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Charred Tomato & Chicken Rigatoni

June 29, 2011 by Jean

When I cook, I find that what I choose to make is significantly influenced by the weather. In the midst of a bone-chilling winter, a hot hearty soup can’t be beat! Here at the end of June I’m not really considering soup when I plan my dinner menu. And yet the wonderful thing about our very own Award Winning Shore Boys Soups is that they can easily do double duty.

Case in point; Charred Tomato & Chicken Rigatoni. Here is an easy and delectable recipe made with Shore Boys Soup that is simply too delicious to eat only during chilly winter days. We carry both Cream of Crab and Cream of Charred Tomato Soups at Good Earth year-round. Tim Quinn, owner of Shore Boys Soups, gave me the following recipe.  With my trusty Sous Chef Evelyn by my side, we made this dish the other night for dinner and added a few of our own personal touches. Enjoy!

Charred Tomato & Chicken Rigatoni

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint Shore Boys Charred Tomato Soup
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
  • 3 cups uncooked rigatoni
  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. boneless chicken tenders
  • 6 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), divided
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned (about 6 large leaves)
  • 6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8 oz. sliced provolone cheese
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cook down Charred Tomato Soup. As you will know when you purchase Shore Boys Soups, they are made fresh and sold frozen. I simply put the soup in my refrigerator about an hour before I began cooking and then it easily slid out of the pint into a pan. I just warmed it on the stovetop on medium low until the soup was warm, about 15 minutes or so. Add wine and cook additional 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile cook rigatoni noodles until al dente, according to directions on package. Rinse, toss with 3 Tbsp EVOO and set aside.
  4. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp EVOO in large saucepan on medium high, being careful to ensure oil doesn’t smoke. Season boneless chicken tenders with garlic powder and Italian Seasoning. Place half of the tenders in the pan and cook about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Repeat with second half of tenders adding more oil if necessary. Slice cooked chicken into 2 inch bite-sized pieces.
  5. In large mixing bowl, combine soup, rigatoni, chicken and shredded mozzarella. Spoon mixture into 13″ X 9″ baking dish, lightly greased with EVOO. (Can you tell I’m a fan of EVOO? See this post to find out why!)awesome sous chef Evelyn!
  6. Top with julienned basil. (To julienne the fresh basil, stack 6 basil leaves on top of each other and roll them up to make a long tube of basil. Slice every 1/8-inch down the length of the basil roll and as the basil unfurls, it will be sliced into thin long strips.)
  7. Top with 8 slices of provolone cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

The overwhelming consent from my family was that this dish was a success! And really it is so very simple. I’ve no doubt there are many delicious recipes that can be made from Shore Boys Cream of Crab Soup as well. Evelyn and I will need to do a lot of experimenting this summer.

*Shore Boys Cream of Crab Soup has won “Best Cream of Crab Soup on the Eastern Shore” by What’s Up? magazine.

Posted in what's for dinner? | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

I Scream! You Scream! You’re gonna love this ice cream!

June 9, 2011 by Jean

“Staff Meeting.” When most people hear that phrase they likely don’t conjure up images of delicious food.  Too bad.  I do.

Fortunately for us staff members here at Good Earth, we are privileged to indulge in tasty dinners during a typical staff meeting. And on occasion we get to dive into a scrumptious dessert before covering the “work.”  For last week’s meeting, Dave had Chef Duty at the grill so I offered to bring dessert. (Listen, everyone is grateful for the food, but they thank you for the dessert!)

As we all know, the weather went from a cool, mild, rainy Spring right into the middle of August. I figured ICE CREAM would be a sure-fire hit with everyone so that’s what I went with. I chose a very well known ice cream sandwich recipe and tweaked it just a bit. Here are the details:

(*No we don’t sell any of these ingredients, but we thought it was a fun recipe anyway.)

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake (Ooooh-la-la!)

Ingredients:

  • 20 ice cream sandwiches
  • Two 12 oz Cool Whip containers (yes, it says TWO!)
  • 8 oz chocolate fudge sauce
  • 8 oz caramel sauce
  • 3 Butterfinger Bars, crushed
Directions:
  1. Place 4 sandwiches along the short side of an ungreased 9″ x 13″ pan. Place one whole and about 2/3 of another sandwich in the center of the pan. Arrange 4 sandwiches along the other short side of pan. Spread with one 12 oz container of the whipped topping. Spread caramel and hot fudge sauce on top of whipped topping.
  2. Repeat layers of sandwiches and whipped topping. Top with crushed Butterfinger bars. Cover with foil and place pan in freezer for at least 4 hours. Will keep for up to 2 months. Allow to stand about 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares.
Yes, it was a success! Layers of sugary, sweet, heavenly perfection. Of course, it was a little tough to pay attention to the rest of the meeting, but our tummies were happy.
I love my job.

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Caprese Salad with an Asparagus Twist

May 24, 2011 by Jean

Ok, can we all acknowledge that was one of the coldest/rainiest/most-bone-chilling Springs we’ve had in a long time? Most of the staff were wearing long sleeved shirts and hoodies at the store until about 2 weeks ago. Thank goodness for higher temperatures.

The BEST part about the warmer weather is that it means amazingly delicious produce in abundance!

One of my favorite vegetables by far is fresh asparagus. To ensure you’re getting a very tender and tasty asparagus, always look for thin stalks. There are 2 methods of thought for preparing asparagus: 1). Hold the stalk with two hands at each end and bend slightly. The stalk will break naturally. Keep and use the end with the tip. 2). Trim and thin the thick end of the stalk with a paring knife or vegetable peeler and use the whole stalk. It’s your choice!

Here’s an easy and tasty version of the traditional Insalata Caprese (Caprese Salad) that goes well as a side dish to virtually any meal.

Caprese Salad with Roasted Asparagus:

Ingredients:

  • approx 20 asparagus stalks
  • 4 Tbsp Bella Famiglia Olive Oil
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim asparagus according to preferred method. Place in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Lay asparagus stalks in single layer on shallow baking sheet and roast in oven for 10 minutes, turning stalks halfway through cooking time.
  2. Remove asparagus from oven and cut into 2 inch lengths. Halve grape tomatoes. Place both in large bowl.
  3. Add sliced mozzarella and torn fresh basil leaves. Toss with remaining 2 Tbsp. Bella Famiglia Olive Oil. Serve at room temperature.

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Have you had your MUFAs today?

April 8, 2011 by Jean

There are several items at Good Earth that I simply plow through in a very short period of time and Olive Oil is one of them. I use it almost daily in my cooking, not only because I love the taste, but because it’s good for me. Ok, it’s primarily because I love the taste. Ever heard of MUFAs? I recently have and regularly add them to my daily diet. Here’s what the Mayo Clinic has to say about MUFAs:

“The main type of fat found in all kinds of olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). MUFAs are actually considered a healthy dietary fat. If your diet emphasizes unsaturated fats, such as MUFAs and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), instead of saturated fats and trans fats, you may gain certain health benefits.  MUFAs may lower your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. MUFAs may also help normalize blood clotting. And some research shows that MUFAs may also benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be especially helpful if you have type 2 diabetes.”

Ariston Olive Oil - Buy the bottle and refill it for less!

One of my favorite Olive Oils that we sell at Good Earth is Ariston. Simply purchase the bottle, fill it up yourself and purchase it for $14.99. When you’re finished with it bring back the empty bottle for a refill for only $11.99! I love this program and so do many of our customers. They regularly come back with an empty bottle for a refill. Toss Olive Oil in fresh pasta, use it as a dip for fresh bread, place a little in a hot pan when making grilled cheese instead of butter – the possibilities are endless. Give it a try – I think you’ll agree it’s fantastic!

Posted in featured product, off the shelf, on the side | Tagged | 1 Comment »

Creamy, Simple, Pure – SWEET!

March 22, 2011 by Jean

Dessert.

That word conjures up many vivid images, tastes, and ideas in our minds – and tastebuds.  Am I right?

Is it just me or does rice pudding seem like an old-fashioned treat?  Perhaps I am alone in this but I recall my mother making it when I was a child yet it’s not one that I find often in recipes or in restaurants.  Here is a creamy and simple dessert from my childhood that seems to have gone the way of vinyl records and pet rocks.

The key to this recipe is La Piana Superfino Arborio Rice. You simply can’t find a more creamy tender white rice in my opinion.  It truly made the dish perfect!

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup uncooked La Piana Superfino Arborio Rice
  • 2 cups milk, divided
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2/3 cup golden raisins or any dried fruit such as cranberries or strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
  2. In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg and raisins or dried fruit. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

Any tweaks?  Well, instead of raisins, I used a dried fruit combination of strawberries, cranberries, dark and golden raisins.  It was truly delicious.  You can substitute any dried fruit you choose to enhance this creamy dessert.

Posted in dessert, of course! | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

It’s Not Your Kid’s Soda

March 3, 2011 by Jean

Think way back; remember being a kid?  For some of us, like myself, that requires a lot more work than others!  Now, remember hot summer days drinking sugary neon-orange soda which created a bright orange mustache across your upper lip? Got the picture?  Good.  Now, erase that image from your mind.  This soda is nothing like that.

Is it true  that the word “soda” can possibly describe a light effervescent drink that is genuinely refeshing without overpowering your taste buds?  A drink that doesn’t leave that unappealing aftertaste in your mouth?  Yes. It’s called Bella Famiglia Blood Orange Italian Soda.  You haven’t tasted a sophisticated soda until you’ve tasted Bella Famiglia Italian Soda.  As many of our customers and I can attest, this is a delightful drink.

And as if it weren’t amazing enough alone, it is even more tasty as a cocktail. I recently made this aperitif for my dad and he was more than willing to try out my concoction. I think you will be as well.

Bella Famiglia Blood Orange Soda Cocktail:

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. Vodka
  • 2 oz. Triple Sec
  • 8 oz. Bella Famiglia Blood Orange Soda
  • thin orange slice

Directions:

  1. Combine Vodka and Triple Sec in high ball glass and mix well. Add 8 oz. Bella Famiglia Blood Orange Italian Soda and ice. Garnish glass with fresh orange slice.
  2. Sit back and say, “Ahhhh.”

So simple.  So good.

Posted in thirst quenchers | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

Candied Citrus Peel

February 24, 2011 by Jean

Right now Good Earth Garden Market has some of the tastiest citrus you can imagine. We have beautiful navel oranges, perfect grapefruit, tangerines, sweet clementines, and juicy minneolas. My particular favorite citrus is grapefruit. The tangy, juicy, bitter flavor just satisfies my tastes like none other.

When I was a kid my dad used to make candied citrus peel. Granted my father is no cook. In fact it’s one of the few memories I have of him preparing much of any food. I simply remember that I loved what he created and just had to make some.

Ingredients:

  • 5 grapefruits
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions:

  1. With a sharp paring knife, slice off ends of grapefruits, oranges, or lemons. Following curve of fruit, cut away outermost peel, leaving most of the white pith on fruit. Slice peel lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
  2. n a medium pot of boiling water, cook peel until tender, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer peel to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer to dry slightly, about 15 minutes.
  3. n a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil over high, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peel and boil until it turns translucent and syrup thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer peel to wire rack, separating the pieces as needed.
  4. Let peel dry 1 hour. Toss with 1/2 cup sugar to coat. (To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 weeks.)

Oranges, lemons, or limes can be substituted for grapefruit if desired. The total amount of peel should be about 4 cups. For an even sweeter taste, dip rinds into melted chocolate after step 4 and place on wax paper to allow chocolate to dry. WOW!

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