South Western Quinoa Salad

The good people at Red Pack tomaotes contacted me and sent me some of there wonderful canned tomatoes. This recipe is slightly adapted from Red Pack's recipe.  Visit there website for more delicious recipes and pcik up a can and make some of these fresh delicious salads!

South Western Quinoa Salad
Recipe courtesy of Red Pack Tomatoes

1 cup quinoa cooked
1 – 14 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 – 14 ounce can corn, drained
1- can Red Pack Tomatoes
1/2 of a large red bell pepper
4 green onions, sliced thinly
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Juice from 2 limes
3 tablespoons barbeque sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
for bonus flavor and added heat add a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne or a chopped pickled jalapeno

In a small bowl whisk together limes, olive oil, garlic powder, barbeque sauce, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Combine cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, green onions,  and cilantro.  Mix in the dressing.  Serve with cilantro sprinkled over top and some lime wedges.

Camponata on Quinoa

The good people at Red Pack Tomatoes sent me some of their delicious tomatoes.  I had to make this quinoa and camponata dish with the tomatoes.
With summer coming and so many delicious vegetables coming, this is a recipe that will use a lot of them and is sure to please.  Whether you serve it like a bruchetta or over quinoa it is very flavorful and delicious.


Camponata

2 tablespoons plus two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 3/4-inch dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 rib celery, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup  minced fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
1- 15 ounce can Red Pack Petite Diced Tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Sauté onion, celery and red pepper in oil.  Add in eggplant and the extra oil.  Continue cooking until eggplant is tender.  Add in garlic, salt and pepper, mint, parsley, cinnamon, raisins, tomatoes. capers, sugar and vinegars. Cook on a gentle simmer for about 20 minutes, uncovered.  Remove from heat.  Best if made a day in advance, flavors will marry.

Bolognese Sauce

I have never made or tried Bolognese Sauce.  I had to try this.  Delicious.  It's really a lot like a chili... an Italian chili.  A big hit with my daughter and husband.

Now, to give the winner of the Red Pack Tomato Package.

UPDATE


Lisa is the winner!

Sorry Lisa- you are a no reply blogger.  I left a comment on your blog and still have not received an email.  We have moved on to the secondary winner.

Joan Kubes


You have forty eight hours to send me an email so that we have your email address to get in contact with you. Please send me an email at Lorilipsmackerz@gmail.com.

For more chances to win.  Go to the Red Pack Facebook page and like them for a chance to win some major prizes:

Please tell them that I sent you by using this link http://bit.ly/1EMSfCv

Bolognese Sauce

1⁄4 cup dried Shitake mushrooms
3 slices white bread
1 cup whole milk
3 lb. ground beef chuck, at room temperature
2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1⁄2 lb.bacon, coarsely chopped
1 cup finely chopped Baby Bella mushrooms
2 cups finely chopped carrots (about 4 medium)
1 cup finely chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
1 cup finely chopped red onions (about 1 small)
1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 small can Red Pack tomato paste
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine
3⁄4 cup canned Red Pack diced tomatoes, with juice
1⁄2 cup water
2 Tbs. minced rosemary leaves
1 lb. spaghetti, cooked according to the package directions


Add the dried mushrooms to a small bowl and cover with very hot water; let sit for 15 minutes, then drain and finely chop. In a large bowl, mash the bread and milk together until a smooth paste forms. Gently knead in the raw beef, salt, and pepper.  Mix thoroughly.

Cook the bacon and sauté until browned, about 8 minutes. Pour off the fat, reserving a few tablespoons. Add the meat mixture, and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the drained, dried mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and nutmeg. Sauté until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and flour, and cook until the flour is no longer visible, no more than 1 minute. With the pan off the heat, carefully add the wine. Then return the pan to high heat and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any food bits. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and stock, and cook for another minute. Pour into the slow cooker.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low until the meat has cooked through and the sauce is aromatic and very flavorful, about 6 hours. Spoon the fat off the surface, stir in the rosemary, break up any large pieces of meat with a fork, and serve with pasta.

Pasta e Fagioli

The kind folks at Red Pack offered to give me this lovely tomato package in exchange for a recipe featuring their tomatoes.  Let, me think about that (no time passage)- Yes! I definitely like their product so that was kind of a no brainer.

I used the tomato paste for my sauce.  I use tomato paste all the time for many things. Making dressings for salads, thickening sauce, add to soup, add to bean dishes...  One of my favorite ways that I use paste is to make pizza sauce. To make the pizza sauce, mix tomato paste with an equal 1 -2 cans of water, along with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of sugar (as my kids and husband like a sweet sauce) and 1 teaspoon oregano. Easy peasy.  The first time I made pizza this way, they said, Wow! Love the sauce. 

Then I made pasta e fagioli- a souped up variety with more veggies that I usually put in.  Amazing! It turned out delicious.

Okay, in my case- just Fagioli.  But for the rest of the clan, they had the combo.

Pasta e Fagioli


1 fennel bulb, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, quartered then halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (29 ounce) can Red Pack Crushed Tomatoes
1 (29 ounce) can Red Pack Diced Tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans
grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese for serving in bowls

1 pound ditalini pasta

Sauté garlic, fennel and onion in olive oil until lightly golden.  Pour into crockpot.  Pour both cans of tomatoes, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, cannelini beans, garbanzo beans.  Heat on low in crockpot for 4 to six hours.  Right before serving cook pasta in water, drain, then combine with pasta.  Serve in bowls and sprinkle with parmesan or asiago.

Creamy Chipotle Salad

Regarding tomatoes, I think we all agree that summer tomatoes are the bomb.  But when you can not get good summer tomatoes what is the next best thing? Canned tomatoes.  They are processed at their peek in the summer months.

Tomatoes have so many good things for you. "Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. In addition, tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together (aggregation) of platelet cells in the blood - a factor that is especially important in lowering risk of heart problems like atherosclerosis." (The Worlds Healthiest Foods)

Tomatoes are high in Vitamin C.

"Alpha-lipoic acid helps the body to convert glucose into energy. Some evidence suggests that alpha-lipoic acid can aid in blood glucose control, improve vasodilation and protect against retinopathy in diabetic patients and may even help preserve brain and nerve tissue.^{" (Medical News Today)}

"Tomatoes beautify the skin and may even prevent sunburn: Want gorgeous skin? You’re in luck—lycopene boosts pro-collagen, the molecule that keeps your skin firm and youthful looking.
The same molecule may also help prevent sunburn. A small study showed that women who ate 55 grams of tomato paste each day had a 33 percent increase in skin protection against ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Although more research on a larger group of people is needed, and diet is not a substitute for sunscreen, it’s very possible that tomatoes offer some protection against sunburn. (Yahoo Health)

Click on any of the sources I quoted to learn more about how tomatoes help you. Canned, paste, ketchup, fresh from the garden, however you can get in your tomatoes- do it!

CREAMY CHIPOTLE SALAD

1 Chipotle Lime Chicken Sausage, browned in a skillet

6 black olives
4 radishes, sliced
1/2 avocado, sliced
2 1/2 cups mixed greens
Red Pack Petite tomatoes
1 tablespoon lemon juice

dressing:
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle
s and p to taste

While you are browning your sausage, gather your ingredients.  Toss together the salad. Slice up the sausage into bite size pieces. Drizzle a couple tablespoons of the dressing and then squeeze on some lemon juice over top (or a lime).

full disclosure: I was contacted by a representative from Red Pack and asked to feature a recipe using Red Pack.  They sent me some products (shown above).  I gladly agreed because I do like Red Pack tomatoes ;)