TO CATCH A COOK

Classic Cherry Pie with Butter Crust

2011-07-09T11:42:00.000-04:00

This Cherry Pie recipe screams summer picnic (this was our dessert this 4th of July, hence the stars!). If at all possible, find a friend or two to help you pit the cherries and enjoy some wine while it bakes – it takes almost 2 hours! It’s worth the time and effort, it may be the best pie I’ve ever had. What’s your favorite pie recipe? Post in the comments!

Cherry Pie

6 cups fresh cherries (pitted)

1 cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon pure almond extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Egg Wash (1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss together the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and almond extracts.

Roll out the crust on a lightly floured surface and place on 9 inch pie plate. Place in filling. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Place in refrigerator while rolling out top crust. Roll out top crust on lightly floured surface, cut several holes with cookie cutter. Place on top of pie. Seal edges with fork or crimp. Freeze for 20 minutes. Brush with egg wash. Bake on parchment lined baking sheet for 1 hour and 45 minutes (this helps if it drips). Let cool at least 3 hours before serving.

Pate Brisee (Butter Crust)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

¼ to ½ cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour.

*Recipe from Martha Stewart July 2011 issue.

Portobello Burgers with Spicy Jicama Pepper Slaw

2011-06-25T13:17:00.002-04:00

Here’s an idea for Meatless Monday and an excuse to fire up the grill (it is summer!). Don’t be fooled – this is a very hearty meal and the slaw makes for great left-overs for lunch. Enjoy!

Portobello Burgers

1/2 cup nonfat mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

6 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 garlic clove, minced

2 large portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 whole wheat buns, toasted

bibb lettuce

Mix mayonnaise, mustard, 2 teaspoons rosemary and garlic in small bowl. Set aside.

Brush mushrooms all over with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, about 10 minutes per side. Spread mayonnaise mixture over buns. Place mushrooms and lettuce on buns and enjoy!

Adapted from Bon Appetit.

Spicy Jicama Pepper Slaw

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and zest

3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

2 tablespoons honey

5 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

12 ounces jicama, peeled, cut into thin strips

Whisk first 6 ingredients, season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss bell peppers, jicama and dressing in large bowl to coat. Season slaw with salt. Cover and refrigerate until vegetables soften slightly but are still crunchy, about 1 hour.

Adapted from Bon Appetit.

Monkey Bread

2011-06-21T02:02:00.000-04:00

This is a special recipe for a lazy Sunday or weekend brunch with friends. While the dough does take some patience, it is worth the wait! I love to serve this with Chicken and Cheddar Souffle, Balsamic Strawberries, and Mix-and-Match Mimosas (pomegranate juice, blood orange juice, orange juice, and champagne).

Monkey Bread

Preheat oven to 200°F then turn it off. Butter Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Set aside.

Brown Sugar Coating
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Place melted butter in one bowl. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a second bowl. Set aside.

Dough
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (2 tablespoons softened, 2 tablespoons melted)
1 cup skim milk, warm
1/3 cup water, warm
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package active yeast
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
2 teaspoons table salt

Mix together milk, water, melted butter, sugar and yeast. Place flour and salt in a standing mixer with dough hook. Slowly add liquid mixer. Knead at medium speed about 7 minutes or until dough is smooth. Turn out on floured surface and form into a bowl. Coat a large bowl with vegetable oil, place dough in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in warm oven for 60 minutes.

Place dough on floured surface and pat into an 8-inch square. Using a bench scraper, cut dough into 64 balls. Work quickly so the dough does not stick together! Roll each ball and dip in butter then brown sugar mixture. Layer balls in Bundt pan. Cover bundt pan again with plastic wrap and place back in oven 60 minutes.

Remove bundt pan from oven. Remove plastic wrap. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake the Monkey Bread for 30-35 minutes or until cake is a dark brown. Cool for 5 minutes, invert cake, and allow to cool slightly. Best served within the next several hours.

*Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Cucumber Mint Cocktail

2011-04-02T21:08:00.003-04:00

I really enjoy fresh herbs like mint, basil and lavender in drinks. Another sleek garnish is to serve in a tumbler with perfectly symmetric ice cubes – made easy with this tray I found at Sur La Table.

I think this drink is perfect for the warm weather ahead – crisp, cool & refreshing.

Cucumber Mint Cocktail

2 cucumbers

1 cup fresh mint leaves

2 teaspoons sugar

3 limes

½ cup vodka

2 tablespoons Cointreau

Cut 4 thin spears from 1 cucumber and save for garnish. Peel cucumbers, scrape out seeds with a spoon. Puree in a food processor until smooth and strain through a sieve and press the solids to extract as much juice as possible.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add mint, sugar, and lime juice. Add cucumber juice, vodka, and Cointreau. Shake well and strain into 4 glasses filled with ice. Garnish with cucumber spear.

*Adapted from Martha Stewart.

New York-Style Blackberry Crumb Cake

2011-03-14T02:54:00.002-04:00

This is such a great recipe! Definitely let this cool a half-hour or so before serving, it's better once the cake cools and become a bit more dense. I substituted all the butter for fat free sour cream and swapped buttermilk for skim in the cake, but tried to stick to the recipe for the crumb topping. This makes a large 9x13 cake – share with friends or bring to the office!

Crumb Topping:

3 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

Cake:

1 1/2 cups fat free sour cream

2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup skim milk

1 cup blackberry jam

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9x13 baking pan.

To make the topping, mix together the flour, sugars, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Pour melted butter of mixture and mix until large crumbs form, set aside.

To make the cake, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the sour cream and sugar with a mixer for 2 minutes, add the eggs one at a time and beat until well combined. Add vanilla.

Add the sour cream mixture and skim milk to the flour and beat with a hand mixer just until completely incorporated. Pour into prepared pan. Place jam in microwave 1 – 2 minutes until loose but not running. Spread evenly on top of batter. Top batter with crumb mixture.

Place in oven and bake 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

*Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Mario Batali’s Polenta with Mushrooms, Garlic and Rosemary

2011-02-22T01:46:00.000-05:00

There is no Cooking Channel in Santa Monica, so I can't watch Molto Mario re-runs. Trust me, I've contacted Time Warner several times, we'll see what happens. In light of this, I picked up Molto Italiano this weekend and am excited to try some new recipes. This dish was quite tasty, but be warned: it took about an hour with the back and forth waiting for the polenta to cook, cool, then broil – so make sure you have a bit of time – it’s worth the wait!

Mario Batali’s Polenta with Mushrooms, Garlic and Rosemary
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups water
1 cup polenta
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup parmesan + 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1-2 pounds chopped mushrooms
1 cup dry white wine
salt, pepper
parsley for garnish

Bring chicken stock and water to a boil. Gradually stir in polenta until thickened. Let cook 20 minutes. Stir in butter, parmesan, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon rosemary. Place in 8x12 baking pan and place in freezer about 10 minutes. Preheat broiler.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Add mushrooms, sauté 3 minutes. Add wine gradually, every 3 minutes for the next 10 minutes. Add garlic, remaining rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook an additional 5 – 10 minutes until mixture is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, once polenta is slightly cooled, remove from freezer. Cut with round cutter (cookie cutter or biscuit cutter works well) and place on baking sheet. Broil in oven on both side about 5 minutes each until crispy brown.

Plate polenta rounds and top with mushrooms. Top with a sprinkle of parsley and sprinkle on parmesan. Enjoy!

*Adapted from Molto Italiano.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-02-14T13:56:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine’s Day! Try this festive Red Velvet Cupcake with Coconut Cream Cheese frosting. To try to make it a bit healthier, I substituted plain yogurt for some butter and used skim milk instead of buttermilk. Give it a try, enjoy!

Cupcake
2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup skim milk, divided
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 lb powdered sugar
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Sift flour and cocoa into mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and yogurt until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then red food coloring and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with 2/3 cup milk in 2 additions. In a small bowl, combine milk, vinegar, and baking soda, whisk to form bubbles, stir into batter.

Bake cupcakes 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar; fold in coconut. Spread frosting on cupcakes top with sprinkles. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.

LA Restaurant Review - AKASHA

2011-02-10T18:04:00.000-05:00

I’m starting a new section on the blog. It’s been fun exploring new restaurants out here in Los Angeles, but I will admit that I’ve been at a loss for a reliable source for honest restaurant reviews. Yelp is flooded with equally bad and good reviews for the same restaurants, no source is nearly as comprehensive as my trusty NYmag.com, and no one writes anything on LA Menupages. So, as I find some good spots – I’ll let you know. Please add in comments or suggestions for similar restaurants! The farm fresh menus out here are also great inspiration for menus at home, don’t worry – more recipes to come!

AKASHA
9543 CULVER BOULEVARD / CULVER CITY CA 90232 / 310.845.1700
My favorite place so far has been Akasha in Culver City – it’s a restaurant/bar/bakery featuring New American cuisine with big flavors and sustainable ingredients. We went last Saturday, the dining room was buzzing until at least 10:30pm – and thank god, I needed somewhere lively. You can even buy some of their products on their online shop, check it out. We tried:

COLEMAN FARMS LETTUCE
easter radish, toasted almonds, lemon vinaigrette

MARGHERITA PIZZA
tomato sauce, basil, roasted tomato, mozzarella

SEARED ALBACORE
bok choy, red bell pepper, green bean, mushroom, black rice, miso-mustard

DUCK AND TAGILATELLE SPECIAL

APPLE TART
bourbon butter pecan ice cream, toasted streusel

BROWN SUGAR CRÈME BRULEE
chocolate dipped hazelnut biscotti

SALTY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BAR
candied peanuts, peanut butter gelato, sea salt, caramel

Has anyone else been? What do you think, what’s your favorite dish?

Apple Bundt Cake

2011-01-15T13:58:00.001-05:00

Over the past month, I’ve moved from New York to sunny Los Angeles and have fallen behind with my posts! Stay tuned for lots of recipes with fresh California produce, I’ve already planted fresh herbs on the patio and am on a quest for a lemon tree this weekend. Here’s a great recipe for this time of year, give this Apple Bundt Cake a try!

4 honey crisp apples, peeled, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
5 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with Pam.

Mix apple pieces, 5 tablespoons sugar and ground cinnamon in medium bowl.

Whisk 2.5 cups sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, yogurt, orange juice, orange peel and vanilla extract in large bowl. Stir flour, baking powder and salt into egg mixture.

Spoon 1.5 cups batter into prepared Bundt pan. Top with half of apple mixture. Cover with 1.5 cups batter. Top with remaining apples, then batter.

Bake 1 hour and 30 minutes until top is brown. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cake out onto rack. Cool at least 45 minutes. Enjoy!

*Adapted from Bon Appétit.

Award Winning Chili and Chive Biscuits

2010-11-01T21:16:00.000-04:00

I was watching Ina Garten make this award winning chili with a friend on Barefoot Contessa and just had to give it a whirl. This is the perfect cold-weather dinner - and makes for great lunch during the week. I switched the brisket for shredded chicken breast to lighten it up and I cut the butter in half for the biscuits, substituting in yogurt and skim milk. Give this a try – enjoy!

Award Winning Chili
2 pounds roasted chicken breast, shredded (or rotisserie)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1 bay leaf
6 cups tomatoes, chopped with their liquid
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
Grated Cheddar cheese, for topping

Sauté the onion over medium heat with olive oil until limp, but not brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the green peppers, bay leaf, tomatoes with their juice, the shredded chicken, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and basil, and warm through, about 5 minutes. Top with grated Cheddar.

Chive Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
5 tablespoons butters, room temperature
5 tablespoons plain yogurt
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, chives, and parsley in the bowl with a whisk. Add butter and yogurt; mix with a fork until crumbly and mixture is the size of peas. Add the milk and stir with a spatula until just combined.

Place the dough out on a well-floured board and knead lightly into a rectangle 3/4-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush with the egg wash. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are firm. Serve warm.

Recipes adapted from Ina Garten and her friend Devon.

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

2010-10-30T19:52:00.002-04:00

It’s Halloween weekend and what better treat to get in the spirit than these pumpkin donut muffins. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Donut Muffins
3 cups AP flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup skim milk
1 ¼ cups pumpkin puree
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
5 tablespoons plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Beat sugar, butter, and yogurt with an electric mixer until combined. Add in eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin and milk, beat until combined.

Folder wet ingredients into dry and stir with a spatula until just combined. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, page 112 – November 2010.

Lavender Olive Oil Cake

2010-09-21T22:42:00.000-04:00

This is an extremely simple yet elegant cake, best made for brunch or as a light dessert served with fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!

Lavender Olive Oil Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 orange zested
1 lemon zested
2 tablespoons finely chopped lavender
1/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8-inch-diameter cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, zests, and lavender in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Stir in the flour mixture just until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Giada.

Quick Entertaining

2010-09-19T21:44:00.005-04:00

Do you ever find yourself in a pinch to throw together quick snacks for entertaining? This is my go-to platter, everything is from Whole Foods, already made, and all I have to do is put the items in small white bowls and place on a tray. This arrangement has a little something for everyone and only takes 5 minutes to assemble- serve with some wine and you're set to go. What is your favorite and quick (5 minutes or less) entertaining trick?

Quick Entertaining
Starting from the green olives and moving clockwise:
- Green Olives Marinated in Garlic from the olive bar
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Whole Foods
- Entertainment Crackers, assorted
- Naked Goat Cheese, diced into cubes
- Sliced Roasted Red Peppers
- Lemon and Artichoke Dip from Whole Foods
- Mahon Cheese, diced into cubes
- Toasted Multi-Grain bread, sliced in the middle

Ricotta Gnocchi with Eggplant, Red Pepper and Oregano

2010-09-13T12:55:00.004-04:00

Have you been watching the Cooking Channel? I was watching “Cook Like an Iron Chef” this past weekend and was inspired by Michael Symon’s Ricotta Gnocchi with Eggplant recipe. Don’t be intimidated by homemade gnocchi – it’s very simple, and delicious. This dish is a great Sunday night transition from summer to fall and only took an hour start to finish. Enjoy!

Ricotta Gnocchi with Eggplant, Red Pepper and Oregano
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
7 cloves sliced garlic
1 graffiti eggplant, peeled, medium dice
1 red pepper, seeded, medium dice
5 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves picked
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 lemon, thinly sliced (6 slices)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese

Gnocchi
Combine flour, parmesan and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the ricotta and egg. Combine with your hands until just combined, do not overwork. Place dough on a floured surface and pat into a rough square. Cut into 4 segments and roll each segment into foot-long ropes. Cut the rope into ½ to 1 inch pieces. Place on a floured, parchment-lined, baking sheet and into the freezer uncovered until ready to cook.

Eggplant & Sauce
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt to flavor.

Place a sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic, do not brown, just sweat for 30 seconds. Add the eggplant and season with salt, sauté for 2 minutes. Add red pepper and oregano leaves. Toss to combine, add more olive oil if needed, lower the heat to medium-low and slowly cook while making the sauce.

To another sauté pan, add butter over medium-low heat, once melted add the lemon slices.

With a spider, add gnocchi to boiling water. Once gnocchi float (about 2 minutes) carefully add to butter/lemon sauté pan with the spider and allow them to brown, about 4 minutes. Once lightly browned, carefully add the gnocchi and sauce to the eggplant. Carefully toss to combine. Add 1 tablespoon butter, ¼ cup pasta water, and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Once the butter melts, plate and serve immediately.

*Recipe adapted from Michael Symon.

Confetti Corn Salad

2010-08-22T21:03:00.004-04:00

I’m savoring these last days of summer and trying to use as many farmers market summer vegetables as possible. I saw these perfectly ripe bite-size orange tomatoes and couldn’t resist. With some fresh corn on the cob and julienned basil, this couldn’t taste more like summer.

Confetti Corn Salad
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 small green bell pepper
1 - 2 cups bite size tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon butter
5 ears of corn, cut off the cob
Basil to taste, julienned
salt, pepper

Place onion and olive oil in a large sauté pan. Sauté 5 minutes, stir in pepper and sauté 2 more minutes. Add the butter and the corn, salt, and pepper – cook about 5 minutes until the corn is warm but not soft. Toss in the basil and serve immediately.

*Adapted from Ina Garten.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

2010-08-15T21:04:00.006-04:00

I love stopping by the farmers market to look for new ingredients. While I’ve had Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms at restaurants, I’ve never attempted it at home. This recipe is very straightforward, although a bit difficult to gracefully stuff the flowers – prep ahead of time if you are having company. Give this one a try – it’s the season for zucchini blossoms. Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
1 cup flour
1 cup sparkling water
1/3 cup goat cheese
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
2 teaspoons light cream
Basil
Zucchini blossoms
Salt, pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying

Whisk together the flour, water salt and pepper until smooth.

In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, cream and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling into each blossom, gently twist the blossoms to seal.

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil. Dip the stuffed blossoms into the batter and allow any access to drop off. When the oil reaches 350ºF, fry for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown.

Allow the cooked blossoms to drain on paper towels.

Season with salt and serve with your favorite marinara sauce.

*Recipe adapted from Giada.

Lemon Chiffon Cake with Honey Lavender Ice Cream

2010-08-14T10:14:00.004-04:00

Homemade honey lavender ice cream. It all sounds very complicated and labor intensive, but I've been waiting for a good excuse to try my hand at doing this from scratch - and my husband's birthday this week gave me a good excuse. I have this Kitchen Aid ice cream mixer attachment - which really simplifies the very complicated sounding "homemade ice cream" into a step-by-step process.

Making ice cream from scratch was well worth it - the honey and lavender combination was just the right balance of sweet with a floral and fresh-cut herb taste - very aromatic and delicious. Lavender is easy to find at Whole Foods in the herb section.

I served the ice cream with a Lemon Chiffon Cake. You can't have a birthday without cake & ice cream, right? Light and fluffy with a fresh lemon taste - it's a great cake to eat a la mode hot summer night!

Honey Lavender Ice Cream
3 cups light cream
2 tablespoons lavender
3/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons flour

Combine the light cream and lavender in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and then remove from heat. Cover the pan and allow the lavender to steep in the hot cream for 15 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the honey into the egg yolks until thickened and pale yellow. Beat in flour and set aside.

Strain the cream to remove the lavender, slowly beat the cream into the egg yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until the custard thickens slightly. Be careful not to scramble the eggs – don’t let the mixture boil. Strain the mixture again into a large clean bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Place the ice cream attachment into the freezer for 24 hours. After 24 hours, churn the ice cream 20 – 30 minutes until thickened. Store in the freezer in a tupperware or eat immediately.

Lemon Chiffon Cake
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
8 eggs, separated
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Using electric mixer at low speed, beat in vegetable oil, sour cream, egg yolks, lemon juice, water and lemon peel. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl. Using clean dry beaters, beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into batter to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites.

Pour cake batter into 10-inch-diameter tube pan. Tap pan on counter or run rubber spatula through cake batter to release air pockets. Bake cake until springy to touch, about 1 1/4 hours. Immediately invert cake in pan over neck of bottle. Cool cake completely. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Transfer cake to plate.

*Ice cream from The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, Lemon Chiffon Cake from Bon Appétit.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-08-08T11:52:00.002-04:00

I love making big pots of soup in the fall and winter- its easy, quick, and lasts for days. In the heat of summer, I need something lighter and this Chicken Tortilla soup fits the bill – the avocado, cilantro and lime are light and refreshing, enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 ears of fresh corn kernels
4 garlic cloves
1 yellow onion
1 jalapeño pepper, trimmed and seeded
2 tablespoons corn oil
2 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 quarts Chicken Stock
1 Rotisserie Chicken, breast meat shredded
salt, pepper

Garnish
Corn tortillas
1 ripe avocado
1 lime
Fresh cilantro leaves

Pulse corn kernels, garlic, onion, and jalapeno in a food processor until roughly chopped.

Heat the oil in a large stockpot. Place the tortilla squares in the oil and cook over low heat until they are crisp, about 1-3 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables and simmer just until the vegetables are coated with the oil.

Add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons of the cumin and simmer for about 10 minutes. Slowly pour in the stock, and cook over low heat until the soup is reduced by one third.

Purée the soup in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return soup to a clean pot and season with salt and pepper, add shredded chicken and heat the soup.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the tortillas into thin strips and arrange on a small baking tray. Bake until the strips are crisp, about 10 minutes. Peel and dice the avocado. Chop the cilantro. Top the soup with tortilla, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime - enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Wolfgang Puck.

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2010-07-18T13:54:00.004-04:00

Give this lightened version of Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake a try - it’s perfect for summer brunch, enjoy!

Cake:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups fat free sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 – 2 cups blueberries

Streusel:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Combine the yogurt, butter, sour cream, and sugar in the bowl with an electric mixer about 3 minutes, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.

For the streusel, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl with your hands until it forms a crumble.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy!

*Adapted from Ina Garten.

Lemon Crunch Pie

2010-07-16T20:15:00.002-04:00

Here’s a refreshing and easy summer dessert my mother in law found in the Shreveport Times and passed along to me, enjoy!

Lemon Crunch Pie
Crust
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

Filling
2 cans fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 eggs lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325°.

To make the crust, combine flour, sugar, graham cracker, and coconut in a food processor until blended. Stir in the melted butter. Press mixture in a 9 inch pie pan.

To make the filling, combine all the ingredients and pour into the pie shell. Bake at 325° for about 40 minutes until the top is firm, do not let it brown. Cool for 2 – 3 hours in refrigerator and garnish with whipped topping.

Summer Cool Down

2010-07-08T21:59:00.012-04:00

Summer in the city = hot concrete, steamy cabs, sun beating off buildings.... Luckily, quick weekend trips to the lake break up the heat where I can dig into the garden. See below for mid-summer zucchini blossoms, green tomatoes, bell peppers, beets, scallions, the list goes on. But, for those weekends you're in the city (overnighter to the surf lodge anyone?) - here's a cooling rose sangria - no garden? Go to Whole Foods.

Rose Sangria
2 bottles cold rose wine
1 green apple, thinly sliced
1 orange, halved and thinly sliced
1 pint fresh raspberries
Simple syrup, to taste
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Club soda, cold, optional

Combine wine, apple, orange, raspberries in a pitcher, add simple syrup, to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve over ice, garnish with mint and top with a few splashes of club soda, if desired.

*Recipe from Bobby Flay.

Bar Americain’s Shrimp & Grits

2010-06-12T11:57:00.002-04:00

Shrimp and Grits is a favorite around here, especially when I can find jumbo gulf shrimp. I’m always experimenting with new ways to mix it up – adding bacon, baking it in the oven, and trying different types of grits. The cornmeal grits were a nice addition to this recipe adapted from Bobby Flay – it added a richer texture and made for a hardy meal. Enjoy!

Bar Americain’s Shrimp & Grits
4 - 5 cups chicken stock
1 cup yellow stone ground cornmeal grits
1 cup grated white Cheddar
3 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
5 – 8 slices thick bacon
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
20 jumbo gulf shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 450º

Bring 4 cups chicken stock to a boil, slowly whisk in the grits and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the grits are soft whisking every few minutes, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Place bacon on a sheet pan and bake in the oven about 8 minutes or until desired crispness is reached. Remove from oven and place on paper towel lined plate. Once cooled and drained, cut into small pieces.

Add the olive oil to a sauté pan and increase the heat to high. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, and add to the pan with the garlic. Sauté until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove shrimp to a plate so they don’t continue to cook.

Divide the grits among 4 bowls and top each with 5 shrimp and sprinkle with the bacon and green onion.

*Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay.

BBQ Staples

2010-06-11T19:08:00.007-04:00

Do you ever feel challenged to turn up the notch on the staple summer BBQ? I recently took the reign on the family memorial weekend party for 20 mixing it up with turkey burgers and grilled brisket, try these recipes throughout the summer – the sides make great leftovers, enjoy!

French Potato Salad
Southern Deviled Eggs
Bell Pepper Cole Slaw

Garnish for Burgers
Thick Slices of Beefsteak Tomato
Torn Bibb Lettuce
Red Onion

Blood Orange Raspberry Brut Punch
1 Pint Fresh Raspberries
2 Bottles Brut
2 cups Sparkling Blood Orange Juice
Lime wedges for garnish

BLT Egg Sandwich

2010-05-23T11:15:00.001-04:00

I love this dish for Sunday brunch, its really easy and keeps me full the rest of the afternoon running errands and getting ready for the week. Enjoy!

BLT Egg Sandwich
2 slices of turkey bacon
2 thick slices ciabatta, toasted and hot
1 slice alpine lace Swiss
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tomato slices
2 leaves of butter lettuce
1 large egg

Bake the turkey in a 400º oven for about 8 minutes until crispy.

Toast the ciabatta bread, spread the mayonnaise on one slice of toast, then top with the bacon, tomato and lettuce.

In a small, nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Add the egg and fry over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp around the edge, about 3 minutes; add the cheese and let melt 1 minute, the yolk should still be runny. Slide the egg onto the lettuce; close the sandwich and eat right away. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Thomas Keller.

Carrot-Banana Bread

2010-05-22T09:54:00.002-04:00

I had some left over carrots I just couldn’t face with another tub of hummus and decided to try it in banana bread – it turned out great!

Carrot-Banana Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 mashed ripe bananas
1 cup grated carrots
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Cooking spray
Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350°.

Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl, set aside.

Whisk butter, eggs, bananas, carrots, yogurt, and vanilla, in a mixing bowl.

Combine the dry and wet mixture, stirring just until combined – do not over mix.

Spray a 8 ½ x 4 ½ loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Pour mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

End of the Box Pasta

2010-05-21T20:40:00.003-04:00

Do you ever have about 1/4 cup of uncooked pasta at the bottom of 5 different boxes? This always happens to me, here’s the perfect solution.

End of the Box Pasta
2 - 3 cups of various uncooked pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ - 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 - 3 Roma tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
pinch red pepper flakes
salt, pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente. Yes, the pastas may have slightly different cooking times – use your judgment.

While the pasta is cooking, chop the tomatoes, place in a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook about 2 minutes, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and place the tomatoes on a plate so the garlic doesn’t continue to cook and burn in the pan.

Once the pasta is al dente, drain – reserving about ½ cup pasta water. Place the pasta back in the pot you cooked it in. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and parmesan, salt and pepper – stir until the cheese has melted. Gently stir in the tomatoes. Place in bowl and top with chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Polenta Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

2010-04-10T10:05:00.004-04:00

This recipe takes a bit of patience, waiting for the dough to chill and carefully assembling all the cookies – but it’s worth the effort when it’s done. This is perfect for a party at your house; if you are taking them to a friend, make sure you pack them very tightly so the icing doesn’t spread around during the transport. I substituted yogurt for some of the butter to lighten it up and the polenta gives the cookies an innovative twist – enjoy!

Polenta Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup lowfat plain yogurt
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup polenta
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 orange, zested

Orange Filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 orange, zested
Pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Cream the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy with an electric mixer. In another mixing bowl whisk the flour and polenta, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir to combine using a spatula. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough to 1/8 or 1/4-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Bake on cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Cool the cookies at least 20 minutes before icing.

To make the orange filling, combine the butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, and salt in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer to cream the ingredients together until light and fluffy.

To assemble the cookie sandwiches, place about 1 teaspoon of the orange filling on a cookie. Top with another cookie and press the cookies together. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

*Recipe adapted from Giada.

Icy Citrus-Mint Water

2010-03-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

We’ve had some unusually warm weather in NY the past week and it’s had me thinking of refreshing drinks, brunch outside, and lightening up for spring. Whenever I’m at a spa, I always feel refreshed from the icy cold water in pitchers they serve while you’re waiting for your treatment. What is your favorite add-in to zest up your water? Here’s my version of a refreshing spa drink, enjoy!

Icy Citrus-Mint Water
1 lemon
1 lime
5 – 10 fresh mint leaves
12 icecubes

Place ice cubes in a large pitcher. Thinly slice the lemon and lime and place over the ice. Run cold water into the pitcher and then place the mint leaves in (do this last as to not bruise the leaves with the running water). Refrigerate until icy cold an enjoy!

San Marzano Pizza with Honey Crust

2010-03-21T20:09:00.004-04:00

I was looking for a pizza dough recipe that wouldn’t require letting the dough rise overnight and luckily Ina came to the rescue! Don’t be intimated by pulling the kitchen aid mixer out – you can try out that dough hook for the first time (I included the picture so you know which one it is). This dough recipe makes enough for 2 large pizzas, cut in half if you are just making one. I stretched mine very thin to create a thin crust pizza. I always like some green on my pizza, basil is my favorite, but I only had spinach around – still a good option - this was great – give it a try! What is your favorite pizza topping?

Honey Pizza Dough
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 packages dry yeast
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil

Combine the water, yeast, honey, sugar, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and let it rest for 5 minutes. When the yeast is dissolved (it starts to bubble a bit), add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth in the mixer, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl.

Knead by hand about 10 times on a well-floured surface. It should be smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes – it will double in size!

After 30 minutes, turn the dough out to a well-floured surface, divide in two. Roll each section with a large rolling pin and place on a large olive oil brushed baking pan or pre-heated pizza stone.

Topping
1 large can San Marzano tomato puree
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes
Spinach, arugula or basil

Pour the puree into a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, cherry tomatoes and mix to combine.

Brush the sauce onto the dough. Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until the cheese bubbles. Remove from oven and immediately top with spinach, arugula or basil.

*Dough adapted from Ina Garten.

Chicken White Bean Chili with Rainbow Swiss Chard

2010-03-15T20:19:00.003-04:00

This is an easy weeknight chili that’s great for lunch the next day. If you can’t find Rainbow Swiss Chard - regular is fine! Enjoy!

Chicken White Bean Chili with Rainbow Swiss Chard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ground chicken
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons flour
2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound Rainbow Swiss chard, chopped
11/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
salt, pepper

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir the flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans, Swiss chard, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Simmer for one hour until the liquid has reduced by half and the chili has thickened. Add the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
*Recipe from Giada.

Blueberry Streusel Cake

2010-02-28T15:28:00.003-05:00

This is a decadent blueberry streusel cake. It calls for 3 ¼ cups of blueberries – which may seem like a lot but the blueberries somehow condense and bake into the bottom of the cake. This makes a nice addition to your brunch or a good treat for breakfast at your desk. Enjoy!

Blueberry Streusel Cake
Streusel:
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Cake:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3 1/4 cups blueberry

Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom of round cake pan with parchment paper.

Streusel:
Stir together flour, sugars, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture forms large clumps.

Cake:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Stir together sour cream and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and beat until well blended.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with sour-cream mixture and mixing until just combined.

Gently fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter into pan, crumble half of topping evenly over batter.

Bake 25 minutes, then remove from oven and crumble remaining topping over cake. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes more. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Lift out cake using foil and cool completely on rack.

*Adapted from Epicurious.com

Pancetta Parmesan Polenta and Sauteed Shrimp

2010-02-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is one of my go-to weeknight dinner recipes, it couldn't be quicker. Enjoy!

Pancetta Parmesan Polenta and Sautéed Shrimp
½ cup instant polenta + chicken stock
½ cup parmesan + extra for topping
¼ pound pancetta, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 (14 oz) can San Marzano Cherry Tomatoes
½ - 1 pound cleaned large shrimp
parsley, chopped for garish

Cook polenta according to package instructions. Remove from heat, add parmesan and season with salt and pepper and set aside, covered.

Cook pancetta, garlic, red pepper flakes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and simmer about 8 minutes. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon polenta onto a plate or bowl and top with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and extra parmesean. Enjoy!

Cinnamon-Sugar Popovers

2010-02-22T08:00:00.002-05:00

You’ll need popover pans for this recipe – it’s worth the investment! Popovers are best served warm out of the oven and you’ll need to eat them within a few hours of baking, otherwise they start to deflate and become soft. These are a must-try, enjoy!

Cinnamon-Sugar Popovers
2 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
6 large eggs, lightly whisked
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Unsalted butter, melted, for pans

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together milk, flour, and salt. Whisk in
eggs.

Heat two 6-cup popover pans in oven for 5 minutes, then quickly
brush cups generously with butter. Fill each cup a little more than halfway with
batter. Bake for 20 minutes.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a pan.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until golden brown, about 25
minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out popovers, brush with butter and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over pan and serve warm.
*Adapted from Martha Stewart & David Lebovitz.

Ricotta Gnudi with Pancetta, Artichoke & Fried Sage

2010-02-21T13:26:00.004-05:00

Wow - this is one of my top 5 recipes! Like anything wonderful, this takes some time and planning, the gnudi needs to be refrigerated overnight to set. I adapted this recipe from Zen Can Cook, which was adapted from The Spotted Pig - look at the website, there's a picture of the gnudi on the top right. Yum, this was heaven – give it a try, enjoy!

Ricotta Gnudi with Pancetta, Artichoke & Fried Sage
1 lb fresh ricotta
¼ cup grated parmesean
½ lemon juiced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons butter
4 slices pancetta, sliced finely
1 cup artichoke hearts (you can use frozen)
14 sage leaves, some fried, some chopped
1/4 cup canola oil, for frying
Mahon, for grating

Combine the ricotta, parmesean, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. In a baking dish, spread 1 ½ cups of the flour. Either spoon the ricotta mixtures in small balls onto the flour or pipe it into balls with a pastry bag. Cover with remaining flour and refrigerate overnight for 24 hours.

The next day, pick up each ball and brush off the excess flour, roll into balls in the palm of your hand, place on a plate and put them back in the fridge until its time to boil.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, slice the pancetta and cook on a skillet. Drain on paper towels when crisp. In the same pan, add ¼ cup canola oil and fry 7 of the sage leaves and drain on paper towels.

Gently drop the gnudi in the boiling water and cook until they come ot the surface, about 3 minutes.

In a large pan, melt the butter and sauté the artichokes. Add the fresh sage to the pan and gently transfer the gnudi to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss. Plate the gnudi in artichokes and top with the pancetta and fried sage. Grate some mahon on top and enjoy!

Chocolate-Cinnamon Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting

2010-02-14T12:04:00.002-05:00

Here’s an easy chocolate treat to whip up for Valentines Day – enjoy!

Chocolate-Cinnamon Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup coffee
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon Nutella
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1/2 cup Nutella for icing

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Place evenly in cupcake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes and ice with Nutella.

Citrus-Olive Oil Muffins

2010-02-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Olive oil may sound like an unlikely ingredient for a muffin but you’ve got to give this one a try. The olive oil adds a richness while the citrus zest adds a nice light balance. Enjoy!

Citrus-Olive Oil Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, eggs, and zests in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the balsamic vinegar, milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.

Fill the muffin tin almost to the top of the paper liners. Bake until golden about 20 to 25 minutes. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Giada.

Linguini and Pancetta Frittatas

2010-02-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

This is an easy twist on the classic frittata and perfect for a quick week-night dinner. The linguini transforms the recipe into an appropriate dinner dish, while baking in muffin tins keeps it well portioned and something fresh to try. Does anyone have ideas for other veggies to add to this? Enjoy!

Linguini and Pancetta Frittatas
1/2 pound linguine pasta
4 eggs + 4 egg whites
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces diced pancetta
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, diced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Break the linguini in half with your hands before adding to water, cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray.

Whisk the eggs, milk, cheeses, pancetta, parsley, basil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir in the tomatoes.

Using a 1/3 cup measure, fill each of the muffin tins until both the pasta and liquid are at the top. Bake 30-35 minutes until cooked through. Garnish with chopped parsley.
*Recipe adapted form Giada.

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

2010-02-08T08:00:00.003-05:00

This is a great recipe to make on a Sunday and double to take to work as lunch for the beginning of the week. While the steps are easy, it does take a bit of time to roll all the meatballs, especially if you’re getting home late from work – so set aside at least an hour for this recipe. The outcome is worth it – light yet filling and great for leftovers, enjoy!

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs
1 pound orecchiette
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup grated parmesean
1 pound ground white chicken breast meat
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 ounces mozzarella, small balls
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
salt, pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, ¾ cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine so you do not overwork the meat. Use a tablespoon to form the chicken mixture into 3/4-inch pieces and roll the chicken pieces into mini meatballs.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and add ½ cup Parmesan. Toss to lightly coat and add reserved pasta water. Add the meatball mixture, mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of the basil. Gently toss to combine. Garnish with the chopped basil.
*Adapted from Giada.

Breakfast Tart

2010-02-07T10:38:00.003-05:00

This is an easy yet impressive-looking brunch dish. Serve it warm or at room temperature on a buffet. Enjoy!

Breakfast Tart
1 9-inch pie crust (Pillsbury)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons skim milk
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup shredded parmesan
3 green onions, thinly sliced
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Spray a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Unroll the pie crust and press into the bottom and sides of pan. Trim the sides and prick the dough with a fork. Brush the crust with the egg white and bake on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the pancetta in a small skillet and cook 5 to 8 minutes until brown and crispy, drain on paper towel.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, milk, cherry tomatoes, green onions, salt, pepper, and pancetta. Pour into the pie crust and top with the parmesan. Bake 18 – 20 minutes until mixture has set and the top is golden. Allow to cool a few minutes before removing the pan, cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature – enjoy!
*Adapted from Giada

Roast Beef with Spicy Parsley Tomato Sauce

2010-01-26T20:13:00.002-05:00

Sometimes you just need something hearty and easy for a weeknight dinner. This roast beef is kicked up a notch with a spicy tomato salsa. The waffle fries – take the easy way out and buy your favorite brand – add garlic, salt, and pepper to enhance the flavor. Enjoy!

Roast Beef with Spicy Parsley Tomato Sauce
1 pound of sirloin tip or chuck beef roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 Roma tomatoes, cut in 1/2
2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Season the beef with salt and pepper. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence. Place a Dutch oven over high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Sear the beef over high heat on all sides. Place the seasoned tomatoes around the seared beef and place the pan in the oven. Roast about 30 to 35 minutes. Take the roast out of the oven, tent loosely with foil, let rest for 10 minutes.

Place the parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, red wine vinegar, pine nuts, and roasted tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Add the olive oil in a steady stream with the machine running.

To serve, slice the roast and place on a plate. Drizzle a little sauce over the meat. Serve the remaining sauce in a small bowl alongside.
*Recipe adapted from Giada.

Mango-Lime Guacamole

2010-01-25T19:06:00.004-05:00

I’m always trying to sneak in some extra fruit so why not hide some in guacamole? This is a tasty snack packed with nutrients, and lets be honest a little hinting taste of summer in middle of the winter. Margaritas anyone? Enjoy!

Mango-Lime Guacamole
1 avocado
1 Mango, chopped
1 teaspoon jalapeño, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
Zest of one lime
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
4 -5 cherry tomatoes quartered
Sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and serve immediately. If you are going to eat this later, put the pit of the avocado in the guacamole and the avocado will stay green.

Pork Chops Stuffed with Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes

2010-01-22T20:14:00.002-05:00

I’ve started experimenting with pork recently and I loved this recipe from Giada, it’s light yet filling and the sauce adds the perfect richness for the winter months. Enjoy!

Pork Chops Stuffed with Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
1/3 cup goat cheese
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
4 center-cut pork chops
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
olive oil
salt, pepper

Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute (do not let it burn!). Add the sundried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined and heated through about 5 minutes. Place in a mixing bowl, add the goat cheese and stir to combine.

Use a paring knife to cut a small pocket in the pork chop. Stuff each with the spinach mixture (if you need to, tie it together with some kitchen twine). Season the pork with salt and pepper. Place the pork back on the same sauté pan and cook about 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.

While the pork is cooking, combine the chicken broth, lemon zest and juice and Dijon mustard.

When the pork is cooked through, place on a dish and tent with tinfoil to keep warm. Add the chicken broth mixture to the sauté pan and scrape up all the brown bits. Reduce the brother by half about 8 minutes over medium heat while it simmers. Spoon the sauce over the pork before serving. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Giada.

Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella

2010-01-17T16:54:00.002-05:00

In winter, I crave hearty and hot dinners, but sometimes you just need a little hit of summer – watermelon anyone? This recipe was light yet filling and couldn’t be quicker. It would also be a great recipe for Meatless Monday tomorrow. Enjoy!

Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella
1 (10-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts
3 cups whole-wheat French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 -2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
juice of half a lemon
salt, pepper

Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Place bread cubes and artichokes on the grill and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on all sides.

Meanwhile, combine extra virgin olive oil, balsamic, Dijon, juice of half a lemon and salt/pepper in a small bowl and stir with a whisk.

When the bread and artichokes are golden brown, place in a large bowl. Add tomatoes and basil and toss to combine. Drizzle the dressing on the salad and toss to combine. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Giada.

Spicy Indian Chicken Soup

2010-01-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

If you’re looking to spice up the traditional chicken soup - here is a twist on the classic recipe. Squeezing lime juice on chicken soup may sound a little bizarre, but it’s great –I promise, enjoy!

Spicy Indian Chicken Soup
1 whole chicken
6 - 8 cups water
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
2 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried whole grain mustard
1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
chopped scallion and lime for garnish
salt, pepper

Sprinkle chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Roast chicken at 450° for 45 minutes – 1 hour until cooked through. Shred chicken and set aside. (Use 1 rotisserie chicken if you are short on time!)

In a large stockpot, add onions and vegetable oil. Cook, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add ginger and garlic, sauté about 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and stir until heated through about 2 minutes. Add 3 – 4 cups of water and bring to a boil, add shredded chicken. Add remaining water until soup is consistency you enjoy. Bring to a simmer, add coriander, cumin, mustard, and chile. Gently stir in drained tomatoes.

Ladle soups into bowls and garnish with chopped scallion and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

*Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living January 2010 issue.

Chicken Paillards with Caper Lemon-Butter Sauce

2010-01-10T19:36:00.004-05:00

This is a decadent tasting yet super quick weeknight recipe. The combination of olive oil, butter, and capers adds richness to a light dish. Perfect for a new years resolution!

Chicken Paillards with Caper Lemon-Butter Sauce
2 chicken paillards
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 bag fresh spinach
1 tablespoon capers
¼ cup minced shallots
1 lemon
¾ cup chicken stock
¼ cup white wine
salt, pepper

Season chicken paillards on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter on medium-high heat until butter foams. Add the two paillards and cook about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.

Add shallots to the sauté pan and cook about 1 minute. Add juice and zest of one lemon and capers and cook 1 more minute. Add chicken stock, white wine, and juice from the plate the chicken is resting on. Add half the spinach and stir occasionally until wilted. Add 1 remaining tablespoon of butter.

Plate the remaining half bag of spinach on dinner plates, place chicken on top and then drizzle with the Caper Lemon-Butter sauce. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living January 2010 issue.

Cranberry Cornmeal Cake

2010-01-03T19:20:00.003-05:00

This quick breakfast bread is prefect for winter with fresh cranberries readily available at the grocery and light enough to help you stick to your New Year resolution. The cornmeal and fresh cranberries add a twist to the classic cranberry bread. Enjoy!

Cranberry Cornmeal Cake
½ stick butter at room temperature
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
zest of 1 orange
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs

Preheat oven at 350°. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with PAM and line with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.

With a mixer, beat the butter, sour cream and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the egg yolks and whole eggs, 1 at a time. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Gently fold in the cranberries and pour into prepared cake pan.

Bake 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Giada.

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

2010-01-03T18:31:00.004-05:00

I love lasagna, casseroles, gratins - anything layered and baked with cheese! But I am always trying to figure out a healthier way to satisfy the craving. This stacked enchilada recipe fits the bill with grilled chicken, fat free sour cream, and skim Mexican cheese. I use Whole Foods 365 Tomatillo Salsa and canned diced tomatoes to make this an easy week-night recipe. I find if you don’t crisp up the tortillas first, they can get soggy – so don’t skip this step! What your favorite casserole recipe? Enjoy!

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
6 corn tortillas
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 - 3 cups green salsa (tomatillo salsa)
½ can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups shredded grilled chicken
3/4 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup skim Mexican Cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Grill chicken breasts on grill pan until cooked through. Slice and shred chicken.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla to skillet; cook until slightly softened, bubbles up and turns a little brown, about 45 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Transfer tortilla to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding oil to skillet as needed.

Place salsa in a bowl and add the diced tomato. Mix very slightly so the salsa stays green and doesn’t start to turn red.

Spread 1/2 cup salsa over bottom of a medium sized glass baking dish. Arrange 2 tortillas over salsa. Sprinkle half of chicken on top of tortillas, top with 1 cup salsa, ¼ cup sour cream, and top with two more tortillas. Repeat layer. Finish with remaining 2 tortillas, remaining salsa, sour cream and then sprinkle with Mexican cheese.

Bake casserole until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately.
*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

Christmas Cookies

2009-12-19T11:52:00.003-05:00

There’s a blizzard coming this weekend to New York – so what better way to spend some time indoors than making Christmas cookies? Here are some tried and true favorites, enjoy!

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies
3 cups AP flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time with vanilla and beat until incorporated.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda and whisk until combined. Add this to the butter mixture and stir until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips and cranberries.

Drop onto parchment lined cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. (makes 3 dozen cookies) Bake 13 – 15 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Hazelnut-Chocolate Thumb-Print Cookies
1 cup AP flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/3 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy and then beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Dip your thumb in a small bowl of water (so dough doesn’t stick) and press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spread 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.
*Hazelnut cookies from Cooking Light. Drop cookies from Martha Stewart.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-12-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

A friend at work made this a few weeks ago and Giada was making a similar recipe this weekend on the Food Network so I took it as a sign to try out a stuffed mushrooms recipe. This is a great dinner for two or an easy appetizer for four. I used turkey sausage and cut the amount of olive oil in half to turn this into a lighter version of traditional stuffed mushrooms. What are your favorite ingredients to pair with mushrooms? Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms
4 extra-large Portobello mushrooms
2 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
3/4 pound turkey sausage, removed from the casings
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
2/3 cup panko crumbs
5 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Place the mushroom caps on a jellyroll pan and drizzle with olive oil.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine. Swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted. Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture and bake 25 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty. Enjoy!

*Recipe from Ina Garten.

Tin-Foil Wrapped Salmon with Baby Bok Choy

2009-12-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is a perfect quick dinner after a long day after work and the clean-up couldn’t be easier – just throw the tin foil away! Do you have a favorite easy-clean up weeknight dinner?

Tin-Foil Wrapped Salmon with Baby Bok Choy
2 heads of baby bok choy, each cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
2 5- to 6-ounce salmon fillets
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place baby bok choy in center of each of two square pieces of foil. Top bok choy with fish. Mix orange juice, green onion, hoisin, ginger, and orange peel in small bowl. Spoon mixture over fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro. Fold up foil sides and pinch tightly to seal fish. Place packets on baking sheet. Bake until fish is just opaque in center, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.

*Recipe from Bon Appetit.

Christmas Cookies

2009-12-10T12:48:00.007-05:00

Well the past few days I’ve been trying to think about what kind of Christmas cookies to make this year. Do you have any ideas, what is your favorite holiday treat? Here are pictures of what I made for my Christmas party last year with links to the recipes. Enjoy!

Lemon Squares with Powdered Sugar

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Maple Spice Cookies

Coconut Macaroons

Sugar Dusted Cranberries

Home-Style Short Ribs

2009-12-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

This is a wonderful recipe but it certainly takes some time. It’s great for a cozy Sunday afternoon and evening. If you’re cooking for 2, just use two or three short ribs. If you’re cooking for friends - you could use up to 6 short ribs in this recipe, and you know what’s great – it’s hearty comfort food at only $5.99/pound! Do you have a favorite Sunday afternoon recipe?

Home-Style Short Ribs
3-6 beef short ribs, trimmed of fat
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 chopped yellow onions
6 stalks of large celery, diced
4 carrots, diced
1 small fennel, white part only, diced
1 leek, white part only, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bottle burgundy or other dry red wine
Fresh rosemary & thyme sprigs
5 cups beef stock
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the short ribs on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and add the onion, celery, carrots, fennel, and leek and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour the wine over the vegetables, bring to a boil, and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Tie the rosemary and thyme together with kitchen string and add to the pot.

Place the roasted ribs on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven and add the beef stock. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Carefully remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Discard the herbs and skim the excess fat. Cook the vegetables and sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes, until reduced. Put the ribs back into the pot and heat through. Serve with the vegetables and sauce.
*Recipe from Ina Garten

Peanut Sesame Noodles

2009-12-07T22:58:00.009-05:00

Last week I tried to see if I could go the entire week without buying groceries to use what I had on-hand and this is one of the dishes that ensued. The sauce was good but would be even better with some thinly sliced red and yellow peppers. Here’s a quick and tasty Meatless Monday recipe, enjoy!

Peanut Sesame Noodles
½ cup smooth peanut butter
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
1 medium garlic clove
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
parsley, chopped for garnish
½ pound linguini

Place peanut butter, soy sauce, water, garlic, red-wine vinegar, vegetable oil, honey, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes in food processor. Puree about 2 minutes until smooth.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Drain and rinse under cold water. Add pasta to peanut puree and toss well. Top with parsley and serve immediately.

Cornmeal Pound Cake

2009-12-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

I have a bag of cornmeal left over from the tamales a few weeks ago and didn’t know what to do with it. Luckily, Epicurious was to the rescue with this simple cornmeal pound cake. I drastically cut back on the butter and just substituted plain yogurt - I couldn't tell the difference. This is perfect to serve at brunch or even as a light dessert with fruit after dinner. I still have quite a bit of cornmeal left, any suggestions for what to do with it?

Cornmeal Pound Cake
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs, beaten to blend in medium bowl
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

Whisk flour and cornmeal in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and yogurt in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, then salt. Add eggs one at a time then beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients slowly, until just blended. Pour mixture into loaf pan.

Bake cake until brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Epicurious.

Scallops with Champagne Beurre Blanc

2009-11-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

A French sauce like a “beurre blanc” sounds intimidating to try at home – but after watching chef Eric Ripert put this meal together on his PBS cooking show “Avec Eric,” I thought I’d test it out. It was surprisingly easy, and you feel pretty accomplished mastering a French chef’s recipe. The scallops are tender and the sauce is rich, but without feeling heavy.

Eric Ripert is known for preparing fish, and his restaurant Le Bernardin here in New York is has 3 Michelin stars. His show is so relaxing to watch – he tours wineries and farms throughout the world and talks about cooking with fresh ingredients. I’m definitely planning to get a copy of his cookbook On the Line. With just a few simple ingredients and fresh scallops, it felt like we had a restaurant meal in our own kitchen. You can’t beat that!

Have you ever attempted a French recipe that sounded intimidating?

Scallops with Champagne Beurre Blanc
The Tomato Compote
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup diced shallot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
salt, pepper

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook over medium low heat stirring frequently, until almost dry, about 15 minutes.

The Champagne Beurre Blanc
1 cup Champagne
¼ cup finely minced shallots
½ cup butter
salt, pepper

Combine Champagne and shallots in a sauce pot and reduce to ¼ cup. This can be done ahead and kept covered.

Finish the beurre blanc by whisking in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

The Scallops
1/2 pound jumbo sea scallops
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Lay the scallop slices in a single layer on a baking pan. Drizzle the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook 8 minutes.

Plate the tomato compote in the bottom of a plate in a small circle, place the scallops in a pinwheel patter over the compote. Sprinkle the chives on top of the scallops and spoon the beurre blanc over the scallops.

To Catch A Cook: Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T22:38:00.006-05:00

No one ever said cooking Thanksgiving dinner was easy - but I definitely didn't think it would be as much of a challenge when I planned the menu. Of course the end result and day of cooking was well worth the effort - but here I am 4 days later, finally mustering up the energy to fill you in with how it went. And by the time the guests arrived and I had chopped, sliced, diced, basted, set the table, enjoyed the meal, packed up leftovers...I realized I forgot to take pictures!! I was lucky enough to snap a picture of the bird midway through the cooking process - but will just share the rest of the menu and recipes with you here. I actually cooked an early meal on Wednesday; we had plans to check out the Macy's parade on Thursday morning (my first time to see it in person after living in New York for 7 years! We actually watched while having lunch at Landmarc in the Time Warner Center), and then we traveled for another family meal on the actual holiday.

Because we were scheduled for another Thanksgiving dinner, I made a few alterations to our traditional family favorites for a fun spin. I think some of these ideas would be great (and easy enough!) as a side dish in the upcoming winter months. Hope you & yours had a happy, relaxing holiday...after 4 days recouping, I'm back in the kitchen!

Turkey with Herbs de Provence
1 12- 15 pound Turkey
½ stick butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
2 stalks celery
2 stalks carrot
1 head of garlic, halved
5 sprigs thyme
½ apple
3 – 4 cups chicken stock
½ cup white wine
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Remove the giblets and wash the turkey inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Place the celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, and apple inside of the turkey cavity. Combine the herbs de Provence and butter. Massage the butter into the outer skin of the turkey. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wings under the body of the turkey. Place turkey in the rack of a roasting pan. Add chicken stock and wine to bottom of pan. Roast about 3 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160°, basting every 20 minutes or so. Let rest, covered tightly with tinfoil about 20 minutes before carving and serving.

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Rosemary Butter
3 large fresh fennel bulbs
1 medium onion
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cut fennel and onion into large sections. Drizzle with olive oil and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Roast about 1 hour until tender. Place in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes for 25 minutes until tender. Drain and then mash with a potato masher. Mix in fennel puree.

Melt butter in a small saucepan and add rosemary to infuse the butter. Stir into the potato-fennel puree. Serve warm. (Can be made in advance and microwaved). * From Bon Appetit.

Haricots Verts with Shallots
2 – 3 cups haricots verts (French green beans), washed and ends removed
1 – 2 shallots, diced
olive oil
salt, pepper

In a sauté pan on medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and the shallots. Sautee 2 - 3 minutes until shallots are a bit crispy Toss in the green beans and continue to toss until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Cornbread Stuffing with Roasted Chestnuts and Walnuts
3 boxes of jiffy mix, prepared according to package directions, cooked & cooled
3 tablespoons butter
1 ½ diced onion
¾ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped carrot
1 pound spicy chicken sausage (optional)
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon thyme
1 – 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
½ cup walnuts
½ cup roasted chestnuts
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cut an “x” on the tops of the chestnuts. Roast on a baking sheet for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, peel, and chop. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt butter. Add onion, celery, carrot and cook until soft but not brown. Add sausage if using and sauté until cooked through. Stir in thyme, sage, salt and pepper.

Dice cornbread into large cubes in a mixing bowl. Add chicken stock, chestnuts, walnuts, and vegetable mixture. Spread into a buttered large casserole dish and bake covered with tin foil for 20 minutes then uncovered 20 minutes.

Roasted Root Vegetables, click here!

Gravy
2 shallots, diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 – 2 cups chicken stock
pan drippings

In a small sauce pan, saute the shallots with the butter about 2 minutes. Add the flour, mixing constantly to make a roux. Very very slowly add the chicken stock, mixing constantly to thicken. Add pan drippings from the turkey. Season with pepper and a dash of salt. Serve hot.

Enjoy the recipes and get ready for the holiday stretch and christmas cookies, any ideas?!

Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

2009-11-25T10:04:00.003-05:00

Are you starting your pies today for thanksgiving? Here’s an easy spin on the classic pumpkin pie. While dessert is still dessert, this pumpkin pie is a bit of lighter spin on traditional pumpkin pie. Using fat free evaporated milk and egg whites, this zones in at around 300 calories a serving. I’m serving dinner tonight so look for more posts later on. Here's a little teaser - fennel and yukon gold mashed potatoes with rosemary butter.. cornbread stuffing.. herbs de provence roast turkey.... enjoy!

Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie
½ package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin
1 12-ounce can evaporated fat free milk
1 large egg
3 large egg whites

Gingersnap Topping
10 gingersnap cookies
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon AP flour
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350°.

Roll dough into a 12-inch circle and place in pie dish. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Combine ¾ cup sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, pumpkin, evaporated mil, and eggs in a bowl. Whisk well. Pour into crust and bake for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, place cookies, 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, and butter in a food processor and pulse until crumbly.

After 35 minutes, remove pie from oven and sprinkle with gingersnap topping. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until center is set.

Cool to room temperature. Enjoy!
*Recipe from Cooking Light.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

2009-11-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Are you getting excited for Thanksgiving this week? I finally have my menu planned, I’ll share it with you Wednesday evening so maybe you’ll be able to get some ideas for your Thursday dinner. Are you hosting this year or are you visiting? If you’re visiting, here’s a nice dessert to bring that’s pretty easy and quite the crowd pleaser. Do you have a go-to recipe that you bring to holiday dinners?

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Cookie
2 sticks butter, at room temperature 
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree 
1 large egg 
2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Rolling Sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1/2 tsp ground ginger 
1/2 tsp allspice

Beat butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and pumpkin and beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add this to the wet mixture in 3 batches until incorporated.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour.

Mix the rolling sugar in a bowl. Remove dough from fridge and roll into small balls (about 1 – 2 tablespoon size). Coat well with the sugar mixture and place 2 inches apartment on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Using a glass, press down on the cookies to flatten.

Bake in a 350° oven for 10 – 14 minutes. Cool on a cookie rack and enjoy!
*Recipe from RecipeGirl.

Shrimp and Pancetta on Polenta

2009-11-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

I had the best experience making this dish. I was at Whole Foods and I eyed some shrimp that were already peeled and deveined. Just as the man at the fish counter handed me the shrimp, I noticed they were farm raised from Thailand and that there was some wild caught jumbo Louisiana shrimp still available however were not peeled or deveined. I felt a little bad handing back the Thailand shrimp as a line was forming behind me but the man at the fish counter was so nice he even volunteered to peel and devein the Louisiana shrimp for me for free! I was so surprised and happy (this never happens and saved me so much time!) that I knew this dish would be a winner. So here’s to hoping some good karma is heading your way and try out this recipe – its awesome, enjoy!

Shrimp and Pancetta on Polenta
½ cup instant polenta
¼ pound pancetta, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice
½ - 1 pound cleaned large shrimp
parsley, chopped for garish

Cook polenta according to package instructions (I cooked mine with low sodium chicken broth instead of water to add some flavor). Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside, covered.

Cook pancetta, garlic, red pepper flakes in 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their jurices and simmer about 6-8 minutes. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon polenta onto a plate or bowl and top with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!
*Adapted from Gourmet.

Chicken with Roasted Grapes and Shallots

2009-11-21T12:09:00.003-05:00

Wow, this was so easy – you only need 5 ingredients but the result looks and tastes like you spent the entire day cooking – this would be great for Sunday dinner. The grapes completely transformed while roasting with the shallots in the oven for an hour. Another great thing about this dinner – the chicken, grapes, shallots, and thyme came in under $20 and this serves 4 people. Do you have any unique ways to roast a chicken? I’ll be turning to this recipe time and time again, enjoy!

Chicken with Roasted Grapes and Shallots
1 ¼ pounds seedless grapes (green, red, black)
6 shallots, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped + 6 sprigs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 4 – 4 ½ pound chicken
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Toss grapes, shallots, tablespoon of thyme, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl.

Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper and place the 6 thyme sprigs in cavity. Place chicken in a roasting pan and arrange grape mixture around the chicken. Drizzle the remaining 1-tablespoon olive oil on top of the chicken. Roast in the oven about 1 hour and 10 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 165°.

Transfer chicken to a platter (this is important so the chicken doesn’t start absorbing the excess fat that is in the pan - the chicken will get too oily) and let rest 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, arrange grapes and shallots around the chicken. Skim the top of the pan juices to remove the fat. Place the pan juice in a small pitcher or bowl and serve alongside the chicken. Enjoy!
*Recipe from Bon Appetit.

Salmon with Baby Bok Choy

2009-11-17T08:00:00.002-05:00

This is a weeknight dinner that fits the bill for being both healthy and quick to pull together. Salmon is a good fresh fish for a weeknight dinner because it’s hearty, cooks fast, and you have some flexibility in preparing it – this recipe takes on Asian flavors. It contains those essential omega 3 fatty acids, paired along with vitamin A and C in the baby bok choy. I loved the bok choy in this dish – but wasn’t quite sure how to cut the vegetable for prep. Check out this video for tips – it’s pretty simple. Try this one to shake up your stir-fry routine!

Salmon with Baby Bok Choy
2 large garlic cloves
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry Sherry
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 baby bok choy, cut crosswise into ½ inch strips
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Blend garlic, onions, soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, sugar, and vegetable oil in food processor. Place salmon in glass baking dish and spoon half the marinade over the fish. Let marinate 5 minutes. Roast fish in oven until just opaque in center, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add bok choy and remaining marinade. Stir-fry until bok choy is wilted, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide vegetables among plates. Top with salmon. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

Savory Ricotta Crostini

2009-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is toasty comfort food that goes perfectly with a glass of red wine after a long day and fits in perfectly for meatless Mondays. Rubbing the baguette with garlic adds a lot of flavor to the toast. Serve with olives, roasted red peppers, or even some grapes. Enjoy!

Savory Ricotta Crostini
Ricotta
Baguette, sliced
2 – 3 Garlic cloves, peeled
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Pepper

Rub slices of baguette with garlic cloves. Toast in oven at 500° for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Bake again for another 4 minutes to heat through. Remove from oven, top with a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Black Truffle Mac & Cheese

2009-11-15T21:17:00.006-05:00

This is a decadent but simple mac and cheese dish. While truffles can be a strain on the wallet, using truffle oil adds the rich flavors of black truffles without the high price. I got this truffle oil a few weeks ago at Chelsea Market but if you’d like to order it online, check out The Frenchy Bee. What’s your favorite Mac & Cheese recipe?

Black Truffle Mac & Cheese
2 cups Casarecce
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon truffle oil
2 tablespoons flour
3 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
2 ounces Mahon, grated
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup Panko
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, drizzle truffle oil into pot and add pasta. Cook until al dente according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it.

In another pot, melt the butter, add the truffle oil and then add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a few minutes more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add cheeses, salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta, tossing to coat and place in gratin dishes. Top with panko and bake 20-30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and dishes are lightly browned on top. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

Honey Cake

2009-11-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

This honey cakes becomes more moist and rich a few days after it’s made. Honey cake is often served during Rosh Hashanah because honey symbolizes wishes for "sweet" things to come – but it’s certainly a nice breakfast treat at your desk! The recipe calls for a 9x5x3 in loaf pan which I got at the Kitchen Supply Store at Chelsea Market but you can also find it online here. I like that the honey replaced the granulated sugar, it probably has the same calories, but at least it seems healthier. Enjoy!

Honey Cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup freshly brewed strong coffee, cooled
2 large eggs
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon

Spray a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with PAM and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a small bowl.

Whisk together honey, oil, and coffee in another bowl until well combined.

Beat eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add honey mixture and whiskey and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture and mix by hand until just combined.

Pour batter into loaf pan (batter will be very thin) and bake 30 minutes. Cover top loosely with foil and continue to bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, an additional 30 minutes. Cool on a rack then invert cake and cool completely.
*Recipe adapted from Epicurious.

Chicken Paillard with Clementine Salsa

2009-11-11T20:59:00.005-05:00

This was a wonderful light dinner and a great way to use up some of that huge box of clementines that you undoubtedly have lying around this time of year, the holidays are right around the corner! Do you have a favorite recipe using clementines? I'm thinking about making clemetine jello, will keep you posted!

Chicken Paillard with Clementine Salsa
chicken breast halves, pounded thin with a mallet
6 clementines, peeled, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 serrano chile, seeded, minced
1/2 cup fresh clementine juice
salt, pepper

Heat a grill pan over moderate heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill about 4 minutes on each side until completely cooked through.

Combine clementine, tomatoes, onion, basil, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, chile, and clementine juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Plate the grilled chicken and top with the Clementine salsa. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

2009-11-07T12:29:00.002-05:00

I saw this recipe a few weeks ago on the Food Network. I switched out the applesauce for pumpkin which gives this spice cake an entire new dimension. This is a perfect spice bread for a chilly morning in November. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Bread
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with Pam and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.

In a large bowl, beat the sugars, oil, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
*Adapted from Giada.

Halibut, Olives, Potato, Tomato, Basil

2009-11-05T19:56:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I had dinner at Animal in Los Angeles, which is a restaurant run by John Shook and Vinny Dotolo of Two Dudes Catering which you may have seen on the Food Network. I was inspired by a dish similar to this but the potatoes were crispy, diced and cooked with the fish – I’m not sure how they got those potatoes so crispy!? Here is my take on my dinner at Animal, check it out if you’re in LA!

Halibut, Olives, Potato, Tomato, Basil
2 halibut filets
1/3 cup, pitted and chopped green olives
1 – 2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup white wine
2 potatoes, sliced thin
1/3 cup, cherry tomatoes quartered
¼ cup julienned basil
olive oil, salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 500°. Sliced potatoes thinly and place on a baking sheet in a thin layer. Drizzle with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Bake about 10-15 minutes until crispy.

Meanwhile, heat an enamel coated cast iron pan over moderate heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan and add the halibut skin side down. Cook about 2-3 minutes then add the olives, garlic, and tomatoes. Sauté about 2 minutes then add the white wine to scrape up the browned bits of vegetables. Place the pan into the oven about 5-7 minutes until the fish cooks through.

Plate the fish carefully with a fish spatula as not to break it apart. Cover it with the olive and tomato mixture. Place the potatoes on the side and sprinkle the basil over the dish. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Wheat Linguini

2009-11-04T20:01:00.002-05:00

This is a quick, weeknight recipe that’s perfect for fall. I’ll admit – I took the easy way out and bought pre-cut butternut squash. If you’re ambitious, here’s a nice how-to guide for cutting the squash. The roasting brings out wonderful autumn flavors that are perfect for a chilly night. Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Wheat Linguini
3 – 5 cups butternut squash (1 large box pre- cut or 2 whole squashes)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 servings wheat linguini, reserve ¼ cup cooking liquid
1/3 cup arugula
1/3 cup Parmesan
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Chop butternut squash into 1-inch cubes and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven 45 – 55 minutes until very tender.

Boil water and add pasta, cook until al dente about 8 minutes. Drain lightly and place it back in the pot. Add the arugula, parmesan, cooking liquid, a dash of salt, and a healthy amount of pepper. Toss well until the arugula wilts. Gently fold in the roasted butternut squash and serve immediately.

Tuscan Brick Chicken with Bacon, Peas, & Wine

2009-11-01T21:02:00.004-05:00

This chicken was developed by Tuscans who butter-flied and flattened whole chickens coated with salt and pepper. This is a great variation on Tuscan chicken from Jonathan Waxman. Enjoy for Sunday dinner!

Tuscan Brick Chicken with Bacon, Peas, & Wine
1 2-3 pound chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup diced bacon
1 cup white wine
2 cups peas
1 cup mushrooms
2 teaspoons safe
2 tablespoons butter
salt, pepper

Butterfly the chicken and open out the bird, place it skin side up on a cutting board and press down firmly to flatten the bird as much as you can. Pat dry and rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place the bacon in a cast iron skillet until golden. Transfer and drain on paper towels. Place the chicken in the pot, skin side down. Place a brick (wrapped in tin foil) or a heavy panini press on top of the chicken and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the brick and pour in the wine and bring to a boil until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken and cut into pieces. Add the peas, bacon, sliced mushrooms, herbs, and butter into the pot and stir until warmed through. Place on top of the chicken and serve hot. Enjoy!
*Recipe adaped from Jonathan Waxman.

Arugula-Parmesan Fettuccini

2009-10-26T22:41:00.004-04:00

When you have dinner solo – do you sometimes feel like exerting about as much effort as it takes to pour a bowl of cereal or pick up the phone for take out? Trust me, I’ve been there. This dinner takes 8 minutes – or as long as it takes to boil pasta. What’s your quickest go-to dinner?

Arugula-Parmesan Fettuccini
1 Cup cooked Fettuccini
1/2 cup arugula
1/3 cup Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
salt, pepper

Boil water and add pasta, cook until al dente about 8 minutes. Drain lightly (keep it kind of damp) and put it back in the pot it was boiled in. Add the arugula, parmesan, butter, a dash of salt, and a healthy amount of pepper. Toss well until the arugula wilts and serve immediately.
*Recipe adapted from Giada.

Chocolate Covered Toffee with Pumpkin Seeds & Sea Salt

2009-10-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

My parents were in town last night for a quick visit and I needed something quick, easy, and tasty to serve as a snack. I got this idea from the Bon Appétit Supper Club about a month ago. Be very careful with the toffee, it takes a lot of babysitting – it can turn from toffee to burnt butter in about 30 seconds – trust me, I know! TGIF – enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Toffee with Pumpkin Seeds & Sea Salt
6 ounces (11/2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
Sea salt, to taste

Stir butter, sugar and water over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Raise heat to medium, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture is a beautiful toffee color (candy thermometer should read about 295°F).

Add salt and vanilla extract, carefully, in case the toffee sputters. Pour onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Let cool about one minute. Sprinkle chocolate over the top of the toffee (chocolate will melt) and spread with a spatula. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and sea salt while chocolate is still tacky. Place in the refrigerator about 1 hour and break toffee into desired sized pieces to serve.
*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

Pumpkin Pecan Spice Muffins

2009-10-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

I love this recipe, you can just plop all the ingredients into a large bowl and… Mix. Bake. Eat! It’s perfect for breakfast at your desk with a hot cup of Southern Pecan coffee. Is your mouth watering yet? I stumbled across these unique muffins liners online at Cupcake Swirl - I need to order some, what do you think?

Pumpkin Pecan Spice Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 15-ounce can pumpkin1/3 cup vegetable oil2 large eggs
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400°. Line 12 muffin tins with liners.

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, stirring just until combined (do not over mix or they will get tough!). Distribute evenly into 12 muffin tins and bake for 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken Meatballs with Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

2009-10-21T10:41:00.009-04:00

Do you ever wonder when a recipes becomes your own or when you just take a variation of several difference recipes to make a new one? Is the recipe then officially yours or is it just altering someone else’s? Either way, I’ll certainly give credit where it’s due! I was inspired to create “spicy” meatballs from Giada’s Bucatini All’Amatricana and the “roasted” tomato sauce from Smitten Kitchen’s Roasted Tomatoes and Cipollini. I decided to make my own breadcrumbs after watching Ina Garten make her own and I choose wheat bread because, well – that’s all I had! When do you think researching ingredients turns into your own unique recipes? I’m not sure if I’ve crossed that line yet? Either way, I’m glad I put all of these ideas together – the dish was delicious – enjoy!

Spicy Chicken Meatballs
½ Red Pepper, petit dice
½ cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon ketchup
3 slices of wheat bread, toasted and crumbled in food processor
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes* (or less)
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 egg
1 pound ground chicken breast meat
Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine pepper, parmesan, ketchup, bread crumbs, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, thyme, and egg in a mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. Then gently add the chicken and gently mix with your hands until combined (if you over work the meat, the meatballs will be tough). Roll into 1 inch balls and bake 25 minutes.

Slow Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
2 pints cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil, + 1 tablespoon
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup tomato puree
Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Toss 2 pints of cherry tomatoes with olive oil and salt on a large baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes until tomatoes are scorched (lightly browned and somewhat wrinkly – like raisins).

When tomatoes are almost done, bring a large stockpot to a boil and add spinach fettuccini (or any other) pasta. Cook until al dente and then drain.

Remove from oven and place in a large sauté pan or braiser. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, parsley, white wine, tomato paste, and tomato puree. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 8 minutes until all ingredients are cooked through. Add meatballs to the sauce and toss to coat.

Plate the fettuccini and top with meatballs and roasted tomato sauce. Enjoy!

Sweet Corn Halibut Tamales & Jalapeno-Mango Slaw

2009-10-20T09:22:00.006-04:00

Run don’t walk to the grocery and make this for dinner! If you don’t like fish, no worries – just make it with only the filling (double the recipe). These baked tamales are a play on the traditional tamale which is steamed and made of corn dough. To learn more about the history of tamales (which date back to 1200 BC) check out the Gourmet Sleuth. I love having the option to cook Mexican without adding anything fried or a lot of cheese, Bon Appétit claims these tamales zone in at about 360 calories, which makes it a great light yet filling mid-week dinner. Have you made tamales before? Do you have a favorite filling? I want to experiment with some variations of this, please share!

Sweet Corn Halibut Tamales
2 large fresh ears of corn, husks intact
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 6-ounce halibut fillets

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with PAM.

Carefully remove the 4 largest husks and save them for the tamales. Cut kernels off of corn. Place the corn, cilantro, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse a few times until just coarse – do not puree.

Place two husks on a baking sheet and fill with half of the corn mixture. Salt and pepper the halibut and place it on top of the filling. Top each fish with the remaining mixture, place the remaining husks on top. (I had a bit of excess liquid from the corn so I picked it up and drained it gently for a moment before placing them in the oven) Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and serve immediately.

Jalapeno-Mango Slaw
2 mangoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 lime, zest and juice
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno
Salt, pepper

Combine mango, lime, jalapeno, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix to coat and enjoy.

*Tamales adapted from Bon Appetit.

Roasted Potato Fennel Soup

2009-10-19T10:15:00.003-04:00

Did you have a nice weekend? It was cold and rainy here – I heard it even snowed upstate (in mid October?!). This warm roasted soup is perfect for a cold rainy night and fits in nicely for our Meatless Mondays. What’s your favorite Sunday-night dinner when it’s cold and rainy?

Roasted Potato Fennel Soup
4 lbs red potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 yellow onions, chopped
2 lb fennel bulb, chopped
3 quarts chicken stock
1 cup light cream
Salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Quarter the potatoes and toss with the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.

In a large Dutch oven, sauté the onions and fennel with 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 15 minutes, until transparent. Add the potatoes and stock to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Let simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Let soup cool slightly and then puree in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper and add a dollop of cream to the soup servings (add a rosemary sprig for presentation if you like). Serve warm and enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

Hummingbird Cake

2009-10-18T17:21:00.004-04:00

This is a special cake to make for a birthday or the holidays. I made this cake this weekend while my in-laws were in town and it was a hit! I think it’d be good with some nutmeg or allspice added to the cake mix. This cake has southern roots but there are several theories on why it’s called hummingbird cake. One theory is that each bite results in a “hum” of delight. Another theory is that it’s as sweet as the sugar water that attracts hummingbirds to feeders. Either way, this certainly is a great treat for a special occasion!

Hummingbird Cake
AP flour + Butter, for pans
3 cups AP Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 very ripe large bananas, mashed
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large eggs, beaten

Frosting
1 pound (1 box) confectioners' sugar
1 (8-ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk, or more if needed
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325°. Butter and flour 2 9 inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine flour, baking soda, sugar, oil, pecans, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon, and eggs.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with a spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 28 - 35 minutes.

Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up, removing parchment paper.

With an eclectic mixer, combine sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk on medium speed until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more milk to achieve a spreading consistency.

Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to level. Place the first layer on the cake plate and frost with icing. Place the second layer on top and ice the entire cake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

Cellophane Noodles with Stir Fry Vegetables

2009-10-16T12:00:00.001-04:00

I love this for a super quick and veggie-packed dinner. Have you ever cooked with cellophane noodles before? Here’s a nice little how-do with an explanation of their origin.

Cellophane Noodles with Stir Fry Vegetables
2 Servings of Soba Noodles
1 bag of frozen stir-fry vegetable mix
3 tablespoons ginger, peeled & chopped
6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, zest and juice
Place the soba noodles in a large bowl of hot water for as long as directed on the package (usually 10 minutes). Then drain.

Combine ginger, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, vegetable oil, thyme, sage, garlic, and lemon in a small bowl and whisk together.

Over high heat – add vegetables to a sauté pan and cook with 2 tablespoons of the marinade about 7 minutes until vegetables are heated through. Add drained soba noodles and rest of the marinade and toss until hot and well coated. Serve immediately.

Grilled Tuna Nicoise

2009-10-15T15:50:00.002-04:00

This is a nice light dinner, packed with protein. It called for a Potato Salad on the side which would probably be wonderful but I just didn’t have the time and the potatoes were nice with just the vinaigrette. Any good weekend plans? We’re going to Blue Hill for dinner in the city (remember we went to Blue Hill Farms in August and made the Purple Potato Frittata?) Needless to say, I’m getting hungry!

Grilled Tuna Nicoise
2 (1-inch-thick) fresh tuna steaks
Olive oil
1/2 pound French string beans
3 Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut in 1/2
1/2 pound olives, pitted
1 bunch watercress or arugula
Salt, pepper

Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup olive oil
Salt, pepper

Heat a grill pan at very high heat. Brush the fish with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill the tuna about 2 minutes on each side (the center should be raw like sushi).

Boil the potatoes about 20 minutes until tender. Boil the string beans in boil water for one minute and then plunge into an ice bath for a minute and then drain and pat dry.

Whisk together the champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Arrange the tuna, string beans, potatoes (quartered and sprinkled with salt and pepper), tomatoes, eggs, olives, and greens on a large plate. Drizzle with some of the dressing and serve the rest on the side.

*Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

Lemony Chicken Waldorf Salad

2009-10-14T13:21:00.002-04:00

This is a nice light version to the typical Waldorf salad that’s made with mayonnaise. Do you know the history of the Waldorf Salad? In 1896 at a “society supper” at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, Oscar Michel Tschirky, maitre d'hotel, created and served this salad. His reputation was so well-known - it was considered a privilege to meet him! This makes a nice light mid-week dinner and the chicken adds some good protein. What do you like to add to your salad for dinner?

Lemony Chicken Waldorf Salad
2 Chicken breasts, grilled
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 – 4 tablespoons canola oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt, pepper
2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
5 radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup celery hearts, thinly sliced
1 small head of frisee, chopped
1 Fuji apple – peeled, quartered, and chopped into 1 inch dice

Preheat a grill pan to moderately high heat. Add chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper and grill on each side about 5 minutes until cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the shallot, lemon zest and juice, champagne vinegar, cumin, canola oil, and salt and pepper.

Place the lettuce, radishes, celery, frisee, and apple in a large mixing bowl. Toss with the salad dressing. Top with slices of the grilled chicken and enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Food and Wine.

How to Defrost Wedding Cake

2009-10-13T10:16:00.004-04:00

How to Defrost Wedding Cake
Instead of a recipe, here is a practical how-to today. We celebrated our one year wedding anniversary this past weekend and of course had to figure out how to defrost our cake topper! If I had looked into this a little more closely last year, I would have known to follow a bunch of steps to keep the cake as fresh as possible. But let’s be serious – the last thing on your mind the day after your wedding before you leave for the honeymoon is a cake preservation project. I literally put it in a Tupperware and it sat in the freezer for the past year. And you know what? It tasted just great, thank you Martha Stewart Tupperware! However, I did some research and here are some steps for freezing and defrosting wedding cake:

1. Place the fresh cake in the refrigerator until morning so the butter cream will harden.
2. Cover the cake in layers of plastic wrap then with an outer layer of tin foil (airtight seal).
3. Wait a year.
4. Place the cake (still wrapped) in the refrigerator overnight.
5. Remove it from the wrapping and let it sit out for a few hours to reach room temperature.
6. Pour some bubbly, look over wedding pictures and enjoy your cake!

*Research from Digg and Brides.com

Jumbo Sea Scallops with Avocado Puree & Jalapeno Pesto, Scorched Red Pepper Quesadillas

2009-10-12T10:30:00.005-04:00

Did you have a nice weekend? I saw a Martha Stewart cooking demo at the NY Food and Wine Festival on Friday! She made a Duck with Cabbage Slaw and Potato Galette along with Hazelnut Brittle and Ice Cream Sundaes for dessert. I’ll be posting some pics and trying out the Hazelnut Brittle soon! Wouldn’t the brittle be nice to wrap in tins as hostess or Christmas gifts?

This is a tasty dinner and a nice light spin for Sea Scallops. The sea scallops are sometimes not enough for me so a veggie quesadilla on the side adds a more filling element to the dinner. Try the quesadilla with other vegetables to keep with the Meatless Mondays theme!

Jumbo Sea Scallops with Avocado Puree & Jalapeño Pesto, Scorched Red Pepper Quesadillas
8 large sea scallops
Olive Oil
Salt, pepper
Avocado Puree
Jalapeno Pesto

Heat grill to high. Brush scallops on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the scallops until golden brown and slightly charred and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Dollop avocado puree over each and top with a bit of jalapeno pesto.

Avocado Puree
1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted

2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 limes, juice and zest
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt, pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

Jalapeño Pesto
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves
4 jalapenos, grilled and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper

Combine cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until emulsified.

Scorched Red Pepper Quesadillas
4 tortillas (corn, wheat, flour, whatever you prefer)

½ cup Mexican cheese (I like Whole Foods Fiesta Cheese)

1 Red Pepper

Put grill pan on high heat. Add Red Pepper and Grill until lightly blackened on each side and then chop. Place tortilla on skillet, top with cheese, pepper, and other tortilla. Cook about 4 minutes and flip, cooking the other side for 4 minutes until cheese has melted and tortilla is crispy. Top with avocado puree and jalapeño pesto.

*Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay.

Ducale and Healthy Coq Au Vin

2009-10-11T11:09:00.003-04:00

I’m excited to share this new find with you. Last night we went to Ducale (392 Columbus Avenue at 79th Street). The food was wonderful ("green" Italian cooking with eco-friendly ingredients) and the service was friendly (so friendly that I overheard a neighborhood customer stop by to say his credit card bill did not reflect the correct tip he had wanted to leave a few weeks ago – and made sure the server was correctly compensated!). We started with the Burrata and then shared the Halibut and Tartufo Pizza with the Apple Cobbler and vanilla gelato for dessert. And the best part of all? While there is a full bar, you can also BYOB (2 bottles with no corkage fee, then $15 for each additional bottle). I will certainly be going back and hope you try it too!

So on to the cooking! This is certainly a Sunday night supper – it takes some time but the results are worth it! I would have liked to make this the classic way with bacon, brandy, and a whole chicken with light & dark meat and crispy skin - but I’ve simplified the ingredients to create a light and healthy version of the classic coq au vin. Do you have any classic recipes that you twist into a healthy version? Enjoy!

Healthy Coq Au Vin
1 pound boneless/skinless chicken breast
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 bottle dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 cup good chicken stock
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced
salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides in a single layer for about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the carrots, onion, salt and pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat until the onion is lightly browned, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Combine 1 tablespoon butter and the flour and stir into the soup. Add the frozen onions. In a sauté pan – add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook the mushrooms over medium heat for about 7 minutes until browned. Add the to stew and bring the stew to a simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
*Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

Banana Zucchini Muffins

2009-10-10T10:57:00.003-04:00

Sometimes when I buy produce – I buy a little too much for the week. Does this happen to you? I had 2 browning bananas and a lonely zucchini that needed to be used up TODAY! I have a go-to banana bread recipe from Cooking light that I love at 185 calories a serving. I thought, why not add zucchini, spices, and turn it into muffins? It turned out great and became this mornings light breakfast. Happy Saturday.

Banana Zucchini Muffins
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
¼ cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1/3 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 bananas, mashed
1 small zucchini, grated and drained of excess water

Preheat oven to 400°. Line 12 muffins tins with paper liners.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter about one minute. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well. Add yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, banana and zucchini and beat well. Add flour and mix just until combined.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Down-East Blueberry Cobbler

2009-10-08T09:08:00.004-04:00

This blueberry cobbler recipe is a dish Berry’s mom makes when we visit. It takes 10-minutes to assemble and it’s perfect to pop in the oven while we’re eating dinner and pull out for a warm, fresh baked, delicious dessert. You can also use mixed berries such as blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. It’s perfect served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Enjoy!

Down-East Blueberry Cobbler
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3 cups blueberries
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400°.

Mix cornstarch and sugar together in saucepan. Stir in water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar-syrup forms. Add blueberries and stir carefully to coat, being careful not to break blueberries. Add mixture to one-and-one-half quart baking dish or nine-inch pie pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and oil.

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, milk, remaining oil and cinnamon, and brown sugar until the mixture forms a coarse cornmeal consistency. Drop by spoonfuls onto fruit. Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. Serve hot or warm with vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream.
*Recipe adapted from The New York Times Heritage Cook Book.

Mexican Chicken Soup

2009-10-07T13:12:00.005-04:00

I love serving Ina’s Mexican Chicken Soup with tortilla strips, slices of avocado, and sometimes a dollop of sour cream. It’s perfect for dinner, to take to work as lunch, or even freeze and save for a rainy day. The rotisserie chicken makes the prep time super quick and the fresh vegetables give the soup a great texture and flavor. What are your favorite add-ons to Mexican Chicken Soup?

Mexican Chicken Soup
1 Rostisserie chicken breast, shredded
2 yellow onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off
5 carrots, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ quarts chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and corn and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, salt/pepper and the cilantro. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste.

*Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

Casarecce with Hazelnut-Watercress Pesto

2009-10-06T10:25:00.006-04:00

I had lots of extra hazelnuts from the Edamame and Hazelnut Crusted Halibut last week and was trying to figure out what to do with them. Ingredients inevitably end up forgotten, collecting dust until they expire if I don’t use them up quickly. And guess what (lucky timing!) Bon Appétit has an entire section of their website dedicated to recipes with hazelnuts this week! I used a new pasta called Casarecce and loved the way the pesto got into its nooks and crannies. I bought an already cooked rotisserie chicken ($6.99 at Whole Foods) and shredded the chicken breast to add some extra protein to this dish. I used the remaining chicken to make Mexican Chicken Soup which I’ll share with you tomorrow – yum! Do you have a favorite pasta you like to cook with? Any hazelnut recipes to share? I still have about a cup of them left!

Casarecce with Hazelnut-Watercress Pesto
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley
2 cups watercress*
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted
1 lemon, zest and juice
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 box Casarecce pasta
2 handfuls of French green beans (haricots verts)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ rotisserie chicken breast, shredded
Salt, pepper

Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Add a drop of olive oil.

Place parsley, watercress, hazelnuts, lemon zest and juice, and garlic in a food processor and pulse while streaming in olive oil. Fold in parmesan cheese.

Boil the pasta until just al dente. Add the green beans to the boiling pasta for 1 – 2 minutes until tender. Drain (reserving about a cup of the pasta water). Place the beans and pasta back into the pot. Add the shredded chicken, pasta water, and pesto. Season with salt and pepper.

*If you cannot find watercress, arugula or fresh spinach will work just as well!

**Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.

Ratatouille Crisps

2009-10-05T10:17:00.006-04:00

Do you like leftovers? Most of the time, I’m not a big fan. The dish never tastes the same and it’s always kind of mushy. However, if it’s something I can re-bake and crisp up – I’m more likely to give it a try the next day. I had a ton of left over ratatouille from a few days ago and wasn’t sure what to do with it. Knowing Meatless Monday was coming, I wanted to try to do SOMETHING with it! So, I came up with the idea of Ratatouille Crisps. This couldn’t be an easier way to recreate leftovers. Happy Monday, enjoy the week!

Ratatouille Crisps
Leftover Ratatouille (*click to get ratatouille recipe)
½ baguette, cut into slices
1/3 – 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 500°. Slice baguette and place on a baking sheet. Top baguette slices with ratatouille and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 7 – 10 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Zucchini Bread

2009-10-04T11:59:00.008-04:00

Zucchini bread with brown sugar is such a good idea, I wish I had thought of it! Try this variation of Emeril Lagasse’s Zucchini bread – the lemon zest creates a light flavor while the brown sugar produces a rich consistency. You can add pecans, walnuts, or even chocolate chips to this to make it a dessert bread instead of a breakfast bread. Substitute bananas to make this into banana bread. What’s your favorite add-in to zucchini bread?

Brown Sugar Zucchini Bread
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 350°. Liberally spray a loaf pan with Pam spray.

Combine the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.

With an electric mixer mix the butter, oil, and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, in batches until all is incorporated.

Drain the grated zucchini then fold the zucchini and lemon zest into the batter. Pour into the loaf pan and bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Baked Baguette French Toast

2009-10-03T19:17:00.004-04:00

This is a very loose adaption of Ina Garten’s Challah French Toast recipe – it’s such a quick fix for weekend brunch. The orange zest and cinnamon make this a special brunch dish as an alternative to the usual French toast on the griddle. I made this with a baguette but a brioche, challah, or even cinnamon-raisin bread would be just as tasty. I hope you try this tomorrow for Sunday breakfast! Tell me - do you have a favorite French toast recipe?

Baked Baguette French Toast
1 mini baguette
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of half an orange
1 tablespoon orange juice
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest and juice. Slice baguette and dip both sides in egg mixture. Place on a skillet on moderate-high heat until lightly browned. Place the toasts in a casserole dish and bake in the oven for 5-8 minutes. Remove and serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

Apple Spice Bundt Cake

2009-10-02T10:22:00.004-04:00

I made this delicious bundt cake last weekend and it has stayed moist all week for breakfast. It’s so easy; try it tomorrow with your Saturday morning coffee while you read the newspaper. If you don’t have a bundt pan, don’t worry - check out the large variety online at target.

So I wanted to tell you about the NY Food and Wine Festival happening next weekend Oct 8 – 11. Events range from “Make Your Own Wine” to a “Martha Stewart Cooking Demo” (I’m going, Martha here I come!) to an “Oyster Bash” at the Standard Hotel. Check it out! Are there any local cooking or food events in your area that you’re looking forward to this fall?

Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds apples, peeled, cored, coarsely grated
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray Bundt pan with nonstick spray very thoroughly so the cake will come out easily. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a mixing bowl. Drain grated apples in strainer. Using hands or kitchen towel, squeeze out excess liquid from apples.

Using electric mixer, beat butter, both sugars, and lemon peel in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in yogurt. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time and add vanilla and lemon juice. Beat in flour mixture. Mix in grated apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on rack 20 minutes and then tip it over and remove from pan. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

Edamame & Hazelnut Crusted Halibut

2009-10-01T12:00:00.006-04:00

I wish I had thought about this years ago! Since I always have Edamame with sushi, and I always have sushi at a restaurant – I thought I couldn’t eat it with any other dish and I certainly couldn’t make it at home. I wasn’t even sure if it came fresh or frozen. Luckily, this couldn’t be simpler – and it did taste just like it does at a restaurant. At $1.79 for a 1-pound bag, you couldn’t ask for a better deal! This hazelnut crust on the fish was great- I think it would even be good breaded on chicken and sautéed on the stove-top with a frisee salad on the side. We’re getting close to the weekend, what’s on your agenda? I’m thinking about making Coq au Vin. Has anyone ever made it before?

Halibut with Hazelnut Crust
2 6-oz halibut filets
2/3 cup toasted hazelnuts
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup fresh basil
2 chives
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup panko
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 lemon
Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 450°. Place halibut filets on a baking sheet and brush with melted butter.

Toast the hazelnuts in a toaster oven or for 5 minutes or in the oven. Place hazelnuts, parsley, basil, and chives in a food processor and pulse until a cornmeal texture is reached. Stream in the olive oil. Fold in the panko. Season with salt and pepper then place the mixture on top of the filets. Bake for 10 minutes until fish is opaque in center. Serve immediately.

Edamame
1 bag frozen Edamame
Coarse Sea Salt, Pepper

Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Add the frozen Edamame and boil 5-8 minutes until they float on top of the water. Drain and sprinkle liberally with sea salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
*Halibut reciped adapted from Bon Appetit.

Ratatouille with Grilled Chicken

2009-09-30T11:19:00.005-04:00

Ratatouille comes from the French term "touiller," which means to toss food. It originated from the area around Nice and was originally a meal made by peasants with farm summer vegetables. The easiest way to make this dish is to sauté all the vegetables together in a large skillet. However, if you are more daring (or have more time!) try the Julia Child version in which each vegetable is cooked separately and then arranged in a casserole dish and baked off/simmered in the oven. Ratatouille can be cooked the day before and (like a soup) gains more flavor by the next day. It is a versatile dish and can be served warm with a meal or cold as an appetizer either alone or with crusty bread.

Ratatouille with Grilled Chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium eggplant
2 tablespoons thyme
1 medium zucchini
1 red bell pepper
3 medium tomatoes, peeled
1/3 cup basil
1/3 cup parsley
2 chicken breast filets, boneless & skinless
Salt, pepper

Salt and pepper 2 chicken breast filets and grill over moderately high heat for about 5-7 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Dice all of the vegetables into medium bite-size pieces. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add red onion and sauté until tender and lightly caramelized (about 6 minutes). Add 2 garlic cloves; allow to sit for 1 minute until the flavor diffuses into the onion. Add eggplant and thyme, sauté 5 minutes until eggplant is tender. Add zucchini, peppers, and remaining garlic, sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Sauté until all vegetables are tender. Plate and Enjoy!
*Recipes adapted from Bon Appétit and Emeril Lagassge.

Fettuccini with Wild Mushroom Sauce

2009-09-29T10:44:00.007-04:00

Ok, so I’m a little funny about mushrooms. I don’t like them uncooked and it takes a mighty tasty one for a stuffed mushroom appetizer. Growing up we used to pick wild mushrooms and there is a “silver coin myth” that claims any poisonous mushroom will blacken a silver coin or spoon cooked along with the mushroom. Yikes?! I’ve experimented with numerous mushroom recipes and this one fits the bill. It’s super easy (less that 15 minutes start to finish) and so tasty & savory – I’d be happy having this once a week for dinner. Enjoy! Do you have a favorite recipe with mushrooms?

Fettuccini with Wild Mushroom Sauce
4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as Crimini, Portobello, Shiitake, sliced thick

1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped + extra for topping
1/2 cup parmesan + extra for topping
½ pound wheat Fettuccini
Salt, pepper

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil, add a dash of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil then add fettuccini. Boil until al dente.

Melt butter with oil in a large skillet (largest one you have!) over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until it begins to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and toss them gently with tongs to coat. Allow to cook about 8-10 minutes until they shrink down and are tender, stirring every few minutes. When fettuccini is al dente, add it straight from the boiling water (do not drain!) so that some of the pasta liquid goes into the mushroom sauce. Add parmesan and parsley – toss it all together until the cheese melts and the sauce coats the pasta. Add extra pasta water if dry. Transfer to a large bowl, top with parsley and parmesan and serve immediately.
*Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.

3 New Pizza Recipes

2009-09-28T09:50:00.008-04:00

I'm going to stick with Meatless Monday ideas for a while - keep the ideas coming if you have any good recipes to share! I tried a few new pizza recipes this weekend which turned out pretty well. I bought frozen pizza dough from whole foods (only $1.69 each), let it defrost in the fridge overnight, and stretched it out to size for these pizzas. It was much quicker than the homemade pizza dough from a few weeks ago. You could buy dough from your favorite local pizza shop as well. I used quarter sheet pans for the Goat Cheese and the 4-Cheese pizzas. I used a large jelly-roll pan for the Mediterranean pizza. Do you have a favorite go-to pizza recipe?

Goat Cheese & Yellow Squash Pizza
4-6 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1 lemon, zest and juice
1/2 yellow squash, peeled
1/2 zucchini, peeled
2-3 tablespoons fresh thyme
Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 500°F. Oil a lipped baking pan. Stretch pizza dough to fit baking pan and lightly brush with more olive oil. Mix goat cheese, all of lemon zest, half of lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread onto dough with a rubber spatula. Top with yellow squash and zucchini, alternating each color. Squeeze remaining lemon on top and bake for about 10 minutes until crust is golden brown and the squash is slightly browned.

4-Cheese Pizza
1 pint grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons thyme
2 tablespoons rosemary
¼ lb mozzarella
¼ cup fate free ricotta
3/4 cup parmesan
1/4 cup white cheddar, shredded
Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 500°F. Oil a lipped baking pan. Stretch pizza dough to fit baking pan and lightly brush with more olive oil. Place grape tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup parmesan in a food processor and pulse. Drain excess liquid in a fine grain colander. Spread tomato sauce on pizza dough with a rubber spatula. Top with mozzarella, ricotta, remaining parmesan, and white cheddar. Bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese bubbles.

Mediterranean Pizza
1 red pepper, cut into slices
1/2 red onion, sliced into rings
1/3 cup artichokes
1/3 cup peppadews

1/2 yellow squash, peeled

1/2 zucchini, peeled
¼ lb mozzarella
1/3 cup parmesean
Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 500°F. Oil a lipped baking pan. Stretch pizza dough to fit baking pan and lightly brush with more olive oil. Sauté red pepper and onion rings about 8 minutes, until tender. Place on pizza dough along with artichokes, peppadews, yellow squash and zucchini. Top with mozzarella and parmesan, salt and pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese bubbles.

Lemon-Thyme Olive Oil Cake

2009-09-27T15:59:00.007-04:00

This olive oil cake turned out great and was a nice, light dessert for a dinner party. Serve it with raspberries or blackberries and maybe a dollop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Lemon-Thyme Olive Oil Cake
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large lemons, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 cup AP flour
5 egg yolks
4 egg whites
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with oil, line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper and oil it.

Combine lemon zest, thyme, and flour in a mixing bowl. Halve and squeeze the lemon and reserve the juice.

With an electric mixer, beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar at high speed until thick and pale, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add 3/4 cup olive oil and lemon juice, beating until combined. Gently fold in flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined.

With an electric mixer, whisk egg whites with 1/2 teaspoon salt on medium-high speed until foamy. Continue whisking and slowly add 1/4 cup sugar until egg whites hold soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Gently fold half of whipped whites into yolk mixture, and then fold in remaining whites until just combined.

Pour batter into springform pan and release air bubbles by tapping pan against work surface and dropping the pan about 2 inches to release the air bubbles. Evenly sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar over the top of the batter. Bake until the top is golden brown and a wooden skewer or toothpick comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Place on a rack and cool in pan for 20 minutes; run a thin knife around edge of pan and release springform. Cool cake to room temperature, remove parchment and serve with fresh berries.

*Recipe adapted from Gourmet.

Roasted Tomatoes and Cipollini

2009-09-25T11:59:00.009-04:00

TGIF! Try this recipe this weekend for lunch – it’s delightful. The onions and tomatoes turn into pure deliciousness while roasting – I didn’t even recognize the flavors! The cipollini onions are very different from boiling or pearl onions – they are very sweet and there’s no bite to them. I want more of this, can I make this again tonight for dinner? Yes – it’s that good. No worries if you don’t know how to blanche the onions, it’s very simple – fast forward to the end of this how-to video here. Anyway, we’re a few sweet hours until the weekend starts, do you have any fun plans? I just found out the dinner party we’re going to is serving Beef Wellington – I’m hungry already!

Roasted Tomatoes and Cipollini
1 pound cipollini onions
1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Mini French baguette
1 15-ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed
1 garlic clove, minced + 2 tablespoons olive oil
Drizzle of Good Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Boil a small pot of water and blanche the onions for 10 seconds, then place them in cold water with ice cubes. Peel the onion skin off of the onion and place on a baking sheet.

Spread peeled onions and tomatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Toss everything together until well-coated. Roast for 45 minutes –turning the vegetables every 20 minutes or so.

When there is about 10 minutes left for the vegetables. Slice the baguette and brush with olive oil and minced garlic. Bake in the oven until slightly browned.

Remove everything from oven. Plate the bread, top with the white beans then top with the toasted vegetables. Drizzle a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar on top and enjoy!
*Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Cinnamon-Coffee Blueberry Muffins

2009-09-24T09:29:00.009-04:00

I’m excited to share this recipe with you because I’ve created it myself! The applesauce replaces some of the butter to cut down on the fat and calories and the coffee and cinnamon bring out the warm flavors of a blueberry muffin for the fall (compared to lemon-blueberry muffins you’ve seen here before this summer). Use paper liners for easy clean-up = no scrubbing each little muffin tin!

SO, I’m going to friends for dinner this weekend and offered to bring dessert. I was thinking about this lemon olive-oil cake and maybe adding sage to it.. What do you think? What dessert has someone brought to you that you’ve loved?

Cinnamon-Coffee Blueberry Muffins
2 ½ cups AP flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup coffee
1/3 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 400° and line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixture for about 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time until well blended. Turn the mixer off, add the vanilla, milk, coffee, applesauce, and cinnamon then mix it again until well combined. With the mixer at the lowest speed – add the flour mixture in batches until just well blended (do not over beat or the muffins will be tough). Gently fold in the blueberries and distribute into muffin tins.

Bake for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chicken Stir Fry & Bon Appetit Cafe

2009-09-23T11:26:00.010-04:00

Have you heard of the Bon Appetit Café? It’s a pop-up restaurant on 57th Street & 6th Avenue from Bon Appetit magazine open for one week only (this week!), featuring famous chefs. Today Emeril Lasagge (bam!) will be performing a cooking demo and book signing – and its all open to the public for lunch. I’m going to try to make it on Friday for a snack at least! The website also showcases all of the recipes from the week – I’m inspired to try some new ideas. What looks good to you? I’m craving the Peanut Butter Crispy Bars – yum!

You’ve seen a variation of this recipe before with salmon but here it is with chicken and a few extra herbs. I buy the chicken breast pre-cut into stir-fry strips and the frozen vegetables couldn’t make this dish any easier (unless I just bought a stir-fry sauce/marinade, which you could definitely do in a pinch!). The next time you have a busy day, here’s a go-to simple dinner.

Check this out - I’ve added a “search” function in the sidebar. Just type in an ingredient or recipe you are looking for and it will pop up from both my blog as well as my favorite websites.

Chicken Stir Fry

¾ pound stir-fry chicken breast
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables

3 tablespoons ginger, peeled & chopped

6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 lime, zest & juice
1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds

Mix ingredients ginger through lime zest in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a large skillet and add half of the mixture. Cook the chicken on medium-high heat until cooked through (turning the chicken once) about 10 minutes. Sprinkle sesame seeds over chicken.

When the chicken is almost done, place frozen veggies in a separate sauté pan with 4 – 6 tablespoons of the sauce and sauté for 4 minutes – mixing the vegetables and sauce with tongs until cooked through. Drain excess liquid and place veggies in a mixing bowl. Add remaining sauce to taste and coat well.

Plate the chicken and the vegetables and enjoy!