Staff and Reader Recipes

Getting tired of the green bean casserole for Thanksgiving or want to try a new dish for the holiday party? Tysons Magazine readers and staff have a few recipes that are sure to please.

Nita’s Shrimpy Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup half and half
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 8 ounces linguine

Directions:

1. Cut shrimp into 3 or 4 pieces depending on their size and combine in a bowl with lemon juice.
2. In a sauté pan sauté chopped garlic in olive oil until fragrant.  Do not allow the garlic to brown.
3. Drain and discard lemon juice from the shrimp and add the shrimp and oregano to the olive oil.  Sauté only til shrimp turns pink and season with salt and pepper.
4. Add chopped parsley and continue to sauté for 10 seconds.
5. Add half and half and heat through but do not allow the sauce to boil.
6. Cook the pasta in plenty of well-salted water until just al dente. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water.  Drain pasta and add to the sauce in the sauté pan.  Toss the pasta in the sauce adding some of the reserved cooking water as necessary.  Serve in heated pasta bowls.

Serves 2

Nita Rossetti Laskey, Burke

Asiago & Sundried TomatoTurkey Meatballs with Garlic Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried minced onion
• salt and pepper to taste
• (10) 1/3” cubes of asiago cheese
• 2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil.

Directions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients except the cheese in a mixing bowl just until blended. Form meatballs by hand around  each chunk of cheese.
2. Brown meatballs in oil using tongs until just golden and finish off on a baking tray for 8 minutes in a 350º oven.

Makes 9-10 large meatballs

Garlic Yogurt Dip

Mix the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 3 Tbsp Mayonnaise
• 1/8 cup of fresh dill
• 1 Tbsp horseradish cream sauce
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• salt to taste

Mary Jeanne Cincotta, Herndon

Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with a Fig Glaze

Try this delicious meal for a Holiday gathering or simply date night at home. The combination of sweet, salty and savory is sure to please!

Ingredients:

• 2 pork tenderloin
• 10-12 pieces prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 450 degrees
2. Combine the fresh rosemary, sea salt and pepper.
3. With a paper towel, pat the tenderloin until dry.
4. Brush the tenderloin with the olive oil and sprinkle with the herb mixture
5. Wrap the tenderloin with the prosciutto seam side down. If you have kitchen twine, it is helpful to loosely tie the prosciutto onto the meat to hold it in place.
6. Place tenderloin onto baking sheet and place in oven for approximately 20-25 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads between 140-145 degrees.
7. Remove from oven and place aluminum foil snuggly around. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing into medallions.
8. Meanwhile, make the glaze.

Fig Glaze

Ingredients:

• Scrapings from the pan of the tenderloin
• 1 cup chicken stock
• freshly cracked pepper
• 3 Tablespoons Fig jam
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

1. In a skillet or sauce pan combine all of the ingredients above except the butter.
2. Over high heat let the mixture thicken and reduce by half. Remove from heat. Whisk in the butter.
3. Once the pork is sliced into medallions, spoon the glaze over top. Serve.

Serves 6 to 8

Melissa McKee, Culinaria Cooking School, Vienna

Butternut Squash Soup with Fall Mushrooms

(Adapted from Jean-Georges Vongerichten)

Ingredients for the soup:

• 2 pounds butternut squash, seeded, and cut into chunks away from the rind
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 ¼ cup crème fraiche
• 2 Tbsps butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sherry (optional)
• Ingredients for the garnish:
• 2 cups black trumpet or shiitake mushrooms, washed
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp chives “batonnet” (sticks), chopped

Directions:

1. In a large pot, combine the squash and stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the squash is very tender. Let cool. Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender or food processor. (You may prepare the recipe in advance up to this point; refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days.)
2. Return the puree to the pot over medium-low heat, and add the crème fraiche and butter. Cook, stirring, until heated through (do not boil). Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
3. Meanwhile, to prepare the garnish, sauté shallots in butter for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for about 3-5 minutes, until the mushrooms start to brown slightly.
4. To serve, pour the soup into bowls and garnish with the mushrooms. Sprinkle with chives. Enjoy!

Makes about 4 servings

Lisa Shapiro

Mom’s Candied Yams

Ingredients:

• 1 medium yam or sweet potato
     per person
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. Par-boil the yams until almost tender but not quite done. Let cool.
2. Peel the yams and cut crossways in slices about 1-inch think.
3. Use skillet, put in a stick of butter with about 3/4 cup brown sugar and let them mix over medium heat.
4. Place some of the yam rounds in and periodically flip them until they become golden and sticky on both sides. Take those out and put in more. Repeat. More butter or sugar may have to be added if brown sugar caramelizes.
5. My mother was from North Carolina, and this is her amazing recipe for true “candied” yams—there were never any leftovers.

Janice Adamshick, McLean

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Bisque

Ingredients:

• 1-2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1” cubes
• 2 Bosc Pears, cored and sliced
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only,  cleaned and sliced
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• sea salt and freshly grated pepper
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Toss the squash with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Layer the squash onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
4. Add the leeks and pears to the baking dish and return to the oven for 30 more minutes.
5. In a pot combine the stock and white wine. Add the squash and pear mixture. Heat thoroughly. Add the cream.
6. Puree in a blender and strain (optional).
7. *Serve garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream and fresh pomegranate seeds.
8. Serves 6 to 8

Choctaw Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup half & half
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 6 tbsp butter or margarine
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups fresh corn (frozen white corn also works very well)
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tbsp firmly pack brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine beaten eggs, half & half, and baking powder, stirring well. Set aside.
2. Melt 6 tbsp butter or margarine in a large saucepan over low heat; add 2 tbsp sugar and flour, stirriing until smooth. Remove from heat; gradually add egg mixture, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until smooth. Add corn
   and stir well.
3. Pour corn mixture into a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until pudding is set. Remove from oven, and drizzle 2 tbsp of melted butter over pudding. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over pudding. Bake an additional 3-5 minutes or until sugar melts.

Serves 6

I have been making this corn pudding for the holidays for over 20 years, and everyone loves it!

Janice Adamshick, McLean

Sweet Potato Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 can sliced Peaches, drained
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup ground Walnuts
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 4 medium Sweet Potatoes, cooked and sliced
• 2 TBS. Butter

Directions:

1. Spray casserole with Pam. In small mixing bowl, blend sugar, nuts and salt. In casserole, arrange in alternate layers: sweet potatoes, peaches, brown sugar. Repeat layers until casserole is full and dot with margarine.
2. Bake covered in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 10 minutes. Garnish with peach slices and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

A wonderful recipe for the upcoming holidays. Enjoy!

Germaine Knowlan, Vienna