Creamy Pasta with Peas

This is the other of the two recipes I tried this week and really liked. I didn't realize it until now, but they are both from the Martha Stewart site. I find that site to have a ton of easy-to-make recipes, and it's a good source for family dinners. If I want to go a little fancier or use some more exotic ingredients, I will try other sites or one of my cookbooks, but for quick and easy the Martha Stewart recipes are really useful.

This particular recipe actually calls for a "kid" version and an "adult" version, with the former omitting the pine nuts and arugula. Why?!? My kids eat both of those things, and they do so because I've never made kid versions of any dish. They eat what the grownups eat at dinner, and as a result they don't need to have a kid version of this or any dish. To me, making kid versions of recipes just creates a false need for kid versions; any kid can eat things like pine nuts and arugula if you just expose them to it. But enough of my soapbox: here's the recipe (which my kids loved, by the way)

Creamy Pasta with Peas

(MarthaStewart.com)

serves 4

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 lb farfalle pasta
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen green peas
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 bunch (5 ounces) arugula, tough stems removed, chopped
  
  
• -- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; add peas 1 minute before end of cooking. Drain; return pasta and peas to pot.
• 
  
• -- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine cream and chicken broth; simmer until thickened slightly, 7 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted.
• 
  
• -- Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add to reserved pasta along with arugula; season with pepper. Toss to combine, and serve immediately.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Couscous

I can't believe it's been a year since I've last posted a recipe. It's not that I haven't been cooking -- I've actually found some great recipes and made some tasty dishes. I just haven't been "feeling it" with regard to blogging my recipes. Perhaps it's that back-to-school time of year, or the fact that I tried two new recipes this week that I thought were keepers, but I am feeling inspired today to post them. Both are great for weeknights because they don't take a lot of time or ingredients. I'll post the recipe for the roasted chicken thighs here, and the other one in a separate post.

This recipe for roasted chicken thighs is my own version of a recipe that I found on the Martha Stewart Everyday Food site. In her recipe, she cooks the couscous in water which is something I find in a lot of her recipes. I don't see the point in cooking things like rice or quinoa or couscous in water when using broth will give a dish so much more flavor. So, I made that change in the recipe; I also added carrots and different spices. I think this is one of those recipes that offers a lot of versatility. You could really spice it up with cayenne or curry powder. In the fall, it might be a great way to use root veggies like parsnips or some different kinds of squashes.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Couscous
(inspired by Martha Stewart Everyday Food)
serves 4-6

• 8 chicken thighs
• cumin
• paprika
• 2 zucchini (about 1 pound total), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
• 1 -2 arge carrots cut into rounds
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  
  -- Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in upper third.
• -- Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and cumin; place, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
• -- Remove sheet from oven, and turn chicken, skin side up. Scatter zucchini and carrots around chicken, and season with salt and pepper; toss with pan juices. Return sheet to oven, and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes more.
• -- Meanwhile, bring 1 1/4 cups chicken broth to a boil in a small saucepan; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and stir in couscous.
• -- Cover, and let stand until all the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in parsley, vinegar, roasted vegetables, and 2 tablespoons pan juices; season with salt and pepper.
• -- Serve chicken with vegetables and couscous.

Pasta with Steak and Arugula

Nothing like building a new house to keep you from blogging. Even in all the chaos that is my life right now, I have actually been cooking. Well, not much in the past few weeks as most of my kitchen paraphernalia is packed up in boxes. But, I've been saving some recipes that I've been meaning to post.

My hubby has what some might call a "sensitive stomach." In actuality, the poor guy has lately been suffering from reflux which really limits what he can eat. For instance, he should really stay away from onion, garlic, and tomatoes. We're Italian. I like to cook Italian food. How's this going to work? So, that takes an entire category of pasta sauces off the menu. Cream sauces, you say? Nope. He needs to avoid the heavy creams and fats of say an Alfredo or vodka sauce. Thus, I've been on the lookout for recipes with light sauces that don't rely on tomato as a base.

Of course, Giada came through for me with her recipe for Penne with Beef and Arugula. While I didn't follow her recipe precisely, I did use it as inspiration. The result was an incredibly easy meal that can be served hot or at room temperature, and would make a perfect potluck contribution. Giada's recipe called for a strip steak, but I have also used a skirt steak and tri-tip. In addition, I decreased or eliminated altogether some of the ingredients in her recipe.

Pasta with Steak and Arugula

(inspired by Giada di Laurentiis)

Serves 4

1 pound steak (strip, skirt or flank)

1 whole, peeled garlic clove

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound penne

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (you could use a little less than 1/4 cup here)

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more for steak)

1/2 teaspoon pepper (plus more for steak)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 cups chopped fresh baby arugula

Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese

-- Season steak with salt and pepper.

-- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat and add steak and garlic clove.

-- Let steak cook about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on your desired doneness. Remove clove if it starts to overcook.

-- Once steak is finished, remove from skillet and let sit about five minutes. Once rested, slice it thinly.

-- Cook penne in boiling, salted water.

-- While pasta is cooking, add vinegar, olive oil, mustard, basil, salt and pepper to mixing bowl and whisk to mix.

-- When penne is al dente, reserve about 1/3 cup of the pasta water, and drain.

-- In a large bowl, toss the pasta with about 1/2 of the oil and vinegar mixture, and half of the pasta water.

-- Add the arugula and steak, and more dressing and water as needed.

-- Season with salt and pepper.

-- Add fresh Parmigiano cheese as desired.

Notice, that I used a whole clove of garlic instead of mincing it, per Giada's version. Since I am trying to protect R's stomach, I kept the garlic whole which simply infuses some of the flavor and aroma of garlic without actually having to eat it.

This recipe is also a great way to use left over steak. If you are going to do this, just slice the steak into bite-sized strips, and warm up in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Just keep it in the skillet long enough to warm it through, but not cook it any further.

Simply Yummy Pork

I've actually had this recipe for a few months, and keep meaning to post it, but as you can tell, I've been neglecting my blog for a while. Somehow real life has been taking up too much of my time! Anyway, I love this meal because it is sooo easy, and sooo quick; the other night, I did all the prep and cooking in less than 45 minutes. Even better, wrapping the tenderloin in prosciutto keeps the pork nice and tender which is great for me since I tend to have a propensity for overcooking pork. Probably the best part is that the kids will eat it!

I found this recipe on Real Simple, and was reminded that I really like that magazine as source for weeknight meals. I always forget about it, and then when I re-discover it, I am so happy I did. The recipe calls for red Bartlett pears, but I've just always used the green ones. I am not sure that it really makes a difference which pears you use -- I've always been happy with the results. Either way, do make sure that you use firm pears so that they don't turn to mush during the roasting process. And, I've used both fresh thyme and dried thyme. If you have the fresh on hand, use it -- but if not, the dried thyme will work too.

Prosciutto-wrapped Pork with Sweet Potatoes and Pears
(courtesy of Real Simple Magazine online)
Serves 4

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cut lengthwise into wedges
2 firm red Bartlett pears, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons of olive oil
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 piece of pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4 lbs)
1/4 lb of thinly sliced prosciutto
1 tablespoon of honey

-- Heat oven to 425F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, pears, thyme, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
-- Meanwhile wrap the pork in the prosciutto, slightly overlapping the slices to cover the pork completely.
-- Push the vegetables to the sides of the baking sheet, place the pork in the center, and drizzle the pork with honey.
-- Roast until the pork is cooked through, and the pears and potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Let pork rest about 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with sweet potatoes and pears.

Afghan Stew

I don't have a lot of experience with Afghan cuisine except to know that it's awfully tasty, so when I found a recipe for Afghan lamb stew with spinach, I knew I had to try it. To be frank, I am not sure how authentic that recipe really is, but I only used it as a starting point anyway. I actually made a fair amount of changes to it, and I believe I came out with a more flavorful result. For instance, I replaced the water with beef broth and added red wine. I also dusted the lamb with flour for a richer flavor. In addition, I added more spices than were called for in the recipe.

One of the the things that I really like about making things like stews is that you generally have a lot of room to experiment and can easily adjust the taste of the dish with the kind and quantity of spices you use. However, it also means that I often toss things into my dishes without really measuring them. So when you check out my recipe, keep in mind that the quantities are just estimates. You should definitely feel free to adjust the seasoning according to your own tastes and what you already have in your spice cabinet.

Afghan Lamb Stew
(serves 4)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound cubed lamb stew meat
flour for coating meat
salt and pepper to taste
dash of beef grill seasoning
2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup dry red wine
cayenne pepper to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
dash of Old Bay seasoning (optional)
3 cups chopped chard
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

-- Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat.
-- Add the onion and cook until transparent.
-- Increase heat to medium, and add garlic and lamb. Cook, stirring frequently, until meat is browned on the outside.
-- Pour in the broth, wine, and season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, and Old Bay.
-- Bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to low.
-- Cover the pan, and continue cooking for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
-- Add chard and cilantro to the meat mixture, and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
-- Serve over rice.


The original recipe calls for the stew to be served over basmati rice, but I didn't happen to have any in my pantry, so I just used some jasmine rice -- almost any rice will do. I always use broth instead of water to cook rice, so this time I used beef broth to complement the flavors of the stew.

I happen to like my food really spicy (I have an asbestos tongue), but since I am also feeding the husband and kids, I kept it toned down a little. You can easily crank up the spice by using more cayenne or Old Bay. If you make it too spicy, you can dilute it by adding more of the liquid, or even adding a little sugar. If you end up with too much liquid, you can just thicken it up by adding some cornstarch.

The original recipe calls for spinach, but I happened to have two big beautiful heads of chard in my kitchen, so I used that instead. I think that you could use just about any leafy green in this recipe.

The result was really tasty and could be tweaked in so many different ways. I think that next time I might add a little cinnamon and see what that does to the taste. You could also add diced tomatoes for an even heartier stew. I might also drop a dollop of yogurt on top when serving (this would also help cut some of the heat if you've got a spicy dish).

Apple and Cheddar Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I have to admit that I am addicted to my iPhone. As I told one friend, it has everything I've been missing all these years. One of reasons I love it is all of the different apps that I can use on it -- and not just apps to kill time, but things that actually increase my productivity and efficiency! Among my favorites is the Dinner Spinner from Allrecipes.com. I use it a lot when I am trying to figure out what to cook for dinner. Today I knew that I had to use some chicken breast, so I pulled out my trusty iPhone, typed it into the Dinner Spinner search engine, and the very first result that came up was for chicken breast stuffed with apples and cheddar. It sounded yummy, and bonus! -- I had all of the ingredients already in my kitchen. The original recipe can be found here, but I made a few changes and tweaks. This is my version of the recipe.

Apple and Cheddar Stuffed Chicken Breasts
(serves 2-4)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped Granny Smith apple
2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon panko
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 /2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon Colman's English dry mustard powder
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

-- Combine apple, cheese, panko, curry powder, allspice, and dry mustard. Set aside.
-- Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.
-- Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.

-- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts.
-- Add wine and 1/4 cup of chicken broth.
-- Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.

-- Transfer chicken to a serving platter.
-- Combine 1 tablespoon of chicken broth and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan.
-- Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken and serve.

This was really easy and didn't take long at all. While the chicken was cooking, I roasted some fingerling potatoes, and sauteed some sugar snap peas. It turned out to be a tasty meal and the house smelled delicious when my husband came home from work. The chicken recipe is one I think could be very flexible -- you could choose a variety of different spices to add to the apple mixture like cinnamon or nutmeg or cayenne. And as my friend Tracy says, pork makes everything taste better, so next time I might also add some prosciutto or bacon to the apple mixture.

Grilled Peach Salad

I haven't been doing much cooking this summer. We spent most of June on vacation, so there wasn't much opportunity to cook. But, we're back in town and enjoying all the produce that summer brings with it. Last week I got some gorgeous peaches in our CSA delivery and wanted to use them for more than just a snack or dessert. So, I put together this salad last night -- it was shamefully easy and quick. In order to bring out even more sweetness in the peaches, I grilled them using my stove top grill pan. I certainly could have used my outdoor grill, but I wasn't about to fire that thing up just for a few peach halves. In this case, the grill pan did the trick. In addition, I added sliced chicken breast to make it a meal, but you use another protein like shrimp or even finely sliced beef instead. And I chose watercress only because I like the peppery taste, but you certainly use a different green, or a combination of them.

And this is one of those recipes for which I didn't really use defined quantities. It's a salad, so you can just use as much or as little of the ingredients as you like.

Grilled Peach Salad

(serves 2-4)

2-3 peaches, halved and pitted

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbs canola oil

Salt and pepper

1 lb bocconcini, each ball halved (or other fresh mozzarella cut into bite-sized pieces)

Watercress

1-2 tbs lemon olive oil (or fresh lemon juice from one lemon plus 1-2 tbs olive oil)

-- Brush butter over both sides of peach halves, place on grill pan heated to medium-high heat. Cook peaches until grill marks appear, about 5-6 minutes per side

-- Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper

-- Heat canola oil over medium high heat, and add chicken breasts. Cook chicken breasts until just opaque

-- Remove peaches from heat, and slice into quarters

-- Remove chicken from heat, and slice thinly

-- Add watercress, bocconcini, and chicken to bowl. Season with lemon olive oil*, salt, pepper, and serve with peach slices on top.

*If you don't have the lemon olive oil, just whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil until emulsified, then add with salt and pepper to salad.

Is it Pasta? Is it a Salad? Is it a Pasta Salad?

My husband and I are leaving on a tropical vacation in a couple of weeks, and are just vain enough to want to make sure we'll look decent in our bathing suits.  So, we've been trying to eat lighter for the past few weeks.  Now, I know what you're thinking:  pasta isn't the way to lose weight.  But, this dish can take as little or as much pasta as you want to add.  That's why I am not sure whether to call it a salad or a pasta.  If you decide to use a pound of pasta, I guess it's really a pasta dish.  But if you want to keep it on the lighter side, you could use just a 1/2 pound of pasta and add more zucchini, spinach and/or chicken breast.   I'll write it out with the quantities I used the other night.  It was enough to be dinner for two adults and two kids.  

Zucchini, Chicken, and Pasta Salad

(serves 2-4)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

2-3 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 cup, chopped fresh spinach

2 scallions, minced

1/2 pound pasta (you can use long pasta like linguine, or short pasta like penne)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-- Add pasta to pot of boiling, salted water.

-- While pasta cooks, whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

-- Add zucchini, and toss to coat.  Let rest while cooking the chicken

-- In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  

-- Cook chicken until golden on both sides, and cooked through.

-- Remove chicken from skillet and slice into thin pieces.

-- Once pasta is cooked to al dente, drain and add to zucchini mixture.  Toss with another tablespoon of olive oil to make sure pasta doesn't get sticky.  

-- Add chicken, spinach, scallions, Parmesan to bowl.  Mix and serve warm or let cool and serve at room temperature.  

What I like about this recipe is that it is so versatile and lends itself to additions and substitutions.  For instance, instead of using regular olive oil and a lemon, I used my favorite Meyer lemon infused olive oil.  If you want more veggies, you could include more spinach or zucchini.  You could even add sweet English peas or yellow crookneck squash as well.  You can adjust the amount of pasta depending on whether you're looking for a one-dish meal, or a side.  You can eat it warm or at room temperature.  And, I am pretty sure that it would make a good dish for a potluck.  In fact, I have one coming up next week -- I think I know what I'll bring!  

Key Lime Cake

My husband loves desserts, specifically things like cakes and pies.  He was rooting around here the other day looking for something sweet and we didn't have anything to satisfy him.  He has been working like a dog lately, and I felt badly for him, so I resolved to make him something yummy.  Now, I generally opt for baking cakes from scratch, but I am not opposed to taking shortcuts on occasion.  So, when I found a recipe for Key Lime Cake that included cake mix, I decided to try it -- my husband's favorite pie is Key Lime, so I figured a Key Lime Cake would be equally appealing to him. 

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and only made two changes:  I added one more tablespoon of key lime juice to the glaze, and I included just a little green food coloring to give the cake just a slight lime green hue.  

Key Lime Cake II

Courtesy of allrecipes.com, submitted by Kaye Frickhoeffer

makes one bundt cake or one 9x13 cake

1 package lemon cake mix

1 package of instant lemon pudding mix

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

5 tablespoons of key lime juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons of key lime juice

-- Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan or one 10 inch bundt pan. 

-- In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, eggs, and 5 tablespoons of key lime juice.  Mix well and pour into cake pan. 

-- Bake for 45 minutes

-- Let cool, remove from pan, and pour glaze over cake while still warm

Glaze:

-- Mix together the sugar and 3 tablespoons of key lime juice, more if desired

-- Spoon over cake 

If the speed with which he devoured this cake was any indication, I would say it was a great success!  He had about three pieces after dinner, and then I caught him scarfing down a couple more at about 9pm.  It was definitely tasty and moist with just the right amount of key lime flavor.  This is a keeper for when I need a quick pick-me-up.  

Green Risotto

A friend of mine was coming over to dinner tonight with her daughters and I knew I wanted to make a risotto -- I like to do the one-dish meal when we're having the dinner-playdate.  I wanted to make something different than my normal repertoire of risottos, so I was poking around the internet for some ideas when I came across a recipe for risotto with fava beans.   Given that it's the middle of March, I knew that it was probably too early to find favas.  I tried three places, including our farmers' market, and discovered I was correct:  I need to wait a couple more weeks.  Instead, I found some English peas and decided to use them instead.   Since I like the sweetness of fresh peas, I thought that it might be nice to use scallions in addition to yellow onion.  I also figured that a touch of lemon would work too, so when I pureed the peas, I used the meyer lemon olive oil that I love.  If you don't have access to lemon-infused oil, you can always use regular extra virgin olive oil and add freshly-squeezed lemon juice.  

Green Risotto

(4-6 servings)

1/2 lb fresh English peas

1/4 cup lemon-infused olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped 

3-4 scallions, white and light green parts only

5 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1/3 cup fresh grated Parmigiano cheese, plus more to taste

-- Add shelled peas to boiling salted water.  Blanch for 1 minute, then drain and submerge in ice water to stop cooking process (and keep peas bright green).

-- When cool, puree peas with olive oil and set aside.

-- In saucepan, bring broth to a simmer and keep hot.

-- In a separate large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in medium heat.

-- Add onions and scallions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

-- Reduce heat to medium-low, and add rice.  Toast rice until opaque and it starts to release a nutty aroma, about 2 minutes, stirring the entire time.

-- Add wine and stir until liquid is mostly absorbed, and then add one ladle of broth.  

-- Continue to stir until broth is absorbed and add another ladle of broth. Stir frequently.  Repeat this process until rice is al dente and has a creamy consistency, about 2o minutes.   

-- Add pea puree to risotto, and stir until well-blended.   

-- Remove from heat, add remaining butter and Parmigiano cheese, and stir to incorporate. 

-- Serve immediately with more cheese to taste.  

The color of the pureed peas is so pretty -- a bright celery green color.  When you add it to the rice, it gives the entire dish a lovely light green hue.  I wish I had taken a photo of it, but since the meal was for guests, I didn't want to bring out the camera and start taking pictures of my meal.  Next time I make it, I'll take a picture.  Oh, and there will be a next time.  My 4-year-old (my toughest critic) loved it, and even had two helpings, consuming green veggies without even realizing it.  Another thing I could have done was to have reserved some of the peas before I pureed them, and then added the whole peas to the risotto when I added the puree.  But, knowing that I was going to be feeding four children under the age of 5, I figure that calling attention to the presence of vegetables would be a mistake.   In addition, I served the risotto with a simple arugula salad (which my 2-year old gobbled up).

I haven't given up on the fava beans.  Once they're in season, I am going to try this one again with the favas.  

Fig and Pecorino Crostini

A couple of weeks ago I made this appetizer for a dinner party.   Ordinarily I spend so much of my effort on the main course that I often feel like starters are an afterthought.  This time I planned ahead of time and found this recipe from Giada de Laurentiis.   It was a hit and may become my go-to starter in the future. 

Pecorino Romano with Apples and Fig Jam

Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

(4-6 servings)

6 dried figs, halved

1/2 cup simple syrup*

2 tablespoons brandy

1/4 chopped toasted hazelnuts

24 baguette slices

Olive oil for drizzling

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano 

1 large apple (Granny Smith or Braeburn), thinly sliced into 24 slices

1/4 pound chunk Pecorino Romano, for shaving 24 pieces

-- Preheat oven to 375F

-- Place a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the figs, simple syrup, and brandy.  

-- Bring mixture to a simmer then turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes.  

-- Place the fig mixture and hazelnuts in food processor and blend until pureed.  Then set aside. 

-- Place baguette slices on a heavy baking sheet.  Drizzle each slice with olive oil.

-- Top each slice with 1 teaspoon of grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
-- Bake until the cheese is melted and golden, about 7 minutes. 

-- Top each slice of toast with 2 teaspoons of fig jam, a slice of apple, and a slice of shaved Pecorino Romano.  

-- Transfer toasts to a serving platter and serve.  

*Simple Syrup

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

-- In a saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat. 

-- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. 

-- Take pan off of heat and let cool.  Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Just a couple of notes:

-- I didn't bother to toast the hazelnuts:  I was too lazy.  I am sure that if I had, the flavor would have been even better, but I honestly have burned so many nuts in the past, that I always skip this step in recipes now.   The hazelnuts I used were so yummy that the jam came out lovely without toasting them.

-- Hazelnuts are also called "filberts", so try looking for them under either name at your grocery store.  

-- I suggest that you add only about 3/4 of the simple syrup to the food processor.  See how thick it comes out first.  It's a lot easier to make it thinner, if you need to, than to thicken it up again.  Also note that as the jam cools, it thickens up.  Remember, the consistency should be that of a jam.  

-- I used a Granny Smith apple; they're my favorite anyway, and just really lend themselves in both sweetness and crispness to this recipe.

This appetizer was so good that my guests gobbled up every single one of them.  I also made extra jam which I've been using on toast in the morning as well as on our pork chops the other night (I used it on my Figgy Pork recipe).   I think I might even make a batch of this at Christmas time, put it in a pretty jar, and use it as my hostess gift when attending holiday parties.  

Chicken Paillard with Lemon and Shallot Sauce Served Two Ways

I threw a dinner party on Saturday night that required a few trips to Whole Foods as well as our neighborhood mom-and-pop grocery store. As a result, I have been unmotivated to see the inside of either place for a couple of days.  Tonight I figured I would slap together whatever I could find in the refrigerator.  I normally have at least one chicken breast in my freezer, and tonight I happend to have two.  I also had some shallot left over from the other night, and about two dozen meyer lemons from my tree in the back yard.   I decided this was enough to make some kind of chicken cutlets and a sauce.  

The organic chicken breasts that I buy are always very thick, and I almost never use them whole.  In most cases, I slice them through the middle -- I am just too impatient to wait for the thick ones to cook.  I am also lazy, so in most cases I won't even pound the chicken breast to create a uniform thickness.  I guess that means that my recipe isn't a true pailliard, but what the hell -- it's my blog, I'll call it what I want.  

Since I essentially made this up as I was going along, the ingredient amounts aren't exact, but are probably a pretty good estimation.  

Chicken Paillard with Lemon and Shallot Sauce

(serves 2-4)

4 chicken breasts, about 1/2 inch thick

2-3 tablespoons canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1-2 tablespoons minced shallot 

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken broth

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt to taste

-- Pat dry chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper

-- Heat canola oil in skillet over med-high heat

-- When oil is hot, add chicken and sear about 2-3 minutes per side

-- Remove chicken when just opaque, tent with foil, and set aside

-- Reduce heat and add shallot, cooking until soft and fragrant, less than 2 minutes

-- Add butter and let melt

-- Add flour and wisk to incorporate it into butter

-- Add chicken broth, then increase heat to allow sauce to reduce

-- When reduced by almost half, add lemon juice

-- Let reduce a little more, add salt to taste

-- Return chicken to pan to rest in sauce for about a minute 

-- Serve breasts with sauce spooned over top

I served the chicken to my husband and kids with quartered potatoes and peas -- a solid, balanced weeknight meal.  For me, I had some arugula I wanted to use, so I shredded a breast, and served it over a little salad I made with the arugula, thinly sliced red onion, kalamata olives, and thinly shaved slices of parmigiano cheese.  Instead of a dressing, I just drizzed a couple of teaspoons of the sauce over my salad.  The combination of the arugula with the sauce was really tasty.  I think that I will also use this sauce on fish in the future.   

Limey Flank Steak Marinade

I haven't cooked red meat in a while.  After reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, my husband and I decided to cut down on our intake.  But, I really do love a steak once in a while.  So when I was at the grocery store the other day, I decided on a flank steak -- they're great on the grill and are perfect on their own or in fajita.  

I threw together my own marinade today, and it was one of the best I've made.  The steak was juicy and tender.  I just tossed some stuff into the mixing bowl, so I don't really have any exact measurements, but I'll try to guesstimate below.  

Lime and Scallion Marinade

Juice of 2 limes

2 scallions (use both white and green parts)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbs chopped cilantro

2 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs worcestershire sauce

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

-- Mix all ingredients together in one bowl.  You can add more of the liquid ingredients to suit your taste.  

-- Pour marinade into a gallon-sized ziploc bag

-- Add 1-1.5 lb flank steak to bag and seal. 

-- Gently turn bag over until marinade is spread all over the steak.  Then place in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.  

-- When you're ready to grill the steak, remove from bag and discard marinade.  

Quiches (I promise not to make any jokes about "real men" and quiche)

I have a new favorite dish to make:  quiche.  Let me extol the virtues of the sublime quiche.  They're easy to make, they're versatile, they make great dishes for entertaining or for just the family, you can add all kinds of good-for-you veggies, they're a great pot-luck meal, they can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and best of all, they're really tasty! 

In the past couple of weeks, I've made two recipes that I've found particularly easy.  Both are variations on recipes found originally on Allrecipes.com, but the two quiche recipes below reflect my own changes.  In addition, I use a ridiculously easy pie crust recipe that works perfectly with both sweet and savory dishes alike; it too comes from allrecipes.com.   

No-Roll Pie Crust II
Courtesy of allrecipes.com, submitted by Laura_1221
(makes one 9-inch pie crust)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons of milk

-- In a 9-inch pie plate sift flour, sugar and salt.  Make a well in the center and pour in oil and milk.
-- Mix with a fork and then press into the bottom and sides of a pie plate.  
-- Can be used as is for recipes that call for an unbaked crust.  
-- For recipes that call for a baked crust, preheat oven to 450F, bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  

Potato, Ham, and Onion Quiche
(serves 8)

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
2 cups of shredded hash browned potatoes (thaw if using frozen)
1/3 cup butter, melted
salt to taste
1 cup diced cooked ham
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
 
-- Preheat oven to 425F
-- Press hash browns into the bottom and sides of the pie crust. 
-- Drizzle with butter and sprinkle with salt
-- Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until potatoes begin to brown
-- In a small bowl, combine ham, onion, and shredded cheese.   In a separate bowl, whisk togethereggs, milk, salt, and pepper.  
-- When crust is ready, spread ham mixture evenly on the bottom, then cover with the egg mixture.
-- Reduce oven temperature to 350F, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until filling is puffed and golden brown.  

Spinach Quiche
(serves 8)

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
1 (10-ounce) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped (white parts only)
4 eggs, beaten
1 (16 ounce) package of cottage cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

 
-- Preheat oven to 325F
-- Place spinach in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until soft.  Drain off any remaining liquid.
-- Stir in green onions, eggs, cottage cheese, and cheddar cheese. 
-- Pour mixture into crust.  
-- Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes, or until eggs are set

 

Grandma's Pizzelle

I am completely indulging myself with this post.  I truly don't believe there are too many folks out there looking for pizzelle recipes.  First of all, you probably need to be Italian.  You also need to have had a grandmother or great aunt or someone who made them for you, as they're pretty old school.  Then, you need to actually like the taste of anise; in my experience, not many people do.  And finally -- and this is the biggie -- you actually have to have access to a pizzelle maker.  It's essentially like a waffle iron, only it makes thin cookies into their distinctive floral/star shape on one side, and grid pattern on the other side.

  

I actually meet all four of those requirements, including owning a pizzelle maker.   My grandmother used to make pizzelle all the time.   She always had a stack of them in her house, and we were constantly going home with a package of them wrapped up in foil.  For holidays she would even make the chocolate variety.  

So, there is nothing inherently Christmas-y about them, but for me, I can't imagine a Christmas without them.  This is my first Christmas without my grandmother.  She died this summer at 91 years old -- and she was making pizzelle almost until the end.  It's a tradition I want to pass along to my girls.  As they grow up, they won't really remember their Bisnonna, but I can continue her tradition through the pizzelle.   Her recipe follows. 

Big Vick's Pizzelle

(makes about 3 dozen cookies)

6 eggs

2 sticks of softened butter

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

2 teaspoons of anise oil

3 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 cups of sugar

4 teaspoons of baking powder

3 tablespoons anise seed

-- Heat up the pizzelle iron

-- Cream eggs, butter, vanilla, and aniseed together

-- Add dry ingredients and blend until smooth.  Batter should be thick

-- Spray canola oil or some other non-stick spray onto both the top and bottom parts of the pizzelle iron.  You may need to repeat this a few times as you work through the batter

-- Drop about a tablespoon of the batter into the center of the iron, depending on how thick you want the cookies to be.  Shut iron and keep pressed for about 30-45 seconds.   The tighter you keep it, the thinner the cookies will be. 

-- Use a spatula to remove the cookies from the iron

-- Let cool, and then pack airtight

Once you make these a few times you'll learn that the first few cookies are your "mulligan" cookies.    It will take you a few cookies to figure out how much batter to use, how thick/thin you want them to be, how long to keep the iron shut, how often you will need to re-spray the iron, etc.  But once you get the hang of it, they're fun to make.   The cookies are a yummy alternative to biscotti with coffee in the morning.   And the anise has a nice digestive flavor for after dinners. 

If you're at all interested in buying your own pizzelle maker, you should check out Fante's.  It is located in the Italian market area of South Philadelphia, but has an online storefront as well.   This is where my own grandmother bought some of her own equipment.   

Enjoy your pizzelle, and Buon Natale!

Figgy Pork

My parents visited the wine country in Sonoma earlier this fall and brought me back a jar of dried fig compote from the girl & the fig.  I looove figs.  I've been saving this jar until I could find something really special for which to use it.  I didn't want to just spread it on bread like it was some pedestrian jelly.  I wanted to use it on something more exciting.  But after looking at it sitting in my pantry for two  months, I finally decided to just use it.  Since pork lends itself so well to sweet sauces, I decided to use the compote with pork chops.  I looked at a few different recipes for inspiration, and came up with the following.    I suspect you could tweak it a bunch of different ways and still come up with something equally tasty.  The key here was the fig compote.   It was definitely a keeper recipe.   And, the ingredient amounts listed below are mostly approximations -- I did this one mostly by sight rather than by measuring utensils.   

Pork Chops with Fig Compote

(makes 4 servings)

4 bone-in pork chops

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt 

fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup diced onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup chicken broth

pinch of dried thyme

1 jar (about 1 cup) dried fig compote 

 

-- Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper

-- Heat large heavy skillet over medium high heat.  Add olive oil and swirl to coat pan. 

-- Sear pork chops on each side until just golden brown, turning only once. 

-- Remove to a platter and keep warm

-- Reduce heat, add onions and saute for about 2 minutes

-- Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute

-- Pour the red wine into the pan to deglaze and scrape up browned bits

-- Cook one minute, then add chicken broth, thyme, and fig compote

-- Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens

-- Return chops to the pan to warm and cover in sauce

-- Serve chops with sauce spooned over top

My Achilles heel is pork.  For some reason I have a lot of trouble not over-cooking it.  Chops, especially the thinner cuts, just cook so much faster than I anticipate.  So if you have this tendency at all, I would recommend that when you remove your seared chops from the pan, leave them a little undercooked.  They'll cook more once you return them to the pan.  

Lastly, this is a fast recipe, perfect for weeknights.  I served it with some roasted blue and red potatoes and some zucchini rounds sauteed in olive oil and seasoned with fleur de sel.   

Note:  Since posting this, I've created a new variation on this recipe to make an orange-y pork.  Instead of deglazing with white wine, I use orange juice.  And I replace the fig compote for about a cup of orange marmalade.  All of the rest stays exactly the same.  I love the combination of citrus with pork, so for me, this is an even tastier recipe.  

Florentine Cookies for Christmas

Here we are again:  Christmas cookie season!  I've already made a batch of sugar cookies which my four-year-old liberally sprinkled with red and green sugar.  Today we made milk chocolate florentines. There isn't anything inherently Christmas-y about them.  I just love them and since I generally only bake cookies once a year, they've become Christmas cookies for me.  

I've actually posted this recipe once before.  However since then, I've amended it slightly. So, I am actually re-posting it now.  Hopefully, I'll be trying another cookie recipe this week.  If it's at all successful, I'll share that one too!

Milk Chocolate Florentine Cookies
(makes about 3 dozen sandwich cookies)

2/3 cup butter

2 cups quick oats
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon. vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 oz (3/4 cup) milk chocolate morsels

-- Preheat oven to 375F.  Line baking sheets with foil, parchment or silpat.

-- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and remove from heat when melted.

-- Stir in oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt.  Mix well.

-- Drop by level teaspoons, about 3 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. 

-- Spread thinly with rubber spatula. 

-- Bake 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.

-- Cool completely on baking sheets.

-- Remove cookies (if using foil, peel cookies from foil) and place on wire racks.

-- Microwave morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high (70%) power for 1 minute.  Stir.
-- Microwave at additional 10-20 second intervals, stirring until smooth. 

-- Spread thin layer of melted chocolate onto flat side of half the cookies.  Top with remaining cookies. 

I love these cookies because you can let them sit in a cookie tin or on a covered plate on your counter, and the cookie remains soft and kind of chewy.  Or you can chill them in the refrigerator and the chocolate firms a little and gives the cookie a somewhat different texture.   Either way, they are always the first cookies to go in my house.  

Thanksgiving Recipes

We had a small Thanksgiving this year -- just the four of us plus my in-laws.  So, I felt that it was a good year to try new recipes.  Why not?  If they failed, it was only a small crowd.  Fortunately, they all turned out great!  Some recipes I followed to a tee, and others I changed a little.  Unfortunately, I was so busy that day that I neglected to take pictures of anything but the cranberry sauce (which I actually made the Tuesday before Thanksgiving).   So, here are the recipes for the cranberry sauce, the turkey, and the pies.  We also had a salad, garlic mashed potatoes, stuffing (which my mother-in-law makes), and of course, chestnuts.  

Turkey with Herbes de Provence and Citrus

Courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis, Food Network

(makes 8-10 servings)

1 (14-15lb) turkey, neck and giblets reserved

1 orange, cut into wedges

1 lemon, cut into wedges

6 fresh rosemary sprigs

6 fresh oregano sprigs

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons herbes de Provence

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

To prepare turkey:

-- Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400F

-- Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. 

-- Place the turkey on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. 

-- Place the orange and lemon wedges, onion, and 2 sprigs of each fresh herb in the main turkey cavity. Tie the legs together to hold the shape of the turkey. 

-- Stir 2 tablespoons of butter, the herbes de Provence, oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of each the salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat just until the butter melts. 

-- Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey and between the turkey breast meat and skin. 

-- Place the turkey neck and giblets in roasting pan. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.)

-- Cover the tukey breast with foil and roast for 20 minutes. 

-- Pour 3 cups of broth into the pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of pan.  

-- Add the remaining sprigs of fresh herbs to the pan.  Roast turkey for 40 minutes.  
-- Reduce the oven temperature to 350F.  Remove foil from turkey, and pour 1 more cup of broth into the pan.  
-- Continue roasting the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165F to 175F or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 

hour and 30 minutes longer.  
-- Transfer the turkey to a platter and tent with foil.  
-- Let stand 30 minutes while preparing gravy.  

To make the gravy:

-- Strain the turkey pan juices from the roasting pan through a sieve and into a 4-cup glass measuring cup; discard the solids. 

--Spoon off the fat from atop the pan juices. Add enough chicken broth, about 1 to 2 cups, to the pan juices to measure 4 cups total.

-- Melt the remaining butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. 

-- Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth. 

-- Simmer until the gravy thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes. 

-- Season with salt and pepper. Serve the turkey with the gravy.  

You can adjust this recipe for a smaller or larger bird.  Ours was about 11 1/2 pounds, so I didn't need quite the entire lemon and orange to stuff it.   

Blue Cranberry Sauce

Courtesy of allrecipes.com, submitted by: connie

(makes 9 servings)

1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries

1 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 pint fresh blueberries

-- Wash and pick over cranberries. Place in a medium saucepan with water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, stir and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst

-- Slightly mash the cranberries with the back of a wooden spoon to ensure all skins are broken. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Mix well.

-- Remove from heat and mix in the blueberries (don't be afraid to break a few, but don't over mash either). The sauce will thicken as it cools.

-- Transfer to a bowl, cool slightly and place plastic wrap directly on top of sauce to cover. 

-- Refrigerate until chilled.

As I mentioned, I made this two days earlier and it held up just fine.  In fact, I suspect that the flavors melded together better over the course of those couple of days.  This dish is really verstile:  it can be eaten chilled or at room temperature or warmed.   Everyone really liked it -- even those folks who generally skip the cranberry sauce (like me).  

Pumpkin Pie

(makes 8 servings)

1 fresh pumpkin 

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

2 eggs

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 can (12 fluid ounce) evaporated milk 

-- Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. 

-- Place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil.  

-- Bake at 325F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. 

-- Cool until just warm. 

-- Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. 

-- Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender. 

-- Increase oven temperature to 450F.

-- In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs. 

-- Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and evaporated milk. Stir well after each addition. 

-- Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Be sure to place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent overbrowning. 

-- Bake 10 minutes at 450F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350F.

-- Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown. 

-- Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

My husband who is a huge pumpkin pie fan told me this was the best one he had ever tasted.  Now that's a compliment!  When indicated, most pumpkin pie recipes state that a sugar pumpkin should be used.  It's a sweet pumpkin that can easily be found and is traditionally used for pies.  However, I happened to have a Long Island cheese pumpkin on hand from my CSA delivery.  I had to do a little research, but it turns out that these pumpkins are great for pies.  They're naturally very sweet.  I wasn't disappointed.  And lastly, you can use either a homemade pie crust or a store-bought frozen crust.  I wouldn't get the unrefrigerated kind that are sitting on the aisle with the cake mixes.  

Sweet Potato Pie

(makes 8 servings)

1 (1 pound) sweet potato
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

-- Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
-- Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. 
-- Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, flour, and rum. 
-- Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
-- Bake at 350F for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 
-- Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.
-- Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

I've never made sweet potato pie before -- I've never even eaten it.  But I've always wanted to try it.  So this year, I knew that I wanted to have both mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes in our Thanksgiving meal, but I couldn't really justify two kinds of potatoes for just seven of us at dinner.  I decided to incorporate the sweet potatoes as dessert instead.  So, I found a few different sweet potato pie recipes and created my own.  It turned out really yummy.  It's sweet, so it's not for folks who like subtle flavors; you can probably cut the sugar to 3/4 cup in total, especially if you're adding the alcohol.  I used dark rum, but you can also use bourbon instead.

Those are my Thanksgiving recipes.  While I probably won't use the turkey and cranberry recipe again until next year, I am definitely going to make the pies again.  I actually have enough pumpkin puree left over in the freezer for another pie.  I am hosting Christmas Eve at my house, so maybe it will make an appearance then!