Peas with Bacon and Roasted Red Peppers

Roasted Red peppers, bacon, peas, oh my! Roasted red peppers, bacon, and peas , oh my!Roasted red peppers, bacon and peas oh my! This ingredient list will grab ya. I needed a side dish with peas and wanted something a little different than my standby. As I was flipping through my newest borrowed cookbook from the library , I happened upon this one. The colors are so pretty, the flavors are wonderful together. As a side note, since I did mention the library, are you like me and borrow new cookbooks from the library before purchasing them? If so, why? My reasons have to do with my thrifty ways, trying to save a $$ or twenty. Peas With Bacon and Roasted Red Peppers Ingredients: 1/4 pound thick-cut bacon (about 3 strips), diced 1 shallot, minced 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1 medium roasted red pepper (homemade or store-bought),diced (I used homemade roasted, and I used 2) 1 pound frozen peas, thawed 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Directions: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat till crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve for garnish. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the skillet. Add the shallots, and cook until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, mustard, and thyme. Cook, uncovered, until stock has reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add the peppers, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and until the peas are warmed through and the stock has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Transfer to serving platter or bowl, and sprinkle with the bacon. Recipe adapted from Katie Lee Joel's cookbook The Comfort Table.

FAST White Bean Stew

How many uses do you have for leftover spiral ham, shank ham, etc.? Always, without a doubt, every time I make a spiral ham, I save that bone for pea soup. Sooo freaking good. I then happened upon this recipe and was enticed to give it a whirl. Now, I can use the big spiral ham for not one or two, but at least 3 meals. Hip, Hip, hooray!!

A colorful and satisfying stew is priceless this time of year, and you can't do much better than a tomatoey broth full of hearty cannellini beans, baby greens, and cubes of baked ham.

Fast, Easy, Tasty White Bean Stew With Ham

Ingredients:

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 (14 to 15 oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 3/4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

2 (19 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups)

1 (1/2-lb) piece baked ham (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick), cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (5-oz) bag baby romaine or baby arugula (10 cups looseley packed) I used regular Romaine

Directions:

Cook garlic in 1/4 cup oil in a 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, stirring until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Coarsely cut up tomatoes in can with kitchen shears, then add ( with juice) to garlic in oil. Stir in broth, beans, ham, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer , uncovered , 5 minutes. Stir in greens and cook until wilted, 3 minutes for Romaine, 1 minute for arugula.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Quick Kitchen Jan 2007

Pretty colors, healthy beans and veggies, great flavor. You can serve this stew with some toasts, baguettes. YUMMM. Drizzle with little bit 1/2 tablespoon olive oil right before serving. My FFH declared this better than my escarole and beans soup. That's kinda high praise for me, 'cus he does so enjoy that one.

If you have any favorite quick stews/soups, I'd love to hear about them. Pretty please.

Chipper Pumpkin Loaf

This bread is wonderfully seasonal and magically delicious.. Come each Fall, this is one item you will look forward to baking for family and friends. It looks gorgeous, smells tantalizing, and is bursting with flavor. Even my 4 children, who are all under 10, enjoy it!

Lest you think it is a kid-only type bread/cake, rest assured, my husbands co-workers,the firefighters of Elizabeth, NJ, have also declared this a winner. If it meets their approval, you know it's gotta be worth a shot!!

Chipper Pumpkin Loaf

Makes 1 loaf or 3 mini loaves

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves(I omitted)
• 1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter-at room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup cooked pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used semisweet)
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• **Glaze

Preheat oven to 350.Grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar and then blend in the eggs. Add dry ingredients alternately with the pumpkin, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Stir in chocolate chips and half the nuts.

Turn into loaf pan and sprinkle with remaining nuts. Bake about 70 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and drizzle with the yummy glaze! Let stand about 6 hours before slicing.

***Glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk (I actually used almost 2 tablespoons to get the desired consistency)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine ingredients and beat well. Drizzle the glaze back and forth over the loaf, making sure it trails down the sides too!

This is a perfect addition to Holiday trays. They also make adorable mini loaves, so pretty and festive.

Please excuse the quality of the picture; my photography is a work in progress also.

Smoked Paprika Flank Steak With Basil Butter

Have you used this spice yet? I found this recipe looking through barefoot contessa proboards , and it called to me, "Donna, try this one!" I had most of the ingredients on hand, but for the smoked paprika, I had regular paprika, but I just knew the smoked would make a difference. Gosh, darn it, I was right!

The beauty of this dish is that you can grill it inside or out, so you may have it in the warmer or cooler months. We, my family of 6, enjoyed this immensely and it was declared a "keeper" by my FFH (Firefighterhusband).

Smoked Paprika Flank Steak with Basil Butter

• 1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar ( I used balsamic)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 recipe Basil Butter

1. Trim fat from steak. Score both sides of steak in a diamond pattern, making shallow diagonal cuts at 1 inch intervals. Place steak in resealable bag and set in a shallow dish.

2. For marinade, combine vinegar, oil, smoked paprika, and salt. Pour marinade over steak; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 4-24 hours. (I did 24) Turn the bag occasionally. Drain steak, but reserve that marinade!!!

3. For a charcoal grill, grill steak on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 17-21 minutes for medium doneness (160 degrees), turning once and brushing with reserved marinade halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place steak on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) You can adapt to grill pan following same method.

4.Thinly slice the steak diagonally across the grain. Immediately top steak slices with slices of basil butter. Makes about 6 servings.

Here is my FFH slicing the meat diagonally: Look at the anticipatory joy on his face.

Here is a closeup of his hands... I mean the meat:

Meat topped with basil butter that is just waiting to be slathered on top and all over, in between each slice, into every nook and cranny and crevice. I mean, can you tell how important the basil butter is to this recipe, IMHO.

To Make the Bodacious Basil Butter:

In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 tablespoons freshly snipped basil, 1 clove garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon dijon syle mustard; 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika;and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Shape mixture into 1 1/2 inch diameter log and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for up to 48 hours. Let sit at room temp 20 minutes before serving.

This is what my basil butter looked like:

And finally both together: Remember, however, how very important it is to let this butter seep and melt into the meat, it really makes a difference.

Fresh herb, butter, wonderful smoky flavor, yes, we declared it a keeper.

My VERY First Post!

Welcome to My Tasty Treasures!! My name is Donna and, like most of you who are reading this, I love to cook, bake, and constantly try new recipes. I am happy to have a place to organize my recipes and share all of my dishes with you. Mainly, I cook from cookbooks, magazines, and Food TV. On occasion, I will be posting my own, my families, or my friends creations. My husband is a firefighter so I would also like to include some of his specialties as well. It would thrill me to hear about your favorites!!! So, please take a minute, introduce yourselves, and let me know your favorite dish and its source. New to blogging, so have pity and be patient with me. I hope you come back and visit often. Thank you! Just for future reference, Donna-FFW means FireFightersWife:)