Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

Recipe: Fall salad with cranberry vinaigrette

6 Servings

Dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh cranberries

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons water

Salad:

Mixed greens

Blue cheese crumbles

Walnuts

Granny smith apple slices tossed with cinnamon and sugar

Thinly sliced red onion

- Mix salad dressing ingredients in a blender.

- After dressing is blended well, toss with mixed greens in large bowl.

- Top with blue cheese, walnuts, apple slices and onion.

- Serve with lightly toasted baguette.

- From Paul Vella, Paul's Philadelphia Eatery

Italian wedding soup

6 servings

1 quart chicken stock (store-bought or made from scratch)

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

Salt, pepper and garlic to taste

1/2 pound cooked pulled chicken

1/4 pound fresh or frozen escarole (may substitute spinach)

1/2 pound small meatballs (See recipe below.)

2 cups cooked white rice

- Bring chicken stock, vegetables and seasoning to a simmer.

- Add chicken, escarole and meatballs.

- Simmer for up to 2 hours.

The longer it simmers, the better the flavors blend, but it can be ready to serve in 30 minutes.

- Add cooked rice just before serving.

- From Paul Vella, Paul's Philadelphia Eatery

Small meatballs

For Italian wedding soup

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 pound ground beef

3 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs

1 egg

1/8 cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

- Combine ingredients. Form the mixture into small meatballs.

- Cook in saute pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

- Add to soup.

- From Paul Vella, Paul's Philadelphia Eatery

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