Foodie Journey

Steakhouse Sweet Potato with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Butter

2012-01-18T23:12:00.002-07:00

One of the most popular posts on this blog is for a steakhouse baked potato. Of course, there is more than one kind of potato that you can get at most steakhouses. Let's not forget the sweet potato! Recently, I actually had a craving for a sweet potato (which is unusual). Then, I remembered how my brother, who taught me how to make this amazing whole wheat linguini with mushrooms and lemon-garlic gremolata, also made some amazing sweet potatoes for my family a couple of years ago. I'm grateful that he gave me the recipe for these steakhouse sweet potatoes.

Steakhouse Sweet Potato with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Butter
1 sweet potato per person, small to medium in size
1 teaspoon of butter for each potato

For the cinnamon and brown sugar topping
(you can make as much or as little as you want with this recipe)
1 part sugar
1 part light brown sugar
1/2 part cinnamon
1/8 part cloves (optional)

For the whipped butter
1 stick of butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons of half and half, milk, or water

1. Wash the sweet potatoes, coat the potatoes with butter, and wrap in tin foil.

2. Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for about 50 to 60 minutes. Great this picture shows me how badly I need to clean my oven. Boo:-(

3. Meanwhile mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. If making a large quantity for a dinner party, divide into individual ramekins for each guest.

4. Whip the butter with your choice of half and half, milk, or water using an electric beater or immersion blender.

5. When the potatoes are cooked through and soft, cut a "+" in each potato. Using your thumbs and forefingers push each corner of the of the "+" to create a circular opening. This pushes the loose sweet potato up so it looks fluffy. This is a restaurant presentation secret that you can use with regular baked potatoes too.

6. Using a melon baller, add a scoop of whipped butter.

7. Serve with a side of the cinnamon and brown sugar butter.

Chinese Chicken Soup

2012-01-16T20:23:00.001-07:00

I always make more soup in the winter than at any other time of year. I try to give into my cravings, but in a healthy way. If that isn't possible, (thinking hamburger and fries, or macaroni and cheese) then that craving becomes a scheduled "cheat" day of which there may only be 2 or 3 per month depending on my goals. This is my new approach to "dieting" as a life-style. It's working! When trying to lose weight, I also lean heavily on low-carb meals. So, what should you do when you are craving a hearty chicken soup, but don't want any grains or higher-carb vegetables involved? That's how this "Chinese Chicken Soup" recipe was born. I starting thinking about all my favorite chicken soups. When I thought about "wonton" soup, I knew I was onto something. I love wonton soup, but how could I achieve that comfort zone without the wanton? Answer, plenty of chicken, a good broth base, plenty of vegetables, and two 8 oz. bags of mung bean sprouts as a substitute for noodles. Note: I make huge batches of soup so that I can freeze at least half.

Chinese Chicken Soup
4 cups chicken stock, preferably (otherwise, use all low-sodium chicken broth)
4 cups chicken broth, low sodium
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
8 scallions, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, pressed
8 baby bella mushrooms, or 4 medium portabella mushrooms sliced thin, and cut into bite sized pieces
1 (6 oz.) of snow peas, medium chop
2 (8oz.) bags of mung bean sprouts
1 cup of frozen chopped spinach
3 tablespoons of soy sauce (plus, potentially more salt depending on the stock/broth base)
1/8 to 1/4 white pepper to taste
1 pinch of chinese five spice
1 pinch of dried ginger
1 lb. of shredded chicken breast (cook fresh or use left overs)

1. Gently clean off mushrooms, if necessary, and with a spoon scrap off the "gills." (I think you'll know what I mean by this picture).

2. Wash, gather, and chop the scallions, mushrooms, and snow peas.

3. Heat the sesame oil in a large pot over medium high heat for two minutes.

4. Reduce heat to medium low and add the chopped scallions.

5. Add garlic and mushrooms.

6. Add snow peas.

7. Add chicken stock (hold back 1/2 cup if you are cooking chicken rather than using leftover chicken), broth, soy sauce, pepper, chinese spice, ginger, and bring to a simmer.

7. Mean while cook the chicken breasts, if you don't have leftovers. Add 2 chicken breasts to a small pan with 1/2 cup of chicken broth, no spices needed.

8. After 5 minutes (when the chicken looks like this) flip, cover, and cook for about another five minutes or until cooked through to 160 degrees. (The chicken will continue to cook in the soup).

9. Shred the chicken with two forks.

10. Add the frozen spinach to the soup pot.

11. Add the shredded chicken to the soup.

12. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and serve.

Quick Apple Crisp

2012-01-12T19:38:00.006-07:00

My husband and I don't eat a lot of desserts, but when we have dinner parties we always serve dessert. Even so, most of the time I don't make a dessert, because the majority of my efforts go into the main course. In these situations I buy a good quality ice cream, and serve it with a Pepperidge Farm pirourette wafer. It is a simple dessert that never fails to please. Since my husband likes ice cream so much, I have also learned to make that at home. Trust me, there will be ice cream posts in the near future, I'm sure. Once in a while though, I go back to an old standard that I have tweaked from a Pampered Chef recipe AND I serve this with ice cream or homemade whipped cream:-)

Quick Apple Crisp
7 green apples
8 to 9 oz of yellow cake mix
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
4 to 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, plus extra to butter the casserole dish
juice of one fresh lemon
water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a medium size bowl with 4 cups of cool water.

2. Wash apples. Peel and quarter apples one at a time. Make 1/8 inch slices from each quarter, and place in lemon water to prevent browning. If I double or triple this recipe I use an apple peeler/ corer slicer. You can see a picture of what this recipe looks like "doubled" in an old post here.

3. When all the apples are peeled and cut, drain the apples, and place in buttered 2 quart casserole dish (mine measures 6 1/2 inches by 9 inches).

4. Sprinkle apples with 8 to 9 oz of yellow cake mix. (I used 1/2 of a 16.2 oz box and stored the remaining cake mix in the freezer for next time).

5. Start with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and drizzle evenly over the top of the crisp. After 30 minutes of baking you can always add more.

6. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar over the cake mix.

7. Place apples in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. At this point you can continue to bake for another 30 minutes and serve warm, or remove from the oven and finish baking 30 minutes before serving time. (I made this one day ahead, let it cool, covered it with plastic wrap, and placed in the refrigerator overnight. The next day I took the crisp out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for about an hour so I didn't shock the casserole dish going from a cold refrigerator into a hot oven. I added a couple more tablespoons of butter to a few dry spots where butter didn't absorb into the cake mixture. Just before we served the main course, I put the crisp back in the oven for 30 minutes. We served the warm apple crisp with a scoop of homemade cinnamon ice cream). YUM!

Prime Rib Pizza

2012-01-07T10:43:00.001-07:00

For our Christmas dinner this year we decided to make prime rib. This is a relatively new tradition started by my parents, so I was excited to continue the tradition (so was Chuck who made the request:-). This year Christmas dinner was just my husband and I which was unusual, but I loved it. We ended up with two slices of leftover prime rib. Now this posed a challenge to me. How could I repurpose this wonderful leftover meat into another meal worthy of prime rib? My brain started clicking through the possibilities as I was thinking about my pantry, and what I already had in the refrigerator. Then an idea came to mind of which I couldn't let go. An idea caused by a "perfect storm" of ingredients on hand. I had three quarters of a "master boule dough recipe" in my refrigerator, a bag of red potatoes from a friend's farm, left over garlic butter zip sauce that goes with my pan-seared ribeye, a red onion in my pantry, left over onion ring coating from the steakhouse supper recipe, and of course the left over prime rib. Sounded like the perfect ingredients for a *CPK-type of pizza to me. Was it ever! My husband and I agree that this pizza was one of the top three "best bites" of the holiday season. That's how good it was.

Prime Rib Pizza
1 lb portion of the master boule dough recipe
3 to 4 tablespoons of garlic butter zip sauce
1 recipe for parsley and rosemary potatoes (listed below)
1 recipe for steakhouse onion rings (slightly adapted and listed below)
12 oz (or more) of left over prime rib
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
cornmeal, grits, semolina (something coarse for pizza peel)
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

1. First, make the master boule dough recipe if you don't already have some made. Or, defrost a frozen 1 lb portion overnight prior to pizza day.

2. Next, make the garlic butter zip sauce if you don't already have some made. Keep in plastic wrap in the refrigerator until baking time.

3. Prep and bake the parsley and rosemary potatoes. These can be made earlier in the day or even the day before pizza day.

For the potatoes (sightly adapted from CPK's Rosemary Chicken and Potato Pizza Recipe)

3 medium red skin potatoes

2 tablespoons of good quality olive oil

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

3/4 teaspoon of salt

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a parchment lined baking sheet. Place all the ingredients except the potatoes in a medium sized bowl.

- Peel and slice potatoes about an 1/8 of an inch thick by hand with a knife or with a mandolin.

- Place potato slices in the marinade and coat evenly.

- Arrange potato slices in a singe layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

- Bake potatoes for approximately 45 minutes. (Check on the potatoes 3/4 way through to see if some slices should be flipped or moved for even cooking). Potatoes should be cooked through and only slightly browned. Any that are too brown (I see a few) the cook gets to eat. Yum!

(this recipe may make the potatoes slightly saltier than you would like if you ate them one their own but think of them as a substitute pepperoni).

4. About 1 1/2 hours prior to pizza baking time prep and fry the onion rings.

For the Steakhouse Onion Rings
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch rings
2 cups milk whisked with 1 large egg in a shallow bowl
1 cup flour mixed with 1 cup corn starch
enough olive oil for about 1/4 inch in a frying pan (to come up about 1/2 way on each ring)

- Soak the onion rings in the milk mixture for 30 minutes.

- Toss each ring in the flour, milk/egg, and flour again.

- Heat oil until "shimmering" and fry in a single layer about 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towel and season with salt. I have a very large frying pan so I was able to cook this in two batches. (Keep warm if possible in a toaster oven)

5. About 20 minutes prior to baking time, preheat oven preferably with a pizza stone meant to withstand preheating to 550 (or 500 if that is your oven's maximum). Interesting note: once my oven was preheated to 500, I discovered I could go to 525 by pushing the up arrow one more time.

6. Sprinkle boule dough with flour and cut off a 1 lb piece. Divide in half. Roll out each half on a lightly floured surface to a large "personal" pizza size. Let rest briefly and continue to roll out larger to a pretty thin pizza. My preference is an oval shape, slightly squared, so in the end, the pizza can be served in six pieces (by cutting in half horizontally, then 2 more vertical slices at the 1/3 marks). There are many different kinds of pizzas. This is meant to mimic a thinner wood-fired pizza as opposed to a deep-dish or pan-pizza (both of which I love).

7. Once the dough is at the proper size, sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza peel, place dough over the cornmeal and prepare the pizza. Cut small chunks of garlic butter and spread evenly around the first pizza. This is your sauce and it will melt and disperse the flavors.

8. Disperse 1/4 of the amount of cheese over the "butter sauce," layer with half of the potatoes, another 1/4 of the cheese, and half of the prime rib. This type of pizza is light on cheese compared to a deep dish or pan pizza.

9. The pizza is ready to cook. I made huge mistake of "jerking" the pizza off the peel to get it on the stone. Even though the pizza landed on the stone, half the ingredients flew forward off the pizza and landed on the stone. YIKES. REMAIN CALM. PULL OUT THE OVEN RACK, PUT THE INGREDIENTS BACK ON THE PIZZA, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, whew.

10. As the first pizza is cooking prepare the second in the same manner (be careful though, you don't want your pizza sitting on the peel too long, it's harder to remove it).

11. Remove the first pizza from oven with pizza peel (much easier), place on cutting board, load it up with half of the onion rings, and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Cut in half horizontally, then vertically at 1/3 marks making six small slices. I'm not sure why but I didn't cut the first pizza right. Check out the second pizza for an accurate picture. Trust me though, it didn't affect the taste.

This is the first time ever I could get my oven hot enough to bake the pizza with the ingredients all at once. When I was living in California and had sensitive smoke alarms I would par bake my crust then add ingredients and bake again. You can read a little about that is this older pizza post.

12. After learning my lesson, I eased the pizza off the peel onto the stone with the help of a spatula. With Julia Child's voice in my head, "you must have courage to flip the egg," I nudged the pizza onto the stone. Success! Set the timer so you don't forget about the second pizza as you are enjoying the first one! When done, add fresh chopped parsley, onion rings, slice and EAT! My mouth is watering just remembering this pizza.

*CPK or California Pizza Kitchen gave me my first pizza epiphany in my foodie journey. Looking back, I think that is strange since when I was 21 years old I actually had my first wood fired pizza in (Turin) Torino, Italy. I think I must have been to young to appreciate what I was eating, since it didn't make much of an impression. However, a few years later I tasted my first CPK pizza that rocked my world - the Rosemary Chicken Potato Pizza would be my favorite pizza for 10 years until I had the Portabella Mushroom Goat Cheese Pizza from Bahama Breeze (which they don't make anymore cry, cry, cry - actually CPK doesn't make the chicken rosemary potato pizza anymore either). Luckily, both are emblazoned in my memory and I WILL perfect these pizza recipes. I will definitely be updating this older pizza post with this newer technique.

Master Boule Dough Recipe

2012-01-03T22:33:00.011-07:00

A few weeks ago my husband and I were invited to a friend's house for dinner. Dinner turned out to be one of my husbands favorite meals, (lucky Chuck) a real meat-and-potatoes kind of meal. To top it all off, they made homemade bread. It was so good I asked for the recipe, or was it Chuck that asked them to give me the recipe? Hmm, funny, I don't quite remember;-). Within the next couple of days the recipe showed up in my email inbox. I love when that happens. The day I made the recipe, I knew I was going to blog about it, but there was something familiar about the recipe - even the name. So, I googled "Master Boule Recipe" and discovered why. At it turns out, this is the exact recipe from "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day." A book which I received as a Christmas present from my brother last year, but hadn't gotten around to trying the recipes yet. It is ironic that I needed to taste the bread at a friend's house first, before I made the bread myself. Now, I'm hooked and can't wait to hone my technique. The brilliance of this recipe is even if it doesn't turn out exactly the way it's supposed to (if a batch doesn't live up to it's complete potential) - it's still great bread.

Master Boule Dough Recipe (as listed on page 26, and on the website - see links above)
- makes four 1 pound loaves

3 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour, measured with a scoop-and-sweep method
Cornmeal for the pizza peel

Instructions in my words:
1. Warm water slightly in large container. (Water temperature should be a maximum of 110 degrees, if it exceeds this temperature you will kill the yeast:-( and that is bad). Add yeast, salt, and stir. Don't worry about getting it all to dissolve.

2. Mix in the flour, kneading is unnecessary. Mix until everything is uniformly moist without dry patches. Cover and allow to rise, approximately 2 hours or until doubled. (If you use cold water this rise time can double). Either way, longer rising times usually do not harm the result.

Note: the pictures you see show a well of flour on a flat surface, with me pouring the wet ingredients inside the well, but due to the quantity of ingredients, next time I will definitely mix in a bowl!

3. You can use a portion of dough anytime after this period. However, if you can refridgerate for three hours the dough will be easier to work with (I didn't have the time; I wanted to serve some with dinner). Dough will keep in the refrigerator up to two weeks. This is great for pizza dough, too. To bake refrigerated dough, sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, pull up and cut off 1 lb of dough (about the size of a grapefruit, about 1 quarter of the dough).

4. Gently stretch the surface of the dough and round to the bottom on all four sides, rotating and dusting with flour as needed. I believe this is called "chafing" which I learned how to do from "Ultimate Bread" when I learned how to make stromboli.

5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (preferably with a baking stone which this lucky girl received from a friend who handed hers down to me), place rimmed baking sheet anywhere else convenient into which you are able to pour water for steam. In the mean time, rest loaf on greased sheet, cornmeal sprinkled stone, or cornmeal sprinkled pizza peel (which I also received from the aformentioned friend) and let rise 40 minutes.

6. Dust top of dough with flour and slash top with knife.

7. Place bread on middle rack, pour 1 cup water into the rimmed cookie sheet on the bottom rack and close door. Bake 25-35 min., let sit a little before cutting into. (I sacrificed some of my steam for this picutre:-)

We had slices with our soup that evening, and the next day I had my favorite breakfast: buttered toast with hard boiled eggs.

Mostly Vegetable and Turkey Soup

2012-01-02T23:32:00.002-07:00

Recently, my husband and I entertained another family for dinner. Our guests were unexpectedly surprised with a menu that was Thanksgiving part II. We did the whole thing all over again: roaster turkey, crock pot mashed potatoes, classic turkey stuffing, etc. We were all happily full. I love the challenge of using leftovers. Sometimes reheating them is the best solution. We did enjoy some traditional leftovers, but ultimately I had a particularly tough leftover challenge. Reason? I had less than 8 oz of turkey meat leftover (but I did have all the bones, scraps and neck). My tradition for turkey leftovers of late has been to make turkey dumpling soup. In this case, I had a minimal amount of turkey meat; I was determined to use a lot of vegetables; I wanted it to taste like Thanksgiving in a soup bowl; and I wanted to avoid noodles, dumplings or flour. I am extremely happy with the result - a soup with mostly vegetables and a little turkey. Thanksgiving in a bowl.

Mostly Vegetable and Turkey Soup
1 large onion
3 carrots
3 to 4 parsnips
3 celery stalks
1 celery root
1/2 rutabaga
1/2 sweet potato
1/2 butternut squash
2 tablespoons of canola or olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 quart chicken broth (plus extra, just in case)
2 quarts homemade turkey stock - made just like chicken stock only with turkey bones
1 large clove of minced garlic
2 tablespoons rubbed sage
1 1/2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
1 cup of rice blend (I used a brown and wild rice blend with lentils)
6 to 8 oz of shredded cooked turkey, torn bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste

1. Gather all the vegetables, turn on some music, and start chopping creating an even petite dice (as opposed to a chunky and rustic dice). The object is to chop all the vegetables similar in size so they cook evenly, and to get them all chopped before you start the cooking process. I also wanted the possibility of having a few different vegetables in each spoonful. I started with the usual suspects: chopping the onion, celery, peeling the carrots and turnips.

2. Next, I dove into the celery root peeling gently to keep as much of the meaty interior as possible. I finished up the carrots and turnips.

3. I peeled half of the sweet potato and butternut squash next, removing skin, creating 1/4 inch slices and diced in 1/4 inch slices.

4. I peeled the rutabaga the same way.

5. Heat the canola (or olive) oil and butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. (This lucky girl received a large Le Creuset round pot for Christmas, so I used that:-)

6. Put all the vegetables in the pot and stir to coat all the vegetables.

7. Add the sage, rosemary, and start with 2 tablespoons of salt and a one teaspoon of pepper knowing you may need to adjust by adding more later.

8. Add minced garlic. Stir the vegetables periodically for 7 minutes. If the vegetables start to stick add a small splash of chicken broth.

9. After 7 minutes add all the chicken broth.

10. Add poultry seasoning and cook uncovered on medium low heat for 30 minutes.

11. Add two quarts of turkey stock and rice blend, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.

12. Carefully taste the broth and adjust seasoning adding more salt and pepper and more of other seasonings if needed and simmer for another 15 minutes.

13. When the rice has cooked completely (may take longer depending on the level of heat), add the shredded turkey.

14. After a few minutes do a final adjustment of seasoning if necessary - soup's on!

Empanaditas (Mini Empanadas)

2011-12-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

Some friends invited my husband and I to a party recently. Their menu was what I would call heavy hors 'doeuvres. That is one of my favorite kind of party menus because you can usually get many different kinds of small bites in one evening. That makes my taste buds very happy (said in the voice of Marvin the Martian) tee hee hee. I wanted to contribute to the small bite menu so I decided to make small empanadas, a.k.a. empanaditas. I've actually made these twice now so it's time to record this recipe for posterity.

Empanaditas (Mini Empanadas)
1 empanada dough recipe
1 lb hamburger
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 small to medium onion, petite diced
1 medium russet or 3 medium red potatoes, peeled and petite diced
3/4 cup of tomato sauce
1/4 cup (or so) of fresh chopped cilantro
salt and pepper
olive oil for sauteing and baking

For the dough (straight from latinfood.about.com)
3 cups flour, plus a little more for dusting
1 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg
1 egg white
1 teaspoon of white vinegar

1. In one bowl mix together the salt and the flour. Using a pastry blender or two knives "cut in" a generous 3 tablespoons of shortening. I use a heaping tablespoon because I don't deep fry the empanadas, I bake them. Set aside.

2. Whip the rest of the wet ingredients in another bowl with a fork.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. You can stir the dough-to-be for a little while with a fork or spoon, but after a while you just need to dig in with your hands. Now after making a few batches of this dough now (one of which I just had to throw away because it was too tough) I have learned not to force more flour into the dough if it doesn't want it. Huh? You'll know what I mean. As you mix the dough with your hands there is a point where the dough is not sticky anymore and it is coming together. If there is more dry flour in the bottom of your bowl at this point, don't force it to be a part of the dough. My last batch I probably had 1/8 to 1/4 cup of flour that just didn't make the dough ball but it didn't matter, the dough was beautifully soft and pliable without it.

4. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the filling (adapted from this Cuban Picadillo Recipe with Ground Beef)

1. In a large frying pan, saute the small diced onions in olive oil. Add a little salt and pepper, and after 3 minutes add the minced or crushed garlic.

2. When the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant add 1 lb of hamburger to the pan.

3. Break up the hamburger into the smallest pieces possible as it cooks.

4. Add the oregano, cumin, beef stock, and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer on medium low heat for 15 minutes.

5. Add the diced potato, cover, and simmer on medium low until the potatoes are tender and the liquid is evaporated (but the mixture is still moist).

6. Cool completely and add fresh chopped cilantro.

Putting it all together

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on a flat floured surface to approximately 1/8 of an inch, or as big of a piece of dough without it breaking. Throw down some flour and flip and rest periodically as you roll out the dough.

2. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter cut as many circles as possible (I have gotten 30 from one sheet before).

3. Place a couple of tablespoons or less of filling inside each dough circle. *Picture note.

4. Fold in half and pinch sides together trying to keep all the filling inside. *Picture note.

5. Using your thumb fold and pinch the dough to make a "pretty seal." *Picture note.

6. Arrange the first batch on a parchment lined sheet pan, and using your hands gently coat each piece with olive oil.

7. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Roll out un-used dough and repeat process until you're out of ingredients. You can end up with 36 or more pieces depending on the amount of tasting and the thickness of the dough:-)

9. Bake second batch and serve.

*Picture note - My husband demanded a picture credit for this post:-) So, wherever you see both of my hands appearing in this post you know he took the picture!

Chicken Shish Kebab

2011-12-09T22:32:00.003-07:00

I really love Mediterranean food. I might go as far as saying that it is my favorite type of food. However, I would need to travel extensively all over the Mediterranean just to make sure ;-) I hope that in my continued "foodie journey," I will acquire more and more healthy Mediterranean recipes for my online recipe box. Is "healthy Mediterranean" an oxymoron? My understanding is that Mediterranean food is good for you, providing that you eat lots of fish, vegetables, and fruits. Then at the same time you need to take it easy on red meat, cheese, wine, and olive-oil-soaked bread. My problem is that I could live on the latter rather than the former. Sigh. Until someone invents a red meat, cheese, and wine diet that actually works, I will be very happy eating chicken shish kebabs. These are completely satisfying. I should warn you that I made these in my Showtime Rotisserie. These would also be delicious cooked on a BBQ grill or a cast iron grill pan.

Chicken Shish Kebab - (for two but can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.)
2 chicken breast halves
2 green peppers
1 red onion
2 - 3 lemons
1 1/2 cups of olive oil
3 tablespoons of low-acid white rice wine vinegar
2 shallots, minced
1 bunch of parsley, minced
1 teaspoon of Greek spices
salt
pepper
skewers (I like metal but if you don't have any, soak store-bought wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes).

1) Prepare the marinade by mixing all the following ingredients. Note this is my lemon vinaigrette recipe, plus 1 teaspoon of Greek seasoning.

For the Marinade

2 - 3 lemons, juiced

1 1/2 cups of olive oil

3 tablespoons of low-acid white rice wine vinegar

2 shallots, minced

1 bunch of parsley, minced

1 teaspoon of Greek spices

salt

pepper

2) Cut green peppers in 10 equal pieces, and cut onions into 10 two-layer pieces about the size of the green pepper pieces.

3) Cut each chicken breast in half diagonally to create 4 pieces as equal in size as possible.

4) Cradle green pepper pieces on top of the onion pieces, and place one of the vegetable combos concave side up onto a skewer. Repeat on the second skewer.

5) Take one of the pieces of chicken, folding it in half if you have to, in order to make it more like a cube, and skewer on top of the first onion-pepper layer, so that the chicken nestled inside the vegetables.

6) Continue adding a layer of onion-pepper concave side up, and a layer of chicken until there is no chicken left.

7) Cap off the shish kebab with the last piece of onion pepper concave side down, so that the first and last set onion-peppers act as a parentheses.

8) Place skewers into a glass dish (or a large zip lock bag) and pour the marinate over the skewers. I would still use this amount of marinade up to 6 skewers. Note, I held back about 1/8 cup so I could serve the shish kebab with a salad.

9) I cooked the skewers in my rotisserie for 35 minutes. However, if I didn't have a rotisserie my second choice would to cook these on a BBQ grill. My third choice would be a cast iron grill pan.

Pan Seared Mahi-Mahi with Black Bean and Tomato Salsa

2011-12-07T21:27:00.003-07:00

I bought Mahi-Mahi from the store without having any clue what I was going to do with it. I threw the frozen package in my shopping cart feeling good about myself that I would cook something healthy;-) So, even though I had visions of "deep fried" fish tacos resembling something that you would get from Rubio's (a lunch I miss since moving from Escondido, CA to Loveland, CO) I was determined to quench my craving in a healthy way. The result is what you see here.

Pan Seared Mahi-Mahi with Black Bean and Tomato Salsa
2 Mahi-Mahi fillets, thawed
5 limes
1 recipe for chili powder based dry rub - the same one from the Spicy Pork Loin Chops recipe
1 recipe for Pico de Gallo, plus an extra garlic clove, and 1 cup of black beans
5 tablespoons of olive oil, divided

1) Prepare the marinade. With a damp paper towel pat any moisture off the fillets, and place in a small dish with the marinade. Marinate the fillets for 15 to 30 minutes.

For the Marinade

the juice of 4 limes

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2) Prepare the black bean and tomato salsa (even better if you can make earlier in the day).

For the Black Bean and Tomato Salsa

2 medium tomatoes

1 jalapeno

1 medium to small onion

1 bunch of fresh cilantro (about 1/2 cup of leaves)

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup of black beans, rinsed and drained

juice of one lime

3) Prepare the dry rub in a small ramekin.

For the Dry Rub

1/2 teaspoon of chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon of paprika

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/8 teaspoon of pepper

1/8 teaspoon of onion powder

1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder

pinch of cayenne (or more - which will determine the kick)

4) Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Sprinkle half of the spice rub on the top side of the fillets, and place spice side down in a hot pan. Sprinkle the other half of the spices on the other side of the fillets. Cook for 5 minutes and flip.

5) Cook on the flip side for another 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the salsa.

Rotisserie Chicken Breasts

2011-12-05T21:26:00.010-07:00

The nick name for this recipe in my house is "Saturday Chicken" because it does take a little advanced planning. Saturday is a perfect day for preparing this recipe. Since I buy mostly organic now, I chose not to purchase ready-made rotisserie chicken from the grocery store anymore. That's okay because I have a Showtime Rotisserie on my kitchen counter. I don't have an outdoor barbecue, but I do have this rotisserie, and I love it. I'm sure this recipe will be just as delicious baked in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes.

Rotisserie Chicken Breasts
4 bone in skin on chicken breasts

For the brine
1/8 heaping cup of salt
At least 1 quart of water, or enough to cover the chicken

For the dry rub
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
1/8 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
1 pinch of cayenne

1) Place chicken in a pot with brine ingredients and refrigerate for 3 1/2 hours.

2) Dry chicken thoroughly on paper towels, and season with dry rub evenly.

3) Place in a zip lock bag and let "marinate" in the refrigerator up to another 3 1/2 hours (or overnight if you like).

4) Arrange chicken in a rotisserie rack (or place on sheet pan), and cook for 45 to 50 minutes until temperature is 160 degrees.

5) Be prepared for moist and deliciously seasoned chicken.

Ham Buns

2011-12-03T21:46:00.009-07:00

I'm not sure where this tradition started, but I'm glad for it. I was introduced to "ham buns" around the first of February last year. The youth group in our church sold them for $2.50 each (and they freeze well). Until that point in my life the closest thing to a "ham bun" I ever had was a ham and cheese sandwich. These are way better than a simple ham sandwich because of the "secret sauce." Recently, when some ladies at my church suggested making ham buns for a pot luck, I was so excited because I knew I would be able to score the "secret sauce" recipe, and I did! (We actually made 90 ham buns for about $50.00 dollars because we bought our ingredients at Sam's Club).

Ham Buns
1 recipe secret sauce
10-12 dinner rolls, or hamburger buns
10-12 slices of lunchmeat ham (or leftover ham)
10-12 slices of american or cheddar cheese
tin foil for wrapping

For the secret sauce
1/4 cup of butter, softened
2 teaspoons of yellow mustard
2 teaspoons of poppy seeds
2 teaspoons of minced onions
- mix all ingredients together

1) Slice rolls in half.

2) Spread bottom half of roll with secret sauce.

3) Add one slice of ham.

4) Add one slice of cheese.

5) Wrap in tin foil.

6) Heat at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or in a warm oven for up to one hour. (For our church pot luck we had all 90 sandwiches divided between two electric roaster inserts, inside warm 250 degree ovens for one hour). Ham buns go great with Mom's Potato Salad.

Crispy Baked Kale Chips

2011-11-30T22:29:00.001-07:00

Now I know what the fuss is all about. I think everyone knew about kale chips except for me. Several months ago I saw an episode of Down Home with the Neely's on Food Network. When I finally got around to making these and tasting my first kale chip, I was hooked! I've made them using Emeril's Bayou Blast, garam masala, and just plain plain salt. However, I think my favorite version is closest to the Neely's version (at least right now). That's what I love about this snack. There are endless possibilities.

Crispy Baked Kale Chips
1 bunch of kale (although when I'm in the mood for kale chips I usually buy a few bunches)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
3/4 teaspoon of brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wash the kale thoroughly, and gently pat dry with paper towel.

2) Cut (or rip) the leaves away from the stem and create chip size pieces.

3) Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment, and drizzle with olive oil.

4) Hand toss the leaves to distribute the olive oil.

5) Sprinkle with brown sugar and salt.

6) Bake for 35 minutes or until crispy but not browned.

Helpful links:

Kale Chips Courtesy of the Neely's
Kale Chips by Food Network's Melissa D'Arabian
Kale Chips by Smitten Kitchen
Kale Chips by Kalyn's Kitchen
Kale Chips by Steamy Kitchen

Potatoes Deluxe

2011-11-07T21:00:00.006-07:00

If you have ever been to a potluck, chances are you have tasted some version of this recipe. I probably only make this about once a year. (Um, read the ingredients). Here is my family's version. I recently made this for a potluck. Let's just say, I didn't bring home any leftovers!

Potatoes Deluxe
2 lbs. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed for 30 minutes (I used a 1 lb. 14 oz. bag - they must have shrunk over the years)
1 small can of cream of chicken soup
1 16 oz. tub of sour cream
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 stick of butter melted
1 cup onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup corn flakes or potato chips, optional (I didn't have either this time)

1) This is pretty difficult. Are you ready? Mix all the ingredients and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

I was so lazy I didn't even mix the ingredients in a bowl first. The stone I used is seasoned so if you are using a 9 x 13 glass dish you may want to butter the dish.

Add cheese

Mix

Add cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onions, melted butter, salt and pepper (I know you don't see the diced onion but do you really need to see another picture of a diced onion?)

Mix well (hmmm suddenly having fantasies about adding diced ham, crumbles bacon or prosciutto)

Bake at 375 degrees for one hour

Chicken Capri Deluxe

2011-07-20T18:52:00.020-06:00

I have made some version of this recipe at least a dozen times in the past 6 months. I'm not even sure if I've made it the same way twice. The original Chicken Capri recipe is on page 214 of The South Beach Diet Cookbook. Made as is, the recipe is great, but of course I have the need to tinker;-) My tinkering has included substituting an Italian spice blend, basil, diced tomatoes with real garlic, store-bought marinara sauce, and of course left over quick red wine tomato sauce for the original ingredients. A couple of days ago I actually made this "deluxe" version for a Sunday lunch with friends. Everybody loved it, and I didn't spend hours in the kitchen. As a matter of fact, you can have dinner on the table in 40 minutes (even with the deluxe version of the recipe). Feel free to tinker - I probably will!

Chicken Capri Deluxe
1 ricotta whip recipe - also used in the Penne Pasta Bake recipe (you can also substitute a simple Italian seasoning)
15 oz can of strained tomatoes (crushed, sauce, drained diced tomatoes, or your favorite store-bought marinara will work too)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of oregano
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (sometimes I like to cut the breasts in half to make them even thiner)
1/4 cup of chicken broth
1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper
olive oil

For the Ricotta Whip
1 (15 or 16 oz) tub of whole milk ricotta
1 egg
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 cup of freshly chopped parsley
1/8 cup of fresh rated Romano cheese
1/8 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
fresh basil

1) Heat oven proof pan for two minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to pan. Sprinkle one side of the chicken with salt and pepper and place seasoned side down in preheated pan. Sear for 8 minutes.

2) Sprinkle the other side of chicken with salt and pepper. Flip chicken. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, cover, and cook for 8 minutes.

3) While chicken is cooking preheat oven to 350 degrees and make the ricotta whip by adding all the ingredients to a bowl and whip with a fork.

4) Prepare sauce by adding strained tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 teaspoon of oregano to a bowl and mix thoroughly.

5) After chicken is done cooking on the second side, turn off the heat. Top each chicken breast evenly with a large spoonful of the ricotta mixture.

6) Carefully top each chicken piece with tomato sauce mixture.

7) Sprinkle evenly with cheese and bake until cheese is lightly brown and bubbly - about 20 minutes.

8) Top with fresh basil and serve. Be sure to scoop all the surrounding melted sauce and cheese with each chicken breast.

Mom's Potato Salad

2011-07-06T22:52:00.004-06:00

Everyone loves my Mom's potato salad, even when I make it:-) I have been making my mom's potato salad for the last several years, mostly for large gatherings. My husband and I have been known to throw big "Open House" parties on the 4th of July. That's just what we did this year so, of course, I had to make a big batch of potato salad. This is one of those recipes that my mom doesn't have written down. Years ago (and several times since) I had my mom talk me through her recipe. This year as I was making a large batch for our 4th of July party, I paid attention to measurements, so I can finally share the recipe with all who ask for it. This recipe makes a very large batch (an amount I would take to a pot luck) so you can always cut it in half for a family weeknight dinner.

Mom's Potato Salad

5 lb bag of russet potatoes
1 lb of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 to 6 stalks of celery, chopped
7 eggs, hard boiled (6 chopped, one sliced)
2 cups of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon of white pepper

1) Wash and boil the whole potatoes until fork tender 35 to 45 minutes (low boil).

2) Hard boil 7 eggs - I used an fun appliance my Mom bought me for Easter called "Egg Head" (similar to this egg cooker).

NOTE: if you want to make hard boiled eggs without an appliance review this link
Simply Recipes: How to make perfect hard boiled eggs

3) Bake the bacon - see recipe here.

4) Chop one medium onion and an equal amount of celery, about 3 to 6 stalks depending on size.

5) Peel the cooled potatoes.

6) Dice the potatoes and place in large mixing bowl.

7) Add onions, celery, and chopped eggs to the diced potatoes. (For the hard boiled eggs, I used a standard egg slicer by slicing the egg horizontally and vertically). Save one egg for garnish.

8) Add crumbled bacon saving a small handful for garnish. (I like to use kitchen scissors to cut small strips). Top with 2 cups of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of mustard, and 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper.

9) Gently mix until all ingredients are completely incorporated, and garnish with sliced egg and bacon.

Note: I've also doubled the recipe for a huge crowd and used a red, white, and blue potato combination.

Strawberry, Orange & Grape Salad with Basil

2011-06-26T16:12:00.012-06:00

When invited to someone's house for dinner, or a party, my Mom taught me to always ask if there was anything I could bring. So, when my husband and I were invited to an impromptu barbeque at a friend's house, and asked what we could bring, the answer was fruit salad. Of course, fresh fruit can be found already cut up and ready to go in the produce section of most grocery stores, but it is usually on the expensive side. Don't get me wrong I have been known to pay for the convenience and grab a couple of containers of cut up fruit from the local store in a pinch. In this case, I had just done some produce shopping so I decided to use what I bought the day before (oranges, strawberries and grapes).

Strawberry, Orange & Grape Salad with Basil

1 dozen oranges, (preferably seedless)
2 quarts of strawberries, washed
1 medium size bunch of seedless grapes, washed
2 tablespoons of honey
2 - 3 basil leaves
orange zest

1) First cut up all the oranges into segments, and place in large bowl. Start segmenting oranges by cutting off the ends.

2) Standing the orange on one end, cut the peel and the white rind off the orange from top to bottom following the shape of the orange. Keep turning the orange, and cutting top to bottom until the only thing left is the peeled orange.

3) Create a segment by cutting above and below each section at a 45 degree angle. Let the segment fall into a large bowl. Continue until the entire orange is cut. Do not squeeze the remainder of each orange, I only used what dripped in the bowl naturally while segmenting the oranges. I saved the juice left in the orange pieces for another use.

NOTE: I've always meant to learn how to segment an orange, but never got around to it until now. I watched a very helpful YouTube video on how to cut orange segments.

4) Pour off the naturally occurring juice from the large bowl of oranges into the small bowl. I had about 1/4 cup. (I could have had more if I squeezed the leftover orange parts, but I wanted just enough to coat the fruit).

5) Core and quarter strawberries adding them to the oranges.

6) Cut grapes in half and add them to the orange/strawberry mixture

7) Stir two tablespoons of honey into the orange juice.

8) Finely mince a few basil leaves, and add to the juice mixture.

9) Toss gently, and serve (or cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator for a few hours).

Pollo Nevado (a.k.a. Snow Chicken, or Mexican Chicken)

2011-05-31T22:25:00.006-06:00

Boy, I can tell when I'm busy at work because I'm too exhausted to blog at night. However, I have still been reading cooking magazines, cookbooks, and eating out on my travels, and now I have some new recipes to show for it. One in particular is Pollo Nevado. I ordered this at a restaurant called Hacienda de Vega in Escondido, California. This restaurant has the best outdoor dining experience in Escondido. If you want to take a long lunch or dinner, and feel like your on vacation this is the place. Actually, I've eaten there a several times now, but now Pollo Nevado is what I order whenever I'm there. You know how it is, right? You go to a restaurant, and whether it's your first time or after a few visits, you find something on the menu, and that's it -- from then on that's what you order. Pollo Nevado is that dish for me. (Snow chicken according to my internet research). Here is my home made version it. Although I still don't know how they get the chicken so thin unless they press it like a tortilla, hmmmm.

Pollo Nevado

chicken breast cutlets (one for each serving)
olive oil
1 15 oz. can refried beans
mild cheddar cheese, shredded
fresh cilantro, chopped

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) If you can't get chicken cutlets from the butcher simply half them yourself from a boneless, skinless chicken breast.

3) Place a cutlet on a cutting board, cover with plastic rap, and pound out as thin as possible. Repeat for all the cutlets.

4) Heat an oven proof pan for a few minutes, add olive oil, and after another couple minutes add the chicken cutlets. Cook for one minute, flip and remove from heat.

5) "Frost" the cutlets with refried beans.

6) Top with shredded cheese.

7) Place pan in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt and get slightly brown and bubbly (about 10 minutes) - sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

Warm Salmon and Roasted Asparagus Salad

2011-04-03T12:48:00.003-06:00

What happens when you put the last three posts together? You get a delicious and elegant "Warm Salmon and Roasted Asparagus Salad." A few weeks ago my husband and I decided to go on The South Beach Diet in order to get back on a healthy eating track. When our lives get busy we have a tendency to not think about what we eat. We had derailed - throwing all dietary guidelines out the window, eating whatever we wanted whenever we wanted it. When I'm being more thoughtful about our diet I spend some time menu planning for the week and we end up eating healthier. Sometimes I flip through cookbooks for ideas just for this purpose. That's what I was doing when I came across this salad in The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook on page 152. I used a different salad dressing, slightly different seasonings on the asparagus, and an alternative salmon preparation in my rendition of this recipe.

Warm Salmon and Roasted Asparagus Salad

mixed baby greens (one large handful for each serving)

lemon vinaigrette (one tablespoon for each serving)

roasted asparagus (5 to 6 stalks for each serving)

broiled salmon with garlic-butter zip sauce (4 to 6 ounces for each serving)

For the Broiled Salmon

1 large fillet (about 2 pounds)

3 tablespoons of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of garlic-butter zip sauce (the same garlic-butter in the pan-seared ribeye recipe)

zest from 1/2 lemon

cracked pepper

salt

1) Unwrap freshly bought fish and place skin side down on a cutting board. Take a damp cloth and dab the top of the salmon to clean (as opposed to rinsing the fillet under water). Pat dry with paper towel, sprinkle lightly with salt, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and place the fillet in the refrigerator. Leave the salmon in the refrigerator until about 45 minutes before you are ready for dinner. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and set on the counter leaving the plastic wrap in place.

2) While the salmon is in the refrigerator make the garlic-butter zip sauce (unless you have some left over from the pan-seared ribeye like I did).

For the garlic-butter zip sauce

3/4 stick butter softened

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1 handful of parsley leaves, minced

--Mix all of the ingredients until smooth and blended.

--Place butter mixture on a sheet of cellophane and roll into a 1 inch roll. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

3) Next make the Lemon Vinaigrette

For the Lemon Vinaigrette

Enough lemons to yield 1/2 cup of lemon juice (2 large juicy ones did the trick for me)

2 medium shallots, minced

1 handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 1/2 cups of quality extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons of low acid rice vinegar

salt

pepper

--Mix all of the ingredients until blended and slightly thickened.

4) About 30 minutes before you are ready to eat finish prepping the salmon. Remove the plastic wrap. Using a small amount of olive oil rub down the entire fillet taking the opportunity to gently feel for any remaining bones. If you find any tweeze them out at this time.

5) Place the fillet on a lightly oiled pan. Thinly "frost" the top of the salmon with 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Cut 3 medallions from the garlic-butter log. Cut each medallion into 6 small pieces and scatter all the little butter pieces on top of the mayonnaise. Finish the salmon preparation with fresh cracked pepper and lemon zest (using a microplane makes this step easy).

6) Prepare the roasted asparagus

For the Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch of asparagus

1 tablespoon of olive oil

granulated garlic

fresh cracked pepper

kosher salt

--Wash the asparagus, and cut 1 1/2 to 2 inches off the woody ends. Take a potato peeler to the bottom third of the spear peeling of the the top layer of outer "skin."

--Place spears in a roasting pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the spears. Using your hands lightly toss the asparagus until they are evenly coated with oil.

--Sprinkle with cracked pepper and kosher salt, and place in a preheated 350 degree toaster oven. (For a regular oven you may need to preheat the to 400 degrees). Roast until desired doneness - about 12 minutes. (I like mine with a little crunch).

7) Toss 1 tablespoon of lemon vinaigrette with each handful of baby mixed greens and place the bed of greens on a dinner plate.

8) Set your oven to broil, place the salmon 6 inches below the heat element (second to the highest notch) and broil on low for approximately 8 minutes. Move the salmon to the highest notch and broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes. Stay close and check often - if anything you want your fish slightly underdone rather than over done. You know it's done when it's lightly browned and bubbly.

9) Finish plating by adding roasted asparagus spears on top of the greens then adding a slice of salmon on top. Serve immediately.

Broiled Salmon

2011-03-16T21:43:00.003-06:00

This was the best salmon I ever made! I've mentioned in some previous seafood posts that cooking fish is not my forte, but I'm making a concerted effort to learn. I think I might be on to something with this salmon preparation. I would even serve this to guests!

Broiled Salmon
1 large fillet (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of garlic-butter zip sauce (the same garlic-butter in the pan-seared ribeye recipe)
zest from 1/2 lemon
cracked pepper
salt

1) Unwrap freshly bought fish and place skin side down on a cutting board. Take a damp cloth and dab the top of the salmon to clean (as opposed to rinsing the fillet under water). Pat dry with paper towel, sprinkle lightly with salt, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and place the fillet in the refrigerator. Leave the salmon in the refrigerator until about 45 minutes before you are ready for dinner. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and set on the counter leaving the plastic wrap in place.

2) While the salmon is in the refrigerator make the garlic-butter zip sauce (unless you have some left over from the pan-seared ribeye like I did).

For the garlic-butter zip sauce

3/4 stick butter softened
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 handful of parsley leaves, minced

--Mix all of the ingredients until smooth and blended.
--Place butter mixture on a sheet of cellophane and roll into a 1 inch roll. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

3) About 30 minutes before you are ready to eat. Remove the plastic wrap. Using a small amount of olive oil rub down the entire fillet taking the opportunity to gently feel for any remaining bones. If you find any tweeze them out at this time.

4) Place the fillet on a lightly oiled pan. Thinly "frost" the top of the salmon with 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Cut 3 medallions from the garlic-butter log. Cut each medallion into 6 small pieces and scatter all the little butter pieces on top of the mayonnaise. Finish the salmon preparation with fresh cracked pepper and lemon zest (using a microplane makes this step easy).

5) Set your oven to broil, place the salmon 4 inches below the heat element and broil for approximately 8 to 12 minutes. Stay close and check often - if anything you want your fish underdone rather than over done. You know it's done when it's lightly browned and bubbly.

Roasted Asparagus

2011-03-13T23:02:00.026-06:00

I love roasted vegetables: roasted potatoes, carrots, (or any root vegetable for that matter - as in my roasted vegetable salad), peppers, and onions, to name a few. However, roasted asparagus is my absolute favorite. They are quick and easy enough to make for a week night dinner, and elegant enough to serve to guests. This time of year you can find tender thin asparagus spears, but sometimes they can be rather large - and tough. I don't remember where I picked up the trick of running a potato peeler over large asparagus stalks, probably a food network show, but it's a great way to make the spear even more tender.

Roasted Asparagus
1 bunch of asparagus
1 tablespoon of olive oil
granulated garlic
fresh cracked pepper
kosher salt

1) Wash the asparagus, and cut 1 1/2 to 2 inches off the woody ends. Take a potato peeler to the bottom third of the spear peeling of the the top layer of outer "skin."

2) Place spears in a roasting pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the spears. Using your hands lightly toss the asparagus until they are evenly coated with oil.

3) Sprinkle with cracked pepper and kosher salt, and place in a preheated 350 degree toaster oven. (For a regular oven you may need to preheat the to 400 degrees). Roast until desired doneness - about 12 minutes. (I like mine with a little crunch).

Lemon Vinaigrette

2011-03-11T19:14:00.012-07:00

If you are trying to reduce the amount of your sugar intake in your daily diet be sure to check the ingredient list of your salad dressing. I've read the back of a few bottles of dressing, and not recognized an ingredient or two. Now, I'm on a quest to make tasty, good-for-you salad dressings with fresh ingredients. Most of my favorite homemade dressings (that are blog worthy) are listed in the salad category. This lemon vinaigrette is now my favorite basic salad dressing. I like to make a big batch of this lemon vinaigrette because it lasts for at least a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, and it's easy to add other spice blends to a small amount of the dressing to make quick and easy variations (for instance, Greek and Italian spice blends).

Lemon Vinaigrette
Enough lemons to yield 1/2 cup of lemon juice (2 large juicy ones did the trick for me)
2 medium shallots, minced
1 handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 cups of quality extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of low acid rice vinegar
salt
pepper

1) Squeeze fresh lemons until you get 1/2 cup.

2) Mince the shallot - I probably could have chopped mine finer, but I was hungry.

3) Mince the parsley.

4) Put it all together in a bowl: oil, lemon juice, parsley, shallots, and rice vinegar. Stir until thickened and salt and pepper to taste.

5). Be sure to use quality olive oil. A friend gave me a bottle of Bariani Olive Oil as a gift and I'm hooked.

NOTE: you can easily adjust the amount you make by basically keeping a 3 to 1 ratio of the oil and acid. For example: 3/4 cups of olive oil and 1/4 cup lemon juice.

Pan Seared Ribeye with Garlic-Butter Zip Sauce

2011-03-08T18:36:00.010-07:00

The first time I ever had "zip" sauce on my steak was at a restaurant in Ferndale, MI called Como's. I had no idea what zip sauce was, and I was a bit nervous about having something on top of my steak besides salt. I really just like the taste of the meat itself and I rarely like marinated meat. My husband convinced me that I would like it. When I got my steak I saw this melted substance on top, dipped my finger in it and realized that it was just butter. Hmm, good, I liked it. The next time I had butter on my steak was several years later when I made food network magazine's Steakhouse Supper. We liked it but we thought we would omit the tarragon next time. Since this steak was going to be for Chuck's birthday dinner I decided to make a simple zip sauce including only herbs that I know we like. I knew I was going to pan sear the steak but I wasn't sure if I should put a simple rub on on the steaks and refrigerate them, or just sprinkle with spices and go for it. After all, I put rub on prime rib and leave it in the refrigerator for a couple of days. I could have sworn I read something about salting red meat, but when I looked in The Best Meat Recipes: From the Editors of Cook's Illustrated but I couldn't find anything. Then I googled "salting beef before cooking," and found this post from Steamy Kitchen. Alas, I found my answer AND confirmed my thoughts on zip sauce. Thanks Steamy Kitchen!

Pan Seared Ribeye with Garlic-Butter Zip Sauce

For the Garlic-Butter Zip Sauce

3/4 stick butter softened (I just didn't want too much left over)

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1 handful of parsley leaves, minced

1) Mix all of the ingredients until smooth and blended.

2) Place butter mixture on a sheet of cellophane and roll into a 1 inch roll. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

For the Ribeye

1 inch thick ribeyes

Kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

granulated garlic

1) For every inch of steak leave the steak out at room temperature salted liberally, both sides, with kosher salt.

2) Pre heat frying pan on a medium heat. Rinse and thoroughly pat dry the steaks with paper towels which is important to get a good sear. Sprinkle one side of steaks with cracked pepper and granulated garlic.

3) Place the steak spiced side down in the pan. Sprinkle other side with more pepper and garlic. Sear side one for 5 minutes. Flip steaks and sear the second side for another 5 minutes.

5) Remove from pan and place on a cutting board, top with a tablespoon sized pat of garlic butter, cover with tin foil and let rest for a few minutes. Note: Goes great with Steakhouse Baked Potato

Steakhouse Baked Potato

2011-03-05T13:36:00.009-07:00

My husband celebrated a birthday this week. When I asked him what he would like for his birthday dinner he said, "steak, baked potato, and homemade ice cream." That's my man. I said, "ok but we are going on a diet starting Monday - no, really, seriously." You may notice that the blog posts for the next few months may be very different from the last few months. It's time to shed some lbs (pronounced "L - Bees"). No more winter sweaters to hide under - I think I've gained 10 lbs since I've moved to Colorado 6 months ago, and that's on top of the 35 pounds I've gained over the last 10 years. Yikes! Stupid Scale! I guess this is all part of my foodie journey. Spring is around the corner. I'm starting to see cute warm-weather clothes taunting me in store windows. Not only that, I have my 10th wedding anniversary coming up in June, and we will be going to Miami where we met and fell in love (awwwww). It would be nice to kinda, sorta, look like I did back then, albeit a little older and a lot wiser. Anyway, this baked potato recipe is something that my husband actually taught me how to make while we were dating. This is still the best baked potato I've ever tasted. The crispy goodness of the potato skin makes it like having two different potatoes in one: the yummy goodness of the fleshy interior mixed with butter AND crispy potato skins.

Steakhouse Baked Potato
1 per person - medium to large Idaho Russet potatoes (or your favorite baking potato)
olive oil
kosher salt (optional)
butter

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash/scrub potatoes and dry with paper towel.

2) Pour a tablespoon of olive oil in the palm of your hand and coat potato. Repeat this step for every potato. Optional: using your hands add kosher salt to the "jackets."

3) Do not cover these potatoes with tin foil. Instead place them directly on a flat sheet of tin foil in the oven for two hours, flipping the potato over after an hour.

4) After two hours remove from the oven and slice open right away to let the steam out so that it doesn't steam the skin soft again. (After all that is why we bake it without wrapping them in tin foil).

Personally, I like to scoop out all of the potato and add butter to the two crispy potato skins and the potato itself and eat that separately - but that's just me. I could eat this potato as a meal in and of itself, but it sure goes great with steak.

Chicken and Rice Soup

2011-02-28T22:12:00.003-07:00

I wanted to have another chicken-based soup in my repertoire with more fiber than my traditional chicken noodle soup recipe. That's how new recipes are born for me. I get an idea in my head; I start tinkering on paper after a little cookbook and internet research, then I go for it. Sometimes I get it right in one or two tries. Other times it will me a half dozen attempts or more. The first time I made a chicken and rice soup I knew I was close. My first try I used regular brown rice and edamame. The result was pretty good. The second attempt I decided to use a gourmet blend of brown rice for extra fiber and nutrition, plus zucchini and spinach as my added vegetables. I've also been reading about the benefits of soaking grains. Soaking grains in an acidic medium for 8 to 12 hours helps to neutralize phytic acids and enzyme inhibitors making nutrients more readily available to our bodies and more easily absorbed. My husband said it was the best soup I ever made. I guess that means it's a keeper :-)

Chicken and Rice Soup
1 small to medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots or 8 baby carrots, sliced thin
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons of rosemary, crushed with mortar and pestle
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 zucchini, quartered with seeds removed
2 quarts of homemade chicken stock
1 quart of low sodium chicken broth
1 cup gourmet rice soaked fresh water and the juice of one lemon for 8 hours (I used Lundberg Countrywild)
2 shredded chicken breasts
1 cup chopped frozen spinach
salt
pinch cayenne

1) Heat olive oil in a large pot and add the onions, celery, and carrots. Saute on low to medium heat for 7 minutes.

2) Add zucchini and garlic and continue to saute for another two minutes stirring often so the garlic doesn't burn.

3) Add stock, broth, rosemary and parsley to the pot. Drain and rinse the soaking rice. Add rice to the chicken soup mixture.

4) Bring to a boil, turn down heat, and simmer on low for 40 minutes. Add shredded chicken, spinach, salt, cayenne and simmer for another 5 minutes.

5) Soup's on!

Oven "Fried" Cod

2011-02-24T20:44:00.006-07:00

There is nothing like a great deep-fried beer-battered fish and chip dinner. I love it. My favorite local restaurant, Henry's Pub, serves amazing food and their fish and chips are fantastic. Truth be told, it is challenging to serve fish for dinner to my meat-and-potato-loving husband. I'm still trying to learn how to cook fish without over cooking it, (my usual mistake). This is the first fish recipe that my husband actually loves. I realize it still not the healthiest recipe I could make, but the fact that my husband really loves this recipe is a huge accomplishment. I'll take it, and I hope you like it.

Oven "Fried" Cod
1 lb cod
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/4 cup potato flakes
1/4 cup parmesan
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon of olive oil

1) Set up first round stations: 1 small bowl of milk, 1 small bowl of flour. Thoroughly pat dry cod fillets with paper towel. Dip cod in the milk then coat with flour and set pieces aside on cutting board.

2) Set up second round stations: Add egg to remaining milk bowl and whip with fork

3) Melt butter in a medium sized bowl, add bread crumbs to the melted butter and mix thoroughly.

4) Add potato flakes, parmesan, remaining flour from first round station, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper

5) Dip flour coated cod fillets into egg mixture and then coat with breadcrumb mixture. Set aside again on cutting board.

6) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 12 inch skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Wait 30 seconds, swirl oil around pan and add fish fillets. Cook on side one for four minutes.

7) Using spatula flip fillets and immediately put into the oven to finish cooking for about 10 to 12 minutes. I have new titanium bonded Scanpans which can go in the oven up to 500 degrees. I love these pans - the best I've ever owned, bar none.

Goes great with Spinach Balls in Tomato Sauce!

Spinach Balls in Tomato Sauce

2011-02-22T21:50:00.003-07:00

I have been making this recipe for years. I love it. It's not as easy as throwing green beans in a pan to saute so I don't make it every week. If I had extra freezer space I would make these by the dozens and freeze them -- sigh, some day. Even still, I do make these little tasty cuties every few months when I get "vegetable burn out." You know what I mean, right? When you're tired of all the usual suspects and want something different. Well, this is it. The cure to "vegetable burn out." (Adapted from Reader's Digest Great Recipes for Good Health pg. 198, copyright 1988)

Spinach Balls in Tomato Sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 of a large yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup, divided)
1 lb of fresh spinach or one 1 lb. package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly
4 cloves of garlic, minced and divided
1 tablespoon of whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon of lemon rind zest
1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, divided
1 large egg
1 can (8 ounces) no salt added tomato sauce
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt

1) Chop onion and divide in two 1/2 cup measurements.

2) Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat in large skillet; add half the onions, and cook uncovered until soft, about 5 minutes.

3) Using a garlic press, add 2 cloves of garlic on top of the onions and add fresh chopped spinach or squeezed dried thawed spinach. Stir and saute for 2 minutes, or until wilted (if fresh), and just dry.

4) Remove spinach from heat. Grate lemon rind over the spinach; grate cheese over the spinach; add breadcrumbs, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper and 1 egg.

5) Mix all the ingredients until blended. Make 16 balls by hand, dividing mixture in half, and those two halves in half, and those halves in half again, and so on until you have eight portions. Divide each of the eight portions in half rolling each half into a ball and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes or until ready to bake. (I have left them in the refrigerator up to 4 hours).

6) While the spinach balls are in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the second half of onion, and cook uncovered until soft about 5 minutes.

7) Add the remaining garlic and pepper. Pour the tomato sauce into the sauce pan along with the beef broth and basil. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

8) While tomato sauce is cooking put spinach balls into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

9) After 30 minutes add spinach balls to the sauce pan and serve.

Southwestern Frittata

2011-02-19T21:50:00.002-07:00

One of my favorite weekend breakfasts (or light dinner) is this Zucchini Frittata. I've been experimenting with new ingredients in order to figure out another healthy low-carb frittata recipe. I finally found a combination worthy to blog about, and to make again and again.

Southwestern Frittata
1 tablespoon olive, oil
6 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of tomatoes, drained
1 small can of fire roasted green chilies
1 small bunch of cilantro, plus more for garnish
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 eggs
1 cup mexican blend cheese or combination of 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Monterey Jack
Sour cream for garnish

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a nonstick 10 inch skillet with an ovenproof handle, heat the olive oil over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the green onions and cook, uncovered, until soft -- about 5 minutes.

2) Add the garlic, black beans, tomatoes, fire roasted green chilies, cilantro and pepper and saute for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

3) In a small bowl whisk together the eggs. Pour the eggs into the skillet and gently blend with the bean and vegetable mixture.

4) Top the uncooked frittata with shredded cheese

5) Place the skillet in the oven and bake the frittata, uncovered, until brown and bubbly -- about 45 minutes (keep an eye on it -- ovens vary and I'm in the mile high city). Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

Swiss Chard with Cannellini Beans and Bacon

2011-02-10T21:28:00.005-07:00

Walking through Whole Foods the other day I noticed a giant display of gorgeous Swiss chard. I bought a bunch thinking that at the very least I could wilt them in olive oil with garlic, salt and pepper. In reality, when it came time to cook these pretty green and red leaves I had a 1/2 a can of cannellini beans and a couple slices of left over bacon in the refrigerator. Eureka a new recipe was born! I'm not so naive to think that this is the first time these ingredients have been used together. But for me...it was a first. Enjoy!

Swiss Chard with Cannellini Beans and Bacon
One bunch of Swiss chard, stems and vein removed
2 tablespoons of olive oil (optional: a little extra drizzle before serving)

2 small to medium shallots, finely chopped
1/2 can of a 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained
2 slices of bacon, crumbled
salt and pepper

1. Wash Swiss chard, pat dry with paper towels, and remove stems along with the thick part of the vein.

2. Chop Swiss chard into 1 inch by 2 inch strips. Finely chop shallots and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil oil in a large frying pan.

3. Saute shallots in olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring often until soft.

4. Add Swiss chard and stir until not quite wilted.

5. Add cannellini beans, and continue to saute until greens are wilted and beans are warm.

6. Sprinkle with bacon crumbles, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (I served this with oven baked fish which turned out delicious - I'll post that recipe soon. It was the first time I made that too and I want to make it one more time before posting).

Chicken Pot Pie - Family Style

2011-02-07T22:35:00.002-07:00

Inspired by the Jan/Feb Food Network Magazine (pg. 58) I decided to make a chicken pot pie. My version is fairly different, because I did not have all the ingredients in my pantry that were listed in the recipe. However, using the the Food Network recipe as a guideline I took a chance that I had enough of the "right stuff" in my pantry to achieve success. I'm glad I just "went for it" trying something close to the Food Network version of the recipe because I will definitely make this version again.

Chicken Pot Pie - Family Style
2 single chicken breasts
2 small russet potatoes
3 1/3 cup chicken broth, divided
1 small onion
3 stalks of celery
2 tablespoons of butter
6 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, & corn)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ready made pie crust (preferably organic, or all natural with no hydrogenated oils)
salt and pepper

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake potatoes directly on the oven rack for about 45 minutes or until tender. Cool for 15 minutes, then peel and break into small pieces. Follow package instructions for bringing ready made pie dough to room temperature.

2) While potatoes are cooking, poach chicken breasts in 1/3 cup chicken broth in a covered pan for 30 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes and using two forks shred the chicken.

3) Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pot. Add onion, celery and thyme and cook until soft, about 7 minutes.

4) Sprinkle in the 6 tablespoons of flour and and stir until lightly toasted.

5) Add the milk and broth to the onion celery mixture. Stir and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add frozen vegetables and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add potatoes and shredded chicken. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

7) Transfer filling to a deep pie dish. Place pie dough over the top of filling and sprinkle with salt (preferably kosher) and pepper. With a sharp knife cut dough to let out steam as the pie bakes. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Serve in individual bowls making sure to get a bit of crust on the top of each serving.

Cauliflower Gratin

2011-02-05T16:23:00.002-07:00

This is my favorite cauliflower recipe in my foodie journey thus far. Although my "smashed-cauliflower potatoes" are a close second. I have literally made this cauliflower gratin dozens of times. I love that I can have a large portion of this without feeling guilty. (That's probably why it's my favorite). I adapted this recipe from the original version on pg 106 of French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano.

Cauliflower Gratin
1 large-sized head of cauliflower
3 cups of milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, Gruyere, or Fontina (or a combination of two)
butter
fresh cracked black pepper

1. Cut cauliflower into small florets and place in a large pot with 3 cups of milk and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Cover and simmer on low heat for 35 minutes or until the cauliflower is just barely fork tender, stirring often so the milk doesn't scorch.

2. Drain cauliflower, reserving at least 1 cup of the hot milk. (You could also reserve the rest of the milk for a creamy vegetable based soup).

3. Lightly butter a small casserole dish. Beat one egg in a small bowl with a fork, continue beating egg and add a small amount of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Continue to slowly add all the milk until completely incorporated. Arrange the florets in the buttered dish.

4. Pour egg mixture over the cauliflower. Sprinkle with cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. Optional: dot with a small amount of butter.

5. Heat in a 350 degree oven until cheese is melted and the dish looks brown and bubbly (about 25 minutes). Optional: for a browner top heat under broiler for a couple of minutes - but watch carefully. Goes great with salad and sauteed chicken.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Mushrooms and Lemon-Garlic Gremolata

2011-01-25T20:51:00.008-07:00

My family came out to visit my husband and I for Christmas. We had a great visit (and some great food, of course). I made a few of my favorite recipes for my family, but one night my brother said he was going to cook. Now you might think I was nervous, but I wasn't at all. My brother is a great cook! I'm tellin' ya - this has a lot to do with my mother who is a great home cook (and by the way, so was my grandmother). The following recipe is one of my brother's "go-to" recipes. He has made it so many times that he no longer needs the original recipe, and now just cooks it by "feel and what looks good" - love when that happens. It all started one day at work when my brother's co-worker heated up something in the microwave for lunch that smelled so good he just couldn't stand it anymore, and asked her what in the world she was eating. I'm so glad she gave him the recipe and the cookbook reference. The original recipe is from Vegan Planet: 400 Irresistible recipes with Fantastic Flavors from Home and Around the World by Robin Robinson. The linguine recipe is on pg. 242 and the gremolata is on pg. 243. The following is my brother's version.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Mushrooms and Lemon-Garlic Gremolata

For the Gremolata
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
5 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
grated zest of one lemon (the largest you can find), reserve the juice from 1/2 of lemon

For the Linguine with Mushrooms
1 lb box of whole wheat linguine
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium shallot, minced
2 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (First choice: 1 pack oyster and 1 pack cremini; Second choice: 1 Large pack of oyster, crimini, and shiitake; Third choice: 1 pack white mushrooms and 1 pack baby portabella mushrooms)
salt and pepper
1 recipe gremolata, above
garnish with shaved Parmesan

1) Mince the garlic, parsley, and lemon zest together until well blended. Makes about 1/3 cup. Cover and refrigerate (can be refrigerated up to 24 hours - but the fresher the better).

2) Cook the linguine from box directions to al dente - usually 8 - 10 minutes.

3) While the pasta is cooking heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the pan; cook mushrooms until softened and cooked through. (If you use the white and baby bella mushroom mixture, continue cooking the mushrooms until there are no natural juices left). Add mushrooms to the gremolata mixture.

4) Drain the pasta and place back into the pasta pot for easy tossing (no heat). Add the mushroom mixture, the remaining olive oil, and the gremolata. Toss gently to combine and serve in a pasta bowl at once. (Goes great with sauteed chicken if your not a vegan).

Quick Spicy Black Bean Soup

2011-01-24T21:33:00.005-07:00

When I lived in California and could shop at Trader Joe's, I would sometimes buy a carton of spicy Cuban black bean soup that they carried. I thought it was reasonably healthy for being so convenient. The only listed ingredient that bothered me was cane juice. The soup didn't need it. I always wanted to be able to make my own version of this soup without sugar. This recipe is quick and easy because it calls for canned beans instead of dried.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

1 small to medium onion, chopped
1 medium to large carrot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 (15 oz) can no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can no salt added kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon oregano
3 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
sour cream and fresh cilantro for garnish, optional

1) Heat a small amount of extra virgin olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) in a sauce pan. Saute the chopped onion, celery, and carrots on medium low heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally so the mirepoix mixture doesn't brown. Add pressed garlic and continue to saute mixture for another 2 minutes.

2) Add beans, spices and the chicken broth to the mirepoix mixture. Bring to a soft boil, turn down the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

3) Remove from heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender until pureed. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro.

Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes

2011-01-18T20:52:00.007-07:00

A few weeks ago I happened to catch Food Network's Giada at Home called, "When Life Gives You Lemons." The show was a cute premise. Her friend gave her a lemon tree, and when the lemons where ready she cooked a lunch for that friend using those lemons. How clever! One of the dishes she made really stuck in my mind. So much so, that the next time I went grocery shopping I bought fingerling potatoes. As Giada was cooking the potato dish she gave a nod to someone else, (another chef?), giving that person credit for boiling fingerling potatoes in chicken broth, and then sauteing them in olive oil. I thought that was genius. Here is the link to Giada's menu for that show. Here is my take on the potatoes inspired from that show.

Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes
1 bag (one pound) of fingerling potatoes
8 cloves of garlic
1 quart of chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
fresh
salt and pepper

1) Clean the potatoes and peel the garlic cloves. Place in a sauce pot with the chicken broth. Boil on medium high heat until soft and cooked through.

2) Drain potatoes (reserving broth if desired - makes for a great base for potato soup) and carefully smash each fingerling on a cutting board with the flat of a large knife. Carefully smash garlic cloves.

3) Heat olive oil over medium heat and place garlic and potatoes in a single layer in a frying pan. This may take two batches. Fry for about 7 minutes on each side until brown and crispy.

4) Add salt, pepper and fresh parsley before serving. These crispy garlic potatoes are a great alternative to french fries and go great with burgers.

Chili and Fixings

2011-01-08T21:55:00.005-07:00

I have made this recipe a few times now. I usually triple or quadruple the recipe, put it in my crock pot and then chili is waiting for us when we come home with guests. What makes this special is all the optional fixings. I decorate the table with several bowls of fixings such as shredded lettuce, scallions, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, and cilantro. I once quadrupled this recipe to serve 10 people. Serve the chili with chips, salsa, and a tasty dessert and you will have happy guests. (Optional idea: have beer and margaritas available too:-)

Chili and Fixings
For the Chili
1 1b ground beef
1 15oz can of diced tomatoes
1 15oz can of kidney beans, not drained (preferably low sodium or no salt added)
1 medium onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Fixings
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 large bunch of cilantro leaves, chopped
8 oz cheddar cheese
8 oz sour cream
1 avocado, cubed
6 scallions, chopped
2 cups shredded lettuce

1) Heat olive oil in large pot and saute onions over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and heat for an additional minute stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.

2) Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. If there is a lot of fat in the pot run a paper towel through the mean and onion mixture to absorb the excess fat.

3) Add tomatoes, beans, all the spices and bring to a steady simmer.

4) Cover and continue to simmer low for 30 minutes, or refrigerate the mixture until you are ready to simmer on the stove top or put into a crock pot.

5) Place all of the fixings in separate bowls. Serve chili and fixings with chips and salsa.

Baked Mediterranean Chicken and Tomatoes

2011-01-05T21:02:00.008-07:00

You know I love to cook. Sometimes that means I make a mess in my kitchen, and then there is a big clean up. I do have a wonderful husband who helps a lot with the dishes, but I never want to take his help for granted. Isn't it great to find tasty healthy dishes with minimal clean up? Here is a delicious recipe that takes minimal effort to make and clean up, perfect for a great week night meal.

Baked Mediterranean Chicken and Tomatoes
2 Chicken Breasts
1 pint container of cherry or grape tomatoes
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon dehydrated garlic granules
1/8 cup crushed pine nuts
1/8 cup Parmesan
salt and pepper
fresh basil for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350. Wash tomatoes. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Hand toss with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dehydrated garlic granules. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.

2. While tomatoes are baking, butterfly the chicken breasts like I showed in the Spicy Almond-Encrusted Chicken Breast post.

3. Place the four chicken halves in a shallow dish with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This helps to keep the chicken from drying out when baking.

4. In another small bowl mix the crushed pine nuts, Parmesan, and salt and pepper.

5. After 35 to 40 minutes remove tomatoes from the oven. Move tomatoes to 1/2 of the baking sheet. Arrange the chicken pieces on the other half of the baking sheet. Divide the pine nut topping between the four chicken breast halves only coating the tops.

6. Return the sheet pan to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. (It is very easy to overcook the chicken so be careful).

7. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with green beans.

Penne Pasta Bake

2011-01-04T21:39:00.003-07:00

A challenge no more! As I mentioned in this post my microwave and stove (which was attached in one unit) was from the paleozoic age. The microwave didn't work at all, and last week the two largest burners went out. Be still my heart, the Landlord agreed to replace the unit. For the inaugural meal on our new stove, I picked a new weeknight favorite - Penne Pasta Bake. This dish is not only great on a weeknight, but also for any occasion you would like to have something assembled before hand. Then all you have to do is bake. Easier than lasagna but just as tasty this casserole can be assembled with many pantry staples.

Penne Pasta Bake
1 1lb box of penne pasta (I have used both whole wheat and fiber enriched)
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce or homemade sauce
12 oz of mozzarella
15 - 16 oz of ricotta whip (recipe below)

For the Ricotta Whip
1 (15 or 16 oz) tub of whole milk ricotta
1 egg
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 cup of freshly chopped parsley
1/8 cup of fresh grated Romano cheese
1/8 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is boiling, assemble all the ingredients for the ricotta whip in a bowl and blend with a fork

2. Place a small amount of pasta sauce in the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish

3. Layer 1/2 of the penne pasta

4. Add more sauce

5. Add 1/2 of the ricotta whip

6. Layer 6 oz of mozzarella cheese

7. Repeat layers by adding the rest of the penne and sauce

8. Add the remaining ricotta and mozzarella

9. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with basil or parsley

Turkey Dumpling Soup

2011-01-02T21:27:00.019-07:00

This will be my last turkey related post for a while - I promise. As I mentioned in my Classic Turkey Stuffing post, our Christmas dinner is usually Thanksgiving dinner part II. What can I say? My husband loves my turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Therefore, I had enough turkey "scraps" to make a batch of homemade turkey stock so that I could make my new winter favorite - Turkey Dumpling Soup (Southern style). Step one is to make homemade turkey stock* just like I make homemade chicken stock substituting turkey bones instead of chicken. I usually make the stock a day before I want to make the soup. The dumplings for this soup are inspired by Paula Dean's dumpling recipe rather than the fluffier biscuit-like dumpling that cooks on top of a soup or stew. See the rest of the recipe below.

Turkey Dumpling Soup
For the soup:

1 tablespoon of canola oil

3 cups of mirepoix - equal amounts of chopped onion, celery and carrots

1 clove of garlic, pressed

1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons of rubbed sage
1/8 teaspoon of white pepper
2 quarts of homemade turkey stock (*see note above)
3 - 4 cups of (leftover) cubed roasted turkey (I used breast meat)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with enough water to make a thick liquid mixture (optional)
1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley (optional)

For the Dumplings: (Inspired by Paula Dean)
2 cups of sprouted wheat flour
1 teaspoon of salt
a large pinch of poultry seasoning
3/4 cups of ice water

1) Heat canola oil in a large soup pot, add the onions, celery and carrot mixture (mirepoix), and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pressed garlic and saute for another minute stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.

2) Add 2 quarts of homemade turkey stock and heat over a medium heat for 5 minutes.

3) Add poultry seasoning, sage, and white pepper, and turn down to a low simmering heat. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the spice flavors steep into the broth (about 20 minutes).

4) Add the cooked cubed leftover turkey, salt and pepper (to taste). Continue to simmer the soup.

5) While soup is simmering make the dumplings by making a well with the flour, and add 3/4 cups of ice water to the flour well. Slowly mix the flour and water to make a dough. As the dough comes together, kneed the dough a few times and form a ball. Let the dough rest a minute.

6) Roll out the dough in a rectangle about 1/8 of an inch thick. Using a pizza cutter cut into 1 inch squares.

7) Bring the soup to a gentle boil and add the dumplings one at a time. Maintain the gentle boil for 5 minutes.

8) If you would like a thicker soup add the cornstarch mixture to thicken - stirring very gently. Add the parsley, and if needed adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T13:06:00.001-07:00

My New Year's resolution is to blog more consistently. It is sad to go through my blog reader and click through the list of blogs I like to find that somebody stopped blogging. I'm sure that in some cases it was for very good reasons. By that I mean, in the big picture of life, food blogging is not high on the list of priorities - at least for me. It's a hobby and frankly the actual cooking is more important than the blogging itself. I work full time. And, it does not take priority over my little family (my husband and my cat:-). All that said, I don't want to become one of those blogs that falls by the wayside. I am going to tackle 2011 with a renewed spirit for my foodie journey. After all, some things haven't changed. I do want to record my culinary journey. I'm simultaneously fascinated and confused by all the food philosophies out there. I have so many *recipes that I want to try, and I have so many kitchen gadgets that I would like to learn to use better. More importantly, I want to know exactly what I'm feeding my family by learning how to make real food from scratch, and eliminating convenient packaged foods with ingredients that I can't pronounce.

*This is a picture of the top two shelves of my kitchen bookcase. It doesn't include the the other five shelves, the stacks on each of my end tables and the one by my bedside. Did I mention that I read cookbooks and cooking magazines like some people read romance novels? Can anyone else out there relate?

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes - 3 Variations

2010-12-01T21:17:00.008-07:00

This last Thanksgiving I once again used my crock pot for mashed potatoes. I find this kitchen gadget very useful for making sure Thanksgiving day (or any special dinner with guests) goes smoothly. After all, there are so many dishes to make sure we get to the table hot - why not take an opportunity to make it less stressful? For me, this is the easiest way to make sure mashed potatoes are hot. The bonus is that I can make them ahead, keep them off to the side, and it doesn't have to take up a burner on the stove. However, I have now made these a few different ways, and think this deserves it's own post as opposed to being buried in the original January post from 2009.

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

7 lbs russet potatoes
1 1/4 stick of butter
half and half
(optional) sour cream
salt
white pepper

Variation 1

1) Place peeled and quartered potatoes in a large crock pot and fill with water.
2) Cook on low over night for 8 hours.
3) In the morning drain potatoes (if desired save some potato water to add to gravy base) and mash with the following ingredients: 1 tablespoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) , 8 oz sour cream 1/4 cup half-and-half, 1/4 cup butter to coat the sides of the crock pot and dot the top of the potatoes.
4) Transport crock pot (if necessary) and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, stirring periodically after two hours and serve.
5) Click here for comments on this method

Variation 2

1) Place peeled and quartered potatoes in a large crock pot and fill with water.
2) Cook on low over night for 8 hours.
3) In the morning drain potatoes (if desired save some potato water to add to gravy base) and mash with the following ingredients: 1 tablespoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), 1/2 cup half-and-half, 1/4 cup butter to coat the sides of the crock pot and dot the top of the potatoes.
4) Transport crock pot (if necessary) and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, stirring periodically after two hours and serve.

Variation 3

1) Make a double batch (most likely) of your favorite mashed potatoes.
2) Coat inside of large crock pot with butter, add freshly mashed potatoes and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, stirring periodically after two hours and serve.

Roaster Turkey

2010-11-29T21:27:00.003-07:00

I never heard of making a turkey in an electric roaster until I saw my mother-in-law make her turkey this way. Of course, after I saw this method I had to get an electric roaster myself;-) If this is the turkey my husband grew up on how could I deny him that tradition? The great thing about making a turkey in an electric roaster is that it leaves oven available for all sorts of goodies: pumpkin pie, rolls, extra stuffing etc.

Roaster Turkey

1 12-14 lb thawed turkey

1 to 2 quarts of turkey or chicken broth

1 cold stick of butter

salt and pepper

1) Remove neck and innards, if any, and rinse thawed turkey with cold water and pat dry (inside and outside) thoroughly with paper towel.

2) Place turkey on a working surface, and using your fingers work the skin away from the breast meat in order to place tablespoon sized chunks of butter between the skin and the meat, 4 to 5 on each breast.

3) (Optional) Stuff the turkey with favorite stuffing - (I make turkey stuffing in the oven).

4) (Optional) Truss the turkey to keep wings and legs close to the body, to keep the stuffing in, plus it just looks better.

5) Place turkey breast side up on a 1 inch raised rack in electric roaster.

6) Pour 1 quart of chicken broth in the bottom of roaster, set for 325, and cover with foil. Total cooking time will be about 3.5 hours give or take 30 minutes if you stuff the bird.

7) Baste bird after one hour and return tin foil cover.

8) If necessary, add another quart of chicken broth after another hour, basting the bird by pouring the broth over the bird - baste every 30 minutes until the bird is 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.

9) (Optional) remove roaster pan from electric roaster and place in preheated 350 degree oven to crisp the skin (about 20 minutes).

10) Carve turkey, plate and serve. I use the Alton Brown method of carving a turkey.

Classic Turkey Stuffing

2010-11-26T16:30:00.003-07:00

Okay, I know Thanksgiving is over. Therefore, this recipe chimes in a little "late." However, this was the best turkey stuffing I ever made and it was, if pressed, my favorite bite of Thanksgiving dinner. If your family is like my family in that Christmas dinner is basically Thanksgiving part II - well, then I'm early for suggesting this dish for Christmas:-) I will be in big trouble from my husband if I don't make this dish for Christmas dinner.

Classic Turkey Stuffing

2 1/2 loaves of Pepperidge Farms sandwich bread, torn in bite sized pieces

8 cups or, 2 quarts of homemade turkey stock

1 large onion, diced - about 2 cups

6 stalks of celery, diced - about 2 cups

2 sticks of unsalted butter

4 tablespoons of rubbed sage

2 tablespoons of salt

2 teaspoons of pepper

1) 1 to 3 days ahead of time make homemade turkey stock. I make turkey stock just like I make chicken stock - only substituting the bones from 1 or 2 turkey breast roasts instead of chicken. Store strained stock in the refrigerator until your ready to make stuffing. When you begin making the stuffing remove the stock from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

2) 1 day before, or on the day you are cooking tear 2 1/2 loaves of quality sandwich bread (Pepperidge Farms is by far the best) into bite sized pieces and store in a 4 quart covered casserole dish. The bread will be heaping - but the dome glass lid should still fit, albeit snug. (When I lived in California, I couldn't find this so I would substitute Trader Joe's Potato bread. This is the best substitution I have found, so far).

3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dice onion and celery and place in a sauce pot with two sticks of melted butter. Add sage, salt, and pepper and saute over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the celery and onion are semi-soft.

4) Take half of the bread out of the casserole dish and layer with half of the butter vegetable mixture. Replace the rest of the bread and top with the remaining butter vegetable mixture.

5) Start ladling the stock over evenly over all of the bread. If the stock is too gelatinous to ladle you may have to heat it in a sauce pan until it is easier to handle. As the mounded bread begins to flatten make sure to get the stock through to the bottom pieces of bread and carefully mix to get vegetables, spices and stock evenly distributed. (There is probably an easier way to do this but I don't have a big mixing bowl, and doing this way leaves me one less bowl to clean).

6) Cover the stuffing and cook for 1 hour. All of the steam causes the stuffing to puff up like a souffle. Remove the casserole dish from the oven, and carefully remove the dome lid. Place the stuffing back in the oven for 30 minutes. At this point the stuffing falls back down a bit and is a little more browned. Place cover back on the stuffing for 30 minutes (yes it puffs back up again). Remove the lid again for the last 15 to 20 minutes and keep in the oven until you're ready to serve. (The following picture was taken after the first hour)

Baked Bacon

2010-11-14T14:36:00.001-07:00

Several years ago I worked at a camp and conference center. We had a full time chef that prepared some pretty amazing meals for groups of 50 to groups of 300 plus. One morning I saw how he made the breakfast bacon on large sheet pans baked in the oven. I thought that was genius. I don't know how many times I have stood in front of the stove frying three batches of bacon to make an entire package. Well, no more - and using parchment paper on the bottom of the sheet pan makes clean up a snap.

Baked Bacon

1 package of your favorite uncooked bacon

parchment paper

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place parchment paper on a sheet pan that has at least a 1" edge

2) Arrange individual bacon slices on the parchment paper

3) Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the preferred state of brown crispy goodness is reached. Remove with a fork and drain on paper towel.

Salt and Pepper Roasted Chicken

2010-11-11T22:09:00.001-07:00

I have made this recipe several times now, and it just keeps getting better and better. I used to try to put all sorts of spices on top of the chicken, stuffed inside of the chicken, stuffed in between the skin and the chicken (not that there is anything wrong with any of that), but this is a simple way to have roasted chicken even on a weeknight - golden brown, juicy and delicious.

Salt and Pepper Roasted Chicken

whole chicken, thawed

salt and pepper

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Rinse a thawed whole chicken under cool water and dry thoroughly with several paper towels

3) Place toweled dried chicken in a roasting dish, fold wing tips behind the bird, and sprinkle with salt and pepper

4) Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1.5 hours until golden brown and thermometer in the thigh area reads 165 degrees

5) I carve a chicken like Alton Brown carves a turkey

Italian Meatballs - Polpette

2010-11-10T20:40:00.003-07:00

Who knew that a "food stuff made of ground meat" could taste so good? I had know idea how many different kinds of meatballs there were until I did a little reading on Wikipedia. There must be thousands of recipes using every kind of meat you can imagine -- not to mention vegetables. The meatballs that my mom (and my Great Aunt Irene) made while I was growing up were made with beef and onion which according to Wikipedia has more of a Polish influence rather than Italian. That makes complete sense since my ancestry is mostly Polish and some Scottish. Since I don't have a family recipe for "Italian" meatballs, I followed the ingredients listed on Wikipedia. The results? Molto buono!

Italian Meatballs - Polpette

2 lbs. ground pork

2 cups torn stale rustic bread

1/2 cup half and half

1 egg

1/3 cup pecorino romano

1/3 cup parmesean reggiano

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

1 clove garlic, pressed

salt and pepper

olive oil

fresh basil for garnish

1) Pour half and half over torn bread and let soak for a few minutes

2) Place pork, egg, cheeses, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper in a bowl. Add moist bread, and mix thoroughly

3) Form 12 large meatballs

4) Heat 1/2 inch of olive oil in a large pan to medium heat. (You can use less oil but using more will help the meatballs brown more evenly

5) Fry meatballs in two batches for several minutes on all "four sides" until evenly deep golden brown

6) Keep first batch draining on paper towels in a warm oven while second batch is cooking. Drain second batch on paper towels and keep in a warm oven

Serve with your favorite pasta and tomato sauce!

Quick Red Wine Tomato Sauce

2010-11-09T23:40:00.001-07:00

I have a handful of recipes floating around in my mind that I've made probably a hundred times that were actually given to me word of mouth. This is one of those recipes. Sure I buy jar sauce to save time, but honestly this recipe takes only 10 to 15 minutes more than just heating a jar of sauce. I always get compliments on this sauce. I usually make a double batch of this recipe since I can easily freeze half. The the pictures are of a double batch.

Quick Red Wine Tomato Sauce

1 large 30 oz can of good quality tomato sauce or, 2 -15 oz cans (not puree, not crushed) sauce!

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste depending on canned sauce)

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 teaspoon of basil

1/4 cup of red wine (Burgundy, Merlot - frankly whatever red I have open - this time I used

Zinfandel)

1) Heat olive oil in large sauce pot on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes then add onions and cook until translucent (about 4 minutes)

2) Add pressed garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds to one minute, stirring to make sure onions and garlic do not brown

3) Add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, oregano, basil, red wine, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes - serve with your favorite pasta!

Roasted Garlic

2010-11-03T20:47:00.002-06:00

The other day I was walking through Whole Foods admiring their salad bar area (I often cruise by to get ideas) and I saw the biggest station of roasted garlic cloves that I had ever seen -- hundreds of little cloves in a light amount of olive oil (just enough to keep them from sticking together) and sprinkled lightly with pepper. I thought, "I can do that." This trip around the Whole Foods salad bar inspired me to serve roasted garlic, olive oil, and fresh bakery bread as a starter for a dinner party I had this past weekend. Here is how I roasted a bunch of garlic bulbs!

Roasted Garlic

6 bulbs of garlic (I figured one bulb per person would be plenty and I wouldn't cry if there were left overs)

2 Tablespoons olive oil (one teaspoon for each bulb)

1) Peel off all the paper possible from each bulb without removing any cloves

2) Cut the top most portion of the garlic head off, and cut any of the outer individual garlic clove tips off

3) Place bulbs in an oven safe dish and slowly drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil each

4) Cover dish with tin foil and place in a preheated 350 degree oven

5) Roast for 60 to 75 minutes

Serve as is with a garlic bulb on each plate or...

6) Cool completely and carefully remove the roasted garlic from 5 of the cloves with a small cocktail fork.

7) Place the roasted cloves in a bowl and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil sprinkle lightly with pepper and use the the last whole clove as the center of the "flower."

Genoa Basil Pesto

2010-11-02T19:00:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I was given the gift of a grocery bag full of garden-grown basil and I knew I was going to make homemade pesto which I had been craving for months. The plan was to freeze most of it so that I could get a blast of summer basil flavor in the middle of winter. There was so much basil that I ended up making a double batch. Since I didn't have enough pine nuts for two batches the second batch was supplemented (by half) with walnuts to make up the difference. I had just seen that on a food show, probably food network, and it turned out great. The following is a recipe for one batch.

Homemade Basil Pesto

1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 cup of pine nuts

1/2 cup of parmesan reggiano

1/2 cup of pecorino romano

4 cloves of garlic

4 to 5 cups of basil leaves

1) Place all of the ingredients in a blender (in the order listed)

2) Blend the ingredients until a smooth consistency is reached and resembles a firm paste adding extra basil leaves by the handful if needed.

Note-to-self #3 - Do not leave blender running too long, otherwise you will melt plastic/rubber gears and then you will have to find an appliance repair place like me. Sigh. Maybe the problem was making two batches in a row.

Whole Roasted Turkey Breast

2010-10-27T21:32:00.001-06:00

For the last couple of years in preparation for November's Thanksgiving feast I have made two half turkey breast roasts, or one whole turkey breast roast. Really ? You may be wondering why. Answer: homemade turkey broth for Thanksgiving day stuffing -- of course! While turkey broth might be the ultimate goal for these turkey bones this blog is about the whole roasted turkey which provides one great dinner and several turkey sandwiches for the family (depending on how high you pile on the turkey for your sandwiches). This year my local super market actually had a whole turkey breast roast. This recipe couldn't be easier -- turkey, butter, chicken broth, salt, pepper and roast at 350 until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. I was so excited to eat it that I forgot to take a picture until after we ate. Yum!

Whole Roasted Turkey Breast

1 whole or two halves turkey breast (7 pounds total)

8 pats of butter

1 cup of chicken broth

Salt & Pepper

1) Place turkey breast in a deep dish roaster and gently create space between turkey skin and turkey meat with fingers or butter knife, and add 4 pats of butter along each breast.

2) Add 1 cup of chicken broth on the bottom of the roasting dish, season turkey breast with salt and pepper, and cover with tin foil.

3) Roast in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour and remove foil.

4) Check temperature every 15 to 20 minutes after the first hour basting turkey with the juices each time you check.

5) When turkey has reached 160 degrees remove turkey breast to a cutting board and tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

2010-10-18T19:53:00.001-06:00

It is apropos that my first official "food" post in Colorado is the first thing I made in Colorado - roasted vegetable salad. Friends of mine have a bountiful garden, and I'm grateful that they have shared their abundance with me. They gave me spring onions, Japanese eggplant, zucchini, carrots, turnips and basil. Also, my neighbor gave me some yellow squash. So, almost everything in this salad is home grown. The occasion for this dish was a church pot-luck where everyone was supposed to bring a side dish, and I thought roasting all those vegetables would be perfect. After a little more thought, I decided instead of trying to keep the dish warm - I'd turn it into a salad. Voila - Roasted Vegetable Salad!

FOR THE SALAD

8 cups of chopped vegetables, any combination of onions, eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, and turnips

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons of dehydrated granulated garlic

Salt and fresh ground pepper

FOR THE DRESSING

3 0z of Basil infused oil

2 Tablespoons of White Balsamic Vinegar

1 Cup of chopped scallions

Large handful of basil

1) Heat oven to 425 degrees and line a 17.25 x 11.5 x 1 pan with parchment paper.

2) Arrange vegetables of similar hardness like carrots and turnips in a single layer and drizzle and toss with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

3) Bake first batch of vegetables at 425 for 25 minutes. Using a spatula flip the vegetables and broil for 5 minutes to get a nice carmel color.

4) Place first batch of vegetables in a serving dish and repeat steps 2 and 3 for the second batch.

5) When the second batch has cooled for 10 minutes add to the first batch. Drizzle vegetables with the basil infused olive oil and gently mix to combine the two batches and the oil.

6) Drizzle with two tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar, add the scallions and freshly chopped basil and gently toss.

This Is Going To Be A Challenge

2010-09-18T12:31:00.001-06:00

First, I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while. Here's why. My husband graduated from Westminster Seminary California in May, sustained his candidacy exam in June, we planned his parents 50th wedding anniversary in July, flew back to Michigan for the party in August -- oh, and we moved from Southern California to Colorado because my husband is now the pastor of a church here in Loveland, Colorado. Did I mention that I have a full time job? While life has been busy over the last 5 months, I have been cooking -- but not blogging, and now I have some catching up to do. However, nothing about my recent schedule compares to the challenge that I'm now facing.

This is going to be a Challenge -- a Picture of My Current Stove!

When I posted this picture to my personal facebook page and asked, "what are all these buttons for anyway," I received the following responses.

1. SWEET!!!! That is when they REALLY made microwaves!! Stand back when you power that baby up...

2. That thing is sweet!!! Total retro analog time/clock displays... love it!

3. I used to have a Micro like that, there was a button called "stop time"!

4. That's not just a microwave its also a CB radio and police scanner. That way you can stay in touch while cooking.

5. This is probably the coolest microwave I've seen in a long time.

6. When you turn it on....do all the lights in the house dim?

7. If it has HAL 9000 stamped anywhere on the front, be afraid...be very afraid.

8. Maybe it's secretly a time machine!

9. I think the older appliances were built to last, unlike the ones we see today where they almost perform like disposables.

10. Wow, simply wow...

Kidding aside, the main challenge for me is using electric coils instead of a gas flame. I haven't even seen anyone with a gas stove so far in Colorado. (Never mind that the microwave doesn't actually work and that I'm now cooking at 5000 feet)! This will be fun....STAY TUNED.

Fajita Salad with Avocado-Cilantro Dressing

2010-04-26T19:55:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I just want a big salad for dinner (especially in the spring and summer). However, for my meat-and-potato-loving husband, if I make only a salad for dinner it better be hearty. This one passed with flying colors. Well, except for the dressing of which my husband wasn't "too fond" but I loved. I didn't tell him that it was made with avocado and mayonnaise (both of which he doesn't like - I first mentioned his dislike of mayonnaise back in my Turkey Roll-ups post).

So, my husband finished his salad and said "thanks honey, that was really good." - period end of story. The second time I made this salad he said the same thing but also added that he wasn't "too fond" of the dressing. Well, considering he doesn't like the main ingredients of the dressing I wasn't surprised, but this was a huge victory that he even ate the dressing - twice! The second time I made this salad he may have suspected mayonnaise was in the dressing since he heard me making it. I wonder because he liked the salad just fine the first time. I took a big risk by mixing the dressing into the salad instead of leaving it on the table for him to mix in, and it paid off. Just writing this post makes me giggle that I was able to sneak in ingredients that he doesn't like. And, no, he still doesn't know. That may change if he reads this post;-)

FOR THE SALAD

1/2 pound of leftover flank steak (I usually broil flank steak as shown in this recipe - even if I serve it with different sides, like potatoes and vegetables)

1 small head of iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup black beans

1/4 cup finely shredded mexican blend cheese

1/4 cup pico de gallo

FOR THE DRESSING

1/2 avocado

1/2 cup mayonnaise - I used homemade mayonnaise (hoping he would like that better than store bought, sigh)

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

2-3 Tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1) Place all dressing ingredients in a blender or deep container to use with an immersion blender. Blend until smooth.

2) Rinse and chop iceberg lettuce and place in salad spinner or cotton salad bag to absorb water.

3) Toss lettuce with desired amount of dressing and divide the lettuce between plates. (This can serve as two large entree sized salads or several smaller salads as part of a few courses.)

4) Sprinkle beans and cheese over the lettuce.

5) Arrange flank steak pieces on top of salad.

6) Top with pico de gallo.

Garden-Fresh Pico de Gallo

2010-04-24T16:49:00.002-06:00

While I was grocery shopping in the produce section - I noticed that the pico de gallo was 3.99 for an 8 0z tub. Now it is not beyond me to pay for something chopped up and ready made once in a while for a quick convenient short cut, but it didn't look fresh. So, I checked the ingredient list and bought those items. The result yielded twice as much for half the cost and was super fresh. No, it wasn't convenient, but yes it was worth it.

Pico de Gallo

2 medium tomatoes

1 jalapeno

1 medium to small onion

1 bunch fresh cilantro (1/2 cup of leaves)

1 lime

1 clove of garlic

1) Core and dice tomatoes pushing aside the seeds during the process, and place diced tomatoes in a bowl.

2) Chop onion and add to the bowl.

3) Mince jalapeno and add to the bowl.

4) Remove enough leaves from a larch bunch of cilantro - enough for a loosely packed 1/2 cup. Finely mince cilantro leaves and add to the tomato mixture.

5) Press garlic through garlic press into the bowl.

6) Juice the lime with citrus press and add to the mixture.

7) Mix and serve with tortilla chips, or use as a condiment with chili, fajitas, or any Mexican dish.

Strawberry, Basil & Romaine Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

2010-04-17T18:43:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, I found organic strawberries on sale - 3 pints for $6.00 and I couldn't pass that up. While at the grocery store my husband and I decided to invite some friends over for a casual dinner and a movie. With our usual dinner-for-two bumped up to four, I had two hours to decide what to make. I had one ingredient down - Strawberries. I tend to cook to fulfill my cravings and for some inexplicable reason I was craving hamburgers. Hamburgers with all the fixings sounded good for a casual dinner. Should I make caesar salad as a side? I was sure that there would be some snacking going on during the movie so I didn't want dinner to be too heavy. Eureka! What if I use the strawberries in the salad? Result: an awesome light side dish that works well with burgers!

Strawberry, Basil & Romaine Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the Salad

3 hearts of romaine, rinsed

2 pints of strawberries, rinsed

large bunch of fresh basil, 20 leaves

For the Dressing

3/4 cup of good quality extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon minced red onion

freshly ground pepper

1) Chop romaine into bite sized pieces and place in salad bowl.

2) Cut tops off of the strawberries and slice in quarters. Mix strawberries into romaine - leaving some to decorate the top of the bowl.

3) Role basil leaves into a tube shape and slice thin strips. Mix basil into the romaine and strawberries - leaving some to decorate the top of the bowl.

4) Assemble all of the dressing ingredients in a seperate bowl -- so everyone can use their own desired amount of dressing.

Tomato Sandwich

2010-04-13T21:45:00.001-06:00

Now that I have homemade mayonnaise, I have three days to use the batch. To begin with, my craving to make the mayonnaise started with my craving for a tomato sandwich. A what? Yes, a tomato sandwich. I must have had a hundred of these while growing up from junior high until now. My mom made these all the time during the summer, and one day I wanted one too, I guess. Now, I'm not talking about some mealy, pale-faced, flavorless tomato; I'm talking about a deep-red, farm-fresh, ripe piece of fruit. My mom and dad have always kept a nice garden, and tomatoes were a big part. I think that is why I appreciate a wide variety of vegetables as an adult because after caring for the plants it was exciting to taste the end result (even if I didn't like it). So, a tomato sandwich -- nothing could be easier and more simply delicious. Hey, it's just a BLT without the B & L.

Tomato Sandwich

2 slices of good sandwich bread

1-2 ripe red tomatoes

mayonnaise (preferably homemade mayonnaise)

basil (optional)

1. Slice tomatoes into thick round slices - about 3/4 of an inch

2. Lightly toast bread

3. Slather with desired amount of mayonnaise. Add several fresh basil leaves if you have them, and enjoy the fresh flavors of summer.

Homemade Mayonnaise

2010-04-12T00:09:00.002-06:00

Years ago I read an article about how the taste of homemade mayonnaise is worth the extra effort. I filed that away in the back of my mind on the "to-do-someday" list. Years later I ran across a recipe. I tried it. I crashed and burned. I ended up with some concoction that looked like salad dressing. Frustrated, I didn't try to make mayonnaise again for months. One day, feeling confident I visited YouTube and searched "homemade mayonnaise." I thought if I could just watch someone make mayonnaise, then certainly I would be able make it. And, there are several YouTube videos showing how to whip up mayonnaise in a snap. Armed with a new confidence, I tried again and ended up making more salad dressing. I had never been more frustrated trying to make something. Finally, I ran across a tip that now makes mayonnaise making foolproof for me. The first 7 minutes of hand whipping is the most important and will make or break the results. All the recipes I've seen for mayonnaise use language like "pour oil slowly," or "add oil slowly in a thin stream," etc. My mayonnaise breakthrough came when I added the first 1/4 cup of oil in 1/4 teaspoon increments. That's the secret! My other tip - "if at first you don't succeed try try again."

Homemade Mayonnaise

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of prepared mustard

3/4 cup canola oil

1. Place first 4 ingredients in a bowl and whip until blended together

2. Add 1/4 cup of the oil in 1/4 teaspoon increments whipping constantly (about 7 to 10 minutes)

NOTE: this step was the key to my ultimate success in making homemade mayonnaise. When recipes tell you to add oil slow they really mean extremely slow. Adding oil in 1/4 teaspoon increments finally made me realize just how slow I needed to add oil. I don't think I can pour a thin stream slow enough. Maybe someday.

3. Add the rest of the oil in a very slow stream or 1 tablespoon increments and continue

whipping by hand or switch to immersion blender.

Use within 3 days.

Mom's Salmon Patties

2010-03-23T21:56:00.002-06:00

While growing up Mom's salmon patties were an ingenious method for her to get us to eat more fish, I'm sure. And, we always ate them, albeit with ketchup, but we never complained. I haven't had these in years but found myself craving them lately. A phone call to my Mom produced the following recipe.

Mom's Salmon Patties

2 (15 oz) Cans of Salmon

1 small onion, chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup of bread crumbs

Olive oil or Canola Oil

1) Open two cans of salmon and remove any unwanted bones and skin. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2) Form into medium size patties. (Approximately four patties per can). If the mixture is too dry add a splash of milk.

3) Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and place first batch of patties in pan. When sufficiently browned on one side, flip, and finish browning the second side.

4) Keep first batch in a warm oven while cooking the second batch. (Serve with asparagus or a cucumber salad).

Mom's Simple Rice Pilaf

2010-02-20T12:20:00.003-07:00

Perhaps it has something to do with this time of year; perhaps it has something to do with all of the comfort-food editions of magazines on the news stands right now; or perhaps it is a case of nostalgia. Whatever the case may be, I have been reminiscing about ALL of my mom's home cooking lately. So, I have decided to create a category/label just for her called "Mom's." Thanks Mom for the thousands of meals that you cooked from scratch for our family over the last 40 years.

Mom's Simple Rice Pilaf

1/2 onion, diced

1 Tablespoon butter

2 Cups chicken broth (gluten-free)

1 Cup brown rice

1) Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a pot over medium-low heat and add onion. Cook until softened (about 3 minutes).

2) Add rice and stir to coat with butter, and let cook for three more minutes until bottom layer is slightly brown. (My mom doesn't necessarily do this step and her rice still turns out amazing.I feel I need this step in order to have it remotely taste good).

3) Add broth, bring to a low boil, cover and simmer for 50 minutes - or until all of the liquid is absorbed.

4) Fluff with a fork and serve (I used a half cup measure and kept the form).

Pan Seared Talapia with Browned Butter Lemon Sauce

2010-02-15T21:54:00.001-07:00

Okay, I know fish is good for you because it is full of heart healthy Omega - 3s. And, because it is so good for you I want to increase the amount of it I eat. Unfortunately, when I cook fish it is hit or miss. Truth be told, seafood is the ingredient that I am most uncomfortable with in the kitchen. I have a tendency to over cook it. I order fish at restaurants more than I cook it at home and I want that to change. I am very pleased with my first attempt at this new recipe. Even my husband liked it - which is a really big deal when it comes to fish.

Pan Seared Talapia with Brown Butter Lemon Sauce

3 Talapia Fillets - thawed

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons of Ghee (clarified butter)

1 Cup of Chicken Broth

Juice of 1 small lemon

1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch of white pepper

cracked pepper to taste

1) Melt ghee in a sauce pan over medium heat. Continue to heat for three more minutes until the color turns deep gold.

2) Remove from heat and carefully (there will be spatter) add the chicken broth, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper

3) Reduce the sauce over medium heat. Let simmer over medium heat until only 1/3 cup (eyeball it) remains.

4) Rinse and pat dry talapia fillets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sear fish fillets 3 to 4 minutes each side.

5) Pour sauce over fish and serve.