Roasted Corn Bacon and Shrimp Chowder

Soup. How do I love thee....

I was hopping around visiting some of my favorite blogs the other day and I ran across a fantastic corn chowder over at Teresa's delicious blog and I knew I just had to give it a whirl. My daughter took one look and agreed wholeheartedly.

I decided to roast my corn and I tossed in a few potatoes as well. I also garnished my chowder with some roasted red peppers and scallions. I love the way this chowder came out and will most definitely be making it again soon. Thanks for the inspiration, Teresa! :)

Roasted Corn Bacon and Shrimp Chowder
by theUngourmet~ inspired by Teresa at A Blog About Food

serves about 6

Print recipe

3 cups fresh corn
2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp olive oil
4 pieces of bacon, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
32 oz box chicken stock
2 tbsp butter
4 cups peeled diced potatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 lb deveined shrimp
2 cups half and half or cream
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Garnish
roasted red pepper, diced
scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425. Toss corn in 2 tbsp olive oil and spread on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment. Roast for about 15 minutes or until it begins to brown.

In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, saute the bacon and onion until bacon is crisp. Add the chicken stock, butter, corn, potatoes and herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Remove 1/2 of chowder and place in a blender. Blend with center of lid removed, placing a paper towel over hole to avoid hot liquid splatter. Return blended chowder to pot. Add the shrimp, half and half, salt and cracked pepper. Simmer another 5-7 minutes until shrimp is cooked through.

Garnish with roasted pepper and scallions.

Have a fantastic week!




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Stromboli...and a winner!

I've been thinking of making stromboli for a week now. We learned to make it at the baker's conference I recently had the privilege to attend. Then we baked up a few for lunch at work this past week. Yesterday I finally got it together and made some in my own kitchen.



I used a bun dough recipe this time but in the kitchen at work we used a pizza dough. Either one works just dandy. When your dough is ready, roll it out into a square-ish shape and top like you would a pizza.



Then gently roll it up jelly roll style sealing it with an egg wash. Poke holes in the top of your roll to vent. Spray lightly with oil. Let it rest for a good half hour-forty-five minutes.



Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. If it starts too get too dark too fast, turn the oven down to 375. The internal temperature should reach around 200 degrees. Place on a wire rack and allow stromboli to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife.



My daughter helped me with the stuffing of this fantastic yumminess. We used tomato paste, basil, garlic, salami, mini pepperoni, mushrooms, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, salt and cracked black pepper. We sprinkled shredded parmesan and kosher salt over the outside.

This is a nice change from ordinary pizza. You can easily mix and match stuffing ingredients. I wouldn't use anything too wet or it may end up falling apart.

Have you ever made stromboli? What do you like to stuff inside?

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I also wanted to announce my winner of the Strawberry Cookbook. Joanne from Eats Well with Others, you are lucky number 10...and you are a 10! tee hee. Be sure to check out Joanne's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes...They are downright dangerous!


Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! :)





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Spring Millet Salad...and a fabulous giveaway!

I truly live in the land that spring forgot! Today we reached a high of 45 degrees. I don't believe March or April have seen a single day without rain. It's so miserable I've resorted to a few fake and bake sessions just to keep my spirits up.

Since I haven't figured out how to change the weather to suit my fancy, I decided to bring a little "Spring" to the dinner table. The veggies in this salad add a nice pop of color and the goat cheese and prosciutto are fabulously salty and bold and add a great dimension of flavor. The millet was easy to work with and was a nice break from rice or couscous. I love that it's gluten free as well!

Spring Millet Salad
by theUngourmet

Serves six or more

Print recipe

1 cup uncooked millet
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
4-5 slices of prosciutto, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp canola oil
4 oz crumbled goat cheese
1 1/2 cups 365 Everyday Value frozen peas and carrots, thawed
thinly sliced chives for garnish
salt and cracked pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan bring stock to a boil. Add millet and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Place in a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. While millet is cooking, heat oil in a small skillet and cook prosciutto until crisp.

Add the prosciutto to the millet and toss. Add the goat cheese and veggies and give it another toss. Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with chives. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

This is such a lovely salad. I'm thinking it will be a perfect Easter dinner side dish. :) Mmm. Bring on the ham and deviled eggs!

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Now on to an exciting giveaway!



Lisa at the Nourishing Homemaker has generously supplied me with a sample of her wonderful lotion bar and has allowed me to give another bar away to one lucky reader as well. Lisa created her lotion bars in an attempt to help her son with his severe eczema. The results were greater than they could have imagined.

My husband suffers from skin rashes on his torso that worsens in the wintertime. The doctors have prescribed many creams and ointments but nothing seems to do the trick. My son also has cracked itchy skin behind his ears and we've tried everything under the sun to get it to heal. Today I applied Nourished Skin to my son's ears twice and I was pleased to find that it didn't sting like most other treatments have. My son says it feels really soothing and he loves the scent the beeswax brings. I've also been applying it to my dry heels and then putting on nice thick socks before bed. It's making my feet quite happy! I have a great feeling about Lisa's lotion bar. The price of the bars is so reasonable and a little goes a long way.

Hop on over and visit Lisa's Etsy shop and her wonderful blog. Then leave me a comment and let me know you'd like to win a bar of Nourished Skin. I'll pick one winner randomly on Sunday night.

Happy Spring!






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Mushrooms Carmelized Onion Broccoli and Cannellini Beans over Gluten Free Pasta

In the not so distant past, the only way I truly enjoyed onions was in the breaded and deep fried form. Lately I've found myself completely digging onions. I'm enjoying them in sandwiches, salads, breads... I'm loving red, yellow, white. Hot, mild, sweet. Bring on the onion! I only wish my husband would join my little onion club because right now I have to cook my onions ahead of time and then add them back into my portion of the meal. Come on man, get on board my onion boat! ;D


This is a delicious way to enjoy your onions. Caramelized and tossed with mushrooms, broccoli, cannellini beans, garlic, thyme and a splash of Balsamic. Heavenly!

Mushrooms Caramelized Onion Broccoli and Cannellini Beans
over Gluten Free Pasta
by theUngourmet

Serves 4

Print recipe

1 lb Gluten-Free Pasta, cook as directed on box (I used a Quinoa Corn pasta)
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1 small onion, thinly sliced
8 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup Whole Foods 365 frozen broccoli florets, slightly thawed
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp dried thyme
kosher salt to taste
1 tsp dried thyme
Splash of Balsamic

In a large skillet, heat Earth Balance over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it reaches a light caramel color, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli, beans, thyme and salt. Cook until beans and broccoli are heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add a splash or two of Balsamic vinegar. Toss. Serve over pasta. Dig in!!

I don't know about you but I like to add a bit of kosher salt throughout the cooking process. Just be careful not to over salt!

I recently had the opportunity to sample several frozen fruits and veggies from Whole Foods 365 line. The broccoli in this recipe is from 365 and it was so fantastic! It was vivid green and had a wonderful flavor and texture. The price was so reasonable too, which is great during these penny pinching times we are living in.

Stay tuned for my official 365 post. I'll be putting together a wonderful spring millet salad. Perfect for Easter!

Happy Friday!






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Lentils and Mushrooms with Dijon, Herbs and White Wine over Wilted Arugula

Growing up (more times than not) lunch meant a sandwich and chips. I've carried this tradition into my adult life. Now that I am working to kick my gluten intake, finding new and fresh ideas for lunch has been a bit of a challenge for me. I've switched to corn tortillas for wraps. The texture isn't quite as nice as flour but I'm getting used to it. Today I was craving something fresh and light for lunch...something with mushrooms and lentils and arugula. Something with a nice pop of flavor and texture. I ended up with this dish and boy did it ever hit the spot!

Lentils and Mushrooms with Dijon, Herbs and White Wine
over Wilted Arugula
by theUngourmet

Serves 2

Print recipe

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup cooked french lentils
1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
1/4 tsp dried rosemary or thyme
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine
kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups arugula

In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute the garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the lentils, mushrooms and herbs. Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Stir in the dijon, white wine, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan. Set aside. Add the tsp of olive oil. Add the arugula to the pan and toss for about 30 seconds. Remove from pan. Arrange arugula on plate and top with lentil mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.

If you are suffering from the sandwich for lunch rut, I encourage you to take a break from the ordinary and give this simple yet delicious recipe a try! ;) I know you'll love it!

Happy Weekend to you!






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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili

It's fairly common to find a recipe that includes chicken or turkey or a nice meatless meal gracing our dinner table. If I had my way we would have a whole lot more meatless meals at dinner time. Unfortunately, the rest of my family is less than thrilled with my "Let's go vegetarian!" dreams. Darn! And so I find myself on the fence once again. I ran across this rich and hearty pulled pork chili recipe and I surrendered. I admit it, I'm weak and completely lacking in self control. ;D



Honestly, I think I liked the flavor of this chili more than the rest of the crew. It has a hint of sweet smokiness. It's rich and full of marvelous flavor.

I'm still all for adding more meatless meals to our diets. I believe limiting meat is healthier and every bit as satisfying. Balance. It's all about balance.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chili
by theUngourmet -inspired by fabulous foods

serves 6

Print recipe

1 lb boneless pork loin
1 can black beans, undrained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 cup medium salsa with cilantro
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup corn

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker. Give it a good stir. Cook on High 5-6 hours or on low 7-8 hours. Using two forks, shred pork.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream...and cilantro if you have it.

Thank the Lord for slow cookers!!

Happy Friday everyone. Thanks for visiting me today! ;)






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cast iron pizza with spinach mushrooms and chicken sausage

Pizza can be just as romantic as chocolate and roses....right?!

I was flipping through an issue of Vegetarian Times from February 2009 and I spotted a recipe for deep dish pizza cooked in a cast iron skillet. Well, I love cooking in my cast iron skillet and I never can resist a good pizza so I couldn't wait to give it a go.

The original recipe called for a yummy mix of feta, kale, Neufchatel cheese, fennel, garlic, fresh oregano and tomato. I would have loved every bite of the original pizza but I knew my family might be a little less enthusiastic so I went a little more mainstream with the ingredient list. My deep dish pizza was topped with a tomato basil sauce, an Italian cheese blend, basil oregano, spinach, mushrooms and mild Italian chicken sausage.

I've been trying to cut my meat intake and up my intake of veggies and whole grains. It's tough when I have a meat lovin' husband in the house. ;) With all of the wonderful vegetarian choices out there these days, the chicken sausage could be easily replaced with a meat free sausage. I bet no one would even notice the difference if the veggie sausage was tucked inside a deep dish pizza. Shhhh. I won't tell!

Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza
by theUngourmet

Print recipe

1 18 oz package of fresh pizza dough (Winco has a fabulous dough made fresh in their bakery)
3 tbsp tomato basil pasta sauce
1/4 lb Italian chicken sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (Trader Joe's has a great one!)
Fresh or dried basil and oregano, season to taste
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 475. Oil bottom and sides of a 12" cast iron skillet with olive oil. With floured hands pat and stretch dough over bottom and half way up sides of skillet. Let dough rest for 5 minutes. Evenly spread sauce over dough. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheese. Evenly spread the sausage, spinach and mushrooms over the cheese. Top with remaining cheese. Season with basil, oregano and kosher salt.

Place on lowest rack and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is browned and crisp. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing.

Happy Valentine's Day!






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spicy black bean dip

I know what you're thinking, Superbowl is over and done with. Christina flubbed up, Fergie wasn't completely on her game, the pint sized Darth Vader and etrade baby commercials stole the show and Green Bay kicked butt. I have to say, this dip kicked butt too! I ran to the store during the pregame show and grabbed my ingredients, mixed 'em up and tossed them into a baking dish. Into the oven it went for thirty minutes and was ready to go by kick off time.

It was spicy and cheesy and completely addictive. I had to be careful not to eat the whole thing all by myself! This dip would be just as great wrapped up in tortillas for a quick and easy dinner.

Hope you all enjoyed the big game. Have a great week!

Spicy Black Bean Dip
by theUngourmet

Print recipe

1 14 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup canned corn
1 can Rotel diced tomato with green chilies
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup shredded jack cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar

tortilla chips for dipping

Place the black beans into a medium bowl. Mash 1/2 the beans with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour into a baking dish. Top with a little more shredded cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

PS- Don't forget to get in on my fun giveaway!!






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spaghetti casserole

See I told you I was on a casserole kick! I can't believe in all of my years in the kitchen I've never whipped up a spaghetti casserole! It super easy! I love the way the noodles hold together when you cut into the casserole. It's spaghetti....only better. ;)



I've been using Eat at Home's wonderful weekly menu plans the past couple of weeks and baked spaghetti was on the list. I changed things around a bit for my casserole. I replace the ground beef with ground turkey, switched the spaghetti out for whole grain thin spaghetti, I used a large can of pasta sauce instead of a mixture of tomato and pasta sauces. I also used a little grated parmesan along with the mozzerella.

This was such a hit at my house! Hope you'll give it a try soon.

Spaghetti Casserole
by theUngourmet ~inspired by Eat at Home

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp minced dried onion
1 tsp dried basil
1 26 oz jar or can of pasta sauce
8 oz of whole grain thin spaghetti, cooked according to directions
2 cups shredded mozzerella
1/2 cup grated parmesan
dried basil

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the ground turkey, garlic, onion and basil. Stir in the sauce and pasta. Spread evenly into a deep dish 9 inch casserole dish. Top with cheeses and sprinkle with a bit of basil.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread and a nice green salad.

Print recipe

Have a great Thursday everyone!





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easy (almost) veggie casserole

I have been on a bit of a casserole kick lately. One of my favorite things about casseroles is the easy clean up. Dinner sometimes means every pot and pan in my kitchen ends up in the sink and I spend way too much time cleaning up and not enough time playing on my laptop. hee hee! I found this recipe over at Weelicious. If you aren't familiar with Weelicious, you really should jump on over and check it out. It is packed with kid friendly meal ideas, including a ton of fantastic and healthy bento-ish lunch ideas for kids.

The original recipe is vegetarian but I decided to add a little ground turkey, some minced garlic and parsley. This casserole was easy and delicious...my son even asked for seconds! I'll definitely be adding this to our list of weekly dinner ideas.

Veggie Casserole (with ground turkey)

adapted from Weelicious

Serves 4-6

1 tbsp canola oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp minced dried onion
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 cups cooked brown rice (Trader Joe's sells a pre-cooked brown rice in their frozen section... so handy!)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (We love Tillamook brand)
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray oil a 9" baking dish

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion for about 1 minute. Add the ground turkey. Break up turkey and cook completely. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Stir in the broccoli, corn, rice, cheese and turkey, parsely, salt and pepper. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 40 minutes or until set.

Print recipe

Serve with a nice green salad.

Hope you all have a fantastic week and thanks so much for stopping by. ;)






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easy chicken stew with herbed dumplings

What to do with leftover rotisserie chicken?? Throw together a nice comforting pot of chicken stew with dumplings, of course! This recipe is so versatile, you can throw in any combination of veggies you have on hand. I happened to have potatoes, carrots and peas. You can also throw in onion, corn...even broccoli, whatever floats your boat, really. The dumplings are super easy, too. I added dill to mine but you can use thyme, rosemary, basil...

This recipe is very adapted from a cool blog I discovered over my weekend called Po' Man's Meals. You should check it out, it has so many money saving recipes and tips.

Easy Chicken Stew with Herbed Dumplings
by theUngourmet ~inspired by Po' Man's Meals

3 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
3 large carrots, diced
1 large potato, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried parsley
1/3 cup flour
1 qt chicken stock
3 cups roughly chopped rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 tsp dried dill
1/2 package buttermilk ranch dressing mix (about 1 tbsp and organic if possible)
3/4 cup flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
cracked pepper
1/2 cup milk

In a large stock pot over medium heat, add butter, garlic, carrots, potato, bay leaf and parsley. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Add the 1/3 cup flour, stir until vegetables are evenly coated. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, combine dill (or other dried herb), dressing mix, 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Stir until combined. Drop tablespoons of dumpling batter into the pot, spacing evenly. Cover pot tightly and reduce heat to low, steam dumplings for 20 minutes. Add the peas and cook about 3 minutes until heated.

Print recipe

Yum! Such a cozy meal. Eat a big bowl in front of a warm fire with a nice glass of wine. A perfect end to a cold winter day!

Stay tuned for a yummy Orange Poppyseed Scone recipe! :0)






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asian turkey meatball subs with zippy ginger lime cilantro mayo

When life gets way too busy I find myself lacking in creative juices when it comes to dinner. Our family eats in nearly every night and some nights there just isn't a darn thing that sounds good to me. Just when I'm about to give up and order a way too expensive, mediocre pizza, I run across a recipe that fills me with glee.


I hopped over to Gina's place and these Asian turkey meatballs caught my eye immediately. Gina served her meatballs over brown rice but I decided a sub with a little zippy mayo was more up my alley so...

Asian Turkey Meatballs Subs
adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 1/4 lb ground turkey (not turkey breast)
1 egg
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Hoagie or Sub rolls
2 cups cabbage, shredded

*Zippy Mayo

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil and lightly spray oil.

Mix all ingredients until well combined and form into 12 evenly sized meatballs. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through. While meatballs are baking, stir fry the cabbage in 1 tbs of canola oil until tender crisp.

*Zippy Ginger Lime Cilantro Mayo
by theUngourmet

1/3 cup light mayo
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp chili oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp grated lime zest
juice from 1/2 small lime
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
pinch of kosher salt

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until subs are ready to assemble.

Place 3 meatballs onto toasted sub rolls. Top with mayo and stir fried cabbage. Serve immediately.

Print recipe

These subs are rockin'! Give 'em a try soon!

Have a wonderful Thursday, friends. Thank you for stopping by!






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coconut curry butternut squash soup

Have I mentioned how much I hate the cold? The shivering. The shaking. The numb hands, feet and nose. The dry skin. I could go on and on. In fact, each time my not so dear friend January rolls into town, she puts me in the mood for a little hibernation. If I could I would stay snuggled up near a cozy fire with my laptop...and maybe a few good books for the entire month.


One thing that helps me to keep on moving despite the cold is a nice warm bowl of soup. I warms my nose. It warms me clear down to my toes. I've said it before, it warms my very soul! ;)

This is my first butternut squash soup. I thought a bit of curry and coconut milk would be nice with the squash...and was it ever! I couldn't get enough of this one. It's quite satisfying served on its own but you could pair it with a salad and bread if you wish. You could also serve it over brown rice for a heartier meal.

Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup
by theUngourmet

1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 15 oz cans chicken or vegetable broth
*3 cups roasted butternut squash puree
1 15 oz can coconut milk
2 tsp sweet curry
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

In an 8 qt stock pot over medium heat, saute the garlic and ginger in the olive oil for about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring just to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and allow soup to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

*To roast butternut squash: Carefully cut squash in 1/2 and remove seeds. Drizzle squash with a little olive oil if desired. Place into a 375-400 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until tender. Scoop squash out of skin and place into a food processor to puree, adding a small amount of water if needed.

Print recipe

This is a perfect way to warm up after a long cold winter's day!






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