The Simple Gourmand

Schloppy Joe, Schlop, Schlop, Schloppy Joe

2012-01-09T19:37:00.001-05:00

We needed some comfort food on this cold and dreary night, so I decided on a healthier version of a school cafeteria favorite - Sloppy Joes.

Sloppy Joes
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 lb ground turkey
1 chipotle, diced and 1 tsp adobo sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce
4 Tbsp smokey barbeque sauce

Coat a cast iron skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. When pan is hot, add carrot and celery, saute for 2 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper and saute 4 minutes longer. Add ground turkey and cook, stirring to crumble meat, until browned. Add chipotle and adobo sauce, cook an additional 2 minutes. Add spices and sauces, cook until sauce reduces, about 15 minutes.

Serve on a bun with cole slaw on the side.

Tasty Skinny Margarita

2011-06-18T12:55:00.000-04:00

Have I told you that I love Bethenny Frankel? I think she is hilariously funny and I appreciate her raw honesty. I also think she has one smokin' hot bod! While I don't think her great figure is solely due to her Skinny Girl recipes and products, her marketing approach totally worked on me. So one sunny weekend afternoon I mixed up her recipe for the Skinny Girl Margartia, and much to my disappointment, I thought it was awful (straight tequila with a squeeze of lime - I haven't had a night like that since college)! So awful, in fact, that once her margarita mix made it big, I could not be convinced to buy it. Instead, I decided that I could come up with my own Skinny Margarita recipe. So, you know what? I did, and humbly I must say it is so much better (albeit probably has more calories) than the Skinny Girl Margarita. Sorry Bethenny. I guess ultimately the jokes on me, because she's laughing all the way to the bank!

Skinny Margarita
1 part white Tequila
1/2 part freshly squeezed lime juice
1 part soda water
A splash freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
Crush ice
Salt, if desired

Mix liquids in a cocktail shaker and serve of the crused ice in a salt rimmed glass. Enjoy!

Help a Sister Out & Enter for a $35 Gift Card!

2011-06-15T21:02:00.001-04:00

I know I don't reveal much about my personal life on my blog, but in order for you to understand the plea that follows I am going to open up a bit! For the past 5 years I have spent my life's work focused on students with autism. I am a school psychologist and soon to be Board Certified Behavior Analyst (sat for the exam in May and am on pins and needles waiting for my results), which has allowed me to work with students not only as a diagnostic clinician, but also as a provider of interventions. Therefore, I am often able to follow students from first diagnsosis through several years of treatment. Watching these students blossom is an amazing process and I feel fortunate that I am able to be a part of it!

Now here's where you come in ;) I have a great opportunity for you to support the autism community and help me win an iPad to use with my students. The iPad is not only a fantastic instructional tool for kids who are nonvocal and/or have strengths in visual processing, it also will be invaluable in collecting and graphing data on my students’ academic and behavioral progress. I simply need to sell any combination of 60 of the items pictured below.

How to participate:

• Place an order from the website (http://www.thepuzzlingpiece.com/products.html).

• When you make your purchase you MUST put my first and last name (Heather Langknecht) in the section that says "Challenger's Name", otherwise I won’t receive credit & you won't be entered in the drawing :(

• After you place your order, come back here and post a comment telling me what you ordered and if/how your life has been touched by someone with autism.

• Once I cross-check your name with the orders you will be entered in a drawing for a $35 Amazon gift card (this could turn into a money maker for you!). I will announce the lucky winner on July 15.

The following are the only items from the site that count toward the challenge:

Thank you for your support!

Swiss Chard Tart with Potato Crust

2011-06-12T19:27:00.000-04:00

Had a wonderful weekend despite the hot and humid weather. We went for several runs in the local state park, spent a few hours at the beach, drank some margaritas, and made a couple of trips to various farmers' markets - all in all, an excellent weekend! As a result, I have several new recipes to share with you this week and am starting with this wonderful Swiss Chard Tart from one of my favorite cookbooks, believe I've mentioned it before, Stonewall Kitchen, Harvest. I was able to pick up a beautiful mix of red, pink, and golden yellow Swiss Chard and immediately thought of this recipe - it's quick, easy, beautiful, and it will not disappoint - guaranteed!

Swiss Chard Tart with Potato Crust

Makes 2 tarts; each serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. Swiss chard
1 lg clove garlic, very thinly sliced
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
2 lg high-starch potatoes, unpeeled & scrubbed clean
3 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 heaping C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 lg eggs
2 C ricotta cheese

Trim the stems from the chard, wash the leaves thoroughly, drain and dry. Coarsely chop the chard. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbps of the oil over medium heat. Add half the chard and half the garlic and cook, stirring frequently. As the chard cooks down, add the remaining chard and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring until chard is just tender. Tilt the skillet to the side and blot up any excess liquid with paper towel. Let cool.

To make the crust, slice the potatoes very thinly. It's fine if some of the slices are smaller than others - the important thing is to make them fairly uniform in thickness. Create a thin layer of the potato slices on the bottom of the two pie plates (preferably glass), slightly overlapping them to create a solid bottom "crust." Gently tuck potato slices along the edges to create a border up the sides of the pie plates. When you're done, you should have two solid pie "crusts." Use thin or oddly shaped potato slices to fill in any gaps. Discard the remaining slices. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of the oil over each crust, swirling the pan slightly so the oil spreads between the potato layers and drips to the bottom. Sprinkle each crust with 1/2 tsp of thyme, some salt, and pepper, and a heaping 1/4 C of Parmesan cheese.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl and whisk in the ricotta, the remaining 2 tsp thyme, and the remaining 1/2 C Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooled sauteed chard and mix well. Divide the filling between the two pie crusts and press down lightly.

Bake the tart for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for another 10 minutes. The potato crust should turn brown and crisp, and the filling should feel solid and firm when gently touched with your fingers. Let cool about 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Glorious Garden

2011-06-07T12:36:00.000-04:00

I love my vegetable garden, but sometimes I wonder if the love is reciprocal?! I find few things as frustrating as tending to my garden daily, watching with baited breath for the first crop, only to have my plants ravaged by critters and insects. We moved the garden this year, in large part due to all of the ravaging that took place last summer. Since the move there have been much fewer issues with critters (read: rabbits and river rats), but I still have issues with insects and fungi. I've been using an organic pesticide/fungicide combo, with little success. Case in point - I've been patiently waiting for the past two weeks as the squash plants blossomed and the fruit began to grow, only to go out this morning and find one of the squash is rotting before it's much more than 2.5-3 inches long. What a bummer! I'm holding out hope that this is a small bump in the vegetable patch...keep your fingers crossed that my garden starts to show me some love!

Summer Squash

Japanese Eggplant

Roma Tomatoes

Romaine Lettuce

Roasted Beets and Beet Green Salad

2011-06-03T21:13:00.000-04:00

The farmer's market opened last weekend and I was excited to see they had some fresh beets. I roasted the beets in the oven and wilted the greens for a tasty salad. Yum, yum, delish!

5 medium beets with greens
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced & sauteed with tsp of olive oil
1 C water
1/3 C crumbled feta cheese
1/4 C toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper.

Cut green tops off beets; reserve tops. Arrange beets in single layer in 13x9x2-inch baking dish; add 1 cup water. Cover with foil; bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about 50 minutes. Peel beets while warm. Cut beets in half and slice thinly. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in pine nuts and 1/4 cup dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut stems off beet greens; discard stems. Wash greens. Transfer greens, with some water still clinging to leaves, to large pot. Stir over high heat until just wilted but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain greens; squeeze out excess moisture. Cool; chop coarsely.

Transfer greens to medium bowl. Toss with beets and enough dressing to coat; add feta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fish Tacos

2011-02-27T08:57:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends! I apologize for being MIA! I recently started a second job two-three nights a week, in addition to taking a class one night, and just trying to make it through the week I've had little energy for cooking. Fortunately the freezer was stocked with leftovers and I had lots of fresh fruits and veggies to snack on. This weekend I had a chance to get caught up on some of my magazine reading and decided to make some things in recent editions. This recipe for fish tacos is in the March 2011 copy of Cooking Light - it was delish!

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos

1/4 C reduced-fat sour cream

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped (I used pickled jalapeno)
1 C thinly sliced white onion (I used 1/4 C yellow onion)
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground red pepper (I used Cayenne)
4 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets (I used 2 for 2 people)

1 Tbsp canola oil

8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1/2 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
4 lime wedges (I omitted)

I added the following:

1/4 red bell pepper thinly sliced

1 C shredded cabbage

Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor or blender, process until smooth. Combine sauce and onion in a small bowl.

Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through ground red pepper); sprinkle evenly over fish. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish, onion mixture, avocado, and red pepper, and cabbage (if desired) evenly among tortillas. Serve with lime wedges.

And the Winner Is....

2011-02-10T07:12:00.008-05:00

Commenter #31, Sharon!!

Please respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected. Thank you to all who entered the giveaway. Stay tuned for future opportunities!

Just in time for Valentine's Day another opportunity to win a $35 online gift certificate to CSN Stores. If you don’t already know, CSN stores offer a wonderful online shopping experience where you can browse literally thousands of items at wonderful prices. One lucky follower of The Simple Gourmand will have the opportunity to use the gift certificate at any of the CSN sites. Personally, I have my eye on some of the Modern Bar Stools, Cookware, and Bakeware at AllModern.com, one of the hundreds of CSN Stores. Tell me what you'd spend the CSN gift certificate on and you'll earn an entry in the giveaway (mandatory before other entries count). Earn extra entries by doing the following:

First entry, visit CSN Stores and tell me one product you found that you would love to have. This is mandatory before other entries will be counted.
Become a follower of my blog
Add me to your blog roll
Post this giveaway link on your Facebook page (1 per day)

Be sure to leave a comment for each entry and a valid email address. Open to U.S. and Canada only. Winner will be chosen by random integer selection. The winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize or a new winner will be chosen. Contest will close on Thursday, February 10 at 5:00 PM EST. Good Luck!!!

Chai Tea Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

2011-02-08T18:31:00.001-05:00

A good friend of mine from work had a birthday last week, so I decided to make her some treats. These cupcakes were a huge hit so I promised the ladies from work that I'd post them here.

Chai Tea Cupcakes
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
1/2 heaping tsp ginger
1/2 heaping tsp nutmeg
1/2 heaping tsp cloves
1 C sugar
1/2 C butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/2 C vegetable oil or apple sauce
1 C Almond milk

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Scrape the bowl, then add the oil and mix until just incorporated.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture over batter and mix until just combined. Add 1/2 of the Almond milk mixture, mixing on low until combined. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture, and beat until just mixed. Scrape the bowl, then add the remaining milk and mix until combined. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until the batter is thoroughly combined.

Fill each cupcake liner about half full of batter and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
1 C butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
3 C confectioners’ sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and cream together. Once combined, beat in another cup of sugar, then mix in the vanilla. Add the cinnamon and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy. If your frosting is too stiff or dry, beat in up to 2 tablespoons of milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Thanks to Tricia from Thirty-One Gifts!

2011-02-02T19:18:00.000-05:00

I just received my new lunch tote from Tricia and Thirty-One Gifts and I couldn't be happier with it! It's roomy, well insulated, and super cute! If you missed the recent giveaway Tricia offered to The Simple Gourmand followers be sure to check her website for these totes and all of the great offerings from Thirty-One Gifts. Tricia included the Spring/Summer 2011 catalog with my tote and there are several cute new patterns - I've already dog-eared several pages with items I've got my eye on. Check out all of the latest and greatest on any of the following: Tricia's webpage, Facebook or on Twitter (@tricia31gifts).

Be sure to come back to The Simple Gourmand in the next few days because I'll be posting another giveaway soon!

I scream, You scream, We all scream for ice cream!

2011-01-27T19:35:00.003-05:00

My best friend and I just did our Christmas exchange last week (yes, we're a little late, but sometimes it's hard for busy ladies to coordinate schedules - especially around the holidays!); she surprised me with the Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt - Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker. What a treat! I have been wanting one for several years so I couldn't wait to get started. I immediately made a grocery list and started dreaming of which flavors to try, which one to try first, and how many I could have in the freezer at once - then I gained control over myself and decided to start with just one. Although my boyfriend wanted to start with classic vanilla, we already had a carton of Breyer's Vanilla Bean in the freezer. So, we decided to make coffee ice cream. We used a recipe that came with the ice cream maker and it turned out great! I served the ice cream with my favorite homemade brownies.

Coffee Ice Cream
1 C whole milk, well chilled
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 to 3 Tbsp instant espresso or coffee, to taste (I used 3 Tbsp)
2 C heavy cream, well chilled
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk to combine the milk, sugar, and espresso powder until the sugar and espresso are dissolved, about 1-2 minutes on low speed. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Turn the ice cream maker on, pour the mixture into the freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 25-30 minutes.*

*Or follow the directions for your particular machine.

Please check out my best friend's blog for more delicious ice cream recipes.

A Family Treasure

2011-01-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

While I was visiting my boyfriend's family over the holiday his mom was nice enough to share with me a copy of his Great Aunt Opal's cookbook, "The State Fair Blue Ribbon Cookbook". It's filled with recipes she submitted to the Illinois State Fair over a 45 year period - during that time she won over 2,000 Blue Ribbons, 42 trophies, and 16 Purple Rosette Sweepstakes Ribbons. In 1955, 115 of the 130 entries she submitted won Blue Ribbons - obviously, she knew what she was doing! Needless to say, I am thrilled to have a copy of this family treasure. The recipes range from breads to cookies and from cakes to jams. I've been eyeing several of the bread recipes and decided to start with the Great Aunt Opal's Cheese Bread - no surprise, it's as scrumptious as it sounds!

Cheese Bread

1 pkg dry yeast

1/4 C warm water

1 3/4 C scalded milk

3 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 C grated cheese

5 1/4 C sifted flour

Soak yeast in 1/4 C warm water. Add cheese and shortening to hot milk. Let cool. Add yeast mixture. Add 1 C flour, sugar, and salt and beat until smooth. Add remaining flour, stir until smooth, put on floured board and knead about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Put in a greased bowl, cover and keep warm 80-85 degrees, until doubled in bulk.

Divide dough in half, using the rolled dough method* mold into two loaves. Place in well greased pans, 9x5x3 inches. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes.

Butter top of loaves while hot. Cool on rack.

Rolled dough

*I wasn't sure what the rolled dough method was and couldn't find any info online or in my other cookbooks, so I did what I thought Opal meant - I divided the dough in two and rolled out each ball of dough, then I rolled each like a jelly roll and placed them in the pans. If I did it again, I would sprinkle a little shredded cheese on the dough before rolling it.

More Dog Treats

2011-01-16T09:40:00.000-05:00

Fruit & Veggie Dog Biscuits

3 C white whole wheat flour

1 C quick-cooking rolled oats

2 Tbsp flaxseeds

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 C water
1/2 C chopped carrot
1/4 C finely chopped cored apple
2 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, flaxseeds and cinnamon. In a food processor, combine water, carrot, apple, molasses, oil, egg and vanilla. Puree until smooth. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix well.

In the bowl use your hands to knead the dough until it holds together; you may need to add water in small amounts if dough seems too dry. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/8-inch. Cut dough with a cookie cutter or knife into bite-size shapes. Place about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until firm. Place pans on racks and let cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Bake for 30 minutes longer or until hard. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool completely. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 30 days.

These biscuits should be hard and crunchy, which is good for your dog's oral health.

Great Giveaway for a Healthy New You!

2011-01-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

And the Winner is:

# 19 Kristen

Congratulations!

Please respond within 48 hours to claim your prize!

Thanks to everyone who entered! Check back for more great recipes and giveaways!

Did you resolve to eat healthier or save some money by packing your own lunch for work? Win your choice of a small or large personalized thermal lunch tote from Thirty-One Gifts with Tricia. Tricia is a dear friend of mine and an independent consultant with Thirty-One Gifts whose mission is to celebrate, encourage and reward women through offering quality products and an outstanding opportunity to become successful business owners. The products offered are exclusive to Thirty-One and provide style and convenience at an amazingly affordable price. From their signature purses and totes to kid's items and accents for the home, you'll find something to fit every personality and situation. They continue to develop new products built on the idea that the products must be stylish, functional, affordable and easy to give as gifts to encourage someone special.

How to enter:

First entry, "like" Tricia's page on Facebook. This is mandatory before other entries will be counted
Comment on her post "It's the New Year! Which Thirty-One product would best help you accomplish your new year's resolution?". You can view the catalog directly from her Facebook page (and check out the cute lunch totes on page 26!)
Become a follower of my blog
Add me to your blog roll
Follow me publicly in google
Post this giveaway link on your Facebook page (1 per day)

Roasted Beet Salad

2011-01-12T20:17:00.000-05:00

I love beets, but have always been hesitant to cook with them since they can be so messy. I have a white kitchen and the thought of my cabinets and countertops being stained by beet juice is a little off-putting. Yes, I did say cabinets - it's not uncommon to find sauces and such splattered or dripped down the cabinets. I like to blame that on my boyfriend, but the truth is, I do most of the cooking around here so statistics would point to me. I digress....Late last week, I bit the bullet and bought some beets. I got the orange variety, not so much because I thought they'd be less messy, but because that's the only kind my grocer had. I hemmed and hawed for a few days before deciding what, exactly, to do with the beets. Then I was reminded of a delicious salad I had over the Christmas holiday at Wild Fire, a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, where I had a delicious salad of mixed greens, beets, and goat cheese. So I decided to make something similar to pack in my lunches this week and here it is! (Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a super cute lunch tote from Tricia and Thirty-One Gifts)

Roasted Beet Salad
1 bunch of beets, 1 lb or less
Mixed baby greens
Crumbled goat cheese
Blanched slivered almonds
1 Tbsp Sherry vinegar
3/4 tsp Balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 C light olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425°. Cut greens off of beets (beet greens sauteed with garlic and a little olive oil are delish, so retain the greens if you'd like). Scrub the beets and place them in a baking dish with a small amount of water or white wine (about 1/4 inch). Cover with a lid or foil and roast in oven for about 35 minutes or until the beets are fork tender. Let the beets cool in the baking dish. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, cut off the ends and the skin should slip off. Slice the beets.

Whisk the vinegars, oil, mustard, garlic, and salt and pepper together in a small bowl or jar.

Toss salad greens, beets, goat cheese, and almonds together with small amount of dressing.

Healthy Lunch Options

2011-01-11T19:46:00.001-05:00

Lots of people make resolutions to get healthy this time of the year, so I've decided to make some posts this week in keeping with that theme. First, my dear friend Tricia is offering The Simple Gourmand followers a chance to win a cute lunch tote from Thirty-One Gifts - click here to enter. To go along with the giveaway, I decided to make a post on healthy and tasty dishes that are easy to pack for lunch. The first dish, Lentil Ragout, is from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook. I will be completely honest and tell you that this dish turned out so much better than I was anticipating. I had tried lentils before, only to be disappointed by their mealy texture and bland flavor. This Lentil Ragout turned out smooth and creamy and the flavor was rich and savory - it did not disappoint!

Note: I made a few changes to the original recipe based on ingredients I had on hand, and one mistake (oops!). Since I really liked the way it turned out, I've posted it here the way I made it.

Lentil Ragout
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 C chopped onions
2 large leeks, white part only, washed and chopped
2 large celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp crumbled dried oregano
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 C uncooked lentils, rinsed (I used red lentils)
1 1/4 C Flavor Kick (recipe below)
1 3/4 C vegetable broth

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, leeks, celery, carrots, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves, and saute over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and vinegar, and stir to blend. Stir in the lentils, Flavor Kick, and vegetable broth. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cover and turn down the heat to medium-low and cook until the lentils are soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 50 minutes. Eat plain or serve over quinoa or on whole wheat pasta.

Flavor Kick
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, scrubbed, trimmed, and chopped
2 celery stalks, including leaves, chopped
1 large leek, including greens, washed and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 C red wine (I used Sweet Vermouth instead)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp crumbled dried thyme
2 C vegetable broth
2 C plus 1 tbsp water
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick saucepan. Add the celery, carrot, leek, onion, shallot, and garlic and saute until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste to blend thoroughly with the vegetables. Still stirring, add the red wine, and let the mixture simmer until most of it has evaporated, about 7 minutes.

Add the bay leaf, thyme, vegetable broth, and 2 cups of the water. Let the broth simmer until it's reduced by half, about 40 minutes.

Blend the cornstarch with the remaining tablespoon of water in a cup or small bowl. Stir the mixture into the broth, and continue to simmer until it's thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine sieve, discard the vegetables, and refrigerate until ready to use. Or transfer to smalle containers and freeze.

As for my lunch, I packed the lentils, some roasted cauliflower, and a spinach salad with dried cherries, goat cheese, and blanched slivered almonds.

Treats for the Pup

2010-12-20T18:34:00.011-05:00

In all the hustle and bustle of holiday baking be sure to remember your favorite furry friends. This recipe is from the Three Dog Bakery Cookbook and my hound, who is on an animal protein free diet, loves these (note: he's licking his lips in the pic below).

Simple Simon's Birthday Bones
2 C whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 C natural peanut butter
1 C skim milk (I used soy milk)

Preheat oven 375 degrees. In a bowl combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk. Add wet mixture to dry and mix well. Turn out dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes. Place on a greased or non stick baking sheet and bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container

Makes 30 large bones.

Roasted Butternut Squash

2010-11-20T18:11:00.002-05:00

Here's another dish I'm thinking of adding to the Thanksgiving menu. See the notes at the end of the recipe for turning this dish into Roasted Butternut Squash soup - yum!

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced*
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 medium orange, juiced
1 stem fresh sage leaves
Freshly ground salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange squash on sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with oil.

Mix oil, maple syrup, and orange juice in a liquid measuring cup or another vessel with a spout. Drizzle over squash and toss to coat. Tear sage pieces and scatter on top of the squash.

Bake for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test pieces for tenderness and adjust cooking time as needed.

*I microwave my squash for a few minutes to soften it before trying to cut it

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Use leftover squash from recipe above and add the following:

Shallot, thinly sliced & sauteed in a little olive oil
Vegetable broth (amount depends on how much squash is left and how thick you want the soup)
Pinch of nutmeg

Heat all ingredients in a stock pot. Once warmed, working in batches, puree in blender or food processor. Return to stock pot and heat thoroughly.

Brussel Sprouts with Shallots and Pancetta

2010-11-14T17:41:00.000-05:00

This recipe is so delicious I'm thinking of serving it on Thanksgiving. I have to give credit where credit is due and thank Cooking Light for putting it in their magazine recently (October 2010). Enjoy!

Brussel Sprouts with Shallots and Pancetta

1 1/2 lbs fresh brussel sprouts, cleaned and halved

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 C thinly sliced shallot

1 oz finely chopped pancetta

4 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp sweet vermouth

Freshly ground salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange brussel sprouts on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil - toss to coat sprouts with oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Add shallot, pancetta, salt and pepper, toss well. Bake for 10 minutes. Add sugar and vermouth, toss to coat and bake an additional 10 minutes.

CSN Product Review

2010-11-10T17:24:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally made a decision on how to use my CSN gift card. I was complaining to my step-mom about how awful the grout looks in my kitchen when she told me she had just gotten the Bissell Steam-Mop. Let me tell you, her floors look a-may-zing, so I was instantly sold. I went directly to the CSN website to check it out. The price was about $20 less than what stores were selling it for and I had that giftcard burning a hole in my pocket - how could the deal get any better? Well, it did! Bissell is offering a mail-in rebate right now, so I'll end up getting $10 back. This purchase was a match made in heaven!

The mop arrived in about 5 days and was quickly put to work. The first go-round did not result in the immediate results I was looking for, but I have a lot of kitchen to clean! I've since gone over the floors a few times and they look better and better each time, so I have faith that this product will not disappoint!

Once again, many thanks to CSN for their great products and services. It's always a pleasure doing business with them and I look forward to offering my followers more CSN deals in the future.

Focaccia alle Erbe

2010-10-24T10:43:00.000-04:00

I've been craving focaccia lately and decided I had better make it before my herb garden dies off for the winter. After doing some searching I decided on the Focaccia alle Erbe from the Williams-Sonoma Savoring Italy cookbook. The recipe was easy and the house smelled amazing while the bread was cooking. Served with some good olive oil and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano - nom, nom delicious!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp (or 1 package) active dry yeast
1/2 C warm water
1 1/2 C milk
6 Tbsp olive oil
5 C unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp chopped fresh sage or 1/4 tsp dried sage
coarse salt to taste

In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over the warm water and let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir until dissolved. Add the milk and 4 Tbsp of the olive oil and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, salt, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Add the yeast mixture and stir until soft dough forms, about 2 minutes. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Shape into a ball.

Oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn it once to coat the top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Oil a 15-by-10-by-1 inch jelly roll pan. Punch down the dough, transfer to the prepared pan, and flatten it out with your hands to cover the bottom completely. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Using your fingertips, press down firmly into the dough to make dimples about 1 inch apart and 1 inch deep. Drizzle the entire surface with the remaining 2 Tbsp oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Finally...Crispy Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2010-10-16T08:05:00.002-04:00

After many failed attempts, I have finally mastered crispy sweet potato fries. It was well worth the wait and the solution is super simple. Check it out...

1 lg sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lg egg white
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray.

Mix olive oil and egg white in a medium bowl. Place potato strips in the bowl and coat with oil/egg mixture. Remove strips, one at a time, and place on the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salts and spices, turning them over to evenly coat on all sides.

Bake for 30 minutes, turning each individual potato strip every 10 minutes with tongs. Serve warm.

Tip: Leave space between the potato strips. If they are too close they tend to steam, thereby producing soggy fries.

Tomato Sauce

2010-10-12T19:55:00.000-04:00

My step-dad is a phenomenal cook, in fact he’s such a good cook that not long after we met him my sisters and I took to calling him, “Bill of all foods.” Before meeting Bill I’d never tasted chicken paparika with homemade spatzle, chicken picata, jerk seasoned meats, or haggis (admittedly, I still have not tasted haggis, but I learned of it from Bill). As an adult, I now realize that he deserves credit for inspiring much of my culinary interest. It was Bill who taught me about using spices to enhance flavors and which ingredients you can substitute for others that you are missing. One of the most important culinary lessons Bill taught me was that anyone who calls him(her)self a cook knows how to make a good tomato sauce . Sadly, it has taken me 10+ years to finally master a really good sauce. I started with the Italian Tomato Sauce (Basic) recipe from The All New, All Purpose Joy of Cooking, but over time have put my own touches on it. I think it’s finally in a form that would make “Bill of all foods” proud.

Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ C chopped fresh basil leaves

(1) 14 oz. can of whole tomatoes, with juice

(2) 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp agave nectar, or granulated sugar
Freshly ground salt & pepper, to taste

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring, until the onions are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and basil and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce it thickened, about 10 minutes.

Ladle sauce into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the cinnamon, pepper flakes, and agave nectar and blend to desired consistency.

Serve with preferred pasta dish or cool and store for later use.

Chicken Parmigiana

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

2010-10-06T06:27:00.020-04:00

My dear freind, A Part-time Happy Homemaker, celebrated a Birthday this weekend, which was a great reason to try some new cupcakes. So I set out on a search for the perfect recipe and this one did not disappoint. Seriously, how can you go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter?!

Chocolate Cupcakes
8 Tbsp butter at room temperature, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 C cocoa powder
3/4 C all purpose flour
2 large eggs
3/4 C granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C sour cream

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. (If you are using a non-stick muffin pan, heat the oven to 325 degrees F.) Line standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick. The consistency will be like a thick chocolate mousse.

Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting
1 C confectioners’ sugar
1 C creamy peanut butter

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp kosher salt

1/3 C half-and-half

Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

CSN Product Review

2010-10-02T11:51:00.000-04:00

Have I expressed just how much I love CSN Stores? They have been so great to my readers and me over the past few months with lots of opportunities for giveaways and product reviews. So you can imagine my excitement when they contacted me to do a review of a product of my choice. My dilemma is they have so many great options, from end tables, to kitchen gadgets, to goodies for Coleman (my pooch), and countless others, that I haven't yet decided which item to choose. I've got my eye on a few things, but stay tuned to see which product I pick. In the meantime, check out the CSN Stores website and let me know if you have any suggestions. Happy shopping!

Fall Harvest

2010-10-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

In the past few weeks I've noticed fall veggies are starting to appear at the grocery and farmer's market and I couldn't be happier to welcome fall food and cooler weather. Finding inspiration in the local farmers' harvest of fall squashes I began craving this stew. I have no idea where I originally found this recipe, but I have been making, and loving, it for years. It's the perfect blend of spices and sweetness, and it's super healthy. The blend of the squash and cinnamon - mm, mmm! - that's what fall tastes like!

Spiced Butternut Squash Stew with Couscous

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1 in. pieces

1 (16 oz) can chickpeas

1/2 C Chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 C raisins (I usually use golden raisins)

4 C chopped fresh spinach

1/4 C toasted sliced almonds

Couscous (I love the Harvest Blend from Trader Joe's or Rice Select Organic Whole Wheat)

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and spices until tomatoes are cooked down, about 3 minutes. Add squash, chickpeas, broth, and raisins. Cook partially covered until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Serve over couscous and top with almonds.

Note: If you aren't up for the challenge of working with the tough exterior of the squash you can substitute frozen, or purchase pre-peeled and pre-cut squash from most markets.

Curried Chicken Salad

2010-09-24T17:14:00.001-04:00

This is a super easy way to make chicken salad with a little kick. I start with a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, which cuts down on prep time. I also think the rotisserie chicken is moister and has more flavor than the chicken breasts I used to use. This recipe, as listed, doesn't call for the whole chicken, so you will have plenty left for other dishes.

Curried Chicken Salad
1/2 C mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp water
1 C shredded chicken store bought, pre-cooked, rotisserie chicken
1 small Pink Lady apple, diced (skin on or off according to your preference)
1/3 C diced celery
1/3 C dried cranberries
Freshly ground salt & black pepper, to taste

Stir together mayonnaise, curry powder, and water in a medium sized bowl. Add chicken, apple, celery, and cranberries. Mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

*Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

It doesn't get any better than this

2010-09-19T09:00:00.001-04:00

I love my mom's (aka The New Joy of Cooking's) macaroni and cheese and did not think this classic could be improved upon. That was, until I wanted to make it and didn't have any cheddar on hand and decided to get creative. Who knew that a little cooking sherry, shallots, and some gouda could make an already incredible dish divine?! I literally could have licked the bowl (and just may have) after making the cheese sauce - it's really that good. The only thing that could have possibly made this dish any better would have been the addition of lump crab meat, which would have been perfect with the sherry and shallot flavors. If you decide to try it, let me know what you think.

Smoked Gouda Mac n' Cheese
8 oz macaroni noodles, cooked according to package directions
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 C finely chopped shallot
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 C dry cooking sherry
2/3 C milk
1 C freshly grated smoked gouda
1/2 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°.

Melt butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or large frying pan. Add shallots and cook until golden in color, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle fllour into skillet to begin making a roux. The flour should pull the butter and shallot together into a clumpy mass (add more butter if needed to pull mixture together). Add sherry and stir for about 1 minute. Add milk and stir well. Stir in gouda, one handful at a time, stirring until each addition has melted. Repeat with parmesan. Stir in mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Stir cooked pasta into cheese mixture and stir to incorporate. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish and top with additional grated gouda and parmesan, if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn broiler on high and continue to cook until top is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

Herb Grilled Chicken

2010-09-16T16:45:00.002-04:00

Have I mentioned that Stonewall Kitchen, Harvest, Celebrating the Bounty of the Seasons, cookbook is one of my absolute favorite places to find recipes? If not, I apologize for holding out on you! Everything, and I mean everything, I've made from this cookbook has been absolutely fabulous. I love that the cookbook takes into account seasonal items and combines them in the most delicious ways. I also appreciate that most of the ingredients are items I usually have on hand or can easily get from my own garden or local farmer's market. The chicken recipe I've listed below and the corn fritters I've posted here are two of the recipes I've made and truly enjoyed. I also highly recommend the Pancetta-Wrapped Scallops on Creamy Basil Risotto, Pumpkin Soup with Fried Sage Leaves, Swiss Chard Tart with Potato Crust, Parmesan Potato Gratin, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Orange Chocolate Ganache, and the Peach and Mango Muffins - seriously, there isn't a recipe I haven't liked from this book!

Grilled Marinated Chicken with Herbs
One 3 1/2 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or substitute chicken breasts)
1/2 C dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Dash of Tabasco, or other hot pepper sauce (I use Cholula)

Put the chicken in a plastic bag or bowl and add the wine, garlic, soay sauce, thyme, basil and hot pepper sauce. Coat the pieces well on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat charcoal or gas grill until red-hot, about 350° to 400°F. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Boil for 2 minutes.

Place chicken pieces on the hot grill, cover, and cook for 8 minutes. Brush with the cooked marinade. Gently flip the chicken over and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the juices run clear, and not pink, when pierced with a small, sharp knife. The cooking time will depend on the heat of the grill. Continue basting the chicken every five minutes. The chicken can also be broiled. Place the chicken on the broiler pan or oven proof skilet and broil on high for about 8 minutes on each side, brushing with marinade once or twice. Remove and serve hot or at room temperature.

Serve with Cilantro-Cashew Pesto.

2/3 C fresh cilantro
1/2 C salted cashews
1 small clove garlic
1/2 C olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

in a food processor, puree cilantro, cashews, and garlic. Slowly add the oil and blend until almost smooth. Season with pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The pesto will keep for at least a day or two. Serve at room temperature.

Lemon Ricotta Cake

2010-09-11T15:00:00.000-04:00

I made this delicious cake twice over the summer and thought I'd posted the recipe, but alas I had not. It's very dense, like a pound cake, and full of lemony goodness. I paired it with a sauce made of fresh blueberries, but it is just as good all on it's own. It also makes a tasty breakfast treat when paired with a cup of Joe.

Lemon Ricotta Cake

1 C softened butter

2 C white sugar
½ C ricotta cheese
½ C milk
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
4 lg eggs
3 C all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Butter and flour a spring form pan.

Beat the flour and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the ricotta, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs, mix until combined. With mixer running, gradually add the flour and mix until incorporated.

Pour the cake mix into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool cake on a wire rack. Once cooled, lightly dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

Corn Fritters with Herb Butter

2010-08-20T09:57:00.001-04:00

Although I'd never had corn fritters before, something about the 6 leftover ears of corn in my refrigerator made them sound appetizing. As usual, Stonewall Kitchen, Harvest, Celebrating the Bounty of the Seasons, proved to have the perfect recipe. The softness of the cake is nicely paired with the semi-firm texture of the corn. You shouldn't skip over the herb butter! It is simply sublime and makes these savory fritters melt in your mouth!

Corn Fritters with Herb Butter
1 1/2 C fresh corn kernels, cut off the cob
1 large egg, whisked
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 C half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for frying
Vegetable oil or olive oil for frying
1/2 C Herb Butter

Put the corn kernels in a large bowl. Add the egg, mix well. Stir in the flour, baking powder, half-and-half, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, and chives. Add 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and beat well. The batter will be chunky, but should be uniform.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add the remaining melted butter (about 1 1/2 tsp to start) and 1 1/2 tsp of the oil and allow them to get hot, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add heaping tablespoons of the corn batter to the pan and cook the fritters for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, gently flip the fritters and cook another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter and oil to the pan as needed. Serve hot with the herb butter.

Herb Butter
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 C minced fresh herbs (I used sage, rosemary, and thyme)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put the butter in a medium-sized bowl and stir with a wood spoon to soften it. Stir in the herbs, salt, and pepper, making sure the herbs are fully incorporated into the butter. Put the butter in the middle of a sheet of plastic wrap and cover with one side of the plastic. Roll the butter into a long log or fat cigar shape, wrap it completely, and place in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Serve the rolled-up log or cut off slices as needed.

Marvelous Margaritas!

2010-08-09T16:56:00.000-04:00

My dad makes the best, and I mean THE BEST margaritas! These are the kind of margaritas I dream of all winter and savor during family summer vacations. Recently dad shared his recipe with me, which I came to find out is actually from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. After making a batch this past weekend, I decided I ought to share it here on The Simple Gourmand.

Dad’s tip: Cheap white tequila works best. My tip: Depending on how many margaritas you want to drink, cheap tequila may not be a good idea :)

Margaritas
1/2 C fresh squeezed lime juice
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 C white tequila
1 C triple sec
3 C ice

Mix ingredients in the blender, or serve on the rocks. Enjoy!

Summer Squash Torte

2010-07-22T06:24:00.003-04:00

Coming up with new and exciting dishes for your garden's summer bounty can be tricky. That's why I've come to rely on a few tried and true recipes that I never seem to get tired of. This recipe in particular has become a staple this summer. It's relatively easy and requires few ingredients. You can play with the herbs and cheese to tailor it to your particular liking or the ingredients you have on hand.

Summer Squash Torte

3/4 C fresh chives

3/4 C extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper

2 medium red potatoes, sliced paper thin

2 medium yellow summer squash, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

1 C freshly crated parmasan cheese, plus extra for topping

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put chives, oil, and salt and pepper in a blender and puree.

Mix parmasan, flour, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Coat a pie pan with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 of the potato slices around the bottom of the pan. Drizzle 1/3 of the chive puree over the potatoes, top with 1/3 of the flour mixture. Arrange 1/3 of the squash on top of the potato layer. Drizzle 1/3 of the chive puree over the squash, top with 1/3 of the flour mixture. Repeat these layers two more times, ending with squash on top. Grate parmasan cheese over the top of the squash. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

These Ain't Your Mama's Lima Beans

2010-07-17T08:19:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid I hated lima beans. Everytime we had them, which was rare suggesting my mother didn't like them either, they were dry and tasteless. I can still remember them crumbling in my mouth requiring an extra gulp of cold milk to wash them down - yuck! So, when my boyfriend suggested we buy lima beans at the farmer's market this weekend I was less than excited about the idea; however, I figured it was worth trying them again. Afterall these beans were fresh, not frozen like the ones from my childhood memory, and we all know fresh tastes best. So, I agreed to give it a go. After doing a bit of research, this is the recipe we came up with. Much to my surprise these beans are good, really good, like I might eat the entire batch in one day good.

Lima Bean Succotash

2 C shelled fresh lima beans (about a pint)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp diced onion

2 Tbsp diced shallot (about 1/4 of a large shallot)

3 strips bacon*

1 C peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomato (about 1 large slicing tomato)

2 C corn kernels, freshly cut from the cob (about 2 medium ears)

1 tsp butter

Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the beans, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain the beans, refill the pot with fresh water** and bring to a boil. Add the beans and boil for 3 minutes longer. Drain and set aside.

Add oil to a cast iron skillet set to medium heat. Once oil is warm, add the onion, shallot, and bacon. Once the onion softens and becomes translucent add the tomato and corn, heat through. Add the lima beans, butter, salt, and pepper; heat through. Serve immediately.

* Note: I used pre-cooked bacon. If you use uncooked bacon you may need to cut down on the amount of olive oil you use.

** Note: Raw lima beans contain plycosides that create poisonous hydrocyanic acid in the human digestive system; the poison is destroyed by boiling the beans. You should discard the first pot of water to get rid of any plycosides that may have been released during the cooking.

Congratulations Kacie!

2010-07-14T12:09:00.006-04:00

Congratulations Kacie! You are the winner of the CSN $50 gift certificate. You have 48 hours to claim your prize or another winner will be selected.

Thank you to everyone who participated and to CSN for providing The Simple Gourmand followers with this great opportunity. Check back regularly for more recipes and new giveaways.

The generous folks from CSN stores have offered another great giveaway for my readers – a $50 gift certificate for use on any of the CSN sites. This is an incredible offer since the CSN family has over 200 stores to meet a variety of your shopping needs. Just browsing through some of their sites I found items for every room in your home. From cooking (e.g. kitchen gadgets, appliances) and gardening supplies (e.g. tools) to bedroom (e.g. headboards, dressers, night stands) and office furniture (e.g. desks, bookshelves). You name it, they’ve got it! Many of the items are on sale and most of them come with free shipping. It doesn’t get much better than that!

So what are you waiting for? Enter the giveaway and get shopping!

How to enter:

First entry, visit CSN Stores and tell me one product you found that you would love to have. This is mandatory before other entries will be counted.
Become a follower of my blog
Add me to your blog roll
Follow me publicly in google
Post this giveaway link on your Facebook page (1 per day)

Best French Bread, Ever!

2010-07-11T09:10:00.000-04:00

We had a nice break in the hot temps here this weekend so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take a bike ride to the farmers market. Although the closest market is small it offers a great selection of fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses, and baked goods. They even have treats for dogs, which Coleman has benefitted from on a few occasions. So after our visit yesterday, we rode home with a bag full of corn, lima beans, andouille sausage, and gouda. Although I was excited about the loot, I wasn't much in the mood for making a big meal yesterday. Instead I decided to bake some bread to go with the gouda. Now, you might say, "I thought you weren't up for spending a lot of time in the kitchen" - which was true, but since I used the bread machine for kneading the dough I didn't really have to do much. Sure, I had to be home to punch down the dough a few times, but it was raining so I wasn't missing out of anything by sticking around the house. In the end, I was extremely pleased with how well this bread turned out - I couldn't stop eating it!

Ingredients
1 1/4 C warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 C bread flour
2 tsp active dry yeast

Pour water into bread machine pan, then add salt and flour. Make a small well in the center of the flour, be careful not to reach the water level, and put the yeast in the well. Select the dough setting and press start. When the dough setting ends, set a timer and allow the dough to rise for another hour in the bread machine (do not set the bread machine on any cycle). After one hour, punch the bread down, and let it rise in the bread machine for another hour.

Turn dough out of the pan onto a lightly floured surface. Form into a smooth round ball and flatten it with your hands. Place the dough ball into a large bowl that is lined with a clean kitchen towel that has been dusted with flour. Place bowl in a warm dry place and let dough rise, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450°. Turn dough out of bowl onto a lightly oiled baking pan. Slash the top of the dough in a # pattern. Place a small pan with 2 cups of boiling water on the bottom rack of the oven. Place the bread on the top rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let bread sit for one hour before slicing.

Zucchini Fritters

2010-07-07T21:31:00.000-04:00

The garden is producing veggies by the armful and this most frequently means zucchini and squash. I've been trying to find new recipes in which to use these wonderful fresh veggies and will start sharing them with you here on the The Simple Gourmand.

First, let's talk fritters. To be honest, I had never made them before embarking on this venture, but who doesn't love fried veggies? The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it with either zucchini or squash. You can also alter the herbs to your liking. I used oregano because it is taking over my garden and needs some taming - well, that, and I thought it would be a nice with the zucchini and parmesan. It turned out well, but you could also try mint, basil, or thyme in place of, or in addition to, the oregano.

Zucchini Fritters

2 C grated zucchini

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 C freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 C toasted bread crumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt & pepper to taste

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Place grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt, let stand for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess water from zucchini and transfer zucchini to a medium sized bowl. Mix in the next 6 ingredients.

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, but not smoking, place tablespoon sized dollops of the zucchini mixture in the oil. Be careful not to over crowd the pan; you likely will need to do two batches. Fry until fritters begin to brown and then turn to brown the other side. Remove fritters from oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Serve with sour cream.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T09:35:00.000-04:00

To round out the series of posts about 4th of July barbeque dishes I thought I'd share this awesome corn on the cob recipe I made yesterday. Of course, I had to make some changes from the original recipes because I didn't have all of the herbs called for, so I substituted with herbs from my garden. I found the original recipe in the July issue of Food & Wine, which, in case you haven't checked it out already, is a fabulous magazine! I'll post the recipe with my changes below, but you can find the original here.

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Roasted Garlic and Herbs
1 head of garlic
1 tsp olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 C chopped fresh rosemary
Salt & freshly ground pepper
4 large ears of corn, in husks

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut off the top of the head of garlic. Stand it cut side up on foil and drizzle with oil. Wrap in foil and bake for about 1 hour, or until very soft. Squeeze garlic into a bowl. Stir in lemon zest, butter, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper.

Light grill. Carefully peel back the corn husks, keeping them attached. Discard the silk. Spread the herbed garlic butter all over the corn. Fold the husks back over the corn and wrap the corn in foil. Grill the corn packet over moderate heat for 15 minutes, turning about every 3 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to grill the ears over moderate heat for another 5 minutes, turning until the husks are nicely charred. Serve immediately.

Mom's Summer Salsa

2010-06-30T20:19:00.000-04:00

Here's another recipe for the holiday weekend. My mom used to make this salsa with fresh veggies from our garden. It was always the perfect treat after spending the day playing in the sun and sand at the beach. This recipe is super easy to make and keeps for several days. Serve it with tortilla chips or as a side to your favorite meat dish.

Summer Salsa

2-3 cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 very large, or 2-3 small tomatoes, diced

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 medium green pepper, diced

1 can sliced black olives

1 can green chilis

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp white vinegar

Seasoned salt & garlic salt to taste

Mix the veggies together with 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Season with salts, mix, and chill.

Farm Fresh Beans with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette

2010-06-28T18:46:00.001-04:00

Continuing in the vein of barbeque fare, I thought I'd share a recipe I made this weekend. We spent Saturday morning at the farmer's market and came home with some tasty treats, including an assortment of green and yellow beans. I didn't want to take away from the natural taste of the beans, but thought I'd add a little sweetness. The result was delish! After eating the leftovers on Sunday, I found that this dish is good both warm and cold, which makes it perfect for a backyard barbeque!

Farm Fresh Beans with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 lb. green and yellow beans, washed & ends trimmed

6 slices precooked bacon, diced (I used precooked because it is leaner, but you can use uncooked bacon)

Olive oil*

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

2 tsp sugar

Salt & pepper to taste

Cook diced bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add green beans and oil for sauteing. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Add to the beans and cover. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or cool and serve later.

*If using uncooked bacon, olive oil may not be necessary. I added it because most of the fat had already been cooked out of the bacon so there wasn't much in the pan for sauteing the green beans.

Perfect Potato Salad

2010-06-26T13:34:00.001-04:00

The Fourth of July is upon us so I've decided to post some of my favorite Independence Day fare. If you're like me, you'll have at least one barbecue invitation for the holiday weekend and will likely need to take a dish to share. One of my family's favorite sides is this potato salad. It's super easy and very tasty. I don't care for the mustard/mayonnaise version of potato salad so this recipe is just to my liking. I can't take credit for it though, it was passed on to me from one of my grandmother's dearest friends, Jane Trask. They have both since passed on, but I think of them fondly each time I make it. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and friends have over the years.

Mrs. Trask's Potato Salad
3 lbs red new potatoes, sliced with skin on
1 C diced celery
1 C diced green onion, white and green parts
1/2 C Italian salad dressing
1/2 C Creamy Cucumber salad dressing
1/2 C sour cream
1/2 C mayonnaise

Boil potato slices until just tender, but not falling apart. Drain and place in a large salad bowl. Pour Italian dressing over potatoes and allow them to cool. In the meantime, mix remaining ingredients together in a small to medium size mixing bowl. Once potatoes have cooled add mix and stir to coat. Place in refrigerator to cool completely.

May be made a day ahead. Serve cold.

Goulash

2010-06-16T20:13:00.000-04:00

It was another one of those nights, I stood before the nearly empty fridge and pondered what to make for dinner. I wasn't interested in spending a lot of time cooking, nor did I want to take a trip to the grocer for ingredients. I knew I had some ground turkey in the freezer, so I took out the Google machine and set to work searching recipes. Thankfully the Food Network site has a section on ground turkey. I sorted through them, but wasn't particularly interested in making a burger (it was raining outside, so grilling was less than appealing) and finally came across a Rachel Ray recipe for Goulash. After consulting the fridge again, I added some additional veggies and seasonings. The end result was quite tasty, but way too much food for one person...good thing I like leftovers!

Goulash
1/2 lb macaroni pasta
1 lb ground meat (beef or turkey)
1 Tbsp butter
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded & chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1 rib of celery, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 C chicken broth
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 C sour cream

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a cast iron skillet, or other deep skillet, over medium heat. Add butter, once melted, add meat and cook, breaking up, until browned. Add veggies and seasonings, cook another 10 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes and heat through. Add pasta and sour cream, cook until warmed through.

Garnish with sliced scallion and serve with garlic bread.

Sesame Tofu Stir Fry

2010-06-07T17:43:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:

14 oz.block of firm organic tofu

1/4 C corn starch

vegetable oil

1/3 C sesame seeds, toasted

2 C brown rice

1 red pepper, cubed

1/4 medium red onion, sliced

1/2 8 oz package sugar snap peas

1 crown of broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 medium carrots, sliced

Sauce:

2/3 C Agave nectar

3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp finely minced ginger

2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp Mirin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tsp red chili flakes, optional

Stir sauce ingredients together in a sauce pot, simmer sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Cook brown rice according to package directions.

Drain and press tofu so excess liquid is expelled. Cut tofu into 1 inch by 1 inch cubes and dust lightly with corn starch. Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Fry tofu under golden brown, turning as necessary to cook all sides. Remove tofu and drain on a plate.

Add veggies to steamer basket of rice cooker or cook in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water.

Toss cooked veggies with tofu and sauce. Serve over brown rice.

Cheesecake

2010-05-10T20:08:00.002-04:00

Almost everyone has a favorite cheesecake, whether it's from a restaurant or an old family recipe. This one is my favorite because I think the vanilla and almond extract ratio is perfect. It is best when made with full fat cream cheese, but is also good, albeit not quite as thick, when made with a combination of full and reduced fat varities. Either way, it's always a crowd pleaser!

Crust Ingredients:
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp butter

Filling Ingredients:
3 packages cream cheese, softened
5 eggs
1 C sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

To make crust: Put graham cracker crumbs in a bowl and add sugar. Melt butter and pour over graham cracker mix, stir to combine. Grease bottom and sides of a spring form pan. Pour crumbs into pan and press to the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Set aside.

To make filling: Put cream cheese, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts in the bowl of mixer. Mix until mixture is smooth, without any lumps. Pour filling into spring form pan, covering the crust.

Place pan on a baking sheet and surround with 1/2 inch or so of water. Place sheet, with cake, in the center of the oven. Cook for 1 hour, or until set. Remove cheesecake from oven and cool on a wire rack. Chill cheesecake before serving.

Mediterranean Chicken Pizza

2010-05-06T21:41:00.000-04:00

This pizza came out of laziness and a need to clean out some odds and ends from the refrigerator. The result was quite delicious, if I do say so myself!

Pizza Crust
3 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
1 C warm water
2 Tbsp yeast (use less if you don't like a strong yeast flavor)
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Toppings
Pizza sauce of your choosing
1 1/2 C shredded chicken
1 C low fat feta crumbles
1/4 large red onion sliced thinly
Sliced black olives, to your liking
1 C baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

To make crust: Pour warm water into the bowl of a mixer. Add the honey and salt and mix on low until well blended. Add the yeast and mix. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, then add 1 cup of flour and the olive oil and mix until well blended. Add the rest of the flour and mix well (you could add oregano or basil at this time, too). The dough should turn into a ball. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If the dough is too sticky, more like batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time.

Once the dough is balled up, place the ball on a floured surface and knead for about 1 minute. Place the dough in a covered bowl and store in a warm, dry area to rise.

After about 45 minutes the dough should have almost doubled in size; punch it down. Let it rise for another hour to an hour and a half. The dough is then ready to be rolled out (or frozen for later use, but bring it to room temperature before rolling it out). Roll the dough to fit the size of your pan, round or square. If you prefer thin crust, halve the dough ball and roll out two crusts. Once dough is rolled out, puncture it in a few places with a fork. This keeps it from bubbling up while cooking.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the crust briefly, for about 5 minutes.

To top pizza: Remove crust from oven and top with your favorite pizza sauce. Disperse chicken, feta, onion, and black olives around crust. Tear spinach into small pieces and disperse around pizza. Top with mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles and browns.

Spring Greens

2010-04-20T21:03:00.002-04:00

Spring has sprung and I couldn't be more excited to welcome it! The lawn mower is tuned and the vegetable garden has been planted. My allergies are terrible, but that hasn't stopped me from getting out and enjoying the warm weather. Morning walks and afternoon runs have motivated me to get out of my winter (read: heavy) eating rut. So, I took my larger-than-I'd-like-it-to-be fanny to the farmer's market, Trader Joe's, and my local grocer to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies and started experimenting in the kitchen. Well, that is, if you believe salads count as experimentation.

Spinach, Beets, & Wheat Berry Salad

2 1/2 C chicken broth

1 C wheat berries

2 C baby spinach

4 small beets, sliced

1/4 C walnut pieces

2 stalks celery, diced

1/4 C blue cheese crumbles

Vinaigrette dressing to taste

Bring chicken broth to a boil and add wheat berries, simmer for 50 minutes. Drain wheat berries and put in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients to wheat berries. Toss with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette

1/4 C white wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp minced shallot

1/3 C EVOO
Lemon juice from 1/4 of a small lemon

Fresh ground salt and pepper

And the winner is....

2010-04-01T20:37:00.030-04:00

Congratulations D_vs_D has won the Rachel Ray Bubble and Brown Covered Casserole! You have 48 hours to claim your prize, or another winner will be selected.

Thank you to everyone who participated.

Stay tuned to The Simple Gourmand for more tasty recipes and new give away opportunities.

It’s that time of year when the weather is getting warmer, the ice cream truck is circling the block, and the smell of charcoal barbeques is in the air. What could make a girl happier?! How about a special giveaway? Well, I’ve got just that! The generous folks from the family of CSN stores have offered a special treat for my readers – the Rachel Ray Bubble and Brown 4.25 qt. Oval Covered Casserole. This dish is perfect for roasting your spring veggies, making a quick one-dish meal after spending a summer afternoon at the beach, or baking your favorite casserole on a cold winter’s night – it’s totally versatile!

The CSN family doesn’t just offer cooking supplies, they have over 200 stores to meet a variety of your shopping needs. Just browsing through some of their sites I found items for every room in your home. From home bars and outdoor living to bedding and office furniture. You name it, they’ve got it! Many of the items I saw were on sale and most of them come with free shipping. It doesn’t get much better than that!

So what are you waiting for? Enter the giveaway and get shopping!

How to enter:
First entry, visit CSN Stores and tell me one product you found that you would love to have. This is mandatory before other entries will be counted.

For extra entries:
Become a follower of my blog
Add me to your blog roll
Follow me publicly in google
Post this giveaway link on your Facebook page (1 per day)

Be sure to leave a comment for each entry and a valid email address. Open to U.S. and Canada only. Winner will be chosen by random integer selection. The winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize or a new winner will be chosen. Contest will close on April 15, 2009 at 12:00 AM EST. Good Luck!!!

Product Features:

Excite your dinner guests by bringing these vibrant, fun oval casserole to the table. Whether it be a baked chicken or cheesy pasta, food has never looked and tasted so fabulous.

Features:
• Multiple use stoneware
• Contemporary design
• Playful shape in a vibrant and fun color
• Use directly from oven to table
• Extra wide handle holes allow you to get a good grip from any angle
• Can be used for serving salads and slaws
• Glazed interior is nonporous

Specifications:
• Material: Stoneware
• Capacity: 4.25 Qt.
• Color: Green
• Freezer, microwave, and oven safe to 500°F
• Overall dimensions: 8" H x 13" W x 13" D

**I did not receive any compensation or products in exchange for this post**

Shrimp n' Grits

2010-03-25T19:11:00.009-04:00

I've been trying new recipes again, and I don't just mean new variations on old recipes, but rather things I've never made before. This was prompted in part by boredom with my recipe repertoire and in part by my attempt to be better about using ingredients I have on hand. I had a few less than stellar results, but I also had some great successes.

This recipe for Shrimp n' Grits was one of the more successful dishes I tried. It is adapted from a recipe in the current issue of Real Simple (Smoky Shrimp and Grits, pg. 267). I had some shrimp in the freezer, as well as the grits, cheese, and scallions that the original recipe called for. I also had pancetta, andouille sausage, and roasted red peppers, which I thought would add some extra zing to the dish - I was right! In fact, I suspect the dish would have been a little bland without the sausage. See what you think and feel free to add suggestions and other comments. Happy eating!

Shrimp n' Grits
1 lb. raw peeled, deveined medium or large shrimp
1 C grits
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 C grated cheddar cheese
1/3 C diced pancetta
1 large roasted red pepper, diced
3 scallions, sliced

Cook grits according to package directions. Once water is absorbed, stir in the garlic salt and cheddar cheese.

While the grits are cooking, brown the pancetta in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until it begins to brown. Add the shrimp and diced red peppers. Cook until the shrimp are opaque, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Stir in scallions.

Serve the shrimp mixture over the warm cheese grits.

Goat Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2010-03-07T14:12:00.007-05:00

Goat Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2 skinless chicken breasts
4 oz. goat cheese
1 cup spinach (thawed frozen spinach is fine)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, quartered
5 sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 large roasted red pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp French white wine vinegar
1/2 C chicken broth

Preheat oven 400 degrees.

Butterfly chicken. Combine cheese with chopped spinach and divide the mixture between the 2 chicken breasts. Season with salt/pepper. Fold each breast tight and secure with toothpicks.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown breasts evenly for 5 mins on each side. Add the artichokes, red pepper, sun dried tomatoes, and vinegar; cook for 2 mins. Add the chicken broth. Transfer the chicken mixture to a glass baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 12 minutes.

Thai Chicken Stir-Fry Salad

2010-03-03T20:30:00.001-05:00

This has been a week of sampling from various cookbooks. The recipe below is adapted from the Marshall Field's cookbook. I had to make some changes based on the ingredients I had on-hand, but the outcome was just as good as the original. This salad is good served either warm or cold.

Thai Sauce
1/2 C sugar
3 tsp sesame seeds
1 C reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame seed oil
3 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp Thai garlic chili sauce
1 C thinly sliced green onion

Combine sugar, sesame seeds, soy, sesame oil, garlic, and chili sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and immediately stir in green onion. Can refridgerate for up to 5 days.

Thai Peanut Dressing
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 C rice wine vinegar
1/4 C vegetable oil

Combine 1/4 C of the sauce cilantro, peanut butter, and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk until combined. Whisking constantly, add oil. Slowly make an emulsion.

Stir Fry
3/4 C broccoli florets
1/4 C vegetable oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 inch strips
3/4 C asparagus, cut into 2 inch lengths
3/4 C julienned carrots
1/2 C julienned red bell pepper (I used yellow)
3 C cooked brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring small saucepan of water to a boil. Submerge the broccoli in the boiling water for 1 minute, until it turns bright green. Drain the broccoli and place in ice water.

Heat wok and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, until almost done. Add the broccoli, asparagus, carrots, and bell pepper, and cook 3-4 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add the rice and 1/2 cup of the Thai sauce and stir until thoroughly heated. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with dressing drizzled over the top and garnish with green onion.

Farfalle with Meat Ragu

2010-02-27T07:59:00.006-05:00

This recipe is is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook, The Essential Recipe Collection for Today's Home Cook. The original version calls for 1/2 pound of ground beef and 1/2 pound pork or veal. Although I am sure that version is quite tasty, I wanted to lower the fat content. The result was delish!

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 lb ground turkey sausage*
1/2 C full-bodied red wine
1 can fire roasted tomatoes, with juice
1/2 C tomato puree
1/2 C 2% milk**
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 lg basil leaves cut into slivers
1 package farfalle pasta
1/2 C freshly grate Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaves, and cook for 1 minute. Add the turkey sausage and cook, stirring to break up any chunks, until the turkey is no longer pink. Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, puree, and cream and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the suace is thickened and slightly reduced, 1/2 to 1 hour*, or more. Stir in 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired, then stir in basil. To make the ragu ahead, let the sauce cool, then store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

About 10 minutes before sauce is ready, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook until tender.

Pour 2 cups of the sauce into a warmed large, shallow bowl. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl. Toss to coat the pasta evenly and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Spoon more sauce on top and serve with additional cheese, if desired.

*If using the beef and pork version, cooking time may vary.
**Original version calls for 3/4 C heavy (double) cream

Jalapeno Burgers with Cilantro Mayonnaise

2010-02-19T19:41:00.002-05:00

As you might have guessed from the recent batch of posts that include heat laden dishes, I LOVE spicy food, and lately I've been craving it. The Jambalaya and the Chicken Curry were hot, but not quite spicy enough to satisfy my need for heat. Thus, I decided to add some jalapenos to the mix, in the form of a burger. They turned out pretty darn well, if I do say so myself!

Jalapeno Burgers

Ingredients:
1 lb Laura's lean ground beef
3 Tbsp pickled jalapeno peppers, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp worcestershire
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
4 toasted buns
Cilantro mayonnaise (recipe below)

In a medium bowl combine ground beef, jalapenos, garlic, cajun seasoning, and worcestershire. Form mixture into 4 patties.

Cook 4 to 5 minutes each side on a grill or in a grill pan over medium heat.

Serve on toasted buns with cilantro mayonnaise.

Cilantro Mayonnaise

Ingredients:
1/4 C mayonnaise
3 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp lime juice
1 small clove chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Combine mayonnaise, next 4 ingredients, and, if desired, cayenne pepper in a small bowl.

Indian Chicken Curry

2010-02-14T11:00:00.002-05:00

From

The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook: The Essential Recipe Collection For Today's Home Cook
Ingredients:
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground tumeric
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 C unsalted cashews
1 lg yellow onion
2 small tomatoes
2 Tbsp clarified butter or canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp seeded and minced green jalapeno chile
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
1/2 C coconut milk
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Toast and grind the coriander and cumin seeds. In a bowl, stir together the toasted seeds, turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, the cayenne pepper, and oil until well mixed.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Add to the bowl with the spice paste and stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Toast the cashews and then chop coarsley. Set aside.

Thinly slice the onion. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and remove the seeds, then chop the flesh. In a saute pan over high heat, heat the clarified butter or canola oil. Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chile, bay leaves, and star anise and continue to saute until the onion is light golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken and saute just until the meat turns opaque, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk and 1/2 tsp salt and bring to gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes longer.

Transfer to a warmed bowl, garnish with the cashews and cilantro, and serve at once.

Serving tip: Offer basmati rice to accompany the chicken and its curry sauce.

Who Dat Game Day Feast

2010-02-07T20:45:00.001-05:00

Unlike other celebrations that involve food, game day doesn't place many restrictions on the types of food to be served. Of course there are some old standbys like chili, chicken wings, 7 layer dip, etc, but there aren't really any expectations that those items be on the menu, at least not in my family. Since none of my guests seemed to particularly side with one team or the other this year, I decided to make dishes that favored the underdog. And in my un-football-educated opinion, the New Orleans Saints seemed to be that team. Thus, our menu consisted of Creamy Crab Dip, Jambalaya, and Black-Bottom Cupcakes, among other items.

Creamy Crab Dip

2010-02-07T20:41:00.000-05:00

11 oz cream cheese, softened
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 16 oz can Phillip's crabmeat, drained and flaked
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning, plus extra for dusting the top of the dip
1/2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 C shredded parmesan cheese
1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion, mayonnaise, crabmeat, garlic powder, Old Bay, and lemon juice. Fold in parmesan cheese. Spread mixture into a 1 quart baking dish. Sprinkle Old Bay over top of dip.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. While the dip is baking, slice bread and toast. Serve dip while still hot.

Note: *I used light cream cheese and mayonnaise, measurements may need to be adjusted if using full fat versions of these ingredients.

** Consider adding Dry Cooking Sherry and Worcestershire Sauce for extra flavor.

Jambalaya

2010-02-07T20:40:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped or 4 green onions, chopped
1 each medium green and orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 C diced celery, greens included
2 small garlic cloves, chopped
1 can (14 1/2 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
3/4 cup rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 package (12 ounces) andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) cubed, seasoned (see below)

Directions:

Season Chicken:

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Mix above ingredients together in a bowl and combine with chicken. Work in seasoning well.

Jambalaya Directions:

In a large deep cast iron skillet heat oil over high heat. Add onion, pepper and celery, cook 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauce.

Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When rice is just tender add chicken mixture and sausage. Cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional chicken seasoning.

Black-Bottom Cupcakes

2010-02-07T20:39:00.004-05:00

Black-Bottom Cupcakes
The Great Book of Chocolate, David Lebovitz

For the Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 C granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

For the Cupcakes:

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 C firmly packed light brown sugar
5 Tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 C water
/3 C vegetable oil
1 Tbsp white or cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

To Make the Filling:

Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the chopped chocolate pieces. Set aside.

To Make the Cupcakes:

Position the rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Butter a 12-cup muffin tin, or line the tin with paper muffin cups.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, stirring until just smooth. Stir any longer and you will over mix the batter.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Spoon a few tablespoons* of the filling into the center of each cupcake, dividing the filling evenly. This will fill the cups almost completely.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown and the cupcakes feel springy when gently pressed.

Yield: 12 full-size cupcakes. The cupcake will keep nicely unrefrigerated for 2 to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

* I only used 1 heaping Tbsp of the filling for each cupcake.

French Onion Soup

2010-02-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

I really do eat more than soup in the winter, I swear! The funny thing is, if you asked me if I liked soup I would probably say, "It's ok, but I don't love it." I guess I didn't realize just how much I like it, in it's many varities, until I started blogging. I suppose my hidden love of soup has something to do with how warming it can be on a cold winter's day, and we have had plenty of those this year. In fact, we just got 8-9 inches of snow over the past weekend - something this area hasn't seen in over a decade! So, with being snowed in over the weekend and school cancelled the last two days, what's a girl to do but make some more soup! I started the weekend with a pot of my Black Bean with Andouille Sausage Soup and today I made the French Onion Soup recipe posted below. Both of which proved perfect when I needed to warm up after playing in the snow.

French Onion Soup
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)*
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 C dry white wine or vermouth
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
4 slices French bread, toasted & rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 C shredded cheese (1/4 C Parmesan & 1/4 C Asiago)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the onions. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover the saucepot, return heat to medium, and cook for another 30 minutes or until the onions turn light golden brown.

Stir the flour in the saucepot and cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, wine (or Vermouth), thyme, pepper, and bay leaf. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual crocks. Top with a slice of the french bread toast and parmesan cheese. Place in oven under broiler until cheese melts.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

2010-02-02T16:54:00.004-05:00

After being stuck in the house for a few days due to an unprecedented snow storm, I was craving some sweets. So, I surveyed my pantry and took a spin around some baking websites and decided this chocolate cake might satisfy my sweet tooth - it didn't disappoint!

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

2 C sugar
1-3/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C Hershey's Cocoa
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 C milk
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C boiling water

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour bundt pan.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

TWO-9 INCH ROUND BAKING PANS: Grease and flour baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 C (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 C HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 C powdered sugar
1/3 C milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.*

* I did not have enough powdered sugar to make a full recipe, and I don't like to overdo it on chocolate (yes, in my case that is possible), so I made a drizzle instead of icing the full cake.

Scrumptious Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-01-24T09:30:00.005-05:00

I still had some pumpkin puree in the freezer that was leftover from the holidays and was thinking it was about time to either use it or lose it. Since the gingerbread pancakes turned out so well last fall, I decided to try my hand at making pumpkin pancakes. As usual, I consulted a few recipes and then combined what I liked from each and left what I didn't. This resulted in thick, dense cakes with a subtle spice and pumpkin flavor that was enhanced by the maple syrup.

Note: Due to the density of the cakes I had to play with my stovetop settings (and sacrifice a few cakes in the process) to ensure that the insides were cooked through without burning the outsides. Using a cast iron skillet, I ended up keeping my burner at a setting of 3.

2 C all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C milk
1 C pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a medium sized bowl. In a separate larger bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Laddle the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Cinnamon Espresso Bars

2010-01-21T18:20:00.000-05:00

I was looking for something easy and light to make for a work gathering and came across this recipe on the Eat Better America website. The bars turned out great, but didn't have enough coffee flavor for my taste. I made a few alterations and posted the new recipe below.

Bars
1 C packed brown sugar
1/3 C butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp instant espresso coffee (dry)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 C water

Cinnamon Espresso Glaze
1 C powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
4 to 5 tsp cold espresso coffee or strong coffee

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray; coat with flour. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until blended, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining bar ingredients. Spread in pan.

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until top springs back when touched in center.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix all glaze ingredients with spoon until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over bars while warm. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2010-01-18T11:22:00.000-05:00

We've had a cold snap recently, like most of the country, so I have been in the mood for some comfort food. I've never made chicken and rice soup, but it sounded like it would hit the spot. I consulted a few recipes, took what I liked from each, left what I didn't, and came up with the recipe below. I was very pleased with the results (see the notes below if you prefer a thinner soup). Serve with Mom's Beer Bread - delish!

Ingredients:

4 C chicken broth (I used turkey stock I made & kept in the freezer after Thanksgiving)
1 C water
3 boneless chicken breast halves
1 (4.5 oz) pkg Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice Original with seasoning packet
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 C all-purpose flour
5 Tbsp butter
2 C 2% milk

In a large pot over medium heat, bring broth to a boil. Add chicken and reduce to a simmer. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from broth, reserve broth, and shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Return the chicken to the broth and add water. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet and veggies until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.

Stir milk mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10to 15 minutes.

*The soup was very thick, almost like porridge. If you like a thinner soup add more water or stock. You could also substitute lower fat milk to make it lighter and to create a thinner base.

Mom's Beer Bread

2010-01-18T10:40:00.004-05:00

My mom used to make beer bread to serve with stew on cold winter nights. It's a hearty bread that has hints of bitter and sweet flavors. Since it only takes an hour to make it's the perfect accompaniment to your favorite soup or stew.

Ingredients:
3 C self-rising flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 (12 oz) can or bottle light beer
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients until fully incorporated. Turn into a nonstick bread pan, and bake for 50 minutes. Melt butter and brush over the top of the bread. Turn the oven off and return bread to the oven for another 10 minutes.

Wheat Berries with Roasted Veggies

2010-01-05T18:47:00.004-05:00

I've been itching to use wheat berries again, but have had trouble finding anything enticing on the web or in my cookbooks. I came across some yummy looking salads, but since it's so cold outside I was hoping for something warm. I had the most delicious vegetarian yorkshire pudding with wheat berries, artichoke and mushrooms last spring while visiting Chicago and wanted to recreate it. Sadly, I didn't have the ingredients on hand and was not willing to venture out in the cold to the grocery. Instead, I used the items I had on hand and came up with the following. You can take or leave the gravy, I made it thin and thought it added a little something to the veggie/grain mixture. Let me know what you think!

1 C wheat berries
2 1/2 C broth (I used the turkey broth I made after Thanksgiving)
2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced in wedges
1 crown broccoli, cut into individual clusters
1/2 medium onion sliced in wedges
1/4 lb green beans, snapped in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place broth in a pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Once the broth is boiling, add the wheat berries. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes.

In the meantime, place sweet potatoes and onion in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1/2 of the olive oil. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Add broccoli and stir. Roast for another 15-20 minutes. Add green beans and stir. Roast for another 10 minutes.

Strain wheat berries saving broth for gravy. Stir wheat berries into veggies. Serve over gravy.

Gravy
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 C stock left after wheat berries finish cooking
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour to make a roux. Cook roux, stirring for about 2 - 3 minutes. Add stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake

2010-01-03T13:15:00.004-05:00

I had quite a bit of leftover canned pumpkin in my freezer after the holidays and found this awesome recipe on the The Very Best Baking website. It was delicious and moist and stayed fresh for several days when stored covered in the fridge. I will definitely making this again next fall!

Ingredients

Struesel
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp butter

Cake
3 C all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C granulated sugar
1 C (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
4 large eggs
1 C canned pumpkin
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze
1 1/2 C sifted powdered sugar
2 to 3 Tbsp milk

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.

FOR STREUSEL:COMBINE brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice in small bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly.

FOR BATTER:COMBINE flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat granulated sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

TO ASSEMBLE:SPOON half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle Streusel over batter, not allowing Streusel to touch sides of pan. Top with remaining batter. Make sure batter layer touches edges of pan.BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with Glaze.

FOR GLAZE:COMBINE 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk in small bowl; stir until smooth.

Gingerbread Pancakes

2010-01-02T17:37:00.005-05:00

If you ever find yourself in Austin, TX be sure to stop by Magnolia Cafe for breakfast. No matter what you order you won't be disappointed, but I highly recommend trying the gingerbread pancakes. I love them so much I went on a mad hunt to find the recipe, fortunately Food Network made that easy for me. I've made a few modifications since I like my gingerbread to have a little stronger taste. I accompanied the pancakes with apples, fresh from the farmer's market, that I sauteed in a little butter and cinnamon - yum!

Ingredients
3 eggs
1/4 C brown sugar
1 C buttermilk
1/2 C water
1/4 C brewed coffee
2 1/2 C white unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp ground nutmeg
4 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

In a large bowl, mix eggs and brown sugar until well combined. Add buttermilk, water and brewed coffee, and stir to combine. In another large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Stir in the melted butter.

Grease a griddle or heavy skillet. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat and then add the batter, by ladle-fulls. Cook until little bubbles appear around the edges of the pancake, and then flip. Cook on the second side until golden brown and cooked through in the middle. Serve immediately.

I'm back!

2010-01-02T17:29:00.003-05:00

After a 2 month hiatus from blogging, I'm back! Although I got quite busy with work and training my new pup I continued cooking and saving recipes. I've got a lot to share so in the next few weeks I plan to post some of the great fare I've made over the past few months. Happy and healthy eating in 2010!

Fall Harvest

2009-10-18T09:24:00.009-04:00

With the official arrival of Fall my thoughts always turn to harvests. Nothing says harvest like root vegetables, savory herbs, and farm fresh meats. So I decided to make a Tuscan Style Roast Loin of Pork and Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole. The sweet potato dish is a staple in my Fall and Winter cooking, but I wanted to try something different with the tenderloin this time. I was so pleased with how moist and tender the pork was; it will definitely be one of my turn-to recipes in the future. Enjoy!

Tuscan Style Roast Loin of Pork
(adapted from The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook: The Essential Recipe Collections for Today's Home Cook)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 Tbsp dried
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1 1/2 tsp dried
1 very large or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil, or as needed
1 boneless pork loin roast, 2-4 lb, trimmed of excess fat

In a small bowl, make an herb paste by mixing together the thyme, sage, garlic and 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and enough oil to make a thick paste; you may need more or less than 2 Tbsp.

Score the top of the roast in 1 or 2 places. Rub the herb paste all over the meat and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour before cooking (I let mine stand for 1 hour), or cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring the roast to room temperature, if necessary, before cooking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a roasting pan just large enough to hold the pork. Place the pork in the pan, fat-side up , and roast 45 minutes, or longer if needed. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer or by cutting into the meat. Loin of pork should be removed from the heat when the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F or when the meat is slightly pink at the center. (This is key, I pulled my roast out of the oven just as it reached 150 degrees). Let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
(adapted from Noteworthy: A Collection of Recipes From the Ravinia Festival)

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 lb butter, melted, divided
1/3 C plus 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp dry sherry
1/4 C dark corn syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced

Cook potatoes until tender. Cool slightly.

In mixer bowl or food processsor puree potatoes with 5 Tbsp butter, sugar, salt, sherry, corn syrup, and cinnamon. Spread half of the puress in a greased 9-inch baking dish (I use a round, clear baking dish so you can see the layers). Layer half of sliced apples over puree. Repeat both layers, ending with apples on top. Brush top layer of apples with remaining 3 Tbsp butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

May be assembled, covered, and refrigerated over night. To bake, bring to room temperature. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This is fairly close to the original recipe (I changed the preparation of the potatoes before boiling them). When I made it with the tenderloin posted above I made additional alterations. In order to cut the sweetness I omitted the corn syrup and used Pink Lady instead of Granny Smith apples. I also cut out the sherry and reduced the amount of butter used by about half. It was perfect with the pork.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-10-11T10:45:00.008-04:00

The weather turned cool here this weekend, so I'm on a soup kick again. I was going to make a nice pot of chili, but based on the ingredients I had on-hand I decided tortilla soup would be a better option. So, I pulled out the old google machine and stumbled upon a version of the recipe below. Of course, I made some adjustments based on my taste preferences and the items I had available. The results were yum-o!

Soup Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp kosher salt
6 C chicken broth, low-sodium canned
1 C corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 C black beans
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 med. green pepper, chopped
3 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C cilantro leaves
1/4 C freshly squeezed lime juice

Chicken Ingredients
3 chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 Tbsp adobo sauce from chipotle peppers

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 9x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Season chicken breasts with cumin, chili powder, garlic salt and adobo sauce. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Shred chicken into bite sized pieces.

Next, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, chipotle, chili powder, and salt and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the corn, black beans, and green pepper and cook for 5 minutes more.

Pull the saucepan from the heat and stir in the tomato, chicken, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir to combine.

Serve with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and/or shredded chihuanhua cheese. Garnish with fresh sliced avocado or a lime wedge.

Eggplant & More Eggplant

2009-10-06T18:52:00.006-04:00

My garden was a little slow to produce veggies this summer, but by the end of the season I had tomatoes, peppers and particularly eggplants coming out of my ears! It's relatively easy to find things to do with tomatoes and peppers, but there's only so much you can do with eggplant. I made grilled eggplant, eggplant parmesan, pasta with eggplant, etc., etc. I was beginning to get tired of the blasted eggplants, but I couldn't stand to see them go to waste. So, I started searching websites and cookbooks, but to no avail. Then, finally, I remembered that I loved moussaka the first time I tried it and had a vague recollection of there being eggplant in it... or were those peas? Well, after a little more searching I discovered that moussaka does in fact contain eggplant, and even better, I had all of the other necessary ingredients on hand. So I set to work, and was pretty pleased with the outcome. I'll list the recipe below as it was originally posted, but I would recommend cutting down on the custard and adding a little more tomato.

Moussaka

Recipe from FoodNetwork.com

EGGPLANT
2 lg eggplants (about 2 3/4 pounds), unpeeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

MEAT SAUCE
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 med. yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 C whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (with puree), roughly chopped
1 bay leaf

CUSTARD SAUCE
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 C whole milk, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 lg egg
2 lg egg yolks
1/2 C dried breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp Pecorino Romano

Bake the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.

Make the meat sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Break the meat up into small pieces and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until just cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.

Make the custard sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Return to the heat and while whisking constantly, bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir to cool. When the sauce is cool, whisk in the egg and yolks.

Assemble the moussaka: Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with the oil. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Cover with half of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the custard sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and the custard is set, about 1 hour.

Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve.

Asian Inspired Barbeque

2009-09-26T10:16:00.001-04:00

It seems that Fall is quickly approaching so I decided it would be un-American not to take on last stab at the summer barbeque, but sadly I wasn't in the mood for traditional barbequed foods. So, I whipped out the handy google machine and found this recipe for Asian Barbeque Chicken. I modified it slightly, substituting ginger for the recommended curry powder and using chicken breasts instead of thighs, but wow was it moist and flavorful!

As an aside, does anyone know why barbeque is sometimes spelled barbecue? I recently visited Texas and even noticed the variabilty there. I prefer the q, myself.

Asian Barbeque Chicken
Adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp ginger powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Lime wedges (optional)
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute.

Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 20 minutes or until done, turning and basting frequently with the marinade. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Gimme Some Pig!

2009-09-16T19:03:00.001-04:00

When my cousin was little she would often ask if she could have "pig" for dinner. She loved "pig" in most any variety, ham, tenderloin, chops, etc. I must say I too feel her affinity for the illustrious pig. In fact, here is one of my favorite pork recipes.

Baked Pork Chops with Parmesan-Sage Crust
Adapated from Bon Appetit Magazine

1 1/2 C breadcrumbs (fresh or premade)
1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 Tbsp dried rubbed sage
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2 lg eggs
1/4 C all purpose flour
4 bone-in center-cut pork loin chops (each about 1 inch thick)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, sage and lemon peel in pie dish. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Place flour on plate; season generously with salt and pepper. Coat pork chops on both sides with flour; shake off excess. Dip chops into eggs, then coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture.

Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet with pork to oven. Bake until pork chops are crisp on the outside and meat thermometer inserted into pork registers 150°F, about 20 minutes.

These chops turn out so tender and juicy. I prefer to serve them with homemade macaroni-and-cheese and haricots verts.

Fall is right around the corner!

2009-09-12T17:00:00.000-04:00

If this round of cool temps we've been experiencing is any indication I believe fall is on it's way, and I couldn't be happier about it. Don't get me wrong, I love long summer days, but the cool breezes and beautifully colored leaves of fall are my absolute favorites. Snuggling on the couch with a warm bowl of soup, stew or chili while listening to the roar of a football crowd can't be beat. Since the football season is well underway the only thing missing is some belly warming fare; thus, I've decided to post some recipes from my recent ventures in soup making. The best thing about them is that most stews and soups can be frozen for up to 4 months, so they can be enjoyed throughout the fall and winter.

Black Bean Soup with Andouille Sausage

2009-09-12T16:35:00.001-04:00

I went to our local farmer's market yesterday and was thrilled to find fresh organic andouille sausage. However, once I got home I wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. I had planned to remove it from the casing and add it to the burgers I was making for dinner, but alas, the sausage was pre-cooked. Thus, I decided to add it to one of my favorite soups and was thrilled with the outcome.

1 lb bag of black beans or 2 (15 oz) cans, drained
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with jalepeno peppers
1/2 lb diced andouille sausage
1/2 C diced onion
1/2 C diced celery
1/2 C diced carrots
1/2 C diced bell peppers, a variety of colors
1 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
juice of 1 lime
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil, add black beans and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. After 1 hour, drain the beans.

In a slow cooker, combine beans, broth, tomatoes, sausage, onion, celery, carrots, peppers, cumin, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix well. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add cilantro and lime juice.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocado.

Zuppa Toscana

2009-09-12T16:30:00.000-04:00

My boyfriend loves the Zuppa Toscana from the Olive Garden Restaurant, but we rarely eat there. Last week I surprised him by whipping up a pot of the soup. I made some adjustments to the recipe I found on-line to make it a little lower in fat and less oily. The result was a success!

Zuppa Toscana
1 lb. spicy turkey sausage, crumbled
1/2 lb. smoked bacon, chopped
1 qt. water
(2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 lg. russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, cubed (skin on)
2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
1 medium onion, peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped swiss chard
1 C. soy cream
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.

Cut fat off of bacon and brown in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain bacon and set aside.

Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with red pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste; heat through.

Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I served the soup with a crusty rosemary bread.

Veggie Soup

2009-09-10T18:51:00.009-04:00

Here's yet another recipe from my aunt Michelle, maybe she needs to have a food blog! I love this recipe because I was able to make it with ingredients I had on hand from my vegetable and herb gardens. Also, whenever I have the opportunity I make and freeze chicken broth so I always have some available when I need it. Thus, I was able to make this soup without going to the grocery - gotta love that!

Soupe au Pistou

Soup
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 leeks (white & pale green parts only), thinly sliced
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
5 1/2 C chicken broth, or 1-48 oz can chicken broth
1- 15 1/2-19 oz can white or cannellini beans
6 small to medium Roma tomatos peeled and diced, or 1- 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and diced
1 medium squash, quartered lengthwise and diced
1 dried bay leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 lb green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces (~1 1/2 C)

Warm oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks, cooking about 3 minutes, until softened, stirring. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds more, stirring. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, uncovered. Add green beans, simmer 6-8 minutes longer until tender. Serve with 1 Tbsp pesto in each bowl.

Pistou
Pistou = Pesto

2 c loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 c pine nuts
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour the oil through the tube. Stop the motor when you have a thick, slightly chunky paste.

Brownies!

2009-09-09T20:48:00.000-04:00

I don't do much baking these days, so you know when I do it's for something or someone I really love. In this case I was motivated by both my love of brownies and my love for my boyfriend. This is a fantastic, quick, easy recipe for brownies from scratch. They are heart healthy, but you wouldn't know it from the taste of them. Enjoy!

Sugar Dusted Mocha Brownies
Adapted from American Heart Association Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook

Vegetable oil spray
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp light stick margarine
1 Tbsp instant coffee crystals
1 C sugar
Egg substitute equivalent to 2 eggs, or 2 eggs
1/4 C prune baby food
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8-inch square cake pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, melt the margarine over medium-low heat. Stir in the coffee crystals until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar, eggs, prunes and vanilla into the coffee mixture. Fold the cocoa mixture into the sugar mixture until well combined.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake uncovered, for 18-20 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean.

Cool brownies in the pan on a wire rack. Sift confectioners' sugar over the brownies.

Tips: I used a tea steeper to sift the sugar over the brownies.
These brownies are cake-like so they are really tastey when served with ice cream.

Wheat Berry Delight

2009-09-07T09:18:00.005-04:00

I have been reading about the wonders of Wheat Berries and have been searching my local grocer for weeks to locate them. I was eager to put this grain to use. You see, wheat berries are a whole grain, meaning the grain is left intact so the nutrients do not oxidize. A cup of cooked wheat berries has about 300 calories and is packed with fiber, protein and iron. When boiled, cooked wheat berries have a chewy bite and subtle nutty, earthy flavor. They’re sturdy enough to handle bold salad dressings and still delicate enough to taste delicious with some milk, honey and cinnamon. There are two varieties of wheat berries, red and white. The red tend to be a little heartier and require longer cooking times.

Wheat berries can be used in other forms as well. Those who are industrious grind them into whole wheat flour for baking, or if you like sprouts you can add a little water to them and watch them grow. The sprouts are loaded with vitamin E, a cell-protecting antioxidant, and magnesium, which is good for healthy bones and muscles.

Finally, after visiting my mother in Chicago, I found the illustrious grain at Whole Foods. I was so excited to have nutritional powerhouse in my hot little hands that I immediately set to work. Over the past few weeks I've been testing them out and here are two of the better recipes I've come up with.

Wheat Berry Salad
1 C raw wheat berries
3 1/2 C chicken or vegetable broth, or water
Cooking spray
1 C Swiss chard
2 Tbsp minced leek
1/2 C. diced yellow squash
1/2 C. diced zucchini
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
juice of 1/2 of a clementine
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 oz crumbled goat cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste

To prepare the wheat berries, place 3 1/2 cups broth (or water) in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Add wheat berries and simmer, covered, for an hour. Uncover and continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed and berries are beginning to burst and are chewy. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, coat a small saute pan with cooking spray and saute chard and leeks, over medium-low heat, until chard is wilted. Remove mixture from pan, coat pan again with cooking spray, saute squash and zucchini over medium heat until tender. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should be tender, but not falling apart.

In a small bowl whisk together the clementine juice, vinegar, oil and oregano.

When the wheat berries are done cooking and have cooled for about 15-20 minutes combine them with the vegetables and dressing. Gently fold in the goat cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Wheatberry Stuffed Eggplant
1/2 C raw wheat berries
2 C chicken or vegetable broth, or water
2 Japanese eggplants
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, charred, peeled and diced (or about 4 slices from a jar of roasted red peppers)
1 C skinned, diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
3 oz crumbled goat cheese, or feta
Salt & pepper, to taste
Cooking spray

To prepare the wheat berries, place 2 cups broth (or water) in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Add wheat berries and simmer, covered, for an hour. Uncover and continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed and berries are beginning to burst and are chewy. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Gently remove flesh from the center of each eggplant half; careful not to cut through the skin, leave about 1/2 inch of flesh around the edge. Dice the removed eggplant and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, careful not to burn the garlic. Add the diced eggplant, roasted pepper, tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wheat berries and continue to stir.

Spray the eggplant shells inside and out and place on baking sheet. Fill each shell with the wheat berry mixture and top with 1/4 of the cheese. Bake until golden brown, approximately 40 minutes.

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Mediterranean Tomato Sauce

2009-09-05T08:20:00.010-04:00

I just made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! The quinoa was so good on its own you could easily have it as a side dish, but using it as a stuffing made this dish an almost complete meal. Serve it with some sauted veggies or a salad and you're all set.

Mediterranean Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp chopped leeks
3 Tbsp chopped garlic
2 lbs tomatoes, coarsely chopped or a 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp cumin
ground sea salt

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the leeks and garlic and sauté about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and seasonings including salt. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until thickened. Cool for about 5 minutes. Purée in a blender until smooth.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1/2 C quinoa
2 Tbsp olive oil
ground sea salt
1 C water
2 Tbsp minced leeks
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 pound eggplant, cut into 1/4 -inch cubes
1 small red pepper, seeded, cored, roasted and diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 oz goat cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
freshly ground black pepper
4 -8-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Bring 1 cup of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, bring back to a boil, and remove from the heat. Cover and steep for 5 minutes or until water has been absorbed. Uncover, fluff with a fork to separate the grains.

Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan, add the leek and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the red pepper and cumin and sauté for about 1 more minute. Remove from the heat, mix with the couscous, cilantro and goat cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 375º F.

Divide the stuffing into 4 portions. Cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast, the whole length of the chicken breast, and stuff it with about half of each portion of stuffing. Brush the breast with the remaining oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken breast for 25 to 35 minutes or until cooked through and nicely browned. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Assembly: Pool some of the Moroccan Tomato Sauce on 4 dinner-size plates. Slice each chicken breast into 4 or 5 pieces and use a spatula to transfer them to the plates.

NOTE: The stuffing keeps these chicken breasts moist while they are cooking and they look beautiful when sliced.

New Adventures in Cooking

2009-09-03T16:51:00.008-04:00

Well bloggy friends this simple gourmand has officially entered her early 30s. Being a year older has most
certainly made me a wiser, and thanks to some generous friends, it has made my recipe collection a lot larger. My dear friend, Ashley, sent me Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients, by Jesse Ziff Cool, and my oldest (and by oldest I mean longest, not the most aged) friend Jenn (Culinary Barbie) gave me Fine Cooking Fresh: 350 Recipes that Celebrate the Seasons. Both collections are filled with healthy, fresh, vegetable laden dishes that look positively scrumptious! I see a great deal of cooking in my future; I'll be sure to share my new favorites ASAP!

Vegetable Delights

2009-08-25T19:47:00.000-04:00

From time-to-time I dapple in vegetarianism, but alas I love a perfectly grilled steak and am always pulled back to meat-eating ways. Surprisingly though, it is my love of veggies that has introduced me to some of the most flavorful meals I've ever eaten. These are two of my recent flavorful finds.

Eggplant Parmesan

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:

1 Tbsp olive oil
½ large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded & chopped
4 medium tomatoes peeled, seeded & chopped
2 Tbsp freshly chopped basil leaves
1 Tbsp freshly chopped oregano leaves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Honey, to taste

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the red peppers and cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Return the mixture back to the pot, add the basil and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes longer and season with honey, if needed.

Eggplant:

1 1/2 C dried breadcrumbs (made from dried day-old bread, or commercial)
Butter, for greasing the dish
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1Tbsp water
2 to 3 small eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Vegetable oil, for frying
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce
1 C grated mozzarella (not fresh)
1/4 C grated fresh parmesan
Fresh basil leaves, torn

To dry out the bread crumbs:
Preheat the oven to 300 degree F.
Evenly spread the bread crumbs on a large baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, turn the oven off and let the bread crumbs sit in the oven for 30 minutes or until just dry.

Raise the temperature of the oven up to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside.

Place the bread crumbs into a large shallow bowl. Add the herbs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. In another medium shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and 1Tbsp of water together.

Season each eggplant slice on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, tapping off excess, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the bread crumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the egg plant to a plate. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Heat 1/2-inch of oil in a cast iron skill or saute pan over medium heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 385 degrees F. Working in small batches, fry a few of the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with some of the Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce and arrange 1/2 of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with some of the sauce, grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese and some of the basil. Repeat to make 2 layers ending with the sauce. Top with the fresh mozzarella and remaining parmesan and bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

2009-08-24T20:24:00.007-04:00

This is another recipe I acquired from my aunt during my vacation. Even if you don't like cauliflower this is worth a try; the cauliflower loses it's bitter taste and takes on a sweetness from the browning. It's great paired with other vegetables or as a side to any meat dish.

Roasted Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower
1 Tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Wash cauliflower and break into flowerets. Place in a glass baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower begins to brown on the edges.

Michigan Cherries - Yum!

2009-08-22T22:18:00.007-04:00

My family has vacationed in Michigan for as long as I can remember and each of my Michigan memories involves sweet, juicy summer fruits. Some of the best apples, peaches, blueberries and raspberries I have ever eaten were enjoyed on the walkway along the side of our cottage. It was until I was in college, however, that I discovered plump, tart, succulent dried Michigan cherries. They are my favorite "candy." As an adult no trip up North is complete without a stash of dried cherries to take home. Having just returned from my annual trip I have been savoring these candies, eating them by the handful and in some of my favorite dishes. Here's one of my more successful attempts at incorporating them in a meal.

Chicken Wrap with Blue Cheese, Dried Cherries and Walnuts

1 chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp walnut pieces, chopped
2 Tbsp low fat blue cheese crumbles
3 Tbsp roughly chopped dried Michigan cherries
1 Tbsp Maple Grove Farms Strawberry Balsamic dressing
1/4 C baby spinach leaves, tightly packed
1 whole wheat tortilla

Place chicken breast in a grill pan and season with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until juices run clear. Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly.

Chop chicken breast into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl along with the walnuts, blue cheese crumbles, and cherries. Add dressing; toss to coat.

Arrange spinach leaves down center of tortilla and top with chicken mixture. Roll tortilla like a burrito and enjoy!

Tomato-Basil Bisque

2009-08-22T10:43:00.007-04:00

I adpated this recipe from the September edition of Vegetarian Times . It was so quick and easy that I was able to eat it right away. You know how I love pesto made fresh from the garden, so of course I topped my soup with it for an extra taste of freshness.

Tomato-Basil Bisque

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small sweet onion, chopped (1/2 C)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
2 28-oz. cans Organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 tsp sugar (more if needed
1 tsp balsamic or sherry vinegar
1 tsp fresh basil
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 C low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 C half-and-half or soy creamer
1/4 C chopped fresh basil, for garnish

Heat oil in suacepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, basil, bay leaf and broth. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Puree soup in blender or food processor until smooth. Strain through fine mesh strainer into saucepan; return to simmer. Remove from heat, and stir in half-and-half (I used soy creamer). Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with basil (I used a dollop of fresh pesto).

Tip: Freezes well

Mediterranean Inspired Spread

2009-08-16T12:42:00.008-04:00

This one of my favorite spreads. It is so versitile that it can each be paired with a variety of meats, pastas, sandwiches, etc.

Tip: If you used oil packed veggies, I recommend cutting the amount of olive oil listed in the recipe.

Roasted Red Pepper & Artichoke Tapenade

1 7-oz jar roasted red pepper, drained and coarsley chopped
1 6-oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 C minced fresh parsley
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan (I have omitted this for a lower fat version & it's still delish)
1/3 C olive oil (see tip above)
1/4 C drained & coarsley chopped green olives, or 1/4 C drained capers
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in food processor, using on/off until well blended & finely chopped. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

This tapenade is wonderful on lightly seasoned & grilled chicken or fish, as a dip with pita chips and a spread for sandwiches.

2009-08-16T12:23:00.006-04:00

Pork Shoulder with Tomatillos & Pickled Peppers

I got this recipe from my Aunt Michelle while on vacation and have already made it since I back home. It's so fast and tasty! You can adjust the amount of jalapenos if you don't like spicy food. Enjoy!

1 1/2 lb (10-12) medium tomatillos cut into 1/2 in. pieces
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 pickled jalapenos, seeded & chopped (~1/3 of 12 oz jar)
1/2 C chopped cilantro
1 1/2 - 2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 in. pieces
1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
2 15 oz. cans Northern White Beans
1/2 tsp sugar, more if needed

Put cubed tomatillos in slow cooker & smooth out layer. Sprinkle jalapenos and 1/2 cilantro over the top. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt and garlic. In a large bowl toss pork with Worchestershire until well covered. Distribute meat over tomatillos. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Remove pork to a bowl. Ladle sauce into a blender, add rest of cilantro and puree. Put back in cooker. Add drained beans, salt if needed, and water if sauce is too thick. If too tart, add sugar. Return meat to sauce and beans and heat through. Serve over your favorite rice.

Alternative:
I made a smoked pork tenderloin a few days ago and wasn't thrilled with how it turned out, so I needed to transform the tenderloin into something I was willing to eat. So, instead of using a pork shoulder with this recipe I used the leftover tenderloin. I made the salsa verde (tomatillo sauce) in a saucepan instead of the slowcooker. Icoated the meat in the Worchestershire, but didn't add it to the salsa until after I had pureed it and returned it to the saucepan. The meal was ready in about 45 minutes, versus the 6 hours required for the shoulder. It turned out just as tasty as, albeit a little less tender than, the slowercooker version.

Hiatus

2009-08-15T11:51:00.003-04:00

There haven't been any posts for the last few weeks because I've been on vacation...with no internet access. I'm getting ready to post a bunch of great new recipes I discovered during my blogging hiatus, but in the meantime check out this website for some healthy alternatives to your favorite meals.

http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/

Fajita Fiesta

2009-07-20T09:03:00.010-04:00

Both of my sisters have Birthdays this month, so we had a Birthday Fiesta yesterday. Our menu included guacamole, salsa, fajitas, black bean and corn salad, and sangria.

Beef Fajita Marinade
1/3 C tequila
1/4 C fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt, plus salt to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Pour over beef (skirt or flank steak) and marinate overnight.

Chicken Fajita Marinade
1/3 C tequila
1/4 C fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp Worcestershire
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
salt & pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Pour over chicken breasts (thin sliced) and marinate overnight.

Grill meats and slice.

Vegetables
4 bell peppers (assorted colors), sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 lg tomato, sliced into wedges

Preheat oven to 425. Arrange peppers and onion on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add tomato and roast another 7 minutes.

Serve meats and vegetables with tortillas, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa.

Homemade Salsa
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can orignial Rotel
1 medium red or sweet onion, diced
1/4 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 can chilis
Garlic salt to taste
Salt & pepper to taste

Drain tomatoes and Rotel. Put all ingredients in bowl of food processor and pulse. Salsa should be slightly chunky.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa
2 C corn kernals (5-6 ears, or 1 can)
2 C black beans (or 1 can)
1 red pepper, diced
6-7 green onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar

In a 3 quart bowl combine all ingredients. Chill for 24 hours. Taste before serving and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

A Second Life for Cilantro

2009-07-11T15:25:00.006-04:00

I love having cilantro in my garden. It's such a great flavor addition to so many dishes, but it doesn't last long in my garden. So, I started researching and found that all is not lost because there are many uses for the cilantro seeds. Dried cilantro seeds, or coriander, can be used for new plantings and in cooking. Once your cilantro has bolted follow the easy steps below to get more life out of your plant.

Drying Cilantro Seeds

The “seeds” are actually two cilantro seeds encased in a husk. The husk is hard, round and is light brown or grey in color. Before you plant them in the ground, you need to prepare the cilantro seeds to increase the chances that they will germinate. Gently crush the seed husk holding the two seeds together. Soak the cilantro seeds in water for 24 - 48 hours. Remove from the water and allow to dry.

Planting Cilantro Seeds

Once you have prepared the cilantro seeds, you need to plant the seeds. You can either start cilantro indoors or out doors. If you are starting the seeds indoors, you will be transplanting cilantro to the outdoors later on.

Put the seeds in the soil and then cover them with about a 1/4 inch layer of soil. Leave the cilantro growing until it is at least 2 inches tall. At this time, thin the cilantro to be about 3-4 inches apart. You want to be growing cilantro in crowded conditions because the leaves will shade the roots and help to keep the plant from bolting in hot weather.

If you are transplanting cilantro into your garden, dig holes 3-4 inches apart and place the plants in them. Water thoroughly after transplanting.

Cooking with Coriander

To prepare the coriander seeds for use, cut the stems and tie them together. Hang them in a cool, dry place to dry out. Make sure to place a container under them to capture falling seeds. When dry, place flower heads in a bag and shake to harvest seeds. Make sure seeds are completely dry before storing.

To use the seeds, crush them in a mortar and pestle or spin them in a coffee grinder or small food processor. Toasting the seeds in a dry pan brings out their best flavor.

Reinventing Lefovers

2009-07-08T19:42:00.018-04:00

We've all been there, your carefully crafted dinner was good the first night, maybe even the second time, but the third time is hard to palette. The dilemma: what can you do with leftovers once you're bored of them? Well, I just might have an answer (or two). Recently I have been surprising myself with my ability to reinvent leftovers, so I've decided to post some of my more successful attempts here.

First Meal: Barbeque Pork Chops (these were actually leftovers from a meal out)

Second Meal: Barbeque Pork Carnitas
Leftover barbequed pork chops, meat pulled away from the bone and thinly sliced
2 C white rice
2 C water (if using rice cooker, otherwise follow package directions)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice, divided
1 can black beans, rinsed
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese

Cook the rice and water in the rice cooker with 1 Tbsp olive oil, cilantro and 1 Tbsp lime juice.
Heat the beans over low heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp lime juice, cayenne pepper and cumin. Heat until warm, about 10 minutes.
Assemble the rice, beans, meat and cheese in a tortilla as desired. Top with salsa and guacamole (optional).

*I ate this for dinner and then ate the ingredients as a "bowl" (without the tortilla) for lunch the following day.

Blueberries

2009-07-05T15:14:00.010-04:00

When I was a kid Blueberries for Sal was one of my favorite books; to this day, I can't eat a blueberry without feeling nostalgic. Perhaps that's because I have so many other fond memories tied to blueberries - fresh pints sold at the old hotel near our family summer cottage, going picking with my cousins, being taught the most amazing cobbler recipe as an adolescent and the Saturdays of my childhood when my bestfriend's mother served us blueberry muffins right out of the oven. Since the blueberry season is approaching, I've been pulling out some old, and new, recipes to make the best use of this amazingly healthy fruit. Below are two of my favorites:

Blueberry Muffins
3 C of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
1 C sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C vanilla yogurt
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2 C blueberries

Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the grated lemon peel.

Beat in one half of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat. Fold in the berries. If you are using store bought frozen berries, defrost them first, drain the excess liquid, and then coat them in a light dusting of flour. If you are using fresh berries you froze yourself, do not defrost them, add them to the mixture while they are still frozen.

Use a standard 12-muffin muffin pan. Coat each muffin cup lightly with butter or cooking spray. Distribute the batter equally among the cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin and serve while still warm.

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

Blueberry Cobbler

Fruit Mixture:
3 C blueberries
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp butter

Cobbler Dough:
1 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cold butter
1/3 C heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine berries with sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Place fruit mixture in a 1 quart baking dish. Cut the butter into several pieces and scatter over the fruit.

Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into the workbowl of a food processory and pulse twice to sift. Cut the butter into pieces and place on top of the flour; pulse 8-10 times. With the motor running, pour cream through the feed tube. Stop the motor when the dough clumps together.

Turn the dough onto lightly floured surfice and roll to shape the dimensions of the baking dish. Place dough over the fruit mixture. Cut several deep slashes in the dough.

Bake 20-25 minutes.

This recipe was taught to me by a woman for whom I babysat when I was about 14-15 years old. I don't know where she got it, but I cannot claim credit for it. You can also substitute fresh peaches for the blueberries - equally as delicious!

From the Home Garden

2009-06-30T21:02:00.008-04:00

My dear friend Culinary Barbie brought me some fresh organic green beans from her garden yesterday. I wanted to do something other than boil them so I started playing around with ideas. This salad is what I came up with. I think it turned out really well. It can be altered to meet your taste and/or the ingredients you have on-hand. I served it with sweet potato fries and barbeque pork chops.

Green Bean Salad
1 lb fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1/2 of a large red tomato, diced
1/4 C toasted pine nuts

Dressing
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Coarse salt and pepper

Steam green beans over boiling water covered for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove beans and run cold water over them to cool, drain well. Place beans in a bowl and combine with onions, tomato and pine nuts. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl; drizzle over salad to taste.

Eating Well

2009-06-28T23:22:00.001-04:00

I love Eating Well Magazine; the recipes are always tasty, healthy and economical. Each edition is full of amazing dishes using seasonal fruits and vegetables. I am excited to try many of the recipes in the August issue, but since my garden is just starting to yield vegetables I haven't had a chance to make some of them yet. Nonetheless, I decided to share some of them here. Be sure to let me know what you think if you try any of them.

Summer Veggies from Eating Well

2009-06-28T22:42:00.004-04:00

Pesto-Topped Grilled Summer Squash

1/2 C chopped fresh basil

1/4 C toasted pine nuts

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

2 medium summer squash (about 1 lb), sliced diagonally 1/4 in thick

Canola or olive oil cooking spray

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Combine basil, pine nuts, oil, cheese, garlic, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl.

Coat both sides of squash slices with cooking spray. Grill the squash until browned and tender, 2-3 minutes per side. Serve topped with pesto.

Note: This is not a traditional pesto, the ingredients are left whole, not ground in the food processor.

Makes 4 servings

Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb), cut into 1/2 in cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1/3 C chopped pitted green olives

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

4 tsp capers, rinsed

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

12 oz whole-wheat angel hair pasta

1/4 C chopped fresh basil

Put a pot of water on to boil.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, vinegar, capers, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down, 5-7 minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and divide the pasta among 6 shallow bowls. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with the basil to top.

Makes 6 servings; cost per serving under $2

Tasty Salads from Eating Well

2009-06-28T20:24:00.008-04:00

Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad

1 15-19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed

2 5-6 oz cans water-packed chunk light tuna, drained & flaked

1 lg red bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 C finely chopped red onion

1/2 C fresh parsley, divided

4 tsp capers, rinsed (optional)

1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 C lemon juice, divided

4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 tsp salt

8 C mixed salad greens

Combine beans, tuna, bell pepper, onion, parsley, capers, rosemary, 1/4 C lemon juice and 2 Tbsp oil in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Combine the remaining 1/4 C lemon juice, 2 Tbsp oil and salt in a large bowl. Add salad greens, toss to coat. Divide the greens among 4 plates; top each with the tuna salad.

Makes 4 servings; cost per serving under $3.50

Note: Chunk light tuna, which comes from the smaller shipjack or yellowfin, has less mercury than canned white albacore tuna.

Chopped Greek Salad with Chicken

1/3 C red-wine vinegar
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or oregano, or 1 tsp dried

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

6 C chopped romaine lettuce

2 1/2 C chopped cooked chicken

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 C finely chopped red onion

1/2 C sliced ripe black olives

1/2 C crumbled feta cheese

Whisk vinegar, oil, dill (or oregano), garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta; toss to coat.

Makes 4 servings, about 3 cups each; cost per serving under $3.50

Hummus

2009-06-24T06:25:00.005-04:00

These are my two favorite hummus dips. I especially like them because they are made without Tahini, which do not really care for. Both recipes are quick, easy and crowd pleasing. The red pepper hummus is my go-to when I need a last minute party dish.

Sicilian Chickpea Spread (AKA Red Pepper Hummus)
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 15-oz can of chickpeas, drained
1 jar of roasted red peppers
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves (I substitute 1-2 Tbsp basil paste)
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and whirl for 2-3 minutes, until light and creamy.

This dip is great served with crackers, on toast, or tossed with pasta and sauteed veggies.

Recipe courtesy of Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

Edamame Hummus
1 cup frozen edamame, pod removed
Juice of half a lemon
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup water
Toasted sesame seeds to taste

If using uncooked edamame, place the edamame in a steamer rack over boiling water. Steam edamame for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. If using precooked edamame thaw them before doing the next steps. Combine edamame, lemon juice, garlic, oil and a sprinkle of salt in a blender or food processor and pulse several minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula occasionally. Add the water to help bring it to a smoother consistency as needed — adding more or less. Taste for seasoning.

This is great to serve with wanton wrapper chips (cut wrapers into triangles, spray with cooking spray and bake until crispy), pretzle rods, crackers, etc.

Recipe courtsey of Not Eating Out in NY

Avocados...more than just guacamole

2009-06-18T20:39:00.006-04:00

Don't get me wrong, I love guacamole (even posted my recipe below, which is the best I've had - not that I'm biased!), but sometimes an avocado is worth more than a tasty dip. Thus, I set out on a trek to find alternate uses for this creamy fruit, and was pleasantly surprised by what I came across.

If these recipes don't strike your fancy check out the California Avocado Commission for additional recipes. Also, Women's Health Magazine has a great article on the best fitness foods for women and guess what's number one on the list....avocado!

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Corn Salsa

Salsa:
1 ear corn, roasted (or 2 cups canned)
1 large avocado, diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced red or orange bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice

Cut the kernels off the cob and mix together with all the remaining ingredients. Keep covered and refrigerated. I put the avocado pit in the salsa to keep it from turning brown.

Chicken:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup lemon juice
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper

Preheat grill or a grill pan.
Season chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper. Brush with lemon juice. Grill 10 to 15 minutes total on a hot grill, turning 3 times. Top with Avocado Corn Salsa.

I served this with steamed white rice and black beans with some fresh cilantro mixed in.

Recipe courtsey of Food Network.

Guacamole
3 ripe Avocados, peeled & pitted
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded & finely chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Garlic salt to taste

Mash avocado, add onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Beat until creamy. Gently fold in tomato. Add garlic salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until served.

Supper Salads

2009-06-17T20:00:00.009-04:00

Taking the lead from my friend at pthappyhomemaker I decided to post some of my favorite salad recipes. Enjoy!

Simple Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp dried basil leaves
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 C. olive oil

Put the garlic and basil into a blender or food processor; pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and peppper and pulse again. Add olive oil and pulse again. Pour into a serving jar or other container.

Salad:
1 head of Romaine or Bibb Lettuce
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper

Wash and dry lettuce; tear into bite-sized pieces. Toss the greens with 1/2 cup of vinaigrette to coat. Place in a salad bowl. Wash pepper at slice into thin strips. Wash tomatoes and cut in halves. Top salad with peppers and tomatoes; toss & serve with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Spinach & Fruit Salad
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 C. Craisins*
Crumbled goat cheese to taste
1/3 C. Bottled Strawberry Vinaigrette, or to taste
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds**

Wash spinach and place in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Top with Craisins, goat chees, and sunflower seeds.

*Substitute other dried fruits or an assortment of dried fruits
** Substitute pine nuts

More Pesto, Please!

2009-06-16T14:10:00.008-04:00

I ventured into the world of pasta making and found it wasn't nearly as difficult as I had anticipated. I love pesto, especially because I can make it from the basil growing in my backyard, so when I saw this recipe I couldn't resist. Now I must give fair warning, this isn't for those with sensitive tummies as it is quite rich, but boy is it tasty!

Gnocchi with Pesto
Serves 4

Kosher salt
2 russet potatoes, about 1 1/2 lb, scrubbed
1/2 C, plus 2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 lg egg, beaten
1 1/4 C all-purpose flout, plus more for rolling
6 oz haricots verts or other small slender green beans
1/2 C Pesto (see below)
6 Tbsp butter

To make gnocchi, in a large pot of boiling water, cook the unpeeled whole potatoes until tender when pierced with a small knife, about 30 min. Drain and let cool for a few minutes. Submerge potatoes in a bowl of ice water, skin should peel right off (see Sprint Cuts, How to Peel a Potato on YouTube). Place peeled potatoes in a large bowl. Add the 2 Tbsp grated cheese, 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and nutmeg and mash well with a potato masher. Let cool to lukewarm, mix in the egg and then 1 cup of the flour.

Knead the dough, adding more flour 1 Tbsp at a time as needed, until a soft and sticky dough forms, about 3 minutes (I did this in my Kitchenaid mixer). Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then divide it into 6 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, use your palms to roll each piece into a rope 3/4 in. thick. Cut the ropes into 1 in. pieces. To form the grooves in the gnocchi that will hold the sauce, roll each piece over the tines of a fork or down the length of a wire whisk.

In a large pot of generously salted boiling water, cook the hericots verts until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a skimmer, transfer beans to a colander and drain.

In 2 batches, cook the gnocchi in the same pot of boiling water until just tender, stirring often to prevent sticking, about 5 minutes per batch. Using the skimmer, transfer to a baking sheet.

Put the pesto and remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese in a large bowl. In a large frying pan, melt the butter (I used less thatn 6 Ybsp, but to each his/her own) over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the haricots verts and toss for 1 minute. Transfer the gnocchi and haricots verts to the bowl of pesto and cheese and toss to coat.

The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook: The Essential Recipe Collection for Today's Home Cook

Pesto

2 c loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 c pine nuts
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour the oil through the tube. Stop the motor when you have a thick, slightly chunky paste.

Do-It-Yourself Composting

2009-06-14T13:00:00.002-04:00

Not every gardener has the space for a large compost pile, and not all municipalities allow back yard composting. The good news is that it's very easy to compost in a small space. Even if all you have is a patio or balcony, you can use this method of making compost in a trash can. And, if you need to compost on the sly, no one will be the wiser---they'll just see another trash can.

To start out composting, purchase the most inexpensive 32 gallon or larger plastic garbage can you can find. Make sure it has a lid. If rats are a problem in your area, consider purchasing a metal trash can. Then, using a two to three-inch hole saw bit and a drill, drill holes all the way around the trash can (lid, bottom, and sides) six to twelve inches apart. Cover these holes with window screening. Good strong duct tape or epoxy will work. Put your trash can composter in a convenient place. If possible, raise it up on a couple of bricks to get even more air circulation to the contents of the trash can composter.

So, what do you put into your trash can composter?

Fruit and vegetable peels and cores
Leftover cooked veggies (as long as they don't have salt or butter on them)
Produce that's past its prime
Coffee grounds
Tea leaves and tea bags
Egg shells
Shredded newspaper
Weeds, leaves, and spent flowers from the garden

Never add meat or dairy to the composter, as it will spoil (and smell!) and attract pests. Besides that, your compost could then harbor harmful bacteria that could cause illness. It is a good idea, however, to add a shovelful of garden soil to your compost. The soil contains all kinds of microorganisms which will consume the contents of your compost and break it down. If you don't have access to garden soil, don't worry. You'll still get compost, but it will take a little longer.

Most books and articles about composting recommend using specific ratios of “green” and “brown” materials to make perfect compost. You may be able to get away with ignoring ratios if you have a large pile, but in a closed system like this, paying attention to the ratios of your materials is important. If you have too many “greens,” such as fruit and veggie peels, weeds, and grass clippings, the pile will stay too wet and will start to smell. If you have too many “browns,” such as leaves, small twigs, shredded paper, and coffee grounds, the pile will just kind of sit there. Try for a ratio of at least 4:1 of browns to greens. I've seen recommendations as high as 25:1, but the 4:1 ratio works well in my trash can composter.

In addition to a proper ratio of materials,you'll also need to make sure that your compost stays moist, but not wet. In general, your compost should feel like a wrung-out sponge. Any wetter than that, and it will start to smell because it has become anaerobic, meaning oxygen can't get to parts of the pile. If your pile dries out, it will still break down eventually, but it will take much, much longer than it should.

You'll also need to keep your compost aerated. In a traditional pile, this is done by digging into the pile and turning the contents every week or two. You can aerate your trash can composter by simply laying it on its side and rolling it around a few times. Do this once or twice a week, and you should have finished compost in two to four weeks.

Trash can composter courtesy of Anthony at The Compost Bin.