Nuts!

Twas the night of Halloween. Goodies galore but I craved protein, but in snack form. Maybe a bit spicy. Bar nuts to the rescue!



Really, I have been craving, desiring, devouring protein like it's going outta style. Nuts are an easy, healthy way to get a quick protein pick me up. Once you try these Bar nuts, you'll be hooked.


Bar Nuts-From food Network
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups (18-ounces) assorted unsalted nuts, including peeled peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and whole unpeeled almonds
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and melted butter.
Thoroughly toss the toasted nuts in the spiced butter and serve warm.

And we have a winner...

I'll admit I'm a true fan of The Food Network Star television show. It's the only reality TV I can stand, or, at least admit to. I was more than pleased when my favorite from the start won the prize, Aarti. She's got a nice Indian fusion thing going on.

I grew up eating Indian food, though only in restaurants, never at home. I've been cooking Indian food for my own family for a while now. I even took a cooking class solely based on dal! Though she's only had one show under her belt, I've already made two of Aarti's recipes. I highly recommend them both. My kids even ate them, though I left out the Serrano chiles. Anything that my kids will eat is a winner in my book.

Bombay Sloppy Joes
Recipe courtesy Aarti Sequeira 2010
Prep Time: 35 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
Sauce:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 serrano chile, seeded and finely minced (save the other half for the turkey)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water

Turkey:
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Small handful shelled pistachios, about 1/4 cup
Small handful raisins, about 1/4 cup
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 large white onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced
1/2 serrano chile, seeds intact (don't chop it up unless you like things spicy!)
Kosher salt
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup half-and-half
Small handful chopped fresh cilantro (soft stems included)
4 to 6 hamburger buns

Directions
Begin by making the sauce: Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until it shimmers. Add the ginger, garlic and serrano pepper. Saute until the ginger and garlic brown a little. Add the garam masala and paprika and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile for the turkey, in large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons of oil. When shimmering, add the pistachios and raisins. Cook until the raisins swell up and the pistachios toast slightly. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Return the pan to medium heat, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of oil, and warm until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for about 10 seconds, or until some of the sizzling subsides. Stir in the onions and bell pepper; saute until softened and starting to brown. Add the serrano pepper. Saute for another couple of minutes, seasoning with a little salt. Stir in the turkey, breaking up the big lumps. Cook until opaque, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, your sauce should be ready. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the turkey. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
Once the turkey is cooked and the sauce has thickened a little, remove the serrano pepper (unless you want to eat it whole, like my Dad does!). Add the honey, half-and-half, pistachios and raisins. Stir through and taste for seasoning. Before serving, garnish with fresh cilantro.
Toast the buns, fill with the turkey mixture and serve. Eat (with your hands!) and enjoy!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/sloppy-bombay-joes-recipe/index.html

Chinese Beef With scallions

Just getting back into the cooking thing. I hope to have many more new recipes in the next few weeks. I lost my cooking Mojo for a while, but it seems to be creeping back in. Nothing like the last 2 weeks of summer vacation to get one moving!

Last night I was really craving Chinese food. Portland is rather lacking in this area. Good, greasy take out Chinese food doesn't exist here. Portland excels at many types of food, but Chinese ain't one of them.

I found the below recipe easy and straightforward, though a bit on the greasy side. I say "greasy" in an affectionate way, if you know what I mean. It was what I was in the mood for, but if you want light and healthy, this is not the dish for you.



1/4 cups plus 6 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
2 Tbsp dry sherry
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 1/2 Tbsp sugar, divided
2lbs boneless sirloin, cut into 1/4 inch strips
4 cups shredded scallions and yellow onions

Combine 1/4 sup soy sauce, dry sherry, cornstarch, garlic, and 1 Tbsp sugar in a ziplock bag. Add beef and toss to coat. Marinate in fridge for 1 hour.

Combine remaining 6 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar and set aside.
Heat 1 cup oil in wok and sir fry beef in batches for 2 minutes per batch. Remove from wok and drain. Pour off oil.

Heat remaining 3 Tbsp oil until very hot. Add scallions and onions and stir fry 2 minutes. Add in reserved soy/sugar mixture and add back in beef. bring to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced to a syrupy glaze. Serve with steamed rice.

Super "P"

Back in college, when my husband and I were first dating, we would splurge from time to time on eating at a nice restaurant. Both of us were freakishly poor, but our first date was a movie called Big Night (about a restaurant), so food was kind of what brought us together. We often felt like we were pretending to be adults; too young for nice food or something.

Our favorite, and by far the most romantic, place to go was Caffe Bella Napoli. It was simple, honest Italian food in a way we'd never had it before. The sauces were light, more truly Italian. Americans, I hear like to drown their pasta in sauce. I have been guilty of this myself. There are two dishes that stand out to me the most, 14 years later: Insalata Al Funghi Fritti (warm mushroom salad) and a pasta we called super P. They didn't. They had some equally authentic Italian name for it, but I'm a woman of straight words. Super P stuck.

The basic premise of this dish is to fit as many P items in a possible. I've gotten it up to 8 in a fit of exuberance.

Super P Pasta
1lb Pasta of choice (I used corkscrew most recently)
6 ounces Pancetta, diced
1 small bag fingerling Potatoes
Real Parmesan for grating on top
1 cup Peas

Boil pasta as package indicates.
Boil fingerling potatoes until fork tender. Depending on the potatoes, you might have to peel them first.
When potatoes are cooked, slice in half and set aside.
Saute pancetta until translucent. Remove from hot pan, reserving pancetta drippings in pan. Add sliced potatoes and sautee until slight browned on expose slice.
Add peas.
Add reserved pancetta back into skillet. Pour entire mixture over drained pasta.
Top with Parmesan.

Easy Empanadas

Maybe I'm not showing my foodie cred, but I'd only ever had empanadas once before making them. Before moving from Los Angeles, I went to an event at the screen actors guild. Can't really remember how I had the connections to get in, but I DO remember the lovely empanadas. I think I at 16. Perfect little packets of goodness.



My husband recently brought home a copy of Cook's illustrated, a food magazine I do not subscribe to. To be honest, I'm not sure that I had ever read it. I guess I prefer the food porn of Bon Appetit and the now defunct Gourmet. There was a fantastic recipe in there for Empanadas that looked so easy I had to try it. I truly recommend it. The recipe was super easy, made a huge batch (great for freezing) and the kids loved them. Win win.

I cannot reprint the recipe, as their online site requires credit card registration, which I'm just not willing to give. The recipe is located in the May issue of Cook's Illustrated.

Hellzapoppin

If the name doesn't grab you, I don't know what will.



I'm not sure the derivation of the name, but I do know the author of the dish, Peg Braken. She wrote a famous cookbook in the 1960's called I Hate To Cook. "The book came about when she and some other working-women friends "pooled their ignorance" and came up with a core of recipes strong on ease of preparation", (wikipedia). I hear it was long on humor and short on cooking know-how, but the recipe for Hellzapoppin Cheese rice is a sure fire winner.

I encountered it first at a potluck for my book group. Wary of any casserole type dish, I took a small slice to be gracious. Let's just say I went back for more. That' would be the polite way to put it. I meant to ask for the recipe, but was lucky enough to find it online. Now I share it with you.

Hellzapoppin Cheese Rice
4 cups cooked rice
4 eggs
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons salt
1 pound grated sharp Cheddar
small pinch each of thyme and marjoram
1 package chopped frozen spinach1 cup milk
4 tablespoons melted butter

"This is copied verbatim from Bracken's book. She is referring to the woman, Sugar Belle, who gave her the recipe. She beats the eggs till they're light. Then she adds the milk and all the seasonings. Finally, she folds in the cheese, spinach and rice and pours the whole works into a greased casserole. After she pours the melted butter over it, she sets it in a 375 degree oven to bake for thirty-five minutes and she takes off her apron."
http://www.slashfood.com/2007/10/30/peg-brackens-hellzapoppin-cheese-rice/

Cucumber Margaritas

Truth be told, I didn't make these. I had my husband do it.


He's the true mixologist in the house. I have very little interest in making drinks, but I do have a strong interest in drinking a fabulous cocktail. The man also has quite a collection of drinking glasses. In the past I've had to actually disallow people from purchasing glasses for my husband as gifts because we have so many! A whole sideboard full. Some in the basement, perhaps. Truly, he has a glass for any occasion. He didn't pull out the fancy stemware for the Cucumber Margaritas. He didn't need to. It was love at first sip.

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=24

Summer Margarita
Makes four 6-ounce margaritas
Recipe from Season 5 Mexico - One Plate at a Time
Ingredients
1/2 of an 8-ounce (6-inch-long) cucumber, peeled and cut into thin slices
3/4 cup good-quality blanco tequila (we use Milagro blanco for this margarita at our restaurant)1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup simple syrup Cucumber slices for garnish

Directions
In a blender, combine the cucumber, tequila, lime and simple syrup. Blend until the mixture is as smooth as you can get it. In a cocktail shaker, combine half of the mixture with 8 to 10 ice cubes, cover and shake for a full 15 seconds. Strain through the shaker's top into 2 martini glasses. You can also blend the ice cubes in.
Garnish with cucumber slices (I usually cut a slit in each slice and impale one on the side of each glass). Repeat the shaking with the remaining margarita mix.

Eggplant sliders

Seems many people have a love it or leave it attitude about eggplant. I never ate it much growing up, probably because it wasn't very fashionable in the 80's. In the 90's eggplant seemed to enjoy increased interest, albeit briefly. Back then I worked in a restaurant/cafe in Santa Cruz to pay for my party lifestyle during college.

Really, though, I loved the free sandwich I got each day while on shift. I was also a vegetarian back then (since reformed), so I had to delve into a new world of sandwiches. We had three on the menu: Provolone and avocado (this is what I had when I first started working there), egg salad, and grilled eggplant. Eventually I say the true light that is eggplant, and haven't turned my back on it since. The cafe is no longer there, but the sandwich is imprinted on my mind. The only tweak I have made is to sometimes sub pesto for tapenade, as I did here.



Grilled Eggplant:
2 medium sized eggplants, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper

heat grilled pan to medium high, brush with a bit more olive oil. Place sliced eggplant in large bowl with other ingredients and toss to coat. Grilled each side of eggplant about 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Cook in batches.

Assemble sandwich with either tapenade or pesto, roasted red pepper, jack or provolone cheese, eggplant, on a ciabatta style roll.

Chile Rellenos with a Cinnamon Tomato Sauce

I'll use any excuse to make something special. Holidays, I will have to admit, are more about the food that accompanies them than anything else. Call me a heathen, call me unpatriotic, but don't call me hungry.



Cinco De Mayo means chips, guacamole, and margaritas. I like to set it up a notch or so higher with Chile Rellenos. My dear husband first started making this recipe years back and it has become one of my Top 10 recipes of all time. The sauce turns it from average to sublime. Something about the cinnamon and cloves really makes it shine. Leftovers are even better than the day of. Any recipe that tastes better as leftovers is a keeper, in my book.


CHILES RELLENOS DE QUESO

8 chiles, roasted and peeled
6-8 ounces cheese, Monterrey jack cut into 1/8ths
oil, for frying
4 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups flour, all purpose
Tomato Sauce:
1 large can diced tomatoes
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken broth1 teaspoon salt
1-2 dried chiles, ground
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
pn cloves, ground

Prepare tomato sauce (see below).
Cut a tiny slit in one side of each chile to remove seeds, leaving stems on.
Dry the chiles on paper towels.
Cut cheese into long thin sticks, one for each chile.
Place one stick in each chile, using more if chiles are large.
If chiles are loose and open, wrap around cheese and fasten with wooden a wooden toothpick.
Pour oil 1/4" deep into large heavy pan.
Heat oil to 365 F.
Beat egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff. Beat egg yolks lightly in a small bowl and fold into the beaten egg whites, gently but thoroughly.
Roll chiles in flour, then dip in egg mixture to coat. Fry in hot oil until golden brown, turning with a spatula.
Drain on paper towels.
Serve immediately topped with tomato sauce.


For the preparation of the tomato sauce, combine tomatoes, onion and garlic in blender or food processor and blend to a puree.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan, add tomato mixture.
Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add broth, salt, chiles, cloves and cinnamon.
Simmer gently 15 minutes.

Alabama Cobbler

I'm back in action, mostly. I've been off the hook culinarily due to knee surgery. I didn't leave the house for a week, drive, cook, clean, nothin'. Nice in a way, but torture in another. I wanted to cook! It was interesting, in a way, when I couldn't get around and had very little to distract me, I found my sense of taste and smell to be heightened. I hope it stays that way, but I'm sure daily life will drags me down again.



I received some lovely Mexican organic peaches from a friend while on convalescence. I couldn't eat them fast enough so I decided to cobblerize them. Strawberries were an amazing $4.88 for 4 pounds at the store, so they were added to the mix. This cobbler recipe is my husband's grandmothers recipe, with one exception. Over the years we have reduced the sugar in the recipe. Southerners seem to have a higher need for sweet than the rest of the country. Someone should study why; I'd be curious.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar for batter, 3/4 cup sugar for fruit.
2-3 cups fruit (preferably peaches)

1. Melt butter in 8 inch square Pyrex baking dish
2. Slice fruit and mix with 3/4 cup sugar and set aside.
3. Combine remaining sugar, baking powder, flour and milk together to form batter.
4. Spoon 1/3 of the batter over melted butter, add fruit, then top with remaining batter.
5. Bake for 45 minutes.
6. Serve hot or room temperature with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Sudado de Pescado

Sounds fancier than it is. It's really just fish and chile stew. It is a magical stew of magicness. Yes, I know that's not really a word, but it seems apt. Sudado de pescado was the second Peruvian dish we made in a week; a first for this household.



Sudado de Pescado is a simple stew, seasoned with tomato, garlic, onions, and chiles, represents a typical way of preparing fish throughout northern Peru. This version comes from two sources, Miriam Soles, the wife of a fisherman in the village of Huanchaquito, and the Isla sisters, the cooks at Restaurante El Caribe in Huanchaco. It's healthy and packed with flavor. If you plan to serve it to children, sub green bell peppers for the chiles. I served it with roasted sweet potatoes and quinoa.

2 lbs. boneless skinless grouper or catfish fillets, cut into 6pieces
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice plus 6 lime halves
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8 fresh Anaheim, Holland, or banana chiles (4 seeded and chopped, 4 thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
1 medium red onion, halved and cut into 1/2" slices
2 large plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 peeled and roasted sweet potatoes with oil, salt and pepper to taste


1. Put the fish, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper into a large bowl; toss gently to combine.Let grouper marinate at room temperature while you continue with the rest of the preparation. Purée the chopped chiles and 1/3 cup water in a blender until smooth. Set the chile purée aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Carefully add reserved chile purée and cook for 2 minutes. Add onions and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 5 minutes. Gently lay grouper fillets in skillet, along with marinade and 1 cup hot water, and stir liquid gently to combine. Top fillets evenly with remaining chiles and tomatoes and sprinkle with oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until fish fillets are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide fish fillets between 6 shallow bowls, along with the liquid. Serve immediately with quinoa, lime halves and sweet potato.

Baked Salmon with lemon mayo sauce

Mayo on salmon? Sounds gross, doesn't it? The first time I heard of such an idea, I was fairly skeptical, but was willing to believe in it's potential because my french brother in law was making it. Never has he made a meal that wasn't fabulous. OK, sure, maybe once or twice, but since I don't live in the same town as him I have not been around to witness any foibles. Ever since I tried the concoction I have been a convert. Perhaps I should rename this blog "how I learned to like mayonnaise". Could create quite a following. The added bonus of this recipe is that it's virtually impossible to overcook the salmon and the sauce acts like a moisture barrier.




BAKED SALMON WITH LEMON MAYONNAISE

You can use this same sauce with many other kinds of dish - steak or fillets.
4 salmon steaks (fresh or frozen
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dry tarragon
1/4 tsp. dry dill weed
1 tsp. lemon juice
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking dish with cooking oil. Rinse salmon and pat dry; arrange in baking dish. Brush with mayonnaise mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, just until fish flakes when tested with point of knife or fork. Serve with red boiled potatoes and asparagus or broccoli. Serves 4.

Squash Casserole

I'm going to share a super family secret recipe with you. You should feel special. I demand you feel special.



I am not sure of the exact origin of this recipe, but it's a special treat every year when we meet up with the family on vacation. Imagine 10 adults, 7 kids, and a big dish of squash casserole. Some of the kids like it, some don't. We are working on the ones that resist. Resistance is futile. I don't like mayo and I don't like casseroles, but I love this. Go figure.

It's a casserole that is mean to be served as a side dish. Pair it with any type of grilled meat. It's a perfect alternative to coleslaw or potato salad.

2.5-3 pounds yellow squash in medium chunks
1 yellow onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
-saute above until slightly mushy with salt and pepper and a little butter.

In a bowl mix:
3/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Cheddar cheese
2 eggs beaten
-add cooked mixture and blend.

Cook in oven for 30-40 minutes at 350.

Pi day-Crack Pie

In honor of Pi day my dear friend held a pie party. What a fabulous idea for a party. Every family that comes brings a pie, sweet or savory. The scene when we walked in was treacherous even to the non-dieter. Imagine a large dining room table covered with pies. Evil...... but in a good way.

Baking is my true passion I I love a chance to try something new. So when I read about Momofuku's $44 Crack pie a few months back, I stored it in my recipe binder, waiting for the right event. What better event than Pi day.

Is it worth $44? I'd say no, but perhaps $30 on a good day. Those New Yorkers always have money to burn on tasty treats, so I hear. I warn you, the recipe makes 2 pies. I froze the other. Need to diet for a week before eating another slice. It's a slice of heaven. Darn near crack, if I knew what that was like.

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-crackpierec11-2010feb11,0,5228045.story

Zepp's Coconut Lime rice

Props to my friend Zepp for her super tasty Coconut and Lime rice. She makes hers with brown rice, I tried it with short grain white, as that was what I had on hand. I'm sure either would yield a fantastic finished product. You might need to add more water if it seems too dry. We served it with the Thai Basil Chicken listed below.

Coconut Lime Rice
1 cup dry brown basmati rice
1 can light coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 lime zest

-Combine rice, milk. water, and lime juice, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 35-45 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. turn off heat, stir in lime zest, let sit 4-5 min. add additiomal juice if you think it needs it.

Thai Basil Chicken

Another adventure in chicken. What has my life been reduced to?



This recipe was remarkably simple but packed a real flavor punch. The One-Two of chiles and Thai basil. I reserved the chilis and basil out for the kids. My daughter loved it so much she asked for seconds. Always the mark of success. She ate hers with Mae Ploy sweet chile sauce and I added sriracha to mine. Served with coconut rice and steamed broccoli to round out the meal.

Ingredients
2-3 Tbs. peanut oil for stir-frying
10-12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 shallots, thinly sliced (or substitute with 1/2 cup sliced onion) – optional
1 lb. boneless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped, or cut into small bite-size pieces
12-20 Thai chillies (prik kee noo), cut into very thin rounds; or substitute 4-6 jalapeño cut into large slivers with seeds
2-3 tsp. black soy sauce (the semi-sweet kind)
2 Tbs. fish sauce (nam bplah)
1 cup fresh Thai sweet basil (bai horapa) leaves and flower buds
Dash of ground white pepper

Basil Chicken in Wok
-Prepare the ingredients as instructed. Leave the fresh basil leaves whole; the flower buds may also be used. The dried holy basil will soften when soaked in tap water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pull off and discard the hard stems. Drain.
-Heat a wok until its surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to coat the wok surface. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat, then stir in the garlic, followed a few seconds later with the shallots or onion. Stir another 15 to 20 seconds before adding the chicken. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until most of the chicken has changed color on the outside and is no longer pink.
-Toss in the chillies. Sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry for another 15 to 20 seconds. Season to taste with fish sauce, then stir in the fresh basil. Toss well. Stir-fry another 1/2 to 1 minute, or until the basil is wilted and the chicken cooked through. Sprinkle with white pepper.

Macaroni With Four Cheeses

First off, I'll admit my darling husband made this, and not me. It's so wonderfully sinful that it cannot go unmentioned. We both like to cook and often have slightly different ways to reach our destination. He makes a different Mac and Cheese than me, but they are both wonderful. I add the cheese to the sauce, he does not. I once read in a fortune cookie that mac and cheese makes for a happy marriage. Ok, that's not true, but it should be!



4 quarts water
1 tbsp salt
1 lb dried pasta

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups evaporated milk
salt
pepper
pinch nutmeg
1 1/2 cups Gruyere or Swiss
1 1/2 cups Emmethaler or Jack
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar
1 cup Parmesan

1. Boil pasta as directed by package with 1 tbsp salt in water.
2. Preheat over to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
3. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly for approximately 5 minutes. Add milk and evaporated milk to pan and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue whisking until sauce has thickened over medium heat, approximately 5 more minutes. Add to cooked pasta directly into baking dish.
4. In a bowl, combine 4 cheeses, then sprinkles evenly over pasta. Bake until cheese melts, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Balsamic-Rosted Chicken

Ever on the quest for a new way to make chicken, as I have mentioned before, I was intrigued with the use of vinegar in this recipe. I love roast chicken, I just do. One of those oft-mentioned comfort foods, I suppose. I have been having a hormonal week, so "going home" with food was just the ticket. The recipe was simple and straight forward, and made a beautifully dark roast. The cookbook is called Foster's Market Cookbook and includes the best ever recipe for yeasty rolls. Yum.



1 Chicken (3.5-4 lbs)
6 sprigs fresh sage
1 lemon, cut in half
1 yellow onion, cut in half
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 white wine (I used vermouth)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
salt and pepper

1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Gently loosed skin on clean whole chicken around the breast and thigh area. Place several sprigs of sage between skin and meat.
3. Place the chicken breast side up in a large roasting pan and squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken. Place the lemon halves, along with the onion halves into the cavity of the chicken.
4. Pour vinegar and wine over chicken. Rub the breast with olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Turn the chicken over, breast side down.
5. Roast chicken for 30 minutes, basting occasionally. Turn the chicken breast side up and cook an additional 50-55 minutes, while basting.
6. Let chicken rest 10 minutes and carve.

Quinoa Salad

Just a quicky post, here. Been a bit busy with Valentine's happenings and the like. My current favorite salad deserves a mention. I've been trying to eat healthier, which includes limiting meat to a meal a day. This salad satisfies the basic urge for protein and can be jazzed up in many ways. Fantastic paired with a main dish item, but even better just on it's own.

Quinoa Salad
-1 cup dry Quinoa, cooked per package instructions
-2 tbsp olive oil (preferably the good stuff)
-juice from one lemon
1/2 cup Italian parsley
1/3 cup feta, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
salt and pepper to taste

While quinoa is still warm, mix in oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Add other ingredients and toss.
Serve at room temp or right out of the fridge.

This is a very adaptable recipe. If you had them around, tomatoes would make a fine addition. You can also substitute almond or walnuts for the hazelnuts.

Roxie's Easy Paella

Paella is the stuff dreams are made of. Or memories, in my case. The year before I got married I had the fortune to travel to the south of France to stay with relatives. Yes, yes, Paella is Spanish, not French. The grandmother of the family I was staying with was born in Spain and emigrated to France. The brother in law was Moroccan, the rest of the family french. It truly was a week of indulgent food. One I'll never forget.



This is the second time I have written about Paella in this blog. The first time, two years ago, I chronicled my first attempt. Now I feel a bit more able to adapt and tweak a recipe to make it my own. Feel free to adjust the seafood to suit your needs. The sausage can be left out if you desire.

Seafood and Sausage Paella
serves 6-8
Cook and prep approx 1 hour

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lb bay shrimp
1/2 lb white fish (I used sole) in 1/2 inch chunks
10 clams
1/2 lb small scallops
1/4-1/3 lb sausage (I prefer spicy when kids aren't eating it)
salt
pepper
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium yellow or red bell pepper, diced
1 fennel bulb (optional)
3 fresh tomatoes or 14oz canned diced with juices
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups long grain white rice
saffron threads

Roasted fennel (optional)
1. set oven to 350
2. cut fennel bulb into quarters and drizzle with evoo and a pinch of salt
3. roast for 20 minutes and then dice
Keep oven on for rice

Paella
1. In a deep, large oven proof skillet saute sausage until cooked. Set aside.
2. add 1/8 cup olive oil and saute fish and scallops until almost cooked, then add bay shrimp to warm through. Remove from pan and set aside with liquid juices.
3. Saute onion in remaining 1/8 olive oil until translucent. Add garlic.
4. Add vegetable stock and diced tomatoes. Bring to boil and add rice. Boil for 5 minutes
5. reduce to simmer and add saffron. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. stir in fennel, sausage and cooked seafood. Bury clams in the rice. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer to oven.
7. cook for 20 minutes until rice is tender
8. serve straight from pan.

Moussaka

Moussaka is like a revelation for me. Whenever I'd go to a Greek restaurant or one of the yearly festivals, Moussaka was the dish I always skipped. With the ground meat and eggplantiness (new word!), it didn't seem all the interesting. I'm not a big fan of ground meat in general, I guess. Recently I was at the grocery store with the husband and he suggested we make it for dinner. He must have caught me at a weak moment so I agreed. OH MY EGGPLANT! I couldn't believe how the seemingly innocuous flavors melded into a truly magnificent meal. The sum is not equal to it's parts.

This dish can be made with either ground lamb or ground beef. I chose lamb. Where the recipe calls for bread crumbs I used Panko. This is more of a weekend type meal in the way lasagna might be. There are three different layers to prepare. Also, do not skip on the simmering of the meat sauce, it's where the true magic happens. I an a convert!

Ingredients
EGGPLANT
2 large eggplants (about 2 3/4 pounds), unpeeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
MEAT SAUCE
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (with puree), roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
CUSTARD SAUCE
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano (or parm)
Directions
Bake the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.
Make the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Break the meat up into small pieces and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until just cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.
Make the custard sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Return to the heat and while whisking constantly, bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir to cool. When the sauce is cool, whisk in the egg and yolks.
Assemble the moussaka. Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with the oil. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Cover with half of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the custard sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and the custard is set, about 1 hour.
Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve.

Chinese Style Roast Chicken

Seems like we are all searching for a new way to serve chicken. If you are tired of the regular Mediterranean inspired chicken dishes then this is the recipe for you. It was ever so simple and tasted totally different than anything I had made before. Other than the Chinese Five Spice blend, the other ingredients were ones I already had in my pantry or fridge. This recipe was also kid approved, so that's a bonus for me.

I served the chicken with Sesame Garlic Spinach and white rice. Left overs will be perfect, in my opinion, for Chinese chicken salad later in the week. It's like a trifecta: 1. easy, 2. kid friendly, 3. useful leftovers.

2 large garlic cloves - peeled and minced
2 tsp. salt
1 whole 5 lb. roaster chicken (or parts)
1 tbsp. freshly minced ginger
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juices
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (omitted for spice sensitive kids)
2 tbsp. toasted white sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove any livers, gizzards or hearts from the cavity of the chicken. Remove any fat deposits from inside the tail end or neck area.
In a food processor, pulse together the garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes, five-spice powder and ginger to form a paste. Fold the sesame seeds into the paste.
Rub the paste all over the chicken, inside and out.
Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until cooked through.

Mee Goreng

(note: pic taken from tinypic.com, as i forgot to take pictures!)

I bet half of you read the title and thought "what the heck is that?" C'mon, admit it.

When I lived in Los Angeles there was a fabulous Malaysian booth at the Fairfax Farmer's Market. In this context "Farmer's Market" is a year round stationary market. They are open every day, except holidays. Until I tried the food at this booth I couldn't have told you what Malaysian food was like. Well, maybe I still can't, but generally its a mixture of Indian and Asian influences.

Mee Goreng is a fabulous introduction to a new cuisine. It's super fast and very flavorful. It's also very versatile for varying food needs. One could use tofu and vegetable stock instead of the shrimp and chicken stock, respectively. The spice (heat) can be added after the fact so it's a great dish to serve to kids who don't like spicy food, but can be revved up for the mature palate.

Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs oyster sauce
3 tbs curry powder
1/2 lb fresh prawns, cleaned and shelled
1 lb Noodles (you can used the instant noodles)
1 cup chicken stock
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced for garnishing
1/2 cup oil

Optional : Sriracha (rooster) sauce for garnish to make it spicy, fresh tomato for garnish


Method:
Heat oil in wok and fry onions, garlic, oyster sauce, and curry powder until fragrant. Add prawns and chicken stock. Add beaten egg and let sit until it firms up. So not stir until it has firmed up. Bring to boil and add noodles. Fry until dry and remove from heat. Garnish with red pepper and bean sprouts and serve at once.

Perfect Pie or Quiche Dough

Seems like more than a few people claim that pie dough is difficult or impossible to perfect. Now that the holiday stress of pie-making is over, perhaps we can take a fresh look. Now that you don't have anybody to impress, expect perhaps your taste buds, things will seem less daunting?

Sometimes, no matter what you do, the pie dough will not turn out as desired. It's happened to me. Usually I eat it anyway. Never let a pie go to waste.

I use my dough recipe to make sweets like pies and tarts, but I also use it for quiches, Cornish pasties, and sausage rolls. None of this is low fat, mind you. I usually pull them out for special occasions, potlucks, and the like. Sometimes because it's a Tuesday, and I need pie. We all have our moments.



Make sure your butter is fresh from the fridge. Set up everything first before taking it out of the fridge. If you are cooking on a particularly hot day, you can stick the Cuisinart bowl, blade, and ice water in the fridge for half an hour for maximum chill.

In a food processor, like a Cuisinart, blade attachment.

2 cups all purpose flour
2 sticks chilled butter
1/2 cup ice water
pinch of salt

Pulse flour and butter in food processor until butter disappears. While processor is on, slowly drizzle water in until dough forms one large ball. Remove from processor and chill dough for at least 30 minutes. This recipe will yield one top and one bottom, or two bottoms, depending on the type of pie you are making. Get your mind out of the gutter.

There many different modification that this dough can take.

-You can substitute shortening for half the butter. Some feel this yields a flakier crust.
- If you are cooking with tart fruit, 1/4 cup sugar can be added to the dough.
- you can sub 1/2 cup of the flour of buckwheat, whole wheat, or some other type of flour. I would not do more than 1/2 cup, though.

Chicken and Dumplings

Due to an inside joke I cannot quite convey, I have be intrigued with Chicken and Dumplings. Let it be know I am a English girl by heritage and thusly, never before experienced this truly southern American meal. Chicken and dumplings reminds me of Paula Deen in all it's delicious richness. Ms. Deen is not shy when it comes high calorie meals, to put it gently, so I was expecting a very fattie dish. No so! Another myth dispelled :YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE CANNED CREAM SOUP. I heard it was true by a rather indelicate poster, but I have confirmed its veracity! You heard it here first.

If the soup does not meet the desired thickness and slurry of cornstarch and water can be added at the end, while boiling, to thicken it further.

Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients:

for chicken soup
1 whole chicken, cut up
3 ribs of celery
2 carrots
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 chicken bullion cube
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
fresh ground pepper (ideally white pepper)
6 cups water
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

for dumplings
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup ice water
1 chicken bullion cube

Preparing chicken and stock
1) Rinse and dry chicken pieces. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2) Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Place chicken skin-side down in hot oil (if won’t all fit on the bottom, but put as much in contact with the oil as possible).
3) Brown chicken 5 minutes.
4) Add water, carrots, celery and 1 bullion cube to pot (roughly break the celery and carrots, or chop, to fit). Bring to a boil.
5) Simmer 30 minutes on low heat.
6) Remove chicken from stock. Reserve chicken to cool.
7) Drain stock to a separate bowl (strain to remove carrots, celery, etc). Discard vegetables.
8) When stock has settled, spoon off all but 2 Tablespoons rendered chicken fat and discard (reserve the 2 T. chicken fat). Wipe pot clean
9) While stock is settling, prepare dumplings (see below).
10)Return 2 T. rendered chicken fat to the pot. Add onions and sauté 5 minutes until translucent.
11) Add 3 Tablespoons AP Flour to the pot and whisk vigorously to incorporate. Allow to brown slightly, then add stock to the pot. Bring to a boil.
12) Remove chicken from bones and roughly chop into 1 to 2 inch cubes.
13) Add cooked chicken to pot. Correct seasoning. Reduce heat to a simmer.
14) Add dumplings to pot and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Preparing dumplings
1) Place flour and bullion cube in a bowl. Break up bullion and mix to incorporate.
2) Cut butter into flour mix until mixture resembles course crumb.
3) Add water and mix with a wooden spoon. If needed, add additional water by droplets. Dough should just hold together.
4) Roll dough into a long rope, 1 inch in diameter. Cut into 1 inch segments.

Coming soon to a blog near you

Upcoming posts, in the works as this goes to press:

Chicken and Dumplings from scratch for my 2236 crew
Perfect pie dough
Refridgerator Rolls-keep dough up to 2 weeks!