Salmon Fajita Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

I once had a conversation with a new friend about what she liked to eat. Surprised right? We both concluded that we enjoyed eating the rainbow.  Fresh, full of multiple colors, and flavorful.  This salad is just that.  And lucky for me, I have been craving salads!  The good, healthy, hearty, flavorful ones.  Yes, I am pregnant with my fourth child and this baby is going to love himself some vegetables.  More than I can say for my daughter who all I craved was prepared junk food.  This salad has so much flavor going on it will be a party in your mouth with every bite.  Make sure to get the wild caught salmon.  Farm raised salmon gets its pink color from food additives and has much higher levels of contaminants.  I used to be afraid of skin on salmon.  Don't be!  It comes right off after being cooked.  We have found great wild caught Alaskan salmon at Costco.  We just cut it up into the size we like and freeze the rest we don't use for each meal.  Enjoy! 

Salmon Fajita Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Salmon

1 pound wild salmon, skin on, cut into fillets (about 5 fillets)

3 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon Chile powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon brown sugar

zest of 2 fresh limes

pinch of salt and pepper

Salads

8 cups butter lettuce or spring greens mix, chopped

1 mango, peeled and diced

1-2 jalapenos, seeded and small diced

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 red pepper, sliced

1-2 avocados, sliced

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, thinly shredded

2 ounces queso fresco (cotija) cheese or goat cheese, crumbled

fresh cilantro, for topping

crushed blue corn tortilla chips (for more color)

Simple Honey Lime Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (or more to your liking)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons honey

salt and pepper, to taste

            To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, honey and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Set aside.

            In a large salad bowl add the lettuce, mango, jalapeno, red pepper, and black beans. Toss well and set aside.

            In a small bowl combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar, lime zest and a good pinch of salt and pepper.  Place the salmon on a plate and rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the salmon and gently rub it into the salmon.

            Heat a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the salmon, skin side facing up. Sear the salmon for about 3 minutes and then flip and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until the salmon reaches your desired doneness. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your salmon fillets.  Just don't overcook it as it gets dry.  It should just be past the pink opaque point. 

            To assemble the salads, divide the salad among plates or bowls. Sprinkle each plate with a little cheddar and a little queso fresco (cotija) cheese. Top each bowl with a piece of salmon. Add a few slice of avocado and drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with crushed tortilla chips, limes and more cilantro. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-5

*This delightful salad recipe is adapted from halfbakedharvest.com

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

We have been reveling in all the fresh delicious ingredients that are growing this time of year.  The tomatoes, the avocados, the corn, etc.  It's delightful to our palates.  And if you can't tell, I'm a big lover of the black bean and corn combo.  This recipe was first introduced to me by my friend Rebecca.  Admittedly, I almost eat this as a main course because I love the flavors so much, though it is most certainly an appetizer or side. The recipe says to use canned corn, but if corn is in season, please use that.  It definitely ups the ante of flavor.  Just use 2 cobs of corn, cooked, with the kernels removed with a knife.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

Fresh Black Bean & Corn Salsa

3 Roma tomatoes, small diced

1 large avocado, small diced

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 (15 oz) can corn, drained & blanched

1/2 orange pepper, small diced

3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Wishbone Italian House Dressing

McCormick Fajita Seasoning

Salt & Pepper

fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in bowl.  Put just enough Italian dressing and lemon juice to moisten vegetables.  Season to taste with fajita seasoning, salt & pepper.  Serve with tortilla chips.   

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Tacos

We seemed to have consumed our yearly intake of meat over our July 4th weekend, so when we got back home from vacation we were craving lots and lots of vegetables.  This certainly was what we were looking for.  It was delicious!  You really need to add a tomato salsa and extra lime juice to give it a bit of tang and oh my! Fabulous.  The fresh corn off the cob most certainly made it even better, but you are welcome to use frozen corn.  Though be warned that nothing compares to that crunch of fresh corn.  You can bake corn in the oven or microwave with the husk still on.  We usually do 2 cobs of corn (with the husk still on) in the microwave for 6 minutes.  Let cool and then the silk and husks come right off when you peel it.  We just slice the kernels right off the cob.  We also used feta as I like the extra flavor, but feel free to enjoy whatever cheese you like best.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Tacos

2  lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

4 Tblsp olive oil, divided

1 Tblsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14.5) oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 corn on the cob, cooked, and cut off cob or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn

3 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Corn or flour tortillas

Romaine lettuce

Cotija or feta cheese

1-2 diced avocados

red tomato salsa or pico de gallo

lime wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil then place sweet potatoes on foil. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil and toss evenly to coat. Sprinkle evenly with cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to evenly coat. Bake in preheated oven 15 - 20 minutes until tender, tossing once halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 - 6 minutes.  Add garlic during the last mintue of sautéing. Reduce heat to medium-low, add in drained black beans, corn, honey and lime juice. Heat until warmed through. Toss in roasted sweet potatoes and cilantro. Serve over warm tortillas with desired toppings.

Serves 6

*Adapted from Cooking Classy.

Asparagus, Avocado and Poached Egg on Toasted Pita

Oh mercy!  This was a party in our mouths.  It was so fresh and light and the perfect dinner for a warmer evening.  When we got done, my husband and I looked at each other and said wow!  It was divine.  And I have a confession.  It was one of my first Pinterest recipes I tried.  Oh I have pinned quite a few recipes on my Pinterest account and they all look just delightful, but if I'm going to go through all the effort and ingredients I want to trust my source that it is going to be good.  Thankfully with lots of fresh ingredients and a few alterations it did not disappoint.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Asparagus, Avocado and Poached Egg on Toasted Whole Wheat Pita

4 whole wheat pita

8 eggs

2 large ripe avocados

2 medium heirloom tomatoes

14 oz (a large bunch) green asparagus

3-4 oz goat cheese

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (Edmond Fallot is my favorite)

juice and zest from 1/2 of a lemon

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

fresh sprigs of thyme

freshly ground salt and pepper

Heat oven to 475*.  Fill a two quart pot a little more than halfway full with water.  Add a splash of vinegar and a pinch of salt.  Bring to a slow simmer. Meanwhile, wash asparagus and cut woody bottoms off (about 1 1/2 inches).  Place on a rimmed baking sheet.  Toss asparagus with olive oil and salt & pepper.  Roast until asparagus is bright green and fork tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Set aside.  

Start to poach the eggs.  In a very small bowl, crack one egg into it, careful not to break the yolk.  In the slow simmering water (small bubbles, not rapid ones) gently pour the raw egg into the water.  With a spoon gather all the egg whites and fold it back onto the egg yolk as it cooks.  Gently simmer for 3 minutes until the egg white is firm, but the egg yolk is soft.  You want the egg yolk partially runny so it can coat all the wonderful veggies on top of the pita.  Place the poached egg on a plate until ready to use and continue with the rest of the eggs.

Cut the tomatoes into a medium dice.  Place in a bowl.  Cut open the avocado and scoop out flesh into another bowl.  Add the lemon juice, zest, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard.  Mash until it is the consistency you like.  Toast the pita in the oven or toaster oven until it is crispy (but not crunchy).  Immediately after toasting pita start to assemble toasts.  

On top of toasted pita scoop 1/4 of the avocado mixture and spread around.  Place 1/4 of the roasted asparagus on top of the avocado spread.  Sprinkle 1/4 of the diced tomatoes on top of the asparagus. Crumble the goat cheese on top of the tomatoes.  Carefully place 2 of the poached eggs on top of the tomatoes.  I like to break my eggs open so it can coat the vegetables.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and thyme sprigs.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

*This fabulous recipe was adapted from the blog A Tasty Love Story.

Edamame, Rice and Corn Salad

This delicious salad was introduced to me by my cooking friend, Kristen Morefield.  She is a friend that is a delight to have around.  We sometimes get together for lunch or breakfast and share our leftovers and talk about all the yummy food we have been eating/making or hope to eat/make.  This salad has become a common appearance on our table.  It's fast, it's light, it's delicious!  You can also find all the ingredients at Trader Joes, which makes it easy to stock up on ingredients and pull out for a quick meal. Enjoy! I'll thank Kristen for you. :)  

Edamame, Rice & Corn Salad

Salad:

1 bag (12 oz) frozen shelled edamame

1 bag (16 oz) frozen corn or 4 corn on the cob, cooked, and kernels removed

2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice or 1 bag frozen cooked brown rice (about 2 1/2 cups)

4 oz sliced almonds

3/4 cup small diced celery

4 scallions, chopped

1 cup dried cranberries

Dressing:

6 Tblsp canola oil

3 Tblsp rice vinegar (not seasoned)

1-2 Tblsp lemon juice

Bunch of fresh basil, chopped (about 15-20 leaves)

salt & pepper to taste

Thaw edamame and corn for 30 minutes (and rice if using frozen rice) on counter top.  Mix all salad ingredients in medium bowl.  Mix all dressing ingredients in container and shake.  Pour dressing over salad ingredients and stir.  Add more salt & pepper to taste.  Serve room temp or chilled.

Serves 4-5

Goat Cheese, Leeks, Asparagus, Pancetta and Shiitake Mushroom Grilled Pizza

Whew!  That title is a mouthful.  But I wanted to make sure you knew all the goodness that goes into this pizza. And since spring is in the air, which means asparagus time, I thought this pizza showcased that vegetable quite nicely.  This pizza is cooked out on the grill, which makes it relatively fast to put together and serve.  The thinner the asparagus the better.  They are much more tender and dainty on top of a pizza.  The flavor combinations on this pizza are just delightful.  I'm a big fan of goat cheese, which gives the pizza a nice tang.  Make sure to trim the woody ends of the asparagus and to thoroughly clean the leeks before chopping.  I even made a special leek post below so you know exactly how to deal with them in case you are a newby to leeks.  You may not have the truffle oil in your pantry, but having tried the pizza with and without....if you make the extra effort to find some it is well worth it.  I just ran out of my own stock so I will be searching for some too. Enjoy and get outside and grill!

Goat Cheese, Leeks, Asparagus, Pancetta and Shiitake Mushroom Grilled Pizza

Pizza Dough 

1 cup warm water (about 110*)

1/4 tsp sugar

1 Tblsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 - 2 Tblsp olive oil, plus more for bowl

3-4 cups flour, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 tsp salt

            Stir the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add olive oil to yeast mixture & stir. Brush a large bowl with extra oil, and set aside. Put 3 cups flour and salt in mixer fitted with dough paddle. Add yeast mixture and mix until dough is smooth and slightly sticky to the touch. If the dough seems too sticky, add more flour 2 Tblsp at a time, mixing after each addition.

            Place dough in oiled bowl, cover with towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in warm draft free spot until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes. Remove towel and punch down the dough. Cover and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Punch down dough again. Divide into two balls. (If not using right away, you can wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to one day or freeze up to one month. Make sure it has thawed before using.)

            On a lightly floured work surface, flatten each dough ball into a disk. Using a rolling pin, roll out to about a 13" circle or oval.  Prep grill and begin to heat.

For Pizza

2 Tblsp olive oil, plus more for brushing

2 large leeks, white & light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well, and cut into thin slices

8 oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1/4" thick slices

8 oz very thin asparagus, woody bottoms trimmed and cut into 1 ½” pieces

1/4 cup white wine (or white grape juice)

1 Tblsp finely chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

8-10 ounces goat cheese

4 oz pancetta, finely chopped

Truffle oil, for drizzling (optional)

Pizza Dough (recipe below)

            Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the leeks, cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and pancetta; cook until tender and juices have evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus and wine (or grape juice); cook until the asparagus is bright green and crisp tender and wine has evaporated. Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

            Heat a grill until medium hot. Generously brush one side of the pizza dough with olive oil; grill, oiled side down, until the underside is golden brown and the top begins to bubble, 3-5 minutes. Quickly brush the top with olive oil; flip the crust. Top with a thin layer of cheese (the goat cheese chunks will melt as you are putting it on, and will become easier to spread once a little melted). Top with half of the asparagus mixture. Grill until the cheese is melted, the topping hot, and the crust is cooked through, 3-5 minutes more.

            Slide pizza onto cutting board. Season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle with more thyme and with a small amount of of truffle oil, if desired. Repeat and make more pizzas.

Makes enough for 2 - 13" pizzas

*Changed and adapted from Martha Stewart

Leek Preparation

Leeks are in the same family as onions and garlic.  They kind of taste like a mild version of an onion with a hint of garlic.  I love them.  Not to mention that they hold great health benefits.  You can read more about it here.  And according to Mireille Guiliano of French Women Don't Get Fat it is a great body cleanse.

Leeks grow in layers, which often trap dirt into its sheaths making it very necessary to rinse between each sheath.  The edible part of the leek is at the bottom in the white and light green portion.  So I like to take my leek and chop off the top dark green portion and then the bottom root portion.  Make sure it is in 3 to 4 inch segments so you can easily manage each one with your knife.  I then slice it vertical down the middle.  Under running water I open each layer and rinse it out starting from the outer layer working in.  Once you are sure you have gotten all the dirt out squeeze it all back together and turn over so the flat side is facing the cutting board.  You now can cut little half moons into thin slices and saute them up, which makes them nice and soft.  If left raw, they are crunchy and firm.  Enjoy your introduction to leeks.

Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Red Peppers

I made these the other day in an attempt to use more of a variety of grains.  I have been craving pasta way too much this winter.  Quinoa (which is pronounced "KEEN-wah") is awesome!  I could go on and on about all the health benefits, but here is just a few.  It is a complete protein, which provides all the essential amino acids needed by the body. It has lots of fiber, which helps with lowering high blood pressure.  It has iron in it, which helps keep our red blood cells healthy.  And a whole lot of other great minerals and vitamins that helps our body function well and keeps us running smoothly.  But, it is also really yummy to eat if prepared right.  It's very important to rinse quinoa before cooking because it has a coating called saponins that is meant to protect it during cultivation, but leaves a bitter taste on the tongue.  So just rinse it up and swoosh it around in water to get it off.  You can do this in a strainer, but just make sure it has tiny holes so that you don't lose all your quinoa.  I usually just do it in a bowl and use my hands to strain it.  This is great as a leftover too.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Quinoa Peppers

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

2 Tblsp olive oil

2 celery sticks, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

1 Tblsp ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced

10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

15oz can diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup quinoa

3 large carrots, grated (11/2 cups)

11/2 cups grated pepper Jack cheese, divided

5 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook 5 minutes, or until golden. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

      Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots, and 2 to 2 1/2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and plump. Stir in 1 cup grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.

       Fill each bell pepper half with quinoa mixture until mounded and full, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with more of the remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates and serve.

Serves 6

Alphabet Vegetable Soup

We usually make this soup in the summertime when fresh zucchini, corn, green beans and tomatoes abound in the garden and farmer's markets.  But, we also love this in the winter time when your body is craving warmth and vegetables.  Particularly when we all have colds.  In the summer when I am really on top of things, we blanch the corn cobs and then cut them into freezer bags so we can enjoy that fresh taste all winter long.  You can do that with the green beans too (though Trader Joe's has a great bag of French green beans in the freezer section).  But, if you can't or haven't done that, feel free to grab a frozen bag of corn when it was preserved at its freshest peak.  My kids love to eat the vegetables along with all the fun words they can spell in each bite.  If you want a more adult version, this is pretty versatile and you can use orzo as well or any other small pasta. Serve this alongside the cheddar biscuits. Enjoy it!

Alphabet Vegetable Soup

4 ears corn (or 16oz bag frozen corn)

2 Tblsp olive oil

1 medium onion, small diced

coarse salt & pepper

32 oz chicken broth

2 medium zucchini, cut into fourths and thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups french green beans, ends removed & cut into 1" pieces (or frozen french green beans work great)

1 large tomato, diced saving juice (or 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice)

1 1/4 cups small alphabet pasta

If using fresh corn on the cob, husk each cob of corn. In a large bowl with a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to cut kernels off cob.  Discard cobs; set kernels aside. 

            In a 5 quart Dutch oven or pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add diced onion and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent. 

            Add broth and 2 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil.  Add zucchini, green beans, corn (fresh or frozen), tomatoes with juice, and alphabet pasta.  Cook, uncovered, until pasta & green beans are tender, about 13 min.  Season with salt and pepper.  You may need to add a bit more chicken broth depending on how soupy you like your soup.

 This is a great freezer meal too.  Go ahead and put in freezer bags to store in freezer up to 3 months.  Before reheating, thaw in the refrigerator in a bowl.

Serves 6

Tomato and Beet Salad

I have always been so fascinated by the depth of color of beets.  Crimson comes to mind.  Beets like to leave sweet reminders of themselves as their color can dye your fingertips and nails a deep red, so be careful in handling them.  After roasting them I usually use a paper towel to rub the skins off so I don't get questions from my children on what project I delved into without them.  You can also try golden beets in this recipe, which are a delightful yellow.  While I will eat beets plain, my husband is a bit more finicky about them.  With feta, cilantro and balsamic creating a perfect complimentary bite he cannot resist them.  Which is a good thing since beets are full of potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B & C, beta-carotene, beta-cyanine & folic acid.  Not to mention that the Romans used them as an aphrodisiac.  A perfect recipe just in time for Valentine's Day, no? One last note (and I hate to talk about this on a food blog, but....) if you notice you are peeing pink after eating the beets it could mean that you have low stomach acid.  Just something to keep in mind so you don't have a panic attack after eating them.  Enjoy!

Tomato and Beet Salad

3 small to medium beets, scrubbed & trimmed

2 medium to large heirloom tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh feta cheese

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400*.  Put beets in double aluminum foil and seal into a foil packet.  Roast until tender, 75-90 minutes.  When cool, rub the beets to remove skins.  This makes them nice and glossy. Slice beets and tomatoes in equal thickness.  Arrange beets and tomatoes on plate.  Top with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, feta, salt and pepper, and cilantro.

Serves 4

*Adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food

Balsamic Glazed Carrots

I have been loving all the root vegetables in season now.  The heirloom carrots at the farmers market look so bright and colorful, it would make anyone feel cheery in the winter.  And to think I used to believe that carrots only came in one color! I love variety, and having three colors of carrots in a pan together....delightful!  Plus, it's pretty cool to see a purple carrot.  Leave some of the top stems on and it brings in even more color as does the red pepper.  Since not all of the carrots in a bunch are the same size, go ahead and cut some into slices if they are too thick.  Enjoy!

Balsamic Glazed Carrots

2 Tblsp olive oil                                                         3 Tblsp Balsamic vinegar
2 Tblsp unsalted butter                                              2 Tblsp light brown sugar
1 large shallots, thinly sliced                                       1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced                       1/4 tsp fresh pepper

1 lb fresh heirloom baby carrots, 

with stems attached but clipped

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Wash and dry carrots.  Sauté the carrots for a few minutes until they start to soften.  Add shallots and bell pepper and sauté until carrots are tender and slightly browned, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, salt & pepper.  Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced and the vegetables begin to glaze stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

*Adapted from a Junior League of Houston recipe

Parmesan Polenta Chard Bundles

Growing up, my father would always grow chard in his garden.  He still does.  Seeing all of the health benefits to chard, I now see why he does.  It's a powerhouse vegetable.  It has glutamine, which boosts the immune system and helps you recover from injuries.  It is full of vitamins K, A, & C.  It's a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron and fiber.  It also contains lots of folate, so eat it up you pregnant ladies.  I love the rich red vines that pulse through the bright leafy greens.  It's beautiful, healthy, and yummy.  This recipe makes me feel like I'm receiving a delightful gift on my plate all beautifully packaged.  The polenta, marinara and parmesan all compliment each other nicely making a great vegetarian meal or side.  Since the polenta takes at least an hour to cool, make it ahead.  It then goes quickly as you assemble the rest of the parts.  Enjoy!

Parmesan Polenta Chard Bundles

3/4 cup dry polenta (coarse cornmeal)

1 Tblsp butter

1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

1 bunch small to medium sized chard leaves (about 18)

fresh ground pepper

Spray an 8x8" pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper.

            In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water and 1 tsp salt to a boil.  Pour in dry polenta and whisk.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until thick, 10 to 15 minutes, occasionally whisking.  Remove from heat and stir in butter, 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of pepper.

            Scrape the polenta into prepared pan and smooth the top.  Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then refrigerate at least an hour to solidify polenta.  If you need to leave it in longer, just wrap with plastic wrap after an hour of cooling.  Unmold and cut into 16 squares, 2 x 2 inches each. 

            Preheat the oven to 400* and bring a pot of water to a boil. Submerse chard into a bowl of cold water and swish to wash.  On cutting board, cut out the thick large stem from leaf.  You can cut a V into part of the chard leaf to remove some of the thicker portion of the stem.  Smaller chard leaves have a tender stem than their larger leaf counterparts.  In a pot of boiling water, submerse chard leaves, turn off heat, and let it sit for 8 minutes.  Remove and dry completely on paper towels.

            In same 8x8 pan, pour 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom.  To form the bundles, lay 1 chard leaf on the cutting board and place 1 polenta square on top.  Place a spoonful of marinara sauce on top of the polenta and then wrap up like a gift.  Place the polenta square with the seam of the chard leaf face down into the marinara layer in the pan.  Continue with the rest of the polenta squares and chard leaves, fitting them very snugly together in the pan.  Spoon the rest of the marinara sauce on top of all the chard bundles.  Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan making sure to get all the squares. 

            Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Broil for 1 to 2 minutes after baking to brown the cheese.  Serve bundles hot.

Serves 4


*Adapted from a Cheryl Sternman Rule recipe from Ripe