Recipes

Pasta with Bacon Sautéed Mushrooms, Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

2 cups penne pasta (or your favorite shape pasta)
(Whole grain pasta works well with this recipe also)
10 oz. jar of  Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
3 slices smoked bacon
½ c sliced mushrooms (any mild flavored mushroom will work)
½ cup chopped asparagus
2-3 garlic cloves minced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup shredded parmesan asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray a 2 qt. casserole with cooking oil

Boil the pasta to according to package directions for al dente, drain and return the pasta to the pan gently stir in the tomato pesto; set aside
Cut bacon into pieces and fry on low to medium heat in a large skillet till crisp
Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel
(If bacon has a lot of fat remove all but 3-4 tablespoons from pan)
Add the mushrooms and asparagus to the bacon grease and sauté till almost tender 2-3 minutes; add the garlic, salt and pepper and the bacon into the pan then pour over the cooked pasta with pesto
 
Pour pasta mixture into the casserole and bake uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top; return to oven for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Garnish with fresh parsley

ENJOY!

Week-End Pasta Meal… Read More »

This is a simple and easy recipe. The oils adds a slight hint of Italian herbs like basil & oregano and  fragrant rosemary

 Roasted Chicken
 with Italian Herb Olive Oil
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
 
 
1 4-5 pound roaster
1/4 cup of The Gourmet Farm Girl Italian Herb Infused EVOO
1/4 cup The Gourmet Farm Girl Rosemary Infused EVOO
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1~ 14.5 oz can chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
 
 
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
 
Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with cooking oil
 
Rinse chicken in cold water removing giblets (reserve for making stock) pat dry.
 
Gently reach under the skin of the bird and rub the butter on the meat then pour the oil between the skin and the meat. Massage everything into the entire bird. Salt and pepper the top of the skin.
 
Pour the chicken broth in the dish; cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and allow the bird to brown for an additional 10-15 minutes; remove the chicken when an internal temperature reaches 160 degrees in the thickest part.
 
 Cover again with the foil and allow the bird to rest for 6-7 minutes before carving.   
 
Note: For a crusty brown chicken; turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes 
 
 Serves 4-5
 
 
 
Email me and I will ship you a bottle at a special price of
 $16.00 + 3.50 shipping
 (Regular $20.00 + shipping)
 Credit cards accepted.

Simply Good Chicken… Read More »

The farm I grew up on produced hundreds of acres of  soybeans; and they still do.
Did you know: 
Soybeans produce significantly more protein per acre than most other uses of land.

 Lentil soup is recognized as a highly nutritious, particularly good source of protein, dietary fiber, iron and potassium.  

Did you know:

The lentil or daal or pulse (Lens culinaris) is a bushy annual plant of the legume family. It is a kind of vegetable, grown for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about 15 inches tall and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each.

There are at least nineteen types of lentils, I used green, which is the most common. 

This is a very flavorful earthy soup with tons of nutrition.
Lentil and Vegetable Soup
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
5 slices smoked bacon (chopped)
1 tablespoon butter
2 stalks celery (chopped)
1 leek (chopped)
1 small Chinese eggplant (chopped)

2 medium carrots (chopped)
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
(or salt and pepper to taste)
2 quarts chicken stock
2 small potatoes (chopped)
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups lentils 
 
In a large stock pot over medium heat brown the bacon till almost crisp; remove the bacon pieces and drain on a paper towel. Reserve 2-3 tablespoons bacon fat in the pot.
Add the butter, celery, leeks, eggplant and carrots, salt and pepper; sauté for 1-2 minutes over medium heat

Add the stock, potatoes, bay leaves and thyme; reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes

Add lentils and continue to cook until lentils are soft; 25-30 minutes; stir often.
Return the bacon pieces to the pot. When ready to serve remove the bay leaves and top with sour cream and fresh parsley.

Crusty bread goes well with this meal

Serves 6-8

ENJOY!

Healthy Supper… Read More »
 Gourmet Pork Sliders with Fenugreek Sauce
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
1/2 lb pork tenderloin sliced thin
Note: this is a great way to use up leftover loin; chicken or turkey works well too)
1 red onion
1- 8 oz block Feta cheese
Broccoli Sprouts (or your favorite)
5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Ancho Chile powder
1 Tablespoon Fenugreek leaves (chopped) www.MySpiceSage.com
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
pinch of salt
1 package slider buns or rolls
1 can large black olives (pitted)
Slice meat, onions and cheese into thin slices and set aside.
Whisk together olive oil, garlic, Chile powder, salt and the Fenugreek leaves in a small bowl and set aside.
Bake rolls according to package directions (if necessary)
Layer the buns first with sprouts then stack some of the pork on top; pour one tablespoon of the Fenugreek sauce over the top and follow with the cheese and onions.
Serve with black olives or an assortment of olives.
Note: The name fenugreek or foenum-graecum is from Latin for “Greek hay”. The plant is similar to wild clover. It reminds me of fresh hay or cut grass.
Serves 4-5  (can be easily doubled)
These sandwich’s go well with the Garden Slaw recipe from the previous post.
ENJOY!




New Year’s Pork Sliders… Read More »

I have been asked to post this recipe again…so here it is! 
Sauerkraut Balls with Stone Ground Mustard
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
½ pound mild Italian sausage

2 Tablespoons chopped green onion
1 cup sauerkraut (drained)
4 oz cream cheese
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1-2 Tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

1 cup milk
1 egg (slightly beaten)
2 cups dry (unseasoned) bread crumbs (Panko)
Peanut Oil for frying

Cook the sausage and onions in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the sausage is done; 5-7 minutes. (Break up the sausage with a fork as it cooks) Remove from heat; add the sauerkraut, cream cheese, 1 egg, 1 Tablespoon flour and mustard; salt and pepper to taste; mix together well.
Note: Add one more Tablespoon flour if needed to keep mixture together
Roll into 1 inch balls; place on a plate; cover with wax paper and place in the freezer until partially frozen; 40-45 minutes
In a medium size bowl whisk the milk and the egg together; dip each ball into the mixture and roll in bread crumbs.  Fry the balls in hot oil till golden brown; 5-6 minutes; remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Serve as is or with Stone Ground Mustard

Makes 12-15 balls

ENJOY!

New Years’ Recipe… Read More »

 
Stuffed Medjool Dates with Bacon and Cheese
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

8 ounces cream cheese soften
¼ cup cooked bacon or prosciutto (chopped)
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
2 medium green onions minced
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
25-30 Medjool Dates
25-30 Whole Pecans

In a medium size mixing bowl blend together with a large spoon the cream cheese, bacon, pecans, onions, garlic, blue cheese crumbles and black pepper till creamy.
Cut a slit in each date and remove pit; fill the date with the mixture and place on a sheet pan. Top each date with a whole pecan and bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes till warm.
 
Serve immediately 
 
Can be made the day before and refrigerated. Bring to room temp before baking.
 
ENJOY!

Holiday Appetizer Idea… Read More »

 
Chile-Smothered Pork
with Vinegar
By Raghavan Iyer
 660 Curries
1/2 cup cider vinegar or malt vinegar
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
8 lengthwise slices fresh ginger (each 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1/8 inch thick)
8 medium size cloves garlic
8 dried Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed (I was lucky…I had some dried chiles from my garden)
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches long) I used 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and some for garnsih
Pour the vinegar into a blender jar, add the cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, chiles and cinnamon. Puree, scraping the sides as needed to form a pulpy gritty paste that smells potent-hot.
Place the pork in a bowl and pour the paste over it. Sprinkle with salt and the turmeric; stir and refrigerate covered for at least 30 minutes or overnight to allow the flavores to mingle. 
Heat the oil in a medium size skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork, marinade and all and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until it is browned; 10-12 minutes. Note: the meat will stew initially; then once the liquid evaporates, it will sear and brown)
Pour in 1/2 cup water and scrape the bottom of the skillet to deglaze it. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until the pork is tender, about 15 minutes (or less)
Stir in the cilantro and serve.
NOTE: I served it over rice and with some brussel sprouts sprinkled with curry powder; broiled with some cannola oil and deglazed with white wine. 
  


Curry for the Holiday’s… Read More »

Stuffed Shells with Eggplant and Bacon in
 Fresh Tomato Sauce
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

8 jumbo pasta shells
4 strips smoked bacon cut into pieces
2 eggplants peeled and chopped into bite size pieces

1 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese cut into pieces
Splash of red wine
6 medium size tomatoes cut into pieces
Note: if you prefer no skins in your sauce; peel tomatoes before adding.
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Fresh chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Boil pasta shells according to package directions; rinse in cold water and set aside
In a deep skillet over medium to medium high heat brown the bacon till crisp; remove and drain on a paper towel. Pour off all but 3-4 tablespoon of bacon fat and cook the eggplant till soft; 5-6 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel; mix together the bacon, cooked eggplant and 1 cup mozzarella cheese; set aside
Deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine; add to the wine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to simmer and cover with a tilted lid; cook sauce for 20-30 minutes stirring often.
While sauce is simmering; stuff each shell with the eggplant mixture; set aside. Layer a casserole dish or individual casseroles with sauce, stuffed shells and pour more sauce on top of shells; top with the additional 1/2 cup chopped fresh mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 30-40 minutes till bubbly and cheese is melted.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley
ENJOY!

Eggplant Recipe… Read More »

 Roasted Pork Loin with Fennel Sautéed Apples
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
2 ½ – 3 pound Pork Loin 
Salt and Pepper

2 cups apple cider or apple juice (divided)
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
(The Gourmet Farm Girl Golden Balsamic works will with this recipe)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Apple Butter
1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 tablespoons butter
2 medium size Gala Apples (sliced)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place the pork loin in a roasting pan with fat side up; season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour 1 cup of apple cider around the loin and roast uncovered for 40-50 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145degrees. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 5-8 minutes before slicing
 
While the meat is in the oven; mix together 1 cup cold cider, corn starch, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, apple butter and fennel seeds; set aside
In a medium size sauté pan over medium to medium high heat melt the butter and sauté apples for 1-2 minutes; pour the cider mixture over the apples; lower heat to simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes until soft and tender.
 
Slice the pork loin into slices and layer on a plate, pour the apples and sauce over the top and
 serve immediately.
Serves 4-5

ENJOY!

A Perfect Match-Pork and Apples Read More »

When growing up on the farm, my mother made pot roast many times. Here is a different twist on making a roast. This recipe is great for a week-end dinner or crock pot recipe!
 


Chuck Roast Pizzaiola

By The Gourmet Farm Girl
2-3 tablespoons canola oil
2 1/2 pound chuck roast (bone in)
1 onion chopped
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 15 oz can beef broth
3 bay leaves
1 quart stewed tomatoes with juice
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 small chunk Parmesan cheese (shaved)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Salt and pepper both sides of the chuck roast
 
In a large dutch oven over medium high heat drizzle the canola oil on the bottom and sear the roast on both sides for 1-2 minutes till brown; remove roast and set aside.
Lower heat to medium and add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the beef broth and bay leaves; simmer for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and spices; return the roast to the pot; cover and braise in the oven for 2-2 1/2 hours till the meat is tender and falls off the bone.
Serve on a large platter over pasta with shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped flat leaf parsley or place the whole pot on the table with a large bowl of your favorite pasta for everyone to help themselves.

Serves 6-8

Hardy Fall Meal… Read More »