and patted dry
4 ounces finely crumbled goat cheese, at room temperature
4 tbsp. chopped fresh herbs, such as basil and tarragon

Whisk together the yogurt, 2 teaspoons of the oil, the garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a medium bowl until well combined.

lemon pepper orzo yogurt lemon juice pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water.

Add the orzo to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente.

Add in the peas in the last 1 minute of cooking the pasta.

Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

Drain the orzo and peas into the yogurt mixture, along with 1/2 of the goat cheese, 3 tablespoons of the herbs, lemon zest and 3/4 of the reserved cooking liquid until well-combined.

Sprinkle the remaining goat cheese and herbs on top of the orzo.

It’s that simple!

Lemon Red Snapper with Herbed Butter

May. 27
2016

If you are looking for a fantastic, easy main dish, look no further!

This red snapper recipe was amazing. Red snapper is a light, mild white fish that is delicate and moist. It can be broiled, baked or grilled and can be combined with many different types of seasonings. This recipe lets you make your own choice.

The ingredients are so simple, yet the finished dish comes out beautifully. The paprika, herbed butter and fresh lemon combine to complete the red snapper. The simplicity of this dish makes it a “must try”.

Make this red snapper dish. It will make you look like a real “chef”. Your family will love it and so will you because it is a scrumptious, healthy choice for dinner.

This recipe is courtesy of Myrecipes.com. It will serve 4 very happy people.

Ingredients for Red Snapper

Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
Cooking spray
4 (6ounce) red snapper or other firm white fish fillets
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme basil, oregano or parsley (I used thyme, oregano and parsley)
Fresh herb sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 425.

Cut lemon into 8 slices.

Coat baking dish with cooking spray.

Place lemon slices in pan in a single layer.

Grate remaining lemon to get 1 tbsp. lemon zest. Set aside.

Place fillet on top of lemon slices.

Combine salt, paprika and pepper.

Sprinkle evenly over fish.

Bake for 13 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

While fish bakes, combine reserved lemon zest, butter and herbs in a small bowl.

When fish is finished, top each fillet with herbed butter. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs.

It’s that simple!