It's Melissa's Kitchen

Farm Stand Greek Salad

2010-08-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the Food to Live By cookbook! I've made this salad many times and it is fabulous. I always leave out the olives and capers since I'm not a fan. And although I roasted my own pepper this time (on the gas stove), I think roasted peppers out of a jar are just as good and much easier.

Farm Stand Greek Salad

Courtesy of Food to Live By

3 romaine hearts
1 small regular cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half, or 2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
30 kalamata olives, pitted
About 1/3 cup Classic Red Wine Vinaigrette (see below)
3 ounces feta cheese, grated or crumbled (about 2/3 cup)
1 red bell pepper, roasted and cut into 1-inch strips, for garnish

Clean the romaine and cut into 1-inch strips. Add the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, capers, and olives and toss. Add the vinaigrette. Garnish with feta and bell pepper strips.

Serves 6 as a side salad

Classic Red Wine Vinaigrette

1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon finely minced shallot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk to combine. The vinaigrette can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 month.

Makes about 1 cup

CEiMB: Shrimp Fra Diavlo with Spinach

2010-08-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

This recipe was chosen by Jennifer. I substituted fire roasted tomatoes for the no-salt-added and am so glad I did. This dish definitely needed a little heat. Totally easy dinner though!

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

3/4 pound whole-wheat thin spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced (I diced this)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce no-salt-added diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves (3 ounces), coarsely chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente and according to the directions on the package.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stiffing, for 1 additional minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and spinach and cook, stirring, until the shrimp is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the drained cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until well combined.

Makes 4 servings

CEiMB: Panzanella with Chicken Sausage

2010-07-15T02:01:00.000-07:00

Peggy of Pantry Revisited chose this Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe. While this recipe for panzanella was definitely healthier than my usual recipe, I have to say that I prefer this recipe, mostly for the toasted bread. Even so, this was much enjoyed and I ate the leftovers for breakfast this morning!

Panzanella with Chicken Sausage

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

8 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges (about 1 1/2pounds)
1 small English cucumber, cut into half-moons
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 small whole-grain baguette or other crusty bread (preferably day-old, about 8 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1/3 cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 package Italian-style precooked chicken sausage, about 12 ounces total

In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the bread chunks and basil and toss well so all the bread is well moistened.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Add the sausage and cook, turning once or twice, until warmed through and grill marks are formed, about 8 minutes. Serve the sausage, whole, alongside the panzanella.

Chickpea Feta Salad

2010-06-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

It's about time I got back to blogging! I'm not sure if there are even any readers out there anymore! I've got backed up blog posts from the last few months, but in the meantime, here's something healthy and simple. We're enjoying this for dinner tonight along with some tomato soup.

Chickpea Feta Salad

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup English cucumber, diced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

CEiMB: Emerald Stir-Fry with Beef

2010-03-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

Let's just say this wasn't my favorite...no flavor!

Emerald Stir-Fry with Beef

•1/4 cup mirin or semisweet white wine, like Riesling
•1/4 cup orange juice
•1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
•2 tablespoons rice vinegar
•1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•1/4 cup water
•2 tablespoons canola oil
•8 ounces beef round tip steak, sliced 1/4-inch thick
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•2 cups fresh snow peas (6 ounces)
•1 large bunch broccoli (1 1/4 pounds) trimmed and cut into small florets
•1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and sliced on diagonal into 2-inch pieces
•2 cups (8 ounces) frozen shelled edamame
•1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
•1 teaspoon sesame oil

Combine mirin or white wine, orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes and water in a small bowl.

In a large wok or very large (14-inch) saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until just browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat and cook garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add snow peas, broccoli, asparagus and edamame, raise heat to medium-high, and cook for 3 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened. Add the mirin-soy mixture and cook, stirring, until edamame are cooked and asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and dissolved cornstarch and stir to incorporate. Cook until mixture thickens slightly and beef is heated through, an additional 2 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.

Per Serving:
(1 serving equals 2 cups stir-fry and 3 tablespoons sauce)
Calories 400; Total Fat 15 g; (Sat Fat 2 g, Mono Fat 6 g, Poly Fat 3 g) ; Protein 29 g; Carb 34 g; Fiber 11 g; Cholesterol 32 mg; Sodium 625 mg
Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron, Phosphorus, Zinc
Good source of: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Selenium

CEiMB: Five Layer Mexican Dip

2010-01-21T02:28:00.000-08:00

So the picture doesn't do this dip justice! I halved the recipe, used sugarplum tomatoes, extra chipotle peppers and included the jalapenos - fabulous and spicy! Thanks to Mama Cooks for choosing the recipe!

Five Layer Mexican Dip

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo
4 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups corn kernels (10-ounce box frozen corn)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 ripe avocados
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeno pepper, optional
3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

Put half of the onion mixture into a food processor with the black beans, chipotle pepper, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, cumin, water and salt. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

Add the corn to the skillet with the remaining onion mixture and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro leaves.

In a small bowl mash the avocado with the remaining lime juice. In a medium bowl toss together the tomatoes, scallion and jalapeno, if using. Season tomato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spread the black bean dip into the bottom of an 8 by 8 glass baking or serving dish. Top with the corn mixture, spreading it out to form a single layer over the beans, repeat with the avocado, then the tomatoes. Top with cheese. Serve with baked chips.

Per Serving:
Calories 140; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 2 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 0.7 g) ; Protein 5g; Carb 16 g; Fiber 5g; Cholesterol 6mg; Sodium 245 mg

Beef Enchiladas

2010-01-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Do you know about The Pioneer Woman? If not, you should! While I have tried a couple of her recipes that have come out good, but not great. These are GREAT! I did leave out the olives but otherwise made them exactly as written. The hubs and I fought over the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Beef Enchiladas

Courtesy of Ree Drummond

Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 6

FOR THE SAUCE

1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
2 cups Chicken Broth
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro

FOR THE MEAT:

1-½ pound Ground Beef
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
½ teaspoons Salt

FOR THE TORTILLAS:

10 whole (to 14) Corn Tortillas
½ cups Canola Oil

TO ASSEMBLE:

3 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
½ cups Chopped Black Olives
1 cup Chopped Green Onions
½ cups Chopped Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Step #1 – The Sauce
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes.

Step #2 – The Meat
Brown the meat with onions in a skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and seasoned salt. Set aside.

Step #3 – Tortillas
Heat canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. One by one, using tongs, fry tortillas in oil until soft, not crisp – about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a paper—towel lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried.

Step #4 – Assembly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour ½ cup red sauce in bottom of baking pan. Spread to even out. Dip each tortilla into red sauce, then remove to work surface. Spoon meat, a little grated cheese, a little black olives, and green onions in the center of tortilla. Roll up and place, seam down, in baking pan. Repeat until pan is filled. Pour extra red sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle cilantro over enchiladas before serving.

CEiMB: Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

2009-12-18T02:11:00.000-08:00

This is last week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe and it was great. The hubs deemed them "a little too healthy," but loved the avocado cream. They weren't quite the cheesy, greasy potato skins he loves :) I swapped turkey bacon for the canadian since the hubs does not eat pork. I'd love to make the avocado cream again to use on something else.

Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

8 small Idaho potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds total), scrubbed and dried
4 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces broccoli florets, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
Cooking spray
3 pieces Canadian bacon, finely diced (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Avocado Creme:

2 scallions, thinly sliced, greens reserved
1 medium avocado
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Pierce potatoes several times with a fork and wrap in paper towels. Microwave on high for 13 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Remove from microwave and cool until potatoes are easy to handle. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop all but 1/8 inch of the inside of the potato, leaving skin intact. Reserve scooped potato flesh for another use.
Brush both inside and outside of potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place potatoes, skin-side down, on a baking sheet and bake until skins are crisp and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the filling. Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until crisp stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve.
To make avocado cream, combine scallion whites, avocado, sour cream lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in the small bowl of a food processor and process on high until smooth. About 30 seconds.

Toss the broccoli with cheese and spoon filling evenly among potatoes. Lower oven to 400 degrees F and return potatoes to oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the avocado cream on top of broccoli-filled potatoes, then top with scallion greens and 1 teaspoon crisped bacon bits.

Yield: 8 servings (1 serving equals 2 potato halves, 1 tablespoon avocado cream, 1/2 teaspoon scallions and 1 teaspoon bacon bits)

Per Serving:
Calories 180; Total Fat 10 g; (Sat Fat 3.5 g, Mono Fat 2 g, Poly Fat 1 g) ; Protein 8 g; Carb 15 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Sodium 380 mg
(*Analyzed using 1 pound of potatoes)

CEiMB: Confetti Chili

2009-12-17T08:23:00.001-08:00

Though I'm late in posting, this was a recent Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe. Note that the recipe in the actual cookbook is slightly different from the online recipe listed below. I used the cookbook recipe which is why there is corn in my chili. Also, if I remember correctly, no pinto beans. The recipe was great...although not quite as good as my favorite chili recipe which can be found here.

Confetti Chili

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground beef; raise the heat to high and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-11-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get on track with planning meals in advance so I only have to make one trip to the store every week. So...maybe I'll be better at it if I actually write it down...that usually helps, right?!?!

Monday - Broccoli and Cheddar-Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

Tuesday - Confetti Chili on baked potatoes with roasted asparagus

Wednesday - Linguini with Spinach Pesto (I use this recipe with pasta instead of chicken) with roasted asparagus - a very green meal :)

Thursday - Take-out

Friday - Grilled chicken and Carmelized Butternut Squash

Saturday - Company Pot Roast

Let's see how I do...

CEiMB: Linguini with Shrimp

2009-11-05T02:38:00.000-08:00

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe was chosen by Confessions of a Novice Baker. It's not too often that I make a recipe exactly as written. For this one, I did, and it was awesome (well I did use whole wheat linguini but we won't count that). Loved the asparagus, the lemon, and even the tomatoes!

Linguini with Shrimp

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

3/4 pound linguini
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine
1 bunch asparagus stalks, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguini and cook according to the directions on the box. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high flame. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add the lemon juice, white wine, and the reserved cup water to the skillet. Let simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. Salt and saute the asparagus. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Return the shrimp to the pan and stir in the parsley. Add the drained linguini to the shrimp mixture, tossing to combine. Add asparagus and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 4

CEiMB: Tuscan Vegetable Soup

2009-10-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

My second Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe was hosted by Lobster and Fishsticks. I made a couple of changes to this recipe. First, when I realized at the last minute that my spinach had gone bad, I threw in some asparagus into the hot soup for about 4 minutes...perfect. I also threw in some egg noodles, mainly for the hubs who doesn't think soup is a meal. While this soup was really healthy, it didn't do a whole lot for me. Although if there's a next time, I'll make sure to add the parmesan (I forgot...it was a rough week) which makes everything better!

Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.

BB: Cheddar Corn Chowder

2009-10-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

This month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Jill of My Next Life. I've made this soup before. I didn't like it...thought it was too watery, especially for a chowder. So, after reading some of the reviews on Food Network's website, I decided to make a few changes in addition to halving the recipe...this recipe makes a TON. I added about a cup more corn, didn't skimp on the potatoes, and used about a cup and a half less chicken stock (and remember, I had halved it to begin with). Now I love this soup!

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Courtesy of Ina Garten

8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Serves 12

CEiMB: Chicken Chop Suey

2009-10-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

So I'm blogging again! I hope somebody is still reading! I also joined a new cooking group -- Craving Ellie in My Belly. Belonging to these groups means less time spent deciding what to make for dinner :) In addition, there are leftovers for lunch and we try many things we wouldn't normally try.

My first CEIMB recipe was chosen by The Healthy Hostess. Even though I used a store bought roasted chicken which I shredded and 3 minute frozen brown rice from TJ's, I still thought this recipe required quite a bit of work (or maybe just a few too many ingredients) for what it ended up as. I would make it again, but add in some more spice since I thought it was a little bland. But don't get me wrong, I did take it for lunch the following day!

Chicken Chop Suey

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

8 (3 by 3-inch) packaged Chinese wonton skins, separated
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 scallions, greens included, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
4 cups sliced napa cabbage
3/4 cup celery, thinly sliced (about 4 celery hearts or 2 long stalks)
1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained and julienned
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 6 ounces) (I used asparagus)
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cooking sherry
2 cups cubed or shredded cooked turkey or chicken
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush a baking sheet and the wonton skins lightly on both sides with 2 teaspoons of oil. Season with salt and bake for 10 to 12 minutes (mine only needed about 7 minutes - I burned the first batch), or until browned and crisp. Transfer to a cooling rack and reserve.

In a large heavy skillet or wok, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallion, garlic, cabbage, celery, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms and stir-fry until cabbage is soft and wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar, 3/4 cup of the chicken broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sherry-cornstarch mixture and, if the mixture is a little dry, the additional 1/4 cup chicken stock. Add the turkey or chicken and heat through. Serve the chop suey over the cooked brown rice and top with sesame seeds and reserved crushed wonton skins.

Yield: 4 servings (1/2 cup brown rice, 1 cup chop suey, 2 wonton skins)

BB: White Pizzas with Arugula

2009-09-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

So, I think nearly 2 months without blogging is a little much. I hope I still have some readers out there. I certainly haven't given up cooking but...geez...where does the time go? So here's the first of many catch-up posts.

In August, Barefoot Bloggers (well, technically Andrea of Nummy Kitchen) brought us White Pizzas with Arugula. The pizza was fabulous. I'm not into making my own pizza crust when the Trader Joe's crust is so good...so I skipped that part. The pizza itself was great, I'm not really into the arugula. Thus, the second time I made it...yes there was definitely a second time...I just ignored the arugula part! You can find the recipe here.

BB: Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2009-07-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

Cat of Delta Whiskey chose this recipe for Barefoot Bloggers. I wasn't looking forward to making it since it has three of my most disliked ingredients - tomatoes, capers, and olives - ewww...especially on the olives...and the capers. I am, however, known to eat tomatoes here and there - think caprese, tomato soup, and panzanella - yes, I'm strange.

So, while I was willing to leave the tomatoes in, especially since the hubs loves them, I wasn't at all willing to add in capers or olives. I thought about subbing something else in but was running short on time and forgot about it.

I finally made it - without the capers and olives of course - and it was fabulous! In reading the reviews online, many people said there wasn't enough pasta. I thought there was plenty. People also complained that there was too much cheese. However, really? Can you ever have too much cheese? I thought it was perfect! Thanks to Barefoot Bloggers for making me try something I NEVER would have made on my own.

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Courtesy of Ina Garten

1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

BB: Curried Couscous

2009-06-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually a fan of couscous, so I decided to make this month's first Barefoot Blogger's recipe with Israeli couscous. The result was fabulous and a lot less grainy - which is the part about couscous I don't normally like. I did switch out walnuts for almonds (since that's what I had on hand) and dried cranberries for the raisins since, if you've been reading my blog long enough you know, I only like raisins by themselves...not in anything! Thanks to Ellyn of Recipe Collector and Testor. I will definitely be making this again!

Curried Couscous

Courtesy of Ina Garten

Prep Time: 20 min
Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-diced carrots
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup small-diced red onion

Directions

Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

BB: Tuna Salad and Outrageous Brownies

2009-06-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Wow, I am so behind, I hope I'm not kicked out of Barefoot Bloggers already! I've been keeping up with the cooking...hey, we have to eat, but the posting is pretty much non-existent...is anyone still out there?!?!

The tuna salad chosen by Kate of Warm Olives and Cool Cocktails was pretty great, if you ignore the price of the tuna...even here in Southern CA. I pretty much think it's cheaper to order this meal out! I did make it a little cheaper by using less tuna and adding some asparagus.

As for the brownies chosen by Eva of I'm Boring, I've made and posted them before here. They're too rich for me, but others seem to love them!

Tuna Salad

Courtesy of Ina Garten

2 pounds very fresh tuna steak, cut 1-inch thick
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black, plus extra for sprinkling
2 limes, zest grated
1 teaspoon wasabi powder
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
10 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1 to 2 ripe Hass avocados, medium diced
1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
1/4 cup red onion, small diced

Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the tuna steaks in a very hot saute pan and cook for only 1 minute on each side. Set aside on a platter.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, lime zest, wasabi, lime juice, soy sauce and hot sauce. Add the avocados to the vinaigrette.

Cut the tuna in chunks and place it in a large bowl. Add the scallions and red onion and mix well. Pour the vinaigrette mixture over the tuna and carefully mix.

BB: Croque Monsieur

2009-04-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kathy of All Food Considered for choosing this month's second Barefoot Bloggers recipe. The hubs LOVED this one. I'm not a huge fan of hot deli meat. I did substitute turkey for the ham since the hubs doesn't eat pork...except for bacon...and pepperoni...hmm.

Croque Monsieur

Courtesy of Ina Garten

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes.

Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

BB: Chinese Chicken Salad

2009-04-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

This is a horrible photo, but this salad is fabulous! I've made it two times since. And want to know something interesting? Thought you would...if you accidentally leave out the peanut butter, the dressing is still awesome and a little healthier! BUT, it's definitely better when you don't forget the peanut butter :) Thanks to McKenzie of Kenzie's Kitchen for choosing this recipe!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Courtesy of Ina Garten

4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables.

Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

BB: Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

2009-03-26T01:24:00.000-07:00

This Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Anne of Anne Strawberry. These weren't the fastest things to make, but were really good. I didn't bother cutting the puff pastry into circles...what's the point in wasting some of it? I do need to watch my oven more...I haven't had very good luck with Ina's recipes and puff pastry. It always burns a bit in my oven. I also used cherry tomatoes since that's what I had on hand...worked just fine.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

Courtesy of Ina Garten

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

BB: Sauteed Broccolini

2009-03-19T01:20:00.000-07:00

I'm finally trying one of the Barefoot Bloggers bonus recipes. This one was chosen by Mary of Meet Me in the Kitchen. I thought this was great, though I thought the butter was unnecessary. Maybe just a little olive oil next time. Also, usually Ina's recipes make wayyy more servings than they say...however, this says it serves 6...I'll just say that the 2 of us finished it just fine. Enjoy!

Sauteed Broccolini

Courtesy of Ina Garten

1 bunch broccolini
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Blanch the broccolini in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the lemon zest and garlic and stir. Drain the broccolini and add it to the garlic mixture and heat for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper, and toss well before serving.

BB: Chicken Piccata

2009-03-12T02:19:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been a month since I posted anything. I have been cooking, just haven't had time to post! And I start a new job on Monday so that's not going to help things! Oh well, such is life.

This month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings and it was a fabulous choice. Seriously, easy (for chicken piccata anyway) and good. Was just going to say that this was definitely easier than the Chicken Piccata I made several months ago except I realized that that post is still sitting in my drafts folder...oops. This is definitely going to be made again and again.

I did make this slightly easier by buying pre-pounded chicken breasts at the store. It's one thing I'm willing to pay more for. Other than that, I made it exactly as Ina intended it to be made. My mouth is watering just remembering this meal!

Chicken Piccata

Courtesy of Ina Garten

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1/2 tablespoon water
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

BB: Real Spaghetti and Meatballs

2009-02-12T01:51:00.000-08:00

There's a difference of opinion in my house (or apartment) over this meal.

Rebecca over at Ezra Pound Cake chose this month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe. Since the hubs doesn't eat pork and veal is not to be found at TJ's (and we all know I don't like going to more than one grocery store), I used half ground beef and half ground turkey. I also halved the meatball recipe, used 1 pound of pasta, and made the full recipe of sauce (per suggestions from others).

I didn't like this recipe so much, but Mr. Melissa loved it and ate it for several days. Besides the fact that I've made much simpler meatball recipes before (I didn't like the whole frying process and thought it was unnecessary), I thought these were fairly tasteless. I also wasn't a huge fan of the sauce. But as I said, the hubs loved it. So...try it for yourself!

I'm linking to the recipe here because it's so long. Here is the recipe for Real Spaghetti and Meatballs. Did you get that? It's here. I'm done now...enjoy!

BB: Easy Sticky Buns

2009-02-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

This month's (well it's last month now) second Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Melissa of Made by Melissa. Love the name :)

I wasn't thrilled with this recipe. Maybe I just overcooked them a bit? Not sure, but mine just weren't gooey enough for my liking. I also left out the raisins because if you haven't figured it out yet, I just don't like raisins in my baked goods! However, I will say they were definitely easy and the very middle section was good...so I just ate the middles...of all of them...

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.

Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.

Makes 12

Amano Chocolate

2009-01-28T14:51:00.000-08:00

(photo from Amano Artisan Chocolate)

So, a few weeks ago, I received some Jembrana Amano chocolate to try. Because I'm not the biggest dark chocolate fan (yes, strange, I know), I gave it to my mom and sister to try. They said it was fabulous and I trust their judgment. I will say it had very pretty packaging and they have some really cool pictures of cocoa beans on their website! Order some and try it for yourself! (Note: Amano did not pay me to write this review (I wish), but they did send me free chocolate!)

BB: Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

2009-01-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

These pancakes were fabulous! I love that the bananas get a little bit carmelized on the bottom. I made these exactly as written (except that I never put any extra butter in the pan) and they were perfect!

Karen of Something Sweet by Karen chose this month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe so we have her to thank for this fabulous recipe!

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

Courtesy of Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Unsalted butter
2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
Pure maple syrup

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Makes 12 pancakes

BB: Pappa Al Pomidoro

2008-12-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

This month's second Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Natalie of Burned Bits.

This soup was fabulous. So healthy and flavorful. I subbed celery in for the fennel since we all know I don't like to go to more than 1 grocery store (and that 1 store is usually Trader Joe's which doesn't carry fennel). I halved the recipe and just used the handheld blender in the can of tomatoes...who doesn't like less dishes?!? The onion, celery, carrots, and garlic were all from our CSA. About the roasted basil...I think I'll leave that out next time...just tasted like burned basil to me. I also skipped the pancetta.

Pappa Al Pomidoro
Courtesy of Ina Garten

1/2 cup good olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups)
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes, crusts removed
2 (28-ounce) cans good Italian plum tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

For the topping:

3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes
2 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus more for serving Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. Reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.

Bajio Chicken Chile Salad

2008-12-22T11:43:00.000-08:00

Once again, an easy crockpot meal...well the chicken anyway. I thought the chicken was a bit sweet so I think next time I'll ease up on the brown sugar. I served this chicken on top of some romaine with some cheese and some store bought cilantro dressing. Thanks to Leigh Anne at Your Home Based Mom for the recipe.

Note: The leftover chicken was great in quesadillas.

Bajio Chicken Chile Salad

5 chicken breasts (I only used 4 large ones)
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.

Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.
If you want it spicer rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

2008-12-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

One day I was trying to use up some of the rosemary from our CSA. I saw this Ina Garten recipe, happened to have all the ingredients on hand, and knew I had to make them. These are so good. Mr. Melissa loved them too. I think we (mostly he) ate them all in the span of 5 days!

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

Courtesy of Ina Garten

This recipe is almost directly from the Bar Nuts at Union Square Cafe in New York City and their wonderful cookbook of the same name.

1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until they are warmed through. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, pepper, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl. Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. Serve warm.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

2008-12-11T21:06:00.000-08:00

This salad from the new Barefoot Contessa cookbook is fabulous! I've made it twice now. I used some red leaf lettuce and delicata squash since that's what we had from our CSA. The second time, I didn't roast the cranberries at all since the first time some of them melted and permanently stuck to my cookie sheet...oops.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

1- 1 1/2 pd butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
good olive oil
1 Tbls pure maple syrup
salt and pepper
3 Tbls dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 Tbls cider vinegar
2 Tbls minced shallots
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 oz baby arugula, washed and spun dry (I used red leaf lettuce)
1/2 walnut halves, toasted (I didn't toast)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 Tbls olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Toss. Roast squash for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Place the arugula in a large bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten, and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 4

TWD: Sugar Cookies

2008-12-10T11:27:00.000-08:00

Only a day late...not too bad huh?!? These sugar cookies are so easy and pretty darn tasty too. I was lazy and just rolled the dough up into a log, refrigerated, rolled in sprinkles, then sliced and baked. Next time I might actually try the rolling in sprinkles before refrigerating. I'll definitely try making these again, and try the ultimate sugar cookie test...cut outs!

Thanks Ulrike of Kuchenlatein for choosing a great holiday cookie recipe which can be found here.

BB: Mexican Chicken Soup

2008-11-26T21:24:00.000-08:00

This month's second Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Judy of Judy's Gross Eats.

This was fabulous, besides the fact that it was still in the 70s here in California! Not quite soup weather! But like I said, this was fabulous. Healthy, light, filling, all at the same time. I did use diced tomatoes store bought chicken stock and it worked just fine.

Mexican Chicken Soup

Courtesy of Ina Garten

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

2008-11-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

I finally gave in and bought a crockpot. I got the cheapest programable one I could find. It's wonderful. Last night's dinner involved putting some chicken breasts in the crockpot, covering them with BBQ sauce and cooking on low for 8 hours, then shredding. Yum!

2008-11-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

I've been given an award by Webbie!

7 Things I Did Before

1. Worked for a life insurance company

2. Went to law school

3. Lived in San Diego

4. "Backpacked" through Europe

5. Lived in Idaho for a summer

6. Worked for my dad

7. Was a cheerleader

7 Things I Do Now

1. Work at a law firm

2. Live by the beach

3. Snowboard

4. Get up before 6am for yoga

5. Read...a lot

6. Work from home

7. Cook

7 Things I Want To Do

1. Live in Australia

2. Visit Vietnam and Thailand

3. Have kids (4 to be exact)

4. Drive the Atlantic coastline from Maine to Florida

5. Get a full time job

6. Buy a house

7. Pay off my car

7 Things That Attract Me About the Opposite Sex

1. Eyes

2. Hair

3. Smile

4. Makes me laugh

5. Generous

6. Kind

7. Good family

7 Favorite Foods

1. Cheese (grilled cheese, mac and cheese, any cheese)

2. Peanut butter

3. Cereal

4. Ice cream (chocolate or coffee)

5. Mashed potatoes

6. Berries

7. Spinach (yes, I love it)

7 Things I Say Most Often

1. Perfect

2. Hilarious

3. In a minute

4. Even my husband can't think of any more!

CSA Box #6

2008-11-14T00:35:00.000-08:00

I'm taking the easy way out today and just listing what we got from our CSA under the picture. The hubs is having surgery today...nothing serious...but it still means taking care of him. And that is my excuse for today's extremely short/boring post. And sorry for the picture taken in the middle of the kitchen but it gets dark too early now!

We got daikon (the "white carrots"), eggplant, butternut squash, rosemary, arugula, carrots (orange and purple...fun), cherry tomatoes, delicata squash, mizuna, tatsoi, and watermelon radishes.

I'm really over getting the tatsoi, miszuna, and watermelon radishes so I hope we start getting something different soon!

BB: Herb Roasted Onions

2008-11-13T00:23:00.000-08:00

This month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Kelly of Baking with the Boys. It was great to have a simple side dish to make. I halved the recipe for the dressing and only used one onion since it was just the two of us. I also used rosemary instead of thyme since I had that on hand.

While the flavor of the onions was FABULOUS, the roasted really quickly for me (25 minutes and they were overdone). Not sure if there's anything that can be done about that since they need the high temp and all. I guess just watch them carefully. Mine kind of fell apart too since I wasn't very careful cutting through the root...that is 100% my fault. By the way, I'm really despising having to take pictures indoors! Ugh!

Note: The recipe can be found in Barefoot Contessa at Home as well as online. However, while the ingredients are the same, the amount is pretty much doubled in the cookbook recipe. The recipe below is the online version.

Herb Roasted Onions

Courtesy of Ina Garten

2 red onions
1 yellow onion
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

2008-11-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

Here's another recipe from Giada's new cookbook. I'm on a roll this week... This was fabulous. I used oregano instead of thyme since that's what I had from our CSA and I also threw in some potatoes (also from our CSA - as was the butternut squash, rosemary, and parsley). I will definitely be making this again! By the way, I made this on the perfect night...today is the first day it's really stayed under 70 degrees! And no, though it's beautiful, I'm really not excited about the end of the summer here in CA!

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Courtesy of Giada's Kitchen

3 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (I used oregano)
2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup Marsala wine
1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 to 4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
Crusty bread, for serving

In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour. Turn up the heat to med-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash, potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread alongside.

Lemon Risotto

2008-11-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

I recently bought Giada's new cookbook. This was one of the first things I made out of it. This was fabulous. So so so good. Just looking at the picture, I'm ready to make it again...especially considering I actually made it several weeks ago! Please do yourself a favor and make this. You will love it, unless of course you don't like lemon. Then you might not like it so much.

I served mine in a baked in the microwave acorn squash half. Yum!

Lemon Risotto

Courtesy of Giada's Kitchen

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon
1 large shallot, diced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1/2 a lemon, zested and juiced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 lemons, for serving

In a medium saucepan bring the broth and 1/2 cup water to a simmer. Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat.

In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of the broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, mascarpone cheese, the lemon zest and juice, and the salt and pepper.

To serve, cut 1/4-inch off the bottom of each lemon so they stand on their own. Take 1-inch off the stem end. Using a grapefruit spoon scoop out the flesh of the lemon and discard. Fill each lemon with about 1/2 cup of risotto. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Easy Mac & Cheese

2008-10-30T04:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe for Mac & Cheese is from Liz of Liz's Cooking Blog. So easy...so good...very fattening...but hey, I used nonfat milk! How's that for short, sweet, and to the point?!?!

Easy Homemade Mac & Cheese

1 1/4 cups uncooked macaroni
1 cup nonfat milk
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
a few grinds of a pepper mill

Cook pasta in a medium saucepan according to package directions. Transfer to a colander.

In the same saucepan, combine the milk and flour over medium heat, stirring with a whisk.

Cook, stirring constantly until thickened (about 2 minutes).

Add cheese, salt, and pepper, and continue whisking until all the cheese is melted.

Turn off heat, stir in the pasta, and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

CSA Box #5

2008-10-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

As I've said for the last 15,000 posts, I'm wayyyyy behind in my posting. So, bear with me here...I'm trying to keep up with at least one thing!

Here's this week's CSA pickup. AAAckkk...more watermelon radishes...I just don't like these. Luckily Mr. Melissa eats them! Getting much better at learning how to store the produce. Most everything will last 2 weeks or close to it. Look at the giant onion! It's huge!

BB: Vegetable Pot Pie

2008-10-23T02:59:00.000-07:00

I love pot pies. Such a comfort food for me. Deb of Kahakai Kitchen chose this Barefoot Bloggers recipe and it was a great choice!

Some changes:

- I used this pie crust recipe since I already had it made in my freezer. While I didn't like it the first time I used it, it was much better having been in the freezer awhile.

- I skipped the fennel and small whole onions and threw in some broccoli and cauliflower.

- I skipped the Pernod. Wasn't going to buy something for 1 tablespoon.

- I made it in a pie dish.

Anyway, with the pie crust already made, this was easy and wonderful. I'll definitely make it again. Also, sorry for the poor picture. It's getting dark much earlier and that makes it very difficult to get pictures done before the natural light goes bye bye!

Vegetable Pot Pie

Courtesy of Ina Garten

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
2 cups sliced yellow onions (2 onions)
1 fennel bulb, top and core removed, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups good chicken stock
1 tablespoon Pernod
Pinch saffron threads
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups large-diced potatoes (1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups asparagus tips
1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced carrots (4 carrots)
1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced butternut squash
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions (1/2 pound)
1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

For the pastry: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and saute until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add the stock, Pernod, saffron, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream and season to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a sieve. Add the asparagus, carrots, and squash to the pot and cook in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, onions, and parsley to the sauce and mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the sides, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

TWD: Pumpkin Muffins!

2008-10-21T02:49:00.000-07:00

I was so excited about this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe chosen by Kelly of Sounding My Barbaric Gulp. Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors. Combined with extra cinnamon (I always use extra cinnamon), the world is just a happy place. Raisins are a different story, but we'll get to that in a minute!

While I didn't end up loving these muffins, I definitely liked them. And we all know that I'm not a huge dessert person, so I'm all for the baked goods. I left out the raisins. Raisins do not belong in baked goods...period. I used dried cranberries instead. Much better. And I'm not a big nuts in baked goods fan either so I only used about half of what was called for. As others have noted, these baked really quickly. While the recipe says 25 minutes at 400 degrees, mine were done (almost overdone) at 18 minutes. I'd suggest checking at 16 minutes or lowering the temperature.

Please visit Kelly's blog for the recipe.

CSA Box #4

2008-10-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'm only slightly behind and I don't have the CSA Box #3 Roundup post up yet, but it's coming. In the meantime, here's what we got this week. I could really use some ideas for the okra...other than frying. Love those carrots. And the herbs smell awesome!

Ina's Outrageous Brownies

2008-10-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

These brownies are definitely outrageously rich. I halved the recipe and baked in an 8x8 dish. Worked perfectly. Yum!

Outrageous Brownies

Courtesy of Ina Garten

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

BB: Butternut Squash Risotto

2008-10-09T02:35:00.000-07:00

I was excited for this month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe chosen by Rachel of Rachel Likes to Cook. Yum! Butternut Squash risotto! It was wonderful and really not that difficult, though it does take some standing in front of the stove time. I halved the recipe and I did have to raise the heat a bit (to medium rather than medium-low) as the chicken broth wasn't being absorbed at all. Once I did that, it still took longer than the recipe says. Regardless, it came out wonderfully!

Butternut Squash Risotto

Courtesy of Ina Garten

1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (I used store bought)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.

Serves 4

Cavatappi with Zucchini and Arugula Pesto

2008-10-07T19:25:00.001-07:00

I had some arugula that needed to be used and I could have sworn I saw an arugula pesto recipe recently. But, of course I couldn't find it. So, I actually pulled out a Rachel Ray cookbook. I know, I know, I've never made a single thing out of the two cookbooks of hers that I own. But, since I couldn't find the recipe I wanted, what else was I going to do? And how different can pesto recipes be? Then, I didn't have all the ingredients. Note: I have every type of nut except pecans. So, this is very loosely based on Rachel Ray's recipe...and it was good!

Pasta with Zucchini and Arugula Pesto

1 pound pasta (I used cavatappi)
1 cup walnuts, coursely chopped
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
2 zucchini cut into thick matchsticks
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups arugula, packed
1/3 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for serving

Cook pasta in a pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the walnut pieces and toast for 5 minutes. Remove the nuts from the pan and cool. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. When hot, add the zucchini and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another 3 minutes.

While the zucchini cooks, grind half the nuts with the arugula and cheese in a food processor. Slowly stream in 1/3 cup olive oil and process until a paste forms. Add more olive oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta. Add the pesto, pasta and remaining nuts to the zucchini and toss.

CSA Box #3

2008-10-02T03:03:00.000-07:00

Look at those cute little carrots! And the honey!!! I'm loving getting all the squash. Onions are always great. Fewer greens this week which is a plus. Still not sure what to do with the watermelon radishes so if you have ideas, let me know! Looking forward to trying the okra though...any good recipes?

CSA Box #2 in review

2008-09-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, I'm behind on posts. So, let's get right to it. First, the original box contents...

Note that the "turnips" are in fact radishes but I'm too lazy to edit in photoshop.

Panzanella has been one of my staples this summer. You can find the recipe here. This time I added a bit of mozzarella and used the cherry tomatoes and some of the basil from our CSA.

Pizza was devoured quickly with an heirloom tomato, basil, and fresh mozzarella topping. You can find the basics for that recipe here.

This is actually a salad made with the arugula from the last CSA box. It was still so fresh! Paired with a simple dressing and some fried goat cheese, how can you go wrong? It's a Giada recipe originally found on Liz's blog.

This box's arugula was served for a quick dinner with a sliced pear, some blue cheese, and some Trader Joe's raspberry vinegarette.
Loved, loved, loved getting cilantro in this box! There's still some in the fridge, but so far it's been used in some breakfast burritos.
And also in some bean, rice, and cheese burritos. The recipe for Mexican Rice can be found here.
I used the butternut squash, summer squash and carrots for this Giada recipe. I've made this several times, always with different veggies, and it's always wonderful. This time I used 2 small butternut squash, 3 small summer squash, 6 carrots, half a bell pepper, and 3/4 of a yellow onion.

Also, there's some more cilantro in the chicken shown below. That recipe can be found here. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into large pieces and cilantro instead of parsley. Note, the chicken only takes about 30 minutes to bake if you cut it like I did. I also recommend baking uncovered at least for half the time.

Ahhh, the watermelon radishes... I was originally going to put them in a salad, but after tasting one, boy did it taste spicy to me. Weird...but beautiful...

So, instead, one watermelon radish was used in a stir fry along with the string beans (those that survived our freezing refrigerator), tatsoi, bok choy, and mizuna. The basis for the recipe can be found here. I sub different veggies all the time. I still didn't care for the radish, but not to worry...Mr. Melissa loved it!
I pick up our next box tomorrow!

Mexican Rice

2008-09-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

I've made this twice now and we love it. The basic recipe came from a Williams-Sonoma cookbook, but I've messed with it so much that this is my version.

Mexican Rice

1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, drained
1/4 of a yellow or red onion
3 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno (de-seeded) - use 2 if you like spicy
a handful of fresh cilantro
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup brown rice
2 cups hot water
3/4 cup frozen corn
kosher salt

Put the tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro in a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. When hot, add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomato mixture (don't stand too close) and stir gently. Add 2 cups hot water, the corn and some salt (I probably only use about 1/2 teaspoon). Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Uncover and stir. Re-cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Again, uncover and stir. Again, re-cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until all the broth is absorbed. ***Note: If you use white rice, it will only take about 20 minutes total.*** Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

Serves 4-6

TWD: Cherry Pie

2008-09-30T02:40:00.000-07:00

It's rewind time! This week for Tuesdays with Dorie we were supposed to make creme brulee chosen by Mari of Mevrouw Cupcake. And I do own a torch...however, I forgot it when I was at my parent's house. You see, many of our wedding gifts, all the extra stuff we can't fit in our little apartment kitchen, is still in their garage. So, that is where my creme brulee torch still is. And, as it turns out, this week was Mr. Melissa's grandpa's birthday. He wanted a cherry pie, so that is what he got. I used Dorie's Double Crusted Blueberry Pie recipe, originally chosen by Amy of South in Your Mouth back in July.

I did make some changes. I didn't use Dorie's crust since I haven't had very good luck with it in the past. Instead, I tried The Pioneer Woman's pie crust. I'm not even going to link to it, however, because it was just a crumbly mess (both when rolling it out and when cutting the baked pie). I also skipped the bread crumbs and flour and just used some extra sugar. The pie was wonderful!

Happy 100th Post to ME!!!

2008-09-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

Well what a perfect way to "celebrate" my 100th post. I was a little worried that it would just be another ordinary post, but what do you know?

Sylvie of A Pot of Tea and a Biscuit just awarded me the "Perfect Blend of Friendship" award. Thank you Sylvie! I'm not as good at commenting on her blog as I once was, but I still try! She has a great blog by the way...check it out!

I'd like to pass this award on to Liz of Liz's Cooking Blog since she's been my new CSA friend (even though she's all the way in Minnesota - said with a MN accent of course :) and has helped me use up all my CSA produce. Thanks Liz! You helped me on some things I haven't even posted about yet!

CSA Box #2

2008-09-17T14:41:00.001-07:00

Edited: So, apparently I was secretly hoping for turnips! Shoshana from my CSA commented that those "turnips" are in fact radishes. What made me write turnips is beyond me... So...what to do with watermelon radishes?!?!

It's here and I'm excited. Just not sure what to do about those turnips. Any ideas?

CSA Box #1 in review

2008-09-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy with work that I've been behind on my posting...ugg! But, here's what I know you've all been anxiously waiting for...dun dun dun dun...how did CSA Box #1 fare? Pretty well I must say. The butternut squash is still around, but that's ok. It will get used soon. And the arugula missed its photo op, but was eaten as a simple salad. Other than that, everything is gone and we're ready to pick up tomorrow's box!

In the beginning...

We ate the cantalope as is...

Look at this beautiful heirloom tomato! It became part of an awesome pizza along with some of the basil. The cherry tomatoes were eaten by Mr. Melissa as is and he said they were great. The rest of the basil was made into pesto and is in the freezer. You can find my go to recipe for pizza here (I obviously changed up the toppings).

The string beans were made into garlicy string beans (recipe to be posted soon) and served with some wonderful mac and cheese.

Some of the tatsoi and mizuna was used to make Wilted Asian Greens.
The rest of the tatsoi and mizuna as well as the bok choy was used to make stir fry using this recipe, but obviously subbing the veggies.

The beets...yeah...don't like them so much. I tried this recipe for Beet and Cheddar risotto, but because it still tastes like beets, it just wasn't for me...and mine didn't come out as pretty as Liz's...hmm...

Looking forward to Box #2!

We Remember...

2008-09-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Grown Up Mac and Cheese

2008-09-11T02:40:00.000-07:00

Heather of Randomosity and the Girl is my new hero. She chose this month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe. As you can see, I've been trying out mac and cheese recipes (here and here) to try to find something similar to the mac and cheese at a local restaurant that is no longer on the menu there. I even asked the restaurant, but the chef supposedly didn't have an actual recipe but just "threw" things in...

This heavenly mac and cheese is perfect! Do it. Make it with real butter, real whole milk, real cheese, real bacon...you get the picture. Just go make it. Your taste buds will thank you but your hips might revolt. Your hips will get over it...someday...

Grown Up Mac and Cheese

Courtesy of Ina Garten

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed (I used store bought bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves (I used dried basil)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes (I used one large gratin dish).

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Serves 2 (I think it serves more like 3)

TWD: Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops

2008-09-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Rachel of Confessions of a Tangerine Tart chose this week's recipe for Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops. You can find the recipe on her blog.

I'm not a big fan of Whoppers so I wasn't thrilled when I saw this recipe. But because I'm such a good TWD'er :) I decided to go ahead and make half a recipe anyway. This even meant going to a "normal" grocery store for malted milk powder and Whoppers...if you know me, you know you'll rarely find me at any grocery store other than Trader Joe's or Whole Foods...hey, they're closer than Ralphs.

These cookies were so good and I'm so glad I made them. So much better than last week's cookies...seriously so much better. I got a little scared when there was no oven temp on the recipe but ended up using 350 which worked well. As usual, I just threw all the dry ingredients in. I know I'm not supposed to but it's so much easier. Once again, turned out fine. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and non-chocolate (vanilla?) malted milk powder.

Now, what to do with the leftover cookies...

CSA Box #1

2008-09-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

Today was our first CSA pickup. We joined the CSA at Tierra Miguel Farm in San Diego. Although it's over 100 miles away, it's still the closest CSA to us. We will get a delivery every other week.

This week's box included Arugula, Basil (which smells wonderful), a melon (not sure what kind), Beets, Heirloom and cherry tomatoes, String Beans, Bok Choy, Tatsoi, Mizuna, and Winter Squash (butternut). We were also supposed to get oranges, but there weren't any in our box. Oops.

My goal is to take a picture of the box contents every week and then tell/show you how it gets used. I have some ideas already...although I'm scared of the beets!

TWD: Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

2008-09-02T02:34:00.000-07:00

Stefany of Proceed with Caution chose this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe for cookies! I just laughed as I was writing that since she just got to choose the recipe for Barefoot Bloggers too and I thought I was writing the wrong thing! My turns for BB and TWD came close together too.

Since this recipe said it would make 60 cookies, I decided to halve the recipe and send it with the hubs to work. But we did try a few first. They're good. A little too much brown sugar and chocolate for me (yes I'm strange - I would have skipped the chocolate all together), but Mr. Melissa said they were really good. Definitely easy enough! I did use natural peanut butter because that's what we eat.

You can find the recipe on Stefany's blog. Thanks for choosing an easy recipe Stefany...I needed that this week!

Easy Leftovers Quesadillas

2008-08-30T22:42:00.000-07:00

There was leftover chicken in the refrigerator from the other night, some leftover shredded pepper jack cheese from mac and cheese night awhile ago, and some avocados that needed to be used. Therefore, lunch today consisted of chicken quesadillas with guacamole. Yum! See that missing piece? That is due to an impatient Mr. Melissa!

BB: Butterflied Chicken

2008-08-28T01:36:00.000-07:00

It's Barefoot Blogger time again! This recipe was chosen by Stefany of Proceed with Caution.

I don't do whole chickens. I'm scared of them. I'm really not scared of anything in the kitchen except whole chickens. I know, I know, I should get over it...it's not that difficult. Ok, I'm still not over it...you can continue making fun of me.

I just decided that I was going to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and I even had the butcher butterfly them for me. And you know what? It turned out just fine! So there whole chicken! And I used my grill pan because even though we live in CA and could grill year round, we haven't gotten around to buying a grill. On to the chicken...it was a little lemony (yes I know that's not a word...is it?) for me and I like lemon. Of course, I'm sure that's my fault since I still used the whole half of the lemon even though I only used two chicken breasts. Oh well, better next time. The hubs thought it was just ok. But I did love the rosemary flavor.

P.S. Did you see what I made to go with it? Panzanella...again!

Butterflied Chicken

Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa

1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 2 sprigs
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 roasting chickens (2 1/2 to 3 pounds each), deboned and butterflied
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

Mix the chopped rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl to make a paste.

Place the chickens on a sheet pan, skin side up, and loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers. Place 1/2 of the paste under the skin of each chicken. Rub any remaining paste on the outside and underside of the chickens.

Turn the chicken skin side down and scatter the lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary over each chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Roll each chicken up, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Heat a grill with coals. Spread the coals out in 1 dense layer and brush the grill with oil. Unroll the chickens, place them on the grill and cook for 12 minutes on each side.

Serves 8

Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

2008-08-27T03:37:00.000-07:00

I was looking to make an easy dinner and had picked up some ground turkey at the store. So, I decided to try out Giada's recipe. These meatballs were great and not dry at all. As for the sauce, I only had diced tomatoes so I just used those and then used my hand blender to make it a little saucier (is that a word?) This recipe made 12 good sized meatballs, so there's lots of leftovers! Serve with some garlic bread for a very easy meal.

Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, finely diced (I omitted)
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (I omitted)
2 eggs lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lb linguine (I used spaghetti)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 28 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained and cut into pieces with kitchen scissors (I used diced - see note above)
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil

To make the meatballs, preheat the oven to 450.Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat. add the pancetta and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and continue to cook until the pancetta is crisp and the onion is tender, about6 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the pancetta-and onion mix with the remaining meatball ingredients and stir to combine. Form the turkey mixture into balls about 2 inches in diameter, using about 2 tablespoons for each and place on a foil lined and greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally 8-10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, warm the 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic cloves, parsley, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes (I tossed the basil in too). Discard the garlic cloves. Add the cooked meatballs and the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add the reserved pasta water, about 1/4 cup at a time, if the pasta needs moistening. Arrange on a serving platter and top with the basil.

Spicy Wok Shrimp with Coconut Rice

2008-08-25T22:17:00.000-07:00

My mom gave me this recipe with the note, "very good" on it. If my mom says it's good, I'm definitely making it! I had some zucchini that needed to be used up along with half a bell pepper sitting in the refrigerator. So, that's what got used instead of broccolini. I'm sure it's great no matter what veggies you add. Yum!!!
By the way, I halved the recipe and it was just slightly more than 2 servings.

Spicy Wok Shrimp with Coconut Rice
Adapted from epicurious.com

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups well-stirred unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat; from a 13 1/2- to 14-oz can)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 lb Broccolini (I used zucchini and green pepper)
2 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp (raw; 20 to 25 per lb)
2 1/2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Accompaniment: lime wedges

Rinse rice in a sieve under cold water, then shake well to drain and transfer to a 1 1/2-to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add water (1 1/2 cups), sugar, 1 cup coconut milk, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, partially covered, then reduce heat to low and cover completely. Cook 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

While rice cooks, trim Broccolini, discarding 1/4 inch from bottom, then cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths. Toss shrimp with Sriracha sauce and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

Stir together cornstarch, 1/4 cup chicken broth, and remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk in another bowl until cornstarch is completely dissolved.

Heat a 12- to 14-inch well-seasoned flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then add oil, swirling to coat. Add Broccolini and stir-fry until bright green, then add remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth and stir-fry until liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp mixture and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Stir cornstarch mixture, then pour it down side of wok and boil, stirring, until sauce is slightly thickened and shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Fluff rice with a fork and serve with shrimp immediately.

Serves 6

Mexican Polenta-Stuffed Peppers

2008-08-15T02:21:00.000-07:00

We've been trying to eat a bit less meat around here so we've been trying some new things. I got this cookbook years ago and though it's stayed in my extensive collection, I've never made anything out of it. But, looking through it the other day, I realized that it doesn't have a single recipe with meat in it...huh...funny...probably the reason I had never used it before. Now it's coming in handy.

These were great! I'll definitely be making these again. So easy (especially since I used pre-cooked polenta from Trader Joe's) and only 2 dirty dishes total. Even Mr. Melissa who got home late from work and ate them cold thought they were great!

Mexican Polenta-Stuffed Peppers

Courtesy of Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

5 large bell peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
sprinkling of salt

Polenta

4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup polenta cornmeal (I used pre-cooked polenta so I left out the water and salt and just mixed in the red pepper flakes and following ingredients)
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped Spanish olives (I left these out)

Salsa

1 16-oz. jar of your favorite salsa (I only used about 8 oz. and that was plenty)
1 15-oz. can of black beans, drained
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds, but leave the stem ends on so the peppers will hold their shape. Brush the pepper halves with oil, inside and out, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Place cut-side up on an oiled baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender but still holding their shape, about 15 minutes.

While the peppers roast, in a heavy saucepan, bring the water, salt, and red pepper flakes to a boil. Add the polenta in a slow, steady stream while whisking. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until thickened. Stir in the corn, oil or butter, 1 cup of the cheese, and the olives. Remove from the heat. I skipped all of this as I used pre-cooked polenta. Instead, I mixed the pre-cooked polenta, red pepper flakes, corn (I used frozen), olive oil, and cheese together in a bowl.)

Fill the roasted pepper halves with the polenta mixture. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Meanwhile, combine the salsa, black beans, and cilantro in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.

To serve, spoon some of the black bean salsa on each dinner plate and place one or two pepper halves on top.

Serves 4-6

BB: My Turn - Panzanella!!!

2008-08-14T01:58:00.000-07:00

It was my turn to pick a recipe for the Barefoot Bloggers! It took me forever to decide on just one. But the panzanella seemed summery (is that a word?) and easy, so that's what I went with. No oven required is always good for summer!

I have to admit that though I haven't made this myself before, my mom has made it before and I knew I loved it. She actually makes it every Christmas Eve (slightly un-traditional...but it's good!)

I halved the recipe since there are only two of us and it was the perfect amount for dinner. I used a local heirloom tomato which was fabulous. I have to say that I don't normally eat tomatoes at all (ick!) but I like heirloom tomatoes...yes I'm weird...let's move on now. I did leave out the capers because I just don't like them. The basil missed the pictures, but did get added later!

There's nothing else to say except this is fabulous. Perfect for home, perfect to bring to a party, just perfect! Make this...tonight...you won't be disappointed!

Panzanella

Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa Parties!

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained

For the vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Serves 12

TWD: Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

2008-08-12T03:16:00.000-07:00

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was chosen by Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity.

I don't have an ice cream maker. It's one of those things that, while nice to have if I had a big kitchen, wouldn't get used that often in my house. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE ice cream...just ask Mr. Melissa. But some things are generally just better left to Haagen Daaz.

So, I was going to make one of the previous recipes instead but I happened to be at my parent's house and they happen to have an ice cream maker and they happened to have all the necessary ingredients. So, guess what...I made the ice cream! And I apologize for the blurry picture, but being at my parent's house also means using my parent's camera.

It was super easy to make but I have to say we were all a bit disappointed. My sister said, "write on your blog that it's just weird." I think it was the sour cream that made it "weird." I'm sticking to Haagen Daaz....or Ben & Jerry's...or 31 Flavors... I told you I liked ice cream...

If you would like to try the "weird" ice cream, you can find the recipe here.

Crash Hot Potatoes

2008-08-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love The Pioneer Woman. This is the second recipe of hers I've made in a week. I had some red potatoes sitting around and some fresh rosemary from my dad's garden (well, his front yard...he doesn't exactly have a garden). They were good. I'd make them again. Apparently I'm in a short and sweet posting mood today. You like short and sweet, right? Mmmmmmmmmm.....

Crash Hot Potatoes

Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

Red potatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary (or any other fresh herb), finely chopped

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender (about 25 minutes).

Place on sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Smash with a potato masher. Brush with olive oil. Srinkle with salt, pepper, and rosemary.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

A Healthy Summer Salad

2008-08-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

It can't get much healthier or much more colorful than this! A chicken breast, a peach, walnuts, goat cheese, romaine, and a simple vinaigrette. I have nothing else to say except it was yummy!

Melissa's Healthy Summer Salad

4 cups romaine
1 cooked chicken breast (I put some olive oil and spices on mine and put in the oven at 350 for 35 minutes), cut into bite size pieces
2 peaches, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together and set aside. Divide romaine between 2 plates. Top with chicken, peaches, walnuts, and goat cheese. Drizzle with dressing.

Serves 2

Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese

2008-08-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

After eyeing this Pioneer Woman recipe for quite some time, I finally broke down and made it. I was actually testing it to possibly bring to my brother-in-law's birthday BBQ. While both Mr. Melissa and I LOVED this, it has a bit too much of a kick to it to bring to the party...and we like spicy stuff. Onto another recipe for that, but this is a keeper for us. I did just realize that I completely left out the butter...oh well...still tasted good and saved a few calories!

P.W.’s Spicy Macaroni & Cheese

4 cups cooked macaroni or cavatappi
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 finely diced red onion
Equal amount diced red bell pepper (I used green)
1 finely diced jalapeno
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 cup frozen corn
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup cream
1 generous cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper

Boil pasta until al dente.

In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute garlic and vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in canned chilies and stir around, then turn off heat.

Drain pasta and add it to skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently. At the end, add 2 tablespoons butter and stir again. Check seasonings and serve.

BB: Smoked Salmon Spread

2008-08-06T04:15:00.000-07:00

I'm slightly late on this post, but July's second Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Ashley of The Spicy Skillet.

I don't hate smoked salmon, but I wouldn't choose to put it on my bagel either. Thus, I was not really looking forward to making this recipe. But, I signed up for Barefoot Bloggers to try new things, right? And my choice is next, and if I expect people to try my choice, then I need to try the others. So off I went to make my smoked salmon spread.

And guess what...I was pleasantly surprised. I still don't love smoked salmon, but I did eat a bagel with this on top and it was pretty good. I'd definitely make it to bring to a party or even for my smoked salmon loving family!

I did try to make it a little healthier by using plain yogurt instead of sour cream (ok...who am I kidding?...I didn't have sour cream). And I did swap rosemary for the dill and left out the horseradish. I do think I'll try the dill next time. The rosemary, which I love, was a little strong in this. Thanks to Ashley for getting me to try something new!

Smoked Salmon Spread

Courtesy of Ina Garten

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream (I used plain lowfat yogurt)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill (I used rosemary)
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained (I left out)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound (4 ounces) smoked salmon, minced

Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt, and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudites or crackers.

If you can find it, I prefer Norwegian salmon; it's drier and less salty than other smoked salmon.

TWD: Disappointed

2008-08-05T02:32:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when Ashlee of A Year in the Kitchen chose this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe for The Black and White Banana Loaf. It had been on my short list the week I got to choose a recipe.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed this week. While the bread/cake smelled good in the oven (Mr. Melissa walked in saying something smelled good, but he was disappointed when told that it wasn't out of the oven yet and he would have to wait), it smelled better than it tasted. Mine ended up on the dry side (even though after an hour and thirty minutes the knife still wasn't coming out clean) and really had very little flavor. Oh well...on to next week.

You can see what everyone else thought here and you can find the recipe on Ashlee's blog.

Going green...

2008-08-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

I'm not exactly the greenest person out there. I like Zip.loc bags, paper plates, long showers, getting my bills in the mail (hey, you end up having to print them out anyway), my SUV (it's a small one)...you get the idea. Oh, and I'm not a big fan of paying extra for my dry cleaning so they don't use the "bad chemicals," but I do it so as not to subject myself and Mr. Melissa to all of the "cancer causing chemicals."

BUT, I have started replacing our cleaning products with more environmentally friendly ones when ours run out...and hey, Meth.od makes the best shower cleaner anyway...all the hard water around these parts coupled with the constant dampness of living near the ocean leads to lots of lovely shower issues such as...mold...and...water spots...and...crusty hard water stuff on the shower head where the water comes out. And I take my reusable bags into the grocery store when I remember to. At least I'm making an effort!

AND..............we joined a CSA!

What's a CSA?
According to the Tierra Miguel Farm, the CSA we joined:

"City folks have come a long way from the days of Mom's lovingly tended, homegrown tomatoes. Supermarkets and super-sized farms have disconnected us from the soil and our need to protect it for our own good. A CSA is about a direct relationship between farmer and consumer with the purpose of creating sustainability.

We at Tierra Miguel are on a mission to nourish the piece of land we work with tender care. No pesticides, only "living" compost will do to produce tasty, nutrition-filled veggies. We use natural fertilizers and insect control. By joining the CSA, you're supporting not only healthy food, but sound ecology, agricultural education and preservation of the land. Thus, we all reconnect to a conservation ethic and sense of community."

Tierra Miguel is, surprisingly, the only CSA that delivers to our area of Los Angeles. We'll be picking up a big box of certified organic fruits and veggies every other week starting in September. Fun! (P.S. I hope this curbs our Who.le Foods shopping a bit!)

Oh, and I'm still working on the green thing...

(Photos courtesy of Eye Level Pasadena)

I've been tagged!

2008-07-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged again! Amy of Sing for Your Supper has tagged me to answer a few fun questions!

1. Last Movie I Saw In A Movie Theater?

Sex and the City

2. What Book Are You Reading?

The Glass Castle

3. Favorite Board Game?

Clue (but really I love Scrabble - just ask my brother!)

4. Favorite Magazine?

People

5. Favorite Smells?

Beach, new baby

6. Favorite Sounds?

Ocean...hmm...maybe I should stay near the beach!

7. Worst Feeling In The World?

Feeling you let someone down

8. First Thing You Think of When You Wake?

Too early!

9. Favorite Fast Food Place?

In-n-Out

10. Future Child’s Name?

I'm not telling! And Mr. Melissa doesn't agree on my boy name...yet...

11. Finish This Statement—“If I Had a Lot of Money,"

I'd buy a house.

12. Do You Drive fast?

Not particularly

13. Do You Sleep With a Stuffed Animal?

14. Storms—cool or scary?

Cool

15. What Was Your First Car?

The first car that was really mine was VW Jetta

16. Favorite Drink?

Water...then Iced Tea - yes, I'm boring...and yes I do drink when I feel like it, but I despise the taste of alcohol...and no I'm not pregnant! Have I answered your questions?!?

17. Finish This Statement—“If I Had the Time, I Would…"

travel the world (oh yeah, I'd need some money for that too)

18. Do You Eat the Stems on Broccoli?

Yes

19. If You could Dye your Hair Any Other Color, What Would It Be?

I do dye my hair. My hair is light brown. I have a little blond in it...oh so different...ha!

20. Name All the Different Cities In Which You Have Lived -

Small college town in Southern CA, San Diego, Boston, the OC (and by the way...it's Orange County to us locals!), small beach town near Los Angeles.

21. Favorite Sport to Watch?

Baseball (Go Angels!)

22. One Nice Thing About The Person Who Sent This To You -

her blog makes my mouth water!

23. What’s Under Your Bed?

Holiday decorations, wrapping paper

24. Would You Like to Be Born As Yourself Again?

Most of the time

25. Morning Person or Night Owl?

Definitely a night owl

26. Over Easy or Sunny Side Up?

Yuck! Scrambled!

27. Favorite Place to Relax?

The beach - do you see a trend here?

28. Favorite Ice Cream Flavor?

World Class Chocolate

29. Of All the People You Have Tagged, Who Is the Most Likely to Respond First?

No idea

I am now tagging some wonderfull fellow bloggers, Please, Please, PLEASE go to their sites, they have great recipes sure to put a smile on your face!! Promise:

Lauren - Because I love her weekly menus
Kate - Because I know her IRL and she's cool
Leigh Anne - Because I really want to try her Fast Fire Flank Steak
Deb - Because I'm jealous of my sister who was just in Hawaii and my SIL/BIL who will be in Hawaii soon!

If you get tagged, answer the questions in your blog, then tag 4 or 5 other food bloggers by listing their blogs on your own blog, then commenting on their blog to let them know they've been tagged! Be sure and let everybody know who tagged you!

MY TURN!!! TWD: Chocolate Pudding

2008-07-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

This week it was my turn to choose the recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie. It was a challenge to pick just one. I seriously thought I was going to choose something other than a dessert (I'm kind of not a dessert person...yea yea yea...my jaw is on the floor too), but then the chocolate pudding caught my eye. I LOVE chocolate pudding. I remember being a kid and my mom making it for us - it's just one of my all time favorite comfort foods.

This was so easy to make. It really looked more time consuming than it was. Some people apparently had problems because their food processors overflowed. I didn't have any problem with my 11-cup processor. It was perfect. Topped with some whipped cream, the pudding was oh so yummy and so smooth...I'm assuming due to the food processor although I might try a hand blender next time for extra easy pudding! I had lots of taste testers too since I made this at my parent's house. Everyone loved it and I'll definitely make it again. My sister will just have to be jealous that she missed it since she was in Hawaii! Ok...maybe I'm the one who should be jealous!

Make sure you check out everyone else's pudding here.

Chocolate Pudding
Courtesy of Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 ¼ cups whole milk
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and still warm
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Have six ramekins or pudding cups, each holding 4 to 6 ounces (½ to ¾ cup), at hand.

Bring 2 cups of the milk and 3 tablespoons of the sugar to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

While the milk is heating, put the cocoa, cornstarch and salt into a food processor and whir to blend. Turn them out onto a piece of wax paper, put the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the egg and egg yolks into the processor and blend for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the remaining ¼ cup milk and pulse just to mix, then add the dry ingredients and pulse a few times to blend.

With the machine running, very slowly pour in the hot milk mixture. Process for a few seconds, then put everything back into the saucepan. Whisk without stopping over medium heat – making sure to get into the edges of the pan – until the pudding thickens and a couple of bubbles burble up to the surface and pop (about 2 minutes). You want the pudding to thicken, but you don’t want it to boil, so lower the heat if necessary.

Scrape the pudding back into the processor (if there’s a scorched spot, avoid it as you scrape) and pulse a couple of times. Add the chocolate, butter and vanilla and pulse until everything is evenly blended.

Pour the pudding into the ramekins. If you don’t want a skin to form (some people think the skin is the best part), press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of each pudding to create an airtight seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Makes 6 servings

Serving: I think these are vest served with a small spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream or crème fraîche, but when I was a kid, My-T-Fine was often topped with a layer of un-whipped cold heavy cream.

Storing: Covered, and kept away from foods with strong odors, the puddings can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Playing Around: If you’d like to add a little crunch to these puddings, your options are myriad. You could fold Scharffen Berger cocoa nibs (see page 479) into the hot pudding, or you could sprinkle some over the whipped cream topping. Another choice is to borrow the crunchies from another dessert – for instance, the spiced nut, raisin and chocolate swirl from Nutty, Chocolaty, Swirly Sour Cream Bundt Cake (page 182) – and make them the middle layer of the puddings.

BB: Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

2008-07-10T00:20:00.000-07:00

Sabrina and Alexander of Cooking with the Kids chose this month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe for Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread. I've made this before, before I had a blog that is. So, I couldn't cheat and just post an old picture...I had to make it again...oh the tragedy! So I went ahead and made a winter meal of chili and cornbread for this oh so chilly Southern California day (hey, 70 degrees is pretty chilly for this time of year even on the coast!)

I did mix things up a bit this time by using nonfat milk and lowfat cheese and left out the scallions (only because I forgot them at the store). I did laugh when Trader Joe's had plenty of jalapenos in stock...Mr. Melissa thought I was trying to kill him with samonella...he's a little more cautious than me!

I also made these as muffins, mostly because I was too lazy to grease the pan. I decreased the cooking time to 25 minutes which was perfect and they were great...just as they were the last time.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk 3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TWD: Apple Cheddar Scones

2008-07-01T02:05:00.000-07:00

Karina of The Floured Apron chose this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe for Apple Cheddar Scones. While I am on a TWD break due to vacations and work and all kinds of other summer plans, I HAD to make these considering they were my second choice (you will see my first choice next week!)

These were very simple to make and were pretty tasty straight out of the oven. I just couldn't bring myself to pay for dried apples and I've been so busy that I just don't have the time to dry them myself. Plus, fresh apples just sounded better to me, so in they went and I think it was a good choice. By the way, I didn't even peel the apples, just diced it up small and it worked great.

The scones (more like a biscuit if you ask me) were crispy on the outside and moist (I know some of you just love that word) in the middle. I think next time I'd add more cheese (can you really ever go wrong with extra cheese?) and definitely more apple.

BB: Parmesan Chicken

2008-06-26T02:56:00.000-07:00

This month's second Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Megan at My Baking Adventures.

Ok, so ignore the fact that there is not any parmesan cheese mixed into those breadcrumbs below. I was having a tough cooking day! Later, I first mixed in mozzarella cheese...randomly...because I wasn't paying attention. So, my parmesan chicken ended up being mozzarella and parmesan chicken.

I thought I bought chicken tenders for this recipe. I didn't. When I pulled the chicken out of the freezer, it was chicken breasts. No big deal, except that this meant I would have to pound them...and that is a problem when they don't thaw all the way! So, a microwave defrost later (which I've never done before), they were ready to be pounded. Ugg...I don't like pounding chicken. Next time I'm buying pre-pounded (yes I buy those, yes I know they're more expensive, but that's one expense I'm willing to deal with) or chicken tenders.

Mine took quite a bit longer than the recommended time to cook through. And I had to turn mine up to medium heat. That's probably because I didn't pound mine thin enough...oh, and like I said, I was just having a crappy cooking day. Oh well. This parmesan chicken was wonderful. Crispy and flavorful. Mr. Melissa loved it. I don't think I'd bother to make the vinaigrette next time (oh and I made lime vinaigrette). I thought salad on top of the chicken, while pretty, was a little weird. Oh, but the chicken...I'll definitely make that again!

Parmesan Chicken

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts.

Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Lemon Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Yield: 6 servings

TWD Update

2008-06-17T09:30:00.001-07:00

There's a lot going on right now...vacation, work, etc. So...TWD is on the backburner until things get back to normal, probably in August. Sorry!

Pasta, Pesto, & Peas

2008-06-12T02:47:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth of Ugg Smell Food chose this month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe. As much as I love pesto, I've never made my own before and the leftover container of basil was staring me down so I decided I'd try it out for this recipe. I also found out that pine nuts are not cheap...although the amount needed once I quartered the recipe was not much. If I had made the full recipe, I think it would have fed us for months! Thus, I quartered the pesto recipe and halved the pasta recipe. Therefore, no leftover pesto. And, I didn't have to go out and buy more basil. 5 cups of basil is a lot and my large container of basil from TJ's only amounted to about a cup and a half total. Yikes!

I thought it was really easy and really good. I wasn't thrilled putting mayo in it as we all know my dislike of mayo, but I do trust Ina and good thing I did. It was really wonderful and was a great side dish to grilled chicken burgers on a summer night. Ok...so it still wasn't exactly a summer night here in Southern CA, but at least it's starting to warm up!

Pasta, Pesto, & Peas

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties

3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto, packaged or see recipe below
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (I used fresh)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Pesto:

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Yield: 4 cups

TWD: French Chocolate Brownies

2008-06-03T03:34:00.000-07:00

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie (I just realized that I often write Tuesday's with Dorie...please ignore my lack of proper grammar in previous posts!) recipe was chosen by Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook.

These brownies were super easy to make. What is it with Dorie and raisins??? I don't like them in my food so I left them out along with the water and rum. I melted the chocolate in the microwave (which works perfectly fine if you put it in for 30 seconds at a time at 70% power). I also didn't mix the dry ingredients first (I honestly don't think it ever makes a difference - you mix it all together in the end) and I softened the butter in the microwave. Hey, if recipes have random extra steps, I don't do them...you should know that by now!

As everyone else's seemed to, my brownies puffed, then sunk. While they tasted good, I didn't like that the top cracked and pretty much fell off. I almost didn't send them to work with the hubs because of it. Certainly not everything made has to be pretty, but there's so many good brownies out there, I think I'd choose a different recipe for serving to company.

French Chocolate Brownies

Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/3 cup raisins, dark or golden
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons; 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 12 pieces
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil, place the pan on a baking sheet, and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon, if you're using it.

Put the raisins in a small saucepan with the water, bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the water almost evaporates. Add the rum, let it warm for about 30 seconds, turn off the heat, stand back and ignite the rum. Allow the flames to die down, and set the raisins aside until needed.

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Slowly and gently melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the butter, stirring so that it melts. It's important that the chocolate and butter not get very hot. However, if the butter is not melting, you can put the bowl back over the still-hot water for a minute. If you've got a couple of little bits of unmelted butter, leave them—it's better to have a few bits than to overheat the whole. Set the chocolate aside for the moment.

Working with a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until they are thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Lower the mixer speed and pour in the chocolate-butter, mixing only until it is incorporated—you'll have a thick, creamy batter. Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for about 30 seconds—the dry ingredients won't be completely incorporated and that's fine. Finish folding in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula, then fold in the raisins along with any liquid remaining in the pan.

Scrape the batter into the pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is dry and crackled and a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the brownies to cool to warm or room temperature.

Carefully lift the brownies out of the pan, using the foil edges as handles, and transfer to a cutting board. With a long-bladed knife, cut the brownies into 16 squares, each roughly 2 inches on a side, taking care not to cut through the foil.

Serving: The brownies are good just warm or at room temperature; they're even fine cold. I like these with a little something on top or alongside—good go-alongs are whipped crème fraiche or whipped cream, ice cream or chocolate sauce or even all three!

Storing: Wrapped well, these can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Makes 16 brownies

Pan Fried Onion Dip

2008-05-31T03:13:00.000-07:00

I recently had to take an appetizer to a graduation party. I've made this dip many times before, always with wonderful results. I do, however, recommend dicing the onions as the dip is then much easier to pick up with chips or veggies. And I recommend chilling it and then bringing it to room temp. It tends to be on the runny side at first. Serve with pita chips, Kettle Potato Chips (my personal favorite), or veggies...yum!

Pan Fried Onion Dip

Courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise

Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

Tag---You're IT!

2008-05-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Lauren over at Lauren's Kitchen. She's always got a good selection of easy meals. Check her out!

The rules:
Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What was I doing ten years ago?
Counting down the days until high school graduation. Is this just a trick to get me to tell you how old I am? Now, I always consider myself young, but all these "surveys" I've seen say they were in Jr. High etc. 10 years ago...ouch! I was getting ready to move all the way across the country for college and was about to have a fabulous summer with my sort of boyfriend (aka - the hubs)...yes we met in high school...and my high school friends.

What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today?
1. Pick up "work" from work. Ugg. Hey, that's not DOING work.
2. Go to Costco - ok, that wasn't on my list but I did it anyway.
3. Make dinner.
4. Mail my absentee ballot.
5. Laundry

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. String cheese - love it
2. Apple with peanut butter
3. Hummus and crackers
4. Guacamole and chips
5. Cheetos - ok, not one of my normal snacks, but they sound really good right now!

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Buy a house or build a house - that would be even better
2. Buy hubs a new car
3. Donate to City of Hope
4. Start college funds for my non-existent kids
5. Have a baby

Places I’ve lived:
1. A lovely beach community just outside of Los Angeles
2. San Diego, CA
4. Home of Newport Harbor - yeah yeah...it's not really like that
3. A small college town in Southern CA
4. Boston, MA

Jobs I’ve had:
1. Law Clerk - several times
2. Securities Accounting Analyst
3. Various internships in finance/marketing/accounting
4. Hey - I've been in school a lot!

If you're reading this, I tag you!

BB: Herbed-Baked Eggs

2008-05-29T03:10:00.000-07:00

I joined a new group started by Tara of Smells Like Home called Barefoot Bloggers. Twice a month we will be making a recipe from one of the 4 Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. Since I own 3 of the 4, I decided this was a good way for me to "remember" to cook from my cookbooks.

When I saw the first recipe, I wasn't necessarily looking forward to it. You see, I like my eggs scrambled. Yes I'm boring and like a 5 year old when it comes to eggs...but that's just me...take it or leave it. But, I couldn't skip out on the very first recipe, so I tried it. And they were good...very good. Now, I did put mine under the broiler for 6 minutes and both the whites and the yolks were cooked through...great for me. I used some dried and some fresh herbs which worked out just fine. I also used individual broiler safe ramekins (FYI - Pyrex is not broiler safe) and put 2 eggs in each which worked out perfectly. I almost didn't use the baking sheet. That would have been a mistake as you can see from the side of the ramekin, so make sure to follow that instruction! Had I been a good girl, I would have had brioche to serve with this leftover from TWD...but I wasn't...so there was not...and whole grain worked just fine!

Herbed-Baked Eggs

Adapted from Barefoot in Paris

1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves (I used dried)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
6 extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toasted French bread or brioche, for serving

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and Parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls or teacups (you won't be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. (It's very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)

Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 3 eggs into each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren't cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds and serve hot with toasted bread

Fusilli a la Betsy

2008-05-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

So I've seen this recipe around for quite some time and I've been dying to make it. I love pasta. I love tomato cream sauce. What I don't love so much is the price of fresh shrimp or the fishyness of frozen shrimp. Well I had all of the ingredients around the house since I didn't make this week's TWD recipe...bad me. Too much going on. And I did have some frozen shrimp from Trader Joe's in the freezer that I had kind of been avoiding for awhile. So, I used them. While certainly not as good as fresh shrimp, they were certainly less costly and while slightly fishy if eaten by themselves (according to Mr. Melissa - aka hubs), any fishyness was hidden by the sauce of this dish.

Anyhow, this recipe was amazingly beautiful, amazingly uncomplicated, and amazingly delicious. I threw in some frozen asparagus from Trader Joe's and it was one dish (ok...so there was more than one dish...but you know what I mean) meal.

Fusilli a la Betsy (aka Penne a la Betsy)

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

3 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined.
1 pound pasta (Fusilli or penne work well)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic (I used 3), minced
1 1/2 cups asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock)
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley (curly or flat works fine)
about 20 basil leaves, torn, chopped, or chiffonaded is fine
Salt and pepper

Put a pot of water on the stove to boil.

Give the shrimp a good rinse under cool water. Now heat about a tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the raw shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes until just opaque. No need to cook the heck out of the babies. Remove to a plate and let cool for a few.

Go ahead and throw in the pasta (into the boiling water that is).

Chop the onion. Now mince two cloves of garlic. Now heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic and onion and begin cooking, stirring occasionally. Throw in the asparagus.

Now, put the cooked shrimp on a cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into relatively small, bite-size pieces and set aside.

Pour the wine into the skillet and let wine evaporate for a couple of minutes. NOTE: If you’re not a wine person, don’t worry! You can use low-sodium chicken broth instead. About 1/2 cup will do, just be sure not to add too much salt later. Now add the tomato sauce. Stir together well. Add cream and stir well.

Finely chop the parsley and chop or chiffonade the basil.

Meanwhile, back at the tomato cream sauce, go ahead and dump in the chopped shrimp. Give it a good stir, and add some salt and black pepper to taste. And be sure to taste as you go along! Throw in the herbs. A lot of basil in this dish is always a good thing. Stir together until well combined.

Now drain the pasta and add it into the sauce. It’s really best if you only use about 3/4 of the pasta—so, 3/4 pound. Now, taste one more time and add more salt and pepper if needed. Always check your seasonings at the end!

Spicy Chicken, Spinach, and Artichoke Pasta and hubs gets a new name!

2008-05-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

The idea of this pasta came from Jenny at Picky Palate. I've had a jar of Trader Joe's Artichoke Antipasto in my fridge for quite awhile since I had no idea what to do with it. FYI - I tried it on pizza once...not such a great idea. I thought, hey, this looks easy, good, and I get to use up something in my fridge. Of course, as usual, I didn't have all of the other ingredients, so this is the result.

Mr. Melissa (a new name for the hubs courtesy of Kate at Paved with Good Intentions - and because I found out my brother-in-law...hi P...reads this blog and now likes to call my husband "hubs" - don't you think hubs will like this name better :) loved this pasta dish. Change it up, make it yourself, it's easy!

Spicy Chicken, Spinach, and Artichoke Pasta

1 pound linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (I like things spicy...if you don't, just don't use this much)
several cups of fresh spinach
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic (the TJ's kind in the jar - if you don't have this you can certainly use a clove or 2 of minced garlic)
1/2 jar TJ's Artichoke Antipasto

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water and drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and red pepper flakes until onions are translucent and tender, 4-5 minutes. Add spinach and toss until wilted. Add to cooked pasta along with shredded chicken.

In same skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 jar Artichoke Antipasto. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Toss with pasta.

TWD: Raspberry Lime Muffins

2008-05-20T00:42:00.000-07:00

Tara of Smells Like Home chose this week's recipe for madelines. While I'd love to buy something else for my kitchen, a madeline pan just wasn't in the cards. So, we were given the option to make another recipe from a week before we joined TWD. I was thrilled. You see, in all reality, I'm not a big dessert person {waiting for something to be thrown at me}. But, I love muffins.

The recipe for Orange Berry Muffins is at the very beginning of the book. I decided to switch them up a little by using limes and rasberries rather than oranges and blueberries. Very simple, so good. Thanks for the opportunity to make a past recipe this week. Check out everyone elses madelines or other Dorie recipes here.

Rasberry Lime Muffins

Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
About 3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons honey
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen raspberries (not thawed)
Decorating sugar, for topping (optional)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Pour the lime juice into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl and pour in enough buttermilk to make 1 cup. Whisk in the eggs, honey and melted butter.
In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lime zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lime strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough - the batter will be lumpy and bubbly, and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the raspberries. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. If you want to top the muffins with decorating sugar, sprinkle on the sugar after the muffins have baked for 10 minutes. When fully baked, the tops of the muffins will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins will come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Chili Cheese Fries

2008-05-16T12:33:00.001-07:00

We're pretty bad about eating leftovers and we're trying to be better. And, since I started working more, I'm all about quick meals...well actually I've always been about quick meals. I had some leftover chili from this recipe, and I had some steak fries in the freezer. This is the result. Looks pretty tasty doesn't it? It was. It was also good on top of tortilla chips.