Recipe: Easy Corned Beef & Cabbage

We don't usually use canned meat, but if you're going to, corned beef is one thing that can take a while from scratch. This recipe combines fresh cabbage, onions, and celery with some canned items to make a simple corned beef dish that tastes pretty darn good.

Easy Corned Beef & Cabbage
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

1 medium head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
1 small onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced small
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
2 to 3 cups shredded corned beef (precooked)
1 can (28 oz size) crushed tomatoes
1/2 Tbsp coarse ground prepared mustard

Instructions:

• Get out an oven-proof pot or Dutch oven, and coat inside with cooking oil.
• Arrange the cabbage wedges as evenly as possible into the pot, sprinkle the onion and celery evenly over the top of the cabbage, then carefully pour in the chicken broth.
• Put pot on medium heat, bring to a boil, then turn heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer slowly for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• After the cabbage has simmered for 10 minutes, remove from heat, uncover, and add the corned beef over the cabbage, pour the crushed tomatoes over evenly, then spread the mustard evenly over the crushed tomatoes, mixing together slightly.
• Cover pot and put in preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cabbage is tender. 

Recipe: Minute Minestrone

While nothing can beat the taste of real, home-made minestrone made from scratch with loads of fresh summer vegetables, if you're in a hurry, this stand-in version can be ready in a jiffy! For a tasty, healthy, one-pot meal that is on the table in minutes, this is a great alternative when you're hungry and pressed for time.

Minute Minestrone
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
1 can (48 oz) chicken broth
1 cup tomato-vegetable juice (such as V-8, or fresh-made if you have a juicer)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) garbanzo beans, drained
1 can (14 oz) cut green Italian style beans, drained
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

• In a large pot over medium heat, put the olive oil and onion and cook until the onion is just softened, then add the garlic and cook just until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the seasoning, chicken broth, tomato juice, and red wine vinegar and cook until heated thoroughly.
• Turn heat to low and add the remaining ingredients. Slightly cover pot and simmer slowly for 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve immediately in big bowls with bread if desired, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe - Quick Spinach Basil Stir-Fry With Pine Nuts

If you're looking for a quick and healthy recipe with gourmet appeal, check this one out and you won't be disappointed. It only takes a few minutes, but is packed with nutrients and fresh flavor. This easy recipe makes a great side-dish for a fancy dinner, or just adds a missing veggie to round out a quick meal.

Quick Spinach Basil Stir-Fry With Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

3 tsp high heat cooking oil, like safflower oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bags (12 oz total) fresh spinach
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
dash red pepper flakes
2 cups fresh basil leaves, torn
optional: fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: 

1. In a very large skillet, add cooking oil over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and cook, shaking skillet gently, until just starting to brown a little, about 2 minutes.
2. Add minced garlic and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 1 more minute.
3. Turn heat up to medium and add spinach, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
4. Toss spinach around in skillet for about 3 minutes or until it just starts to wilt.
5. Add fresh basil leaves, tossing to combine, and continue cooking for 1 minute.
6. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
7. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top of each serving if desired.

Recipe - Baked Salmon With Balsamic Reduction

Here is a delicious, and easy recipe for fresh salmon. One of the great things about fish is that it's generally really fast and easy to cook, plus it's really good for you! This tasty recipe doesn't take long at all, and only requires a few simple ingredients, so it's great for novice cooks - or just those in a hurry!

Image via WikipediaBaked Salmon With Balsamic Reduction
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Evenly season salmon, both sides, with salt and pepper and put in baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Salmon should be solid color throughout.
• As fish is cooking, take out a small saucepan and pour balsamic vinegar in. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently until liquid reduces by about a third.  This should take about 10 minutes.  The more it reduces, the thicker and sweeter it will get.*
• Remove the saucepan from the heat when it is reduced and add the oil, whisking as you add, then add the lime juice, and continue whisking until color gets lighter.  Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
• Spoon the balsamic reduction sauce over the salmon when it comes out of the oven.  Serve salmon while still warm.

Image via Wikipedia* This is a great way to get a sweet and savory glaze for salmon without adding any brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or other sugary ingredient.  Use a good balsamic vinegar and be sure to check the label.  Most good ones will have very limited sugars and carbs.

Salmon is considered a powerhouse of nutrients.  The trick in most diets is finding ways to serve salmon with sauces and glazes that fit a healthy diet - like this one.

Recipe - Whole-Wheat Pasta with Garbanzo Beans

This deliciously simple Italian recipe is packed with healthy ingredients and fresh flavors. Great for a filling lunch that will keep you going all afternoon, or a light supper, this one takes 30-minutes or less to prepare, and leftovers are even more tasty once the flavors have had time to blend.

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Garbanzo Beans
Image via WikipediaServes 2 - 3

Ingredients:
5 oz small whole-wheat pasta shapes
1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp black olives, pitted and chopped
Handful of fresh basil, torn
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper

Instructions:

•  Cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
• In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the beans. Stir until the beans are heated through. 
• Remove from the heat and mix in the tomatoes, olives and basil. 
• Season with freshly ground pepper and salt. 
• Divide the pasta on dinner plates and serve with the bean/tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

More Great Italian Recipes:
   

Video - Grilled Beer Can Chicken

If our last post had you hankering for some barbecue, here is an easy recipe for grilled chicken that will have you drooling! (Seriously, I think I almost wet the front of my shirt just watching the video - it looks THAT good.) The chickens are grilled whole, so plan to let them grill for a couple of hours, but the ingredients and preparation are drop-dead simple. This would be a great one for a weekend grill-out with the neighbors, friends, or just the family.

Enjoy, but be prepared for some serious chicken cravings after watching this!

Beer Can Chicken Barbecue by the BBQ Pit Boys
The BBQ Pit Boys show you how to barbecue up two tender and juicy 4lb. chickens on the grill, Beer Can Chicken Style. And, it's real easy to do. All you need for this barbecue chicken recipe favorite is two cans of beer (or water if you must), salad ...


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