Bye, Bye, Bloomington!

On July 27, JJ and I will be moving to Jacksonville. It's going to be bittersweet for us. Over the past two years, I've really grown to adore Bloomington. It didn't start out that way, we knew we would only be here a couple years, and I didn't want to get attached. However, Bloomington is such a wonderful town, it's hard not to!
The city is about an hour south of Indianapolis... mixed right in with some cornfields. You wouldn't think it would be very diverse or exciting, but Bloomington is amazingly diverse in religion, ethnicities and interests. Mostly it's because of Indiana University, but Bloomington isn't just about the University... though it is a college town, someone not directly associated with IU (me) can still really enjoy living here.


What I love and will miss most about Bloomington is how open, diverse, green and alive it is! I was so suprised to drive around and see so many ethnic restaurants and grocery stores. I eat at chain restaurants from time to time, but I really prefer to eat at local places, and Bloomington has so many! I considered starting a seperate blog on reviewing Bloomington restaurants, but never got around to it. I've decided that for the next 2 weeks, since I'm not going to be cooking much (2/3 of my kitchen is packed up), I'm going to review many of the Bloomington restaurants we've been to over the past two years.


Now I know most people will never go to Bloomington, Indiana... it's not off any major highway, it's not really an entertaining city, but I highly recommend taking a little trip here just for the food!


So if you're not into restaurant reviews, you might want to skip over the blog for a few weeks, and when I get settled in Jacksonville I'll start cooking again, but for now this blog will be all about Bloomington restaurants!


This is from last fall when IU was still building the football stadium enclosure...





And now to bid goodbye to my first kitchen. MY kitchen. Something I've been so excited about for so long, my own kitchen... It was wonderful, I made so many great meals and had SO many crazy baking weekends. I think that stove saw more action in 2 years than some see in a lifetime!

Blueberry Scones

Yes, another Blueberry recipe! I still have about 5 pounds to go... so look for a few more!
I love scones, I wish they weren't so fattening! I googled and found this recipe from Martha Stewart. I don't think I've ever used one of her recipes before, so this was a first.
I have to say, not very impressed! I think my blueberries are a bit tart, but these scones weren't sweet at all! Now I know, I am used to Starbucks scones and they tend to be sweeter than most, but only having 3 tbsp. of sugar in the whole recipe just wasn't enough. I did use organic raw sugar, but it shouldn't really matter what kind of sugar is used.
I think next time I'll look for another recipe with just a bit more sweetness!
Blueberry Scones by Martha Stewart

A decision has been made!

It's announcement time! I know I've made inuendos to packing and getting ready to move, and some people have asked where, but I never answered... because we didn't know!
In all honestly, this move is so ironic to us. With Athletic Training, you move where the jobs are. Since our parents are in Cincinnati, OH and St. Augustine, FL, we told them the chances of us living near them would be slim to none. Well, of course the two places he interviewed and had the best chance at a job were Cincinnati and St. Augustine!


This morning JJ got an offer from Flagler College in St. Augustine, and took it! We will be moving down there July 28/29! I'm still in shock I think! We'll start looking at houses right away in the Jacksonville area... JJ promised I could have lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, avocado and a few other types of trees when we get a house.
And.... we'll be living just a few miles from the beach!!!!


So the blog might be slow for a while while we get things figured out, but in a few months, it will be awesome because I'll be in a new house with an awesome kitchen -that's #1 on my list for potential houses!


Now I'm off to find a new job... cooking or accounting????

Tofu Curry Skewers with Curry Dipping Sauce

Last weekend, JJ and I went to Cheeseburger in Paradise to finally use the gift card we got at Valentines Day from my parents (thanks, Mom and Dad!) I saw the grilled chicken satay with curry dipping sauce, which sounded somewhat healthy, so that's what I went with. I got the teriyaki broccoli as my side and a house salad, and it was a good meal, but I thought it was really expensive for CIP standards (about $15!) It was definitely something I could make at home, but since we had a gift card, I wasn't too upset about it. I probably won't go back there and get it, from now on I'll make it at home. However, I have to say their Paradise Beach Ale is a great beer!


I've been trying to clean out the pantry, and I had a can of coconut milk I got from my last trip to Trader Joe's. I also had just enough curry powder to make a marinade and the dipping sauce. I am really limiting my meat to maybe once a week, so I made tofu skewers for me and chicken for JJ. I served this with broccoli steamed and tossed in TJ's Island Soyaki.

Tofu Curry Skewers with Curry Dipping Sauce

1 block of organic extra firm tofu, drained and pressed overnight

1 15 oz. can light coconut milk

1 garlic clove, grated

3 tbsp. curry powder, divided

1 tbsp. teriyaki or soy sauce

salt and pepper

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp. brown sugar

Dice tofu into 1" cubes.

Add half of the coconut milk to a plastic storage dish.

Add the grated garlic, 1 tbsp. curry powder and soy/teriyaki sauce.

Shake well or whisk. Add tofu, shake again.

Marinade for a few hours.

Skewer tofu cubes.

Heat a grill pan or griddle over medium-high heat.

Spray with EVOO spray, place skewers on and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

While skewers cook, add remaining coconut milk to a small saucepot. Bring to a simmer.

Add 2 tbsp. curry powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth.

Remove from heat, just before serving, squeeze in lime juice.

Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes

With impending rain, heat, and bugs, Vickie and I decided to go blueberry picking at 7am. We picked for about an hour, so when I got home around 8:30, JJ was still in bed. I was ready to dive into the berries, and thought I might lure JJ out of bed with some pancakes. I had already packed up all my cookbooks and didn't feel like looking up a recipe, so I just made one up. I wanted to make it something special, with a twist or two, so I added lemon zest and sour cream, and rather than have maple syrup (because we were out) I made a lemon blueberry sauce. These pancakes were fluffy and delicious, but the berries got so hot, when we bit into them the juice burned our mouths - be careful!

Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes

1/4 c. light sour cream
1 c. milk (we have 1%)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. unbleached AP flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 c. blueberries


Syrup:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 c. blueberries


Preheat a griddle over medium heat.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, egg and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and brown sugar.
Add wet ingredients to dry and fold together. Add in blueberries and fold again.
Butter or spray griddle, ladle pancake batter onto griddle about 1/4-1/3 c. at a time.
When pancakes bubble up, flip (about 5 minutes).
Cook for another 3 minutes or so, and plate.
This recipe makes about 8 pancakes.


Heat a saucepan over medium, add butter, melt. Add brown sugar, bring to a bubble.
Add lemon juice and blueberries, cover and simmer until a thick sauce develops, about 5-10 minutes.
Pour over pancakes, serve with whipped cream if desired.

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

When I first got Baking, From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, I was amazed at how many recipes had photos. I hate cookbooks that don't have photos because I am such a visual person. When I flipped to the page that had this Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake, I dog earred the page and knew I'd be making it at some point.

I seriously considered it for my TWD week when I was part of the group, but I know blueberries can be hard to find and expensive in the off season, so I went with the WONDERFUL banana marble loaf.

Well I'd forgotten about the recipe until I was packing up my cookbooks on Friday and saw it. Since I was going blueberry picking on Saturday, it seemed like fate. I made it as soon as I could! This recipe was good, the cake was nice, but it's the crumbs that make it something special! My cake was a bit dry, and I only cooked it for 50 minutes, so I don't know that I'd go as long as Dorie says to.

I also didn't have walnuts, so I used rolled oats instead. I think the oats made the crumble even more delicious and healthier! I served this with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

by Dorie Greenspan

For the Crumbs:

5 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

For the Cake:

1 pint blueberries

2 cups plus 2 tsp all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

2/3 cup sugar

grated zest of 1/2 lemon

3/4 stick (6 tbsp) unsalted butter at room temp

2 large eggs, at room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter an 8-inch square pan and put it on a baking sheet.

To make the crumbs:

Put all the ingredients except the nuts in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture forms clumps and curds and holds together when pressed.

Scrape the topping into a bowl, stir in the nuts and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface.

Refrigerate until needed.

To make the cake:

Using your fingertips, toss the blueberries and 2 tsp of the flour together in a small bowl just to coat the berries; set aside.

Whisk together the remaining 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in another large bowl, rub the sugar and zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic.

Add the butter and, with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar with the butter at medium speed until light, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one by one, beating for about 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla extract.

Don’t be concerned if the batter looks curdled — it will soon smooth out.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, the flour in 3 parts and the buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients.)

You will have a thick, creamy batter.

With a rubber spatula, gently stir in the berries.
Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and smooth the top gently with the spatula.

Pull the crumb mix from the fridge and, with your fingertips, break it into pieces.

There’s no need to try to get even pieces — these are crumbs, they’re supposed to be lumpy and bumpy and every shape and size. Scatter the crumbs over the batter, pressing them down ever so slightly.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Transfer the cake to a rack and cool just until it is warm or until it reaches room temperature.

Blueberries '09!

It appears as though I've made blueberry picking on July 4th a tradition! Last year I did it with my mom in Cincinnati, and this year, I went with my friend Vickie. I was a good little picker, check out the berries!


After eating about a pound yesterday and having the worst stomach ache last night, I've decided to maybe do some more baking and cooking with them rather than just eat them all (though I did just add a huge handful to my oatmeal...)


Anyway, any favorite blueberry recipes I haven't tried? I'm thinking about making Dorie's blueberry coffee cake, maybe some scones and/or muffins... I made some pancakes yesterday, that recipe will be up soon!

Caprese Pasta Salad

We were invited to a July 4th party yesterday, and I was asked to make a pasta salad. I love making them, but I keep trying to make up new ones, and it's a challenge! I went to Sam's club to get a few things, and saw these pearl fresh mozzarella balls, and knew I had to get them and use them. I'd never seen them this small before! I also saw the tri-color tortellini there, so I decided to make a Caprese salad, but with tortellini. For the dressing, I used a thin pesto. This pasta salad was delicious and the pearl mozzarella balls were a hit!

Caprese Pasta Salad

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 c. pearl mozzarella balls (or diced fresh mozzarella from large balls)

1 lb. fresh tortellini

1 small red onion, sliced very thin

pesto:

4 c. fresh basil

1 large garlic clove, smashed

1/3 c. grated parmesan

salt and pepper

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts

1/3/-1/2 c. EVOO

Water or vegetable stock, to thin it more, if desired

Prepare pesto:

In a food processor, add basil, garlic, parmesan, pine nuts, salt and pepper.

Process to a fine mince, pulsing and running the machine as necessary.

Stream in EVOO and leave processor running.

Scrape down the sides, taste, adjust seasonings, add water or stock for a thinner dressing (this can also be added later)

Cook tortellini according to package, drain and cool to room temp.

Add mozzarella, tomatoes, onion and pesto to a large bowl. Toss to coat.

Add tortellini, toss to coat.

This pasta salad needs to be refrigerated, however is best to eat closer to room temperature.

Natural Hawaiian Pizza, Revisited

Everyday if I don't post something in my blog, someone asks me why. Occasionally it's because I went out to it, or made....gasp... a repeat! That was the case for tonight, but it wasn't totally a repeat. When I told my co-workers I just made a pizza, they said there had to be more to it than 'just pizza'. So ok, maybe they were right.... I made a big, fresh batch of marinara and a batch of homemade pizza dough, so this dinner was actually pretty involved!
Since I'm really working to eat clean and get out all processed food, I've switched my Hawaiian pizza up a bit. I used to buy canadian bacon - super processed. Now, I use Boar's Head prosciutto, which is a much healthier option in that respect. I also decided to throw my pineapple chunks in the food processor and pulse it to make a crushed pineapple, much easier to eat, but still fresh pineapple.
I also decided to use a ball of fresh mozzarella, which was outstanding! I'm trying to use it now as much as possible, but it does cost quite a bit more. So here is my more natural, healthy, clean version of Hawaiian Pizza!
Note, I use all organic produce if it's available, as well as organic canned tomatoes, EVOO, etc.

Natural Hawaiian Pizza

1/2 batch of Pizza Dough (I made a whole, the rest is in the fridge

1/4 batch of Zesty Marinara

1 ball of fresh mozzarella, shredded (8 oz)

1 c. fresh pineapple chunks

1/4 lb. Boar's Heat Prosciutto, sliced thin

1 tsp. Penzey's Pizza seasoning (or a mix of salt, pepper, dried onion, garlic, oregano, fennel seed, crushed red pepper)

Pizza Dough:
1 packet active dry yeast

1 tbsp. organic brown sugar or honey

1 c. warm water

3 c. organic unbleached all purpose flour (or 1.5 c. whole wheat and 1.5 c. all purpose)

Add water, yeast and sugar to a mixing bowl.
Let it sit for 10 minutes, yeast will bubble.
Turn the dough hook on and add in the flours.
If the dough is too sticky, add another 1/4 c. all purpose flour.
Let it knead for 5 minutes.
Cover with a damp towel and let it sit for 1 hour.

Punch down, cover, and proof for another 30 minutes.

Divide in half, wrap half the dough and refrigerate.

Zesty Marinara:

1 tbsp. EVOO
1 large yellow onion, minced
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. fennel seed
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
½ c. dry red wine
2 28 oz. cans organic crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 5 oz. can organic tomato paste
In a saucepot over medium low, add EVOO, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Sweat onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Turn heat to high, add red wine, reduce by half, turn to low, add spices and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425.

Roll out dough, place on a sheet pan (dust bottom with cornmeal or semolina flour if desired)

Spread with 1-2 c. marinara, top with pineapple, mozzarella and finally prosciutto.

Sprinkle with pizza seasoning.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown and the bottom is crisp.

Apple Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf

I've had a package of TJ's Maple Apple Sausage in the freezer for a few months now, and I've been in clean out the fridge/freezer mode, so I had to use it up. I also had some TJ's wild rice blend, and thought an apple pecan wild rice pilaf sounded interesting and would use up both!
This meal was delicious, I think I should have chopped the apples a bit finer and chopped the pecans, and maybe added some dried cranberries for a sweet burst...maybe next time!

Apple Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf

1/2 c. wild rice blend

1 1/4 c. vegetable stock

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 red onion, diced

1 green apple, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 sprigs of thyme leaves, about 1/2 tsp.

salt and pepper

1/4 c. pecans

1 tbsp. butter*

Bring stock to a boil in a small pot, add rice, stir and turn to medium heat.

Cover and cook for 40 minutes, or until rice is cooked.

While rice cooks, heat a pan over medium-low.

Add EVOO, onions, apples and garlic, season with salt and pepper.

Sautee for ten minutes, or until softened, add thyme.

When rice is cooked, add to apple mixture, stir to combine.

Add butter, adjust seasonings and plate.

Serve with asparagus and chicken sausage.

*omit butter for vegan option

Bistro Salad with Goat Cheese Medallions

It's been a while since I've made a fancier dinner, so I decided to put some thought into tonight's meal and make something nice. I've been meaning to make a salad with these goat cheese medallions for quite some time, but forgot about them. I saw them on a salad at a local restaurant recently, and it reminded me I wanted to make them.

I used mixed baby greens with herbs, which were fantastic, then I used the bottom of the jar method to make a lowfat honey mustard dressing. Since I have an aversion to frying things, I stuck these medallions under the broiler to crisp them up and they came out great!

Bistro Salad with Goat Cheese Medallions

6 c. organic mixed baby greens with herbs

1/4 english cucumber, diced

1/2 c. mandarain orange segments in juice

4 oz. herbed goat cheese, very cold

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

1 egg white, whipped

dressing:

1 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. dijon mustard

1 tsp. white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. EVOO

2 tbsp. plain lowfat yogurt

salt and pepper

Place goat cheese on a cutting board. Use a cheese knife or plain dental floss to cut into 1/2"-1/4" medallions.

Dredge in egg white, then in panko and lay on a lined baking sheet.

Mist the medallions with EVOO spray. Place in the freezer until ready to broil.

Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk (or make in the bottom of the honey bear).

Arrange the salad, place medallions under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, top salad, dress and serve.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho has always been a little scary to me. Cold soup just didn't make sense! I also have a strong aversion to chunks of cooked tomato, celery and tomato juice. I think it was because when I was young, my mom would always order tomato juice with a celery stalk and put pepper in it, it totally grossed me out! However, this is coming from the girl who eats tomato paste out of the can with a spoon. I never have the problem of "What do I do with the rest of the can when a recipe calls for 2 tbsp. of tomato paste?" because I end up eating half of it before I even add any to my marinara! But anyway... back to the gazpacho!
I absolutely love soup, so summertime is hard for me. The soup/sammy combo is a weekly dinner so I had to either eat hot soup when it's 80 degrees in our house, or make something cold. I decided to finally give it a try. Luckily as I looked up recipes, none had celery! I found so many recipes with so many flavors and ideas, so I decided to take a few elements from each and create my own. I think it was a big hit, JJ actually ate a big bowl of it, and I ate two! I think you could consider this a Tex-mex version, not overly chunky, but thick, cool and delicious!

Gazpacho

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 small red onion, halved, divided

1 jalapeno, halved and seeded

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 lime, juiced with 1 tsp. zest

2 c. organic tomato puree

15 oz. organic diced tomatoes

1 red bell pepper, halved, seeded

1/3 english cucumber, halved and divided

1 tsp. salt

10 grinds fresh black pepper

1 tsp. corriander

dash of tobasco sauce

Place garlic, half of onion, jalapeno, vinegar, lime juice and zest and tomato puree in a blender.

Process until very smooth, about 30 seconds.

Add diced tomatoes, half of bell pepper, half of cucumber, salt, pepper, corriander and tobasco.

Blend until fairly smooth, about 20 seconds.

Pour into a large bowl.

Mince remaining red onion, bell pepper and cucumber.

Add to soup base, mix well, taste, adjust seasonings and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.

Garnish with sliced avocado

Grilled Antipasto Sandwiches

For dinner tonight I was in the mood for soup and sandwiches, but the heat of summer has left me not so much wanting soup. I've never had any desire to try gazpacho because I don't like tomato juice, but I decided to give it a try. I thought since soup was cold, I'd pair it with some hot sandwiches. I thought I'd hit up the olive bar at kroger and grab some traditional antipasto elements. These sandwiches were fantastic and perfect with the chilled soup.
I left the meat off my sandwiches and they were still great. The bread I used was really small and thin, so these would also make a great appetizer with small shots of the gazpacho!

Grilled Antipasto Sandwiches

8 slices of thin sourdough bread

1/4 c. each of:

green and black olives

sundried tomatoes

artichokes

marinated mushrooms

roasted red peppers

4 slices fresh mozzarella or provolone (or make it vegetarian and use both)

4 slices prosciutto

4 slices salami

EVOO

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Roughly chop olives, tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms and red peppers and mix.

Brush slices of bread with EVOO, place 4 in the skillet.

Top with prosciutto, salami, mozzarella and a tablespoon full of vegetable mix.

Top with remaining bread slices.

Place a sheet pan over top and put a weight on top (I use tea kettle).

Cook for 5 minutes on first side, flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Serve with Gazpacho

A Year Ago: Vegetable and Tofu Pad Thai

Goat Cheese Potato Salad

For dinner last night, I did a little clean out the produce drawer potato salad. It was a delicious combo, I just wish the goat cheese crumbles stayed crumbly and didn't melt and smear so much (the potatoes were still a bit warm). I paired mine with a gardenburger and JJ's with a buffalo burger for a delicious complete meal.

Goat Cheese Potato Salad

1 lb. baby yukon gold potatoes
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz. snap peas, sliced into thirds
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp. EVOO
salt and pepper
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, minced
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled


Slice potatoes in half and place in a pot.
Fill with cold water to cover, bring to a boil and simmer until fork tender, about 15 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lemon juice, EVOO, salt, pepper and rosemary.
Add tomatoes and snap peas, toss and place in the refrigerator.
Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water.
Place in a bowl and chill.
When potatoes have chilled, mix with other bowl of salad ingredients, crumble in goat cheese, gently mix and serve.




PS - Happy 26th Birthday to my big sister, Kristine! She said I won the award for "Best Birthday Song Sung" today for not only this birthday, but every birthday she's EVER HAD!

Mmmm, Ice cream cake :)

Sausage, Peppers and Gnocci

For dinner tonight, I had all day long to make it. Unfortunately, the power went out that the YMCA because a line was cut, so I was unable to work. I went in to grab some paperwork and bills, but that was about all I could do. Most people would be happy, but I was pretty bummed. I have a lot to do so I'll probably have to go in on Saturday. Also, since it was an unplanned day off, I was already up and dressed and ready to go when I got the call that it was closed.

Oh well, such is life. I did get to go to the library and get some new cookbooks so hopefully I'll find some inspiration soon. Until then, I'm falling back on my old favorites. Tonight, I went back to sausage and peppers. To switch it up a bit though, I made gnocci rather than make subs or pasta. I just can't get enough of TJ's chicken sausages and organic red peppers are sweet and in season!

I have made gnocci before, but the potato bits were a bit big and some of the gnocci ended up falling apart. Since I had the day to make these right, I was able to really get the potato fine by putting it through my spaztle press since I don't have a ricer. I also didn't attempt the fork lines on the gnocci because that's just too time consuming (unless you have the gnocci rollers, but since I don't make gnocci often, I don't have one).

Ok, enough talk, here's the recipes for one awesome sausage and peppers application!

Sausage and Peppers with Gnocci

1 batch of gnocci

1/4 batch of Zesty Marinara (below)

3 links Sweet Italian Chicken sausage

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

Mozzarella and shredded basil for topping

Prepare gnocci.

Prepare Zesty Marinara.

Slice chicken sausage, brown in a pan with a little EVOO, set aside.

In a deep sauce pot over medium, sautee onions and peppers with a tbsp. EVOO for 10 minutes, or until softened.

Turn heat to low.

Add in the marinara and reserved sausage.

Drop the gnocci in boiling water, cook until gnocci float to the topm drain and add to the sauce/veggie/sausage mixture.

Cover with mozzarella and let it melt, serve with shredded basil.

Zesty Marinara:

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Salt and Pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. fennel seed

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

½ c. dry red wine

2 28 oz. cans organic crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce

1 5 oz. can organic tomato paste

In a saucepot over medium low, add EVOO, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Sweat onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Turn heat to high, add red wine, reduce by half, turn to low, add spices and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Grilled Zucchini Pizza with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto

I don't have too many claims to fame... I can only think of 2 or 3 on this blog - my famous sugar cookies, pumpkin buttercream, and my Twilight cake. All baked goods, interesting!

Anyway, if there's anything on this blog you ever make, it should be this pizza. It was something I dreamed up one day and it's just wonderful. I decided to make it again, but rather than top it with the goat cheese, I spread it on the bottom and sprinkled a tiny bit of parmesan on top. My balsamic drizzle wasn't as thick as I wanted, but all in all, it was a great pizza!

See the original here!

Grilled Zucchini Pizza with Goat Cheese and Proscuitto

Dough:

(half this recipe makes one pizza)
1 packet active dry yeast
1 tbsp. brown sugar or honey
1 c. warm water
1.5 c. whole wheat flour
1.5 c. all purpose flour
Toppings:
2 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise and grilled
1/4 lb. sliced prosciutto
2 slices of red onion, grilled
4 oz. herbed goat cheese
Salt and Pepper
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Add water, yeast and sugar to a mixing bowl.

Let it sit for 10 minutes, yeast will bubble.

Turn the dough hook on and add in the flours.

If the dough is too sticky, add another 1/4 c. all purpose flour.

Let it knead for 5 minutes.

Cover with a damp towel and let it sit for 1-2 hours.

Slice zucchini, salt and pepper both sides very well.

Lay zucchini on grill and cook 5 minutes on each side, or until a bit charred.

Add onions, be careful with them, they fall apart easily!

Add prosciutto to a cooler part of the grill, keep an eye on it!

Remove everything from the grill and lay on a sheet pan.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk vinegar and cornstarch until it's thick and hot. Set aside.
Roll out dough, and place on a pizza pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Add toppings and put back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes.

Drizzle with balsamic reduction, slice and serve.

NY Style Meatball and Mushroom Pizza

Lately I've been craving comfort foods, basics, things from childhood. JJ and I were both in the mood for pizza, so I made a batch of my standard dough, and used half for dinner last night.
I had a pound of frozen local grass fed beef in the freezer, and decided to use it for something really good and special. I don't really like to eat beef (because of both ethics and taste), but local grassfed beef is a great alternative for the occasional dinner.
We always ate meatball pizza in NY, but I rarely ever see it in Ohio or Indiana, so I decided to go for it. I probably should have made the meatballs a few hours ahead of time because they didn't have much time to cool and crumbled a bit, but they were delicious with a big batch of homemade marinara on a fresh, chewy but crisp crust!

NY Style Meatball and Mushroom Pizza

Crust:

1 package active dry yeast

1 tbsp. honey or sugar

1 c. warm water

1/2 tsp. salt

3 c. flour

1 tbsp. EVOO

(extra water or flour to reach desired dough)

Sauce:

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. white wine

5 oz. organic tomato paste (less 2 tbsp. in meatballs

1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce

1 28 oz. can organic crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper

1 tbsp. dried Italian herbs

Pinch crushed red pepper

Meatballs:

1/2 lb. ground beef (local, grassfed preferred)

1/4 c. breadcrumbs

1 egg white

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

8 oz. shredded fresh mozzarella

1 tsp. Penzey's Pizza seasoning

Prepare the crust first:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, yeast and honey.

Let it sit for 10 minutes. Add the flour, salt and EVOO.

Using the dough hook, knead the dough for 10 minutes. Cover and set aside.

Prepare the sauce:

Heat a soup pot over medium head, add EVOO, onion and garlic.

Sweat for 5 minutes, add wine, reduce.

Add tomatoes and seasonings, taste and adjust.

Bring to a simmer, cook for at least 20 minutes.

Prepare the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except the beef in a bowl.

Add the beef and gently toss to mix.

Form into 4-5 balls, place on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cool and slice.

Turn the oven up to 450 degrees.

Roll the dough, place on a pizza pan.

Spoon the sauce over the crust, top with mushrooms and meatballs.

Top with cheese and seasonings.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, until crisp and bubbly.

Chicken Bada Bing Calzone

For dinner tonight I am re-creating a calzone that JJ ordered at Buccettos a few weeks ago. It was delicious, with some interesting flavors.
When my family lived on Long Island, we ordered pizza all of the time, and I always asked my mom to order an extra calzone. They used to be one of my absolute favorite foods, but when we moved out to Ohio, we just didn't see them on menus. And, frankly, Ohio pizza just can't compete with our beloved New York Pizza (and calzones).
It's much easier for me to accept non-New York pizza and calzones when they're gourmet-ish, with non-traditional flavors and extras. This one had goat cheese, which I'd never had in a calzone before, as well as spiced chicken and sun dried tomatoes. The goat cheese gives it awesome tang and creaminess.
I made my usual dough for this, a double batch, actually, to make a New York pizza later in the week! I served it with a simple marinara and tossed salad.

Chicken Bada Bing Calzone

1/2 batch of pizza dough:

1 c. warm water
1 packet dry active yeast
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. organic unbleached flour

1 chicken breast, pounded thin

1 tbsp. McCormick's Garlic and Onion spice mix

1 c. Ricotta

2 oz. organic goat cheese

10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tsp. dried italian seasoning

Marinara for dipping

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water, honey and yeast. Swirl to combine.

Let yeast bloom for about 10 minutes.

Add flour, use dough hook and mix/knead for 5-8 minutes, until smooth.

Place into a greased bowl, cover and proof.

Punch down, divide in half, place half in the fridge or freezer for future use.

Let other half rise again while preparing filling.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pound chicken and season both sides with spice blend.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO and chicken.

Cook for 5 minutes per side, remove from heat. Cool and dice.

Combine goat cheese, ricotta and mozzarella in a bowl.

Fold in tomatoes, italian spices, and chopped chicken.

Roll out pizza dough on a floured surface.

Place on a pizza pan, spread ricotta mixture over half, fold the other half over.

Brush with olive oil and place in the oven.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden and puffed.

Serve with marinara for dipping.

Italian Pasta Salad

I love to bring pasta salads to cookouts. They're so versatile and everyone loves a good pasta salad. I like to put in tons of veggies to really bulk it up. Usually I use some sort of fun pasta shape, or tortellini. I think everyone loves tortellini pasta salad more than regular, and I aim to please!

I like to add the warm tortellini to the onions to take a bit of the bite of raw onion, and the warm tortellini really sucks up the dressing well.

Italian Pasta Salad

2 lbs. fresh or frozen tortellini

1/2 diced red onion

1 english cucumber, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 c. chopped sun dried tomatoes

1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, diced

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

dressing:

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. EVOO

handful of parsley

2 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves

10 fresh basil leaves

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Cook tortellini according to package directions.

Add onion to a large bowl.

Add warm tortellini.

Blend dressing ingredients, pour over tortellini while still warm.

Refrigerate until chilled.

Add diced vegetables, toss, top with goat cheese and gently stir to combine.

Serve chilled.

Amaretto Peach Tart with Polenta Crust

Tonight we went to a cookout, so I volunteered to bring a dessert and pasta salad. Ever since I saw Ina Garten make baked amaretto peaches a few weeks ago, I've been craving them. Since it's so hot, I didn't want to make baked peaches, but wanted to still use them somehow.
To make this especially Italian, I decided to add some polenta and ground almonds to the crust, and mascarpone for the creme base.
I didn't have a recipe for this tart, just kind of went with it, and I am so pleased with the end results! The only thing I might change is make more crust because it didn't go all of the way up the sides.

Amaretto Peach Tart with Polenta Crust

Crust:

1 c. AP flour

1/3 c. polenta or corn meal

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. ground almonds

1 egg yolk

6 tbsp. butter, very cold, diced

Ice water

Peaches:

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. amaretto liquor

1 12 oz. bag frozen peaches, sliced

Creme:

8 oz. mascarpone at room temperature

1/2 c. reserved peach cooking liquid

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add flour, polenta, salt, sugar and almonds to a food processor. Pulse.

Add egg yolk, pulse.

Add butter and pulse and run until the mixture is crumbly and comes together.

Add water 1 tsp. at a time until it forms a dough.

Press into a greased tart shell, place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

To make peaches:

Heat a skillet over medium, melt butter and add brown sugar.

Turn heat to high, add amaretto.

Boil down mixture until it's a thick glaze.

Turn heat off, add peaches and turn to coat.

Let peaches sit in liquid for 20 minutes and cool liquid.

Strain off 1/2 c. of the liquid, whisk together with mascarpone.

Spread onto the bottom layer of the tart, top with peaches.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Manchego and Porcini Risotto

I felt like our Spanish dinner wouldn't be complete without paella, but I don't like seafood. I decided to still make some sort of rice dish. Risotto is always a favorite of my husband, so I went with it and made it with Spanish add-ins. What I love most about risotto is the versatility. Basically you can add any cheese and fruit or vegetable, and you get a totally different dish each time.
I found some dried porcini mushrooms, which are Italian, but have great flavor. I looked at the Spanish cheese section and found manchego, so Manchego and Porcini Risotto was born.
Porcinis are pretty expensive, about $10 for 1 oz. I used .5 oz. and utilized the rehydrating liquid (stock) as well.
The manchego was very similar to parmesan at first, it's somewhat crumbly and dry, but then it begins to melt in your mouth as it heats up. It was delicious, but far more expensive than parm.
Because there were so many elements to the entire meal, and especially this dish, I cooked the risotto ahead of time, about 90% through, and then reheated it in the oven. It came out perfectly!

Manchego and Porcini Risotto

.5 oz. porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in 2 c. boiling water

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 1/2 c. arborio rice

1/2 c. dry white wine

2 c. warmed vegetable stock

about 20 saffron threads

4 oz. Manchego cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

Bring 2 c. water to a boil, add mushrooms.

Let them sit for 5 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Drain stock through a coffee filter, set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add EVOO and butter.

Sautee onion for a minute, add rice and sautee for 2-3 minutes, or until toasted.

Turn heat to high, add wine and reduce, turn to medium-low.

Every 2-3 minutes, add 1/4-1/2 c. stock (porcini and vegetable).

Stir well after each addition.

Add saffron with one of the stock additions.

Cook for about 25 minutes, or until rice has a little bite to it.

Mince the reconstituted mushrooms, add to risotto.

Add most of the grated cheese, stir well.

Serve or portion into ramekins.

If cooking ahead and warming later:

Place ramekins into a baking dish, fill 3/4 the way up with water.

Add 2 tbsp. stock to the top of each ramekin to keep the risotto moist.

Cover the dish with foil, place in the oven at 300 for 30 minutes to warm through.

Paprika Chicken and Chorizo Skewers with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I couldn't make a Spanish meal without making chorizo! I usually am not a huge fan of it though, because it tends to be greasy. We went to Bloomingfoods, a market that has organic, local food, and I found chorizo that was locally made and with 65% less fat than standard! Since it can also be heavy and salty, I thought pairing it with some spiced chicken would balance it out.

Red peppers are also very traditionally used in Spainsh cooking, so I decided to make a thick sauce/condiment to top these with. The sweetness of the peppers was great with the spicy, salty chicken and sausage.

These skewers would be great over a bowl of saffron rice with peas for a complete meal!

Spiced Chicken and Chorizo Skewers with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 lb. chorozo, sliced in 1" rounds

1 lb. chicken tenders, cubed

1 tbsp. smoked paprika

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. EVOO

2 garlic cloves, grated

10 skewers, soaked in water

sauce:

1 fresh roasted red pepper (fresh tastes so much better than jarred)

1 yellow onion

1 tbsp. EVOO

salt and pepper

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (1 tbsp)

1 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves

parsley, for garnish

Add chicken cubes, paprika, salt, pepper, EVOO and garlic to a bowl, toss to coat and marinate chicken for a few hours.

Alternate chicken and chorizo on skewers, place on a baking sheet or grill.

Cook at 350 for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked and chorizo has a light brown crust on the edges.

While skewers cook, in a small pan, saute onion in EVOO over medium heat until softened.

Add onion and remaining sauce ingredients to a blender and puree.

Plate skewers, top with sauce and parsley.

Hericot Verts with Serrano and Garlic

This dish is another that I took off a restaurant's tapas menu. It sounded simple and delicious, some of my favorite flavors. If you can't find serrano, prosciutto is similar and widely available.

Hericot Verts with Serrano and Garlic

1 lb. hericot verts, trimmed

1/4 lb. serrano ham, sliced thin and diced

2 garlic cloves, grated

parsley

cracked black pepper

Steam green beans until tender, but with a bite.

In a skillet over medium, sautee ham with garlic for 10 minutes, or until brown and a bit crisp.

Drain, if necessary, add green beans, season with pepper.

Plate and top with chopped parsley.

Spanish Spiced Chick Peas

Roasted chick peas have been on my "to-make" list for a long time. While so many of the dishes I made took a few steps and ingredients, these were simple and no hassle. They were great, I could snack on them like popcorn! Again, I just played around with the seasonings using traditional Spanish flavors.

Spanish Spiced Chick Peas

1 15 oz. can organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp. EVOO

Sprinkle of smoked paprika

Sprinkle of paprika

Salt and pepper

Sprinkle of rosemary

Place beans on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Toss in EVOO and spices.

Roast at 350 for 25 minutes.

Plate and serve.

Heirloom Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

For this dish, I copied it straight off a tapas menu from a restaurant I found online, but I used Heirloom tomatoes rather than beefsteak. I love goat cheese with tomatoes, and balsamic dressings are my favorite. I made up the dressing recipe, it's pretty simple, like any standard lighter vinaigrette. I always buy organic goat cheese, which unlike most products, is the same price as regular! I guess this is sort of the Spanish equivalent of an Italian caprese, another one of my favorites!

Also, I have found that putting the goat cheese in the freezer for 5 minutes and crumbling it with a fork is the best way to get it out and not all over your fingers!

Heirloom Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

4 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced

2 oz. organic goat cheese, crumbled

Vinaigrette:

1 tbsp. honey

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. EVOO

handful of flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper

Add dressing ingredients to a blender, whirl to combine.

Arrange tomatoes on a plate, top with goat cheese and dressing.

Valencia Orange and Spanish Olive Tapenade

One of my favorite appetizers is tapenade with crusty bread. I love to make tapenade at home because it's so easy, and it's much cheaper. I often see tiny 3-4 oz. jars of tapenade for close to $10!
The olive bar at Kroger is pretty nice, it has maybe a dozen olives and there are tags that say where they're from. I saw the green spanish olives with herbs and knew those would be perfect. I also grabbed a few kalamata olives for some variety. Usually I add a bit of lemon to my tapenade, but to keep it especially Spanish, I went with Valencia oranges. I also read parsley is all over Spanish cooking, as well as anchovies, which are traditional in many tapenades.
I am so happy with how this tapenade came out, I will definitely make it again in the future!

Valencia Orange and Spanish Olive Tapenade

Zest of a Valencia orange (1 tbsp)

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 c. parsley leaves

1 c. mixed Spanish olives in herbs

(or plain plus extra oregano and crushed red pepper flakes)

1 tbsp. White wine vinegar

1 tbsp. anchovy paste

2 tbsp. EVOO

Fresh cracked black pepper and salt to taste

Orange segments, for garnish

Bread of choice, sliced and toasted

Add zest and garlic to a food processor, pulse until garlic is minced.

Add parsley, olives, vinegar, anchovy paste and pepper.

Pulse until it's finely minced.

Add 1 tbsp. EVOO, pulse.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Pour into a bowl, top with orange segments.

Refrigerate until ready to serve, drizzle 1 tbsp. EVOO over the top before serving.

(close up of the herbed olives)

Traditional (or Sparkling) Sangria

I absolutely love Sangria. I love a nice dry red wine and a splash of citrus and a bit of sweetness. I usually add a bit of sparkling water to mine to stretch it out (so I can drink more) and it also makes it much cheaper for a group. I decided to set up a little bar so people had the choice of regular or sparkling.
This is a pretty traditional recipe, it's really a personal preference thing. Recently a new, huge market called Sahara Mart opened in Bloomington. They had a big wine tasting event last weekend that JJ and I went to. We then went over to the store and checked out their wine selection, which was HUGE. Like most wine shops, it's sorted by country of origin. What I love about Sahara Mart is they also carry a large selection of organic wines. I decided to grab 2 bottles of an inexpensive Spanish Organic Red.

Traditional Sangria

1/4 c. Brandy

1/4 c. powdered sugar

3 lemons

3 limes

2 oranges

2 bottles of Red Wine

Sparkling water (optional)

Pour brandy and powdered sugar into a pitcher. Whisk until sugar dissolves.

Juice 1 lemon, 1 lime and 1 orange. Add to pitcher.

Add 2 bottles of wine.

Slice the remaining orange, a lemon and a lime. Add to the pitcher, stir and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or overnight.

Before serving, fill pitcher with ice and slice remaining lemon and lime for garnish.

Tapas Dinner Recap

For the past few weeks, everywhere I look in magazines and ads, there is Sangria. We had planned to have Allison and Will over for dinner, so I asked her if they like sangria and the said YES, so I decided to plan the dinner around it.
I've never done a tapas dinner before, so I decided to give it a try. I love making lots of little dishes and sides and having tons of variety, so tapas were right up my alley.
I decided to google tapas menus and I looked at some restaurants options to get a general idea of some of the dishes. Then I decided to look up traditional Spanish flavors, and sort of wing it.
I think that my dishes are pretty traditional, I tried to use as many Spanish imported products and flavors as possible, like parsley, paprika, saffron, chorizo, serrano, EVOO, olives, valencia oranges, and manchego.

(The inspiration)

The Sangria

My Plate, a little of everything

And the menu:

Traditional (or Sparkling) Sangria

Valencia Orange and Spanish Olive Tapenade

Heirloom Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Spanish Spiced Chickpeas

Serrano and Garlic Hericot Verts

Porcini and Manchego Risotto

Paprika Chicken and Chorizo Skewers with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Grilled Summer Corn Chowder

Fresh, delicious corn is finally at the market, so I picked up a few ears last week. I love grilled corn, so we made a dozen ears and kept the leftovers for meals during the week. Rather than have them as a side each night, I decided to make a chowder to showcase the sweet, grilled corn.
I made this vegetarian, but crisped up some bacon for JJ to top his with. I think it was great without it, either way is fine!
This is actually quite healthy because it just has a splash of half and half, and is creamy and thick from the pureed vegetables.

Grilled Summer Corn Chowder

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced

2 large yukon gold potatoes, finely diced

2 carrots, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. chili powder

4 c. vegetable stock

4 ears of grilled corn, sliced off the cobb

Splash of cream

Scallions, thinly sliced

Heat a soup pot over medium.

Add EVOO, onion, garlic, bell pepper, potatoes and carrots.

Season with salt and pepper, stir and cook for 10 minutes.

Add 2 c. vegetable stock, bring to a boil and cover.

Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5-10 more minutes.

Add half of vegetables, half of corn and 1 c. reserved vegetable stock to a blender.

Puree until smooth and thick, add vegetable stock if necessary.

Add puree back to the pot with reserved vegetables.

Add cream, almost all the remaining corn, and more stock to reach desired consistency.

Bring to a simmer, ladle into a bowl, top with remaining corn and scallions.

Monster Cookies

Yesterday morning I found out that one of my coworkers's daughters fell in cheer practice and split her head open! Michele immediately said that she was so brave and tough, didn't cry, and was excited to get back! Of course, I had to make her some cookies! I mean, what else do you do for someone when something good, bad, or indifferent happens?
Since she's only 12, I wanted to make something that a kid would enjoy, nothing too refined and nothing plain. I remembered back to my days working at Starbucks, and all of the kids always wanted the Monster Cookies when their mom's got a latte. I looked up a few recipes to see what exactly a monster cookie is, and basically, it's a garbage cookie. It has a peanut butter/oatmeal/brown and white sugar butter base with any and every mix-in and usually M&M's on top. As I sifted through some recipes, I saw that many of them only had oats and no flour. I know from experience that my only oat and no flour cookies ALWAYS pancake, spread, and crumble apart.
Since I make cookies so often, I'm pretty comfortable going off on my own with no recipe these days, so that's just what I did. I'm really happy with how these came out, I made them really large and they had just the right balance of peanut butter/oatmeal raisin/chocolate chip cookie flavor. They just might be my new favorite!

Monster Cookies

Makes about 24 large cookies

1/2 lb butter, softened

8 oz. peanut butter, creamy or crunchy

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 c. AP flour

3 c. quick cooking or old fashioned oats

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

2 c. M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add butter and peanut butter to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on medium for 3-4 minutes, until well mixed and light.

Add sugars, continue to beat for another 3-4 minutes.

Turn speed to low, add vanilla and eggs, one by one until they are incorporated.

Add baking soda, flour and oats, mix until just combined.

Add half the M&Ms, raisins and chocolate chips.

Touch dough, if it's sticky and pulls away, add another 1/4 c. flour until it's loose but rolls into a ball.

Place dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Line baking sheet with parchment.

Roll cookies into 4 oz. balls, a little bigger than a golf ball but smaller than a tennis ball.

Press onto the cookie sheet and press 3-4 M&M's on the top of each.

Bake for 13 minutes.

Remove and place on a cooking rack. Store in an airtight dish.

Polenta Lasagna with Vegetable Bolognese

It's tough coming up with new recipes when we have, oh... 650 posts already! I've decided to go back to a few basics and switch them up a bit. Polenta is one of my favorite starches, it's like a cross between potatoes and pasta, and it's very versatile! Again, I made my own polenta rounds, but you can always but them at the store, or just cut long strips like noodles.
I also tend to use a basic marinara when making lasagna, so to make this heartier and healthier, I made a vegetable bolognese. It added so much flavor and depth.
I was going to make a mascarpone filling rather than ricotta, but I couldn't find any mascarpone at Kroger.
This meal was amazing. It turned into more of a casserole than a lasagna, but had we let it cool a bit and set before we dug in, the layers would be more visible. This would be a great alternative for a make ahead and freeze meal.

Polenta Lasagna with Vegetable Bolognese

Polenta:

2 c. vegetable stock

1 c. skim milk

1 1/2 c. polenta

(these ratios may be different, check your package or just add more stock/water if it's too thick)

salt and pepper

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Ricotta Mixture:

1 c. ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/2 c. mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper

chopped fresh oregano and parsley

Bolognese:

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 green bell pepper, chunked

1 yellow bell pepper, chunked

1 small zucchini, chunked

4 oz. cremini mushrooms

1 carrot, peeled, chunked

2 celery stalks, chunked

1 large yellow onion, chunked

3 garlic cloves, smashed

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 c. dry red wine

1 15 oz. can tomato puree

2 tbsp. chopped fresh italian herbs

1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

Crushed red pepper flakes

First, prepare the polenta.

Bring the stock and milk to a rolling boil, whisk in the polenta, turn to low.

Cook according to package (I buy organic polenta in bulk, takes around 15 minutes).

Take off heat, whisk in salt, pepper and parmesan.

Spread on a lined baking sheet, place in the fridge for an hour or more.


To make bolognese:
Heat a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add EVOO.
Add vegetables (in small batches) to the food processor.
Pulse until they are in a fine mince.
Add to the pan with EVOO.
Continute with all vegetables, season havily with salt and pepper.
Stir and cook until all moisture is cooked out and vegetables begin to brown, about 20-25 minutes.
Add tomato paste and wine. reduce.
Add tomatoes and spices, stir and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings.


Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Add all ricotta mixture ingredients to a small bowl, stir to combine.
Add 1/3 of the bolognese to a baking dish, top with half the polenta rounds.
Spread the ricotta over the polenta, top with another 1/3 of the sauce.
Add the rest of the polenta rounds, top with sauce and mozzarella cheese shreds.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.


It doesn't plate so pretty when it's still hot, but here's a look...

Herb Butter and Goat Cheese Linguini with Fresh Tomatoes

I love Rachael Ray's Everyday magazine. I love Rachael, but rarely get to see her shows anymore, so the magazine is the next best thing! I especially love magazines because they're seasonal. When I saw this recipe for a spaghetti with fresh Heirloom tomatoes, I just had to make it. I had to seek out the tomatoes though, it took me 4 stores before I finally found them!
I didn't use the butter like she did to keep it a little healthier, and I used a little less goat cheese. I also added some crumbled turkey sausage for JJ, but I think it's just great without!

Herb Butter and Goat Cheese Linguini with Fresh Tomatoes

by Rachael Ray

(I halved this, other changes in parenthesis)

Salt and pepper
1 pound linguine pasta
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (used 2 oz.)
6 tablespoons butter (Used 1 tbsp.)
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
2 cups chopped multicolored heirloom tomatoes (didn't half this)

1/4 lb. bulk turkey sausage, crumbled

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is working, in a serving bowl, add the crumbled goat cheese.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.

Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the white wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.

Add the parsley, dill, tarragon and thyme.

Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water.

Add the pasta to the goat cheese.

Pour the herb sauce on top, season with pepper and toss for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes and toss gently for another minute; season with salt and pepper.
*I browned the sausage, drained and set aside and tossed with the pasta at the end*

A Year Ago: Moussaka

Curry Yogurt Turkey Burgers

For dinner tonight I was in the mood for burgers. 99% of the time I use ground turkey because it's much healthier (if you use 99% ground turkey breast), so I tried to think of a new flavor for them. I've made southwest, italian, thai, thanksgiving, mediterranean, you name it, I've made it, except for Indian! I love curry, but don't eat it too often as it gets hot out because big bowls of hot food isn't so appetizing when it's 85 degrees out... so I put those flavors into a burger!

To help keep the burger moist, I decided to add some plain yogurt. It gave the burgers a great tang, but mostly just kept them really moist. Precooking the veggies helps get a bit of their moisture out so the burgers don't crumble.

These burgers are not really good for the grill because they are so moist, they might break up before they're cooked. I cooked mine in a pan on the stove and they came out perfectly.

I served them with mango chutney and cucumbers, but any indian condiment will do. I also had sweet potato oven fries and a huge garden salad.

Curry Yogurt Turkey Bugers

1/4 softball sized red onion, minced

1/4 red pepper, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

1/2 lb. ground turkey breast

2 heaping tbsp. plain Oikos yogurt

1 tbsp. curry powder (any will do)

2 multi grain buns

12 cucumber slices

1/4 c. prepared mango chutney (I use TJ's)

Heat a small pan over medium heat.

Add 1 tbsp. EVOO, minced onion, pepper and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper, stir and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened.

Add to a mixing bowl.

Add yogurt and curry powder to vegetables, stir to combine.

Add ground turkey and gently mix to combine, the mixture will be a bit wet and loose.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Spray with nonstick spray, divide turkey mixture into two sections, gently form into patties.

Place in the pan, cover and cook for 6 minutes.

Flip and cover, cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Check for doneness, place on the bun lined with cucumber, top with chutney and serve.

A Year Ago: Goat Cheese Mac and Cheese, BBQ Succotash, Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

Farfalle with Roasted Broccoli and Red Pepper Pesto

I wanted to make something light and simple to go with the meatloaf last night, so I went with a pasta dish. I decided to add broccoli, but rather than steam it, I roasted it. For the pesto, I had some red pepeprs and sun dried tomatoes, so rather than choose between the two, I used both. I think it's my new favorite non-basil pesto! This dish is simple, flavorful, and could be a meal all by itself.

Farfalle with Roasted Broccoli and Red Pepper Pesto

1/2 lb. farfalle (I use Barilla plus)

1 head of organic broccoli florets

parmesan cheese, for garnish

pesto:

1 fresh roasted red pepper

10 sun dried tomatoes

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/4 c. pine nuts

1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated

10 basil leaves

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. EVOO

1-3 tbsp. vegetable stock

salt and pepper

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss broccoli in salt, pepper and EVOO on a lined baking sheet.
Roast for 15-20 minutes.
Cook pasta, drain and put back in pot.
In a blender or food processor, add all pesto ingredients (except stock) and process until smooth.
Add stock to reach desired consistency.
Pour over pasta.
Add broccoli to pasta, toss.
Plate and garnish with parmesan.


A Year Ago: Appetziers for Mom's Cancer Free Tea Party
Tomato and Goat Cheese Tea Sandwiches
Gorgonzola Stuffed Spanish Olives
Cucumber and Herbed Cheese Tea Sandwiches
Caramelized Pear and Walnut Profiteroles
Chicken, Artichoke and Red Pepper Tapenade
Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Reduction

Turkey Meatloaf with Burgundy Mushroom Gravy

For dinner tonight, I went with a classic, one of JJ's favorites - meatloaf! I had some ground turkey breast in the freezer that I needed to use, as well as some mushrooms. I love adding vegetables to meat dishes to bulk them up, and the mushrooms really help retain moisture in the meatloaf. I think ground turkey breast works especially well here because I like to have the mix really wet, and it's much easier to shape a wet mound into a meatloaf than to make a turkey burger patty. Don't be alarmed, as long as they're cooked through they'll be super tender and juicy.
For the gravy, it's not necessary, but I thought it might make it a little more fancy. Some smeared ketchup or bbq sauce would be great as well!

Mini Turkey Meatloaf with Burgundy Mushroom Gravy

(makes 2 large/4 small)

meatloaf:

1/2 yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 oz. mushrooms, minced

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. worchestershire sauce

1 tsp. fresh minced thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

1/2- lb. organic ground turkey breast

1 tbsp. tomato paste or ketchup

1 egg white, beaten

2 tbsp. buttermilk

1/2 c. breadcrumbs

gravy:

4 oz. thinly sliced mushrooms

1/2 yellow onion, grated

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1/4-1/2 c. burgandy wine

1 c. chicken or turkey stock

Splash of cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a pan over medium heat, add meatloaf onions, mushrooms and garlic.

Stir and cook for 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

Add worchestershire sauce and thyme.

While vegetables cook, add turkey, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, milk and egg to a mixing bowl.

Take veggies off heat, cool for 5 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Add veggies to meat, gently mix to incorporate all ingredients.

Spoon into 2 mounds on the baking sheet and shape with hands.

Bake for 35-40 minutes (depending on size).

While meatloaf cooks, prepare gravy.

Add butter, mushrooms and onion to a small stockpot.

Season with salt and pepper, cook over low until veggies are cooked.

Sprinkle flour over veggies, stirring to cook.

Add tomato paste, stir.

Turn heat to high, add wine, reduce, add stock.

Reduce by half, right before serving meatloaf, add cream to stock, then spoon over plated meatloaf.

A Year Ago: Mom's cancer free tea party - My famous sugar cookies, Mock Edible Arrangements

Mock Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake

About two months ago, Kashi was offering coupons to try one of their frozen dinners for free, so I signed up. I got a coupon for a free Kashi frozen entree about 2 weeks ago. I looked at what they had at Kroger, and chose the Mayan Harvest Bake. It sounded like many of my favorite ingredients in one dish, and it was free!

This was hands down the best frozen dinner I've ever had. It tasted fresh, healthy, and delicious! The flavor combinations were very innovative and I just kept thinking about it over and over. I decided to try to recreate it at home and make it for dinner this week.

I might go back and make a few changes, but it was a very close replica. Next time I might pan fry the plantains as well as make the sauce a little more saucy (with more veggie stock), it was pretty thick. I used quinoa rather than the seven grain polenta, and it made it a little more dry, but I did like the quinoa.

Mock Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake

1 c. prepared quinoa

1 15 oz. can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 plantain, sliced into long planks

4 c. kale, chopped

1/4 c. pepitas (I only had almonds, but Kashi used pepitas)

ancho chili sauce:

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 c. tomato puree

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. ancho chili powder

1 tbsp. sugar in the raw

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1/4-1/2 c. vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Puree onions and garlic in a blender with stock.

Add tomato puree, tomato paste, onion puree, sugar and spices to a small soup pot.

Heat over medium for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Scatter sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment, roast for 15 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium, add chopped kale, a few tbsp. of water and a sprinkle of salt.

Wilt down and toss for 5-10 minutes.

Spread prepared quinoa in a baking dish, top evenly with black beans.

Top with cooked kale and sliced plantains.

Take potatoes out of the oven, scatter around baking dish.

Top entire casserole with sauce.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bubbly.

Sprinkle with pepitas.

A Year Ago: How to make/cut/color fondant (a tutorial), Vanilla cupcakes with honey buttercream

Moosewood Lowfat Mac and Cheese

It's not very common for JJ to request a specific dinner, so when he does I make it for him. His request was buffalo chicken tenders and mac and cheese, so I made the baked boneless tenders I always do, and I decided to try out a new mac and cheese recipe I'd had my eye on.

I love mac and cheese (don't we all?) so finding a lowfat recipe in a cookbook I love sounded great. I've tried quite a few low-fat versions that were not so good. This one was a little different, very creamy, and actually really good! I haven't had the full fat, good stuff in a long time though... However, I definitely would try this out. What makes it borderline healthy is the use of cottage cheese as the creamy base. It adds lots of protein and bulks up the sauce in a healthy way. Moosewood cookbooks often use cottage cheese as a sub for cream or a bechamel sauce.

I served the mac and cheese and tenders with a large garden salad for a complete meal.

Moosewood Low Fat Mac and Cheese

(I halved this)

1 1/2 c. 1% cottage cheese
1 1/2 c. nonfat buttermilk

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (omitted, don't like it in my mac and cheese)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 onion. minced
1 c. extra-sharp cheddar
1/2 lb. uncooked elbow macaroni (farfalle)
2 tbsp. grated Pecorino or Parmesan Cheeses
1/4 c. bread crumbs

Preheat the over to 375 degrees.

Prepare a 9 or 10 inch square baking pan with a light coating of cooking spray.
In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper and puree until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the puree, the onion, macaroni and cheddar cheese and stir thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into your pan.
Combine the Pecorino/Parmesan and the bread crumbs and sprinkle on top of the mixture.
Bake about 45 minutes, until the top is browned and the center firm.

A Year Ago: Dog Friendly Birthday Cake (Pumpkin's 3rd B-day!)

And HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY to my Little Pumpkin Spice :)

Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Turkey Meatballs

I've had this photo/recipe sitting in my drafts for quite a while! I made them last week with calzones, and they were delicious. It's so important to use big flavor and moisture when cooking with ground turkey breast because not only is it a blank canvas, but it can get very dry.
These would be great over pasta, on a sandwich, or turned into a burger!

Parmesan and Sun Dried Tomato Turkey Meatballs

1/2 lb. 99% fat free ground turkey breast

1/2 yellow onion, grated

1 garlic clove, grated

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce

1 tbsp. tomato paste

10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese

about 1/3 c. bread crumbs

1 tsp. dried or 1 tbsp. fresh minced Italian herbs

Salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, gently toss all ingredients together with the tips of your fingers.

Divide mixture into fourths, roll 2 balls from each fourth and place on a greasted, foil lined baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

A Year Ago:

Dinner at Lolita

Risi e Bisi (Venetian Rice and Peas)

Mushroom Ragout with Parmesan Polenta, Grilled Radicchio and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

Round 2 of IU Cookies

So IU made it to Regionals!!! They're headed to Louisville this weekend to play another double-elimination round. I told JJ I wanted to make the guys cookies again b/c they're doing so great. I asked him to think of some naturally red and white cookes (like, I didn't want to use tons of red food coloring and add them to peanut butter cookies or something)... and he was like, "you need to make the same ones." And I said, "JJ, I don't like making the same things again and again for the same people.... I need to be creative!" And he said, "No, really. You NEED to make the SAME ONES!" And I started to argue, then he gave me that look, you know, the "We're really superstitious baseball players, we'll be wearing the same socks and we'll tie our shoes the same way, we'll listen to the same songs, and we will have THE SAME COOKIES" look.

So I conceeded. I made the SAME cookies. But then I also added another kind, oatmeal craisin - crimson craberries, perfect! He said I could make more, but had to make the same basic ones. I didn't know there were rules like this....

So anyway, I made the same sugar cookie baseballs and red M&M cookies. It was interesting to see how using the same recipes only a week apart yielded such different results. I attribute this to the weather. Last week it was around 70 and sunny, this week it was 85 and humid... which made my chocolate chip cookies flatten a bit more, and made my royal icing runny! It took a lot more time for them to dry, and the red seams bled a bit into the white.

He said no one complained :)

So once again, please wish the Hoosiers tons of luck! They have the talent and especially the heart, and if they make it past this round it will be the first time in school history!!!

GO HOOSIERS!!!

Here's a link to last week's cookies with the recipes!

Tamale Pie

When planning my weekly menu, I take a good hour or two to see what we've got on hand, see what's on sale, browse some cookbooks, magazines and blogs, and then evaluate what I'm in the mood for. It can be a long process! Usually I do my food shopping Saturday morning, however I was out of town... which tends to screw with my brain and weekly menu! For weekends when I don't have time to do a long menu planning session and food shop, I have a few go-tos! One is the Moosewood cookbooks, and the other is cooking light.



Ever since I got Moosewood's Lowfat Favorites I'd had my eye on this recipe. It sounded like something I'd enjoy, somewhat of a southwest spiced vegetarian pot pie. It has many of the same flavors of my favorite creation, fajita pasta. I have to say it didn't really live up to the expectations. The cornbread topping was not very flavorful, and it was a bit dry. I did play with the recipe, but just a tiny bit and not enough to change the integrity of the dish.

Moosewood Tamale Pie

1 tsp. EVOO

1 medium red onion, chopped

3 minced garlic cloves

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 small zucchini, diced

2 chipotles in adobo, minced

1 15 oz. can organic diced tomatoes

1 c. dark red kidney beans, rinsed

1 c. black beans, rinsed

salt & pepper

grated cheddar

¾ cup cornmeal

1 tbsp unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

2 egg whites, beaten

½ cup nonfat buttermilk

2 tsp canola oil

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the EVOO, onions and garlic.

Sautee until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add cumin, coriander, oregano, peppers, zucchini and chipotles.

Cook for another 5 minutes, add tomatoes and beans, and cook for another 5 minutes, until much of the liquid is evaporated.

Taste, season with salt and peper.

Spoon into a casserole dish.

Top with cheese.

In a small dish, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt.

In another combine egg whites, milk and oil.

Fold wet into dry, spoon over the vegetable mixture.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with sour cream, scallions, cilantro, etc.

A Year Ago: Memorial Day BBQ, Peanut Butter Dog Treats!

White Wine Summer Pasta

Ever see a recipe, mean to make it, and it just keeps getting postphoned? That's what happened with this dinner for the past year! My buddy Liv, who used to have an awesome blog (but since has gotten a house and is pregnant, good reasons to take a blogging break!) made this dinner last spring. I am so glad I remembered it because it was delicious. I made a few changes, additions, etc, but the concept of meal is the same. I made my own pasta, I ran the dough through the pasta roller but then cut it freehand to get wider ribbons. I also added a pinch of minced rosemary to the dough.

White Wine Summer Pasta

Fresh Pasta:

1 c. organic unbleached flour

1 egg

1/4-1/2 c. water

pinch of salt

1 red onion, sliced

1 carrot peeled thinly with a vegetable peeler

1 zucchini peeled thinly with a vegetable peeler

1 yellow squash peeled thinly with a vegetable peeler

10 sun dried tomatoes, sliced

1/2 c. white wine

1/2 c. vegetable stock

1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cubed

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt and drop in pasta.

Cook for 5 minutes, or as packaged directs.


Heat a large nonstick pan over medium, add 1 tbsp. EVOOl.

Add onions, carrots, zucchini and squash.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 5 minutes.

Turn heat to high, add wine, stock and tomatoes.

Reduce liquids by half, add Italian seasoning and pasta.

Toss to combine, add the cheese, toss.

IU Baseball - Big 10 Champions!

You might have noticed I haven't posted much in the past week. I have good reasons! I was in Columbus, Ohio at the Big 10 Baseball tourney! My husband is the Athletic Trainer, and I had to go support the team and him. I have had such a fantastic time this year attending all of their home games (not to mention the awesome tan I've developed...)! They have just been a phenomenal team, the guys are great, and I am so happy for them. They were the #3 seed, and proceeded to win every single game, keeping themselves in the winners bracket (it was double elimination), outscored their opponents 47-9 in 4 games, and basically kicked ass.

They will find out tomorrow what Regional Bracket they're in and where they'll go, but for now, we're going to celebrate! I'll recap a bit more on Ash is Fit, but here are some photos of the team and of JJ, I've never seen him so happy (except our wedding day, of couse...haha)

GO HOOSIERS!!!

To see the baseball cookies I made for the team (which I'm sure gave them the strength to win the game...haha) click HERE!

Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot

Last Friday, I went out to lunch with the accounting department at work for my birthday. I got to choose where we went, and I picked FARM bloomington, which describes itself as Real Food, uses local ingredients, organic products, and is clean and simple food, but truly delicious. I ordered a Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot, which was outstanding. I've been craving it ever since! I remembered I just got a new bottle of curry, so I decided to make a giant pot of vegetables. The curry powder I used had corriander, turmeric, fenugreek, anise, fennel, and cayenne, but I added a few more spices to get the flavor I wanted. This makes a ton of food, and contains so many veggies that you can definitely delete some from the list and it will still make a delicious curry.
I'm so excited to go there again, this time with JJ. One of my co-workers got the BLT and loved it, and their brunch menu looks delicious as well! www.farmbloomington.com

Tofu and Vegetable Curry Stewpot

Makes 4-6 servings

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 c.)

1 russet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 c.)

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped in 1" rounds

1 eggplant, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 small butternut squash, diced (about 2 c.)

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 15 oz. cans light coconut milk

salt and pepper

4 tbsp. curry powder, or any combination of corriander, turmeric, fenugreek, anise, fennel, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin and ginger

1 block extra firm tofu, diced

4 c. prepared brown basmati rice

1/2 c. slivered almonds

Heat 2 tbsp. EVOO in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients (except tofu, rice and almonds).

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, vegetables should give off liquid to almost cover.

Taste and season, pierce potato or carrots to see if they're cooked thru.

When vegetables are ready, add tofu, gently mix through.

Plate rice in a shallow bowl, ladle in vegetables, top with almonds.

A Year Ago: Asian Salad with Ginger Carrot Dressing and Chicken Potstickers

Let's Go Hoosiers!!!

This week/end is the Big 10 Conference Baseball Tournament. IU is ranked 3rd this year, which is awesome for the team as their baseball program hasn't been very strong in the past.
JJ absolutely loves the guys on the team, and has had such a great season, so I decided to make some cookies to send with them on the bus to Columbus, OH, where the tourney is.
I have had so much fun going to all of the home games this year, and hope to make it to the tournament this weekend if they're still in it and going strong. If you're in the Big 10 Network viewing area, be sure to check it out! Their first game is tomorrow at 3:30.

Baseball Sugar Cookies: My Famous Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing (I was going to pipe IU's on them, but ran out of red!). I made a double recipe and got 100 baseballs. I used a 3" biscuit cutter to cut them out.

I wanted to make them another kind of cookie that would be a crowd pleaser and I could make IU colors (cream and crimson). I thought automatically to make M&M cookies, but I didn't want to go to the candy store and buy the red M&M's because they're $19.99/lb, a little ridiculous! However, I was at Michaels (craft store) and saw they now carry single colored M&M's in little bags, and you can use the 40% off coupon, so I was able to buy just red. I almost got the cream too, but they were more white, and I decided to put in white chocolate chips instead. I'm pretty sure I was a little heavy on the baking powder because these puffed up, but they were still great! Here's the recipe!

And here's the only photo I have of JJ on the field. The ump got hit by a wild pitch and he went out to check on him. He's such a star... haha.

Quinoa Salad with Kidney Beans and Baby Spinach

When I was at the library last week, I found a cookbook that sounded perfect - Eating Well's Healthy in a Hurry. It's full of clean, healthy, veggie filled and flavorful recipes. Since JJ wasn't home for dinner, I decided to do a vegetarian meal. I found two recipes back to back, Quinoa Salad with Edamame and Tarragon and Quinoa Salad with Dried Apricots and Spinach. I decided to kind of combine them and use what I had on hand to make a really light and healthy dinner. The combination of flavors was unexpected, but very interesting and delicious! My spinach was a tiny bit bitter, so I made sure to get a piece of super sweet tomato in each bite. Since I've switched to solely organic veggies and fruit, I've noticed that organic tomatoes and peppers especially seem to be so much sweeter! The tomatoes were like candy!

Quinoa Salad with Kidney Beans and Baby Spinach

1 c. Quinoa

2 tsp. EVOO
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c. vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

2/3 c. Moroccan Spiced Lemon Dressing

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small red onion, minced

1/2 c. kidney beans, rinsed

8 c. baby spinach

Moroccan Spiced Lemon Dressing:

1/4 c. lemon juice

2 tbsp. plain nonfat yogurt

1 1/2 tsp. honey

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

salt and pepper

In a small dish, whisk dressing ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Toast quinoa in a dry skillet over medium, stir often, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a mesh colander and rinse in cold water for a minute.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add garlic and quinoa, cook 4 minutes, add stock and salt, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes.

Turn heat off, bring salad to room temperature.

While salad cools, wilt spinach in a dry skillet, season with salt and pepper.

Plate spinach.

Add tomatoes, beans and onions to quinoa.

Add the dressing mix well. Plate and serve.

A Year Ago: TWD Madeleines

Vegetable Filo Roll Extravaganza

I found this recipe in my Moosewood Lowfat Favorites cookbook a few months ago. I made it, but forgot to photograph it. It was so good though, I knew I'd have to make it again. This week I was able to get tons of produce from the local co-op prettycheap, so I stocked up and happened to get all of the ingredients I needed to make this.

Again, it was delicious, a great combo starch/vegetable side with some chicken sausage, meatloaf, grilled chicken breasts, or pork tenderloin.

Vegetable Filo Roll Extravaganza

from Moosewood Lowfat Favorites

Filling:
1 c. diced chopped red onion
1 c. julienned carrot
1 c. thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 c. julienned zucchini
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. minced tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
salt & fresh ground pepper

Seasoned Bread Crumbs:
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

Filo:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
12 sheets phyllo dough
1 tablespoon sesame seed

In a nonstick saucepan saute the onions and carrots on medium heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in the bell peppers and squash or zucchini, and continue to cook for another minute.
Add the mushrooms, tarragon, and basil and cook until the mushrooms release their juices and become tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the seasoned bread crumb ingredients in a bowl.
Melt togerher the oil and butter on very low heat.
Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Place the bread crumbs and melted butter-oil mixture near the baking sheet and have a pastry brush or small clean paintbrush handy.
Work quickly in a draft-free setting because the unoiled filo becomes brittle once exposed to the air.
Unfold the stack of filo sheets next to the baking sheet.
To assemble the roll, take 3 sheets of filo from the stack and, in one smooth motion, lift all 3 together and lay the stack, unwrinkled, on the baking sheeet.
Lightly brush the top sheet with the melted butter-oil mixture.
Sprinkle about 1/4 of the seasoned bread crumbs over the filo sheet.
Repeat the layers: 3 sheets of filo, melted butter mixture, bread crumbs, until the filo and bread crumbs are completely used.
Spread the vegetables evenly on the filo to within an inch of all four edges.
Starting at one of the long sides, roll up the filo like a jelly roll, place the finished roll, seam side down, on the baking tray, and tuck in the ends.
Brush with the remaining butter mixture and sprinkle with fennel, poppy, or sesame seeds.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and puffed.
Serve hot or warm.

Greek Pasta Salad

I had Allison over for dinner Saturday night because our husbands were both working. Cooking for Allison is great because she pretty much eats anything. I love cooking for people like that (I know, I'm one of the pain in the neck people who I'd hate cooking for...haha). So anyway, I had some feta in the fridge that I needed to use, and the weather has been so summery, so I went with a pasta salad and turkey burgers. She loves artichokes, and I had some other Greek-ish ingredients on hand, so this pasta salad came together no problem! I wish I had some bell peppers to throw in, but I forgot to get one...

Greek Pasta Salad

Salad:

8 oz. tri color rotini

1/2 english cucumber, diced

10 olives, halved (any variety)

10 sun dried tomatoes, minced

1 15 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts

1/4 red onion, diced

1/2 c. crumbled feta

1 bell pepper, diced

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 c. EVOO

1 tbsp. minced fresh oregano (1/2 tsp. dried)

Salt and pepper

Cook pasta, drain and rinse with cold water.

Add dressing ingredients to a large bowl, whisk well.

Add all salad ingredients, toss and serve chilled.

A Year Ago: Nepalese - Dal Bhat and Terkari (Lentils with Rice and Curry Vegetables)

Morning Glory Muffins

Finally, the last post from Mother's Day weekend! I made these muffins the morning of graduation. They're pretty filling and full of ingredients, so I thought they'd keep us full until we went to the party later on in the afternoon. I made a few substitutions, but for the most part stuck with Dorie's recipe. This made 8 Jumbo muffins.

Carrot Spice Muffins by Dorie Greenspan

(or Morning Glories)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup canola oil (I used 1/3 c. oil, 1/3 c. plain yogurt)

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup raisins (I used cranberries)

1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugar, brown sugar and canola oil.

Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.

Add in the dry ingredients in two additions, alternately with the milk, mixing each addition just until incorporated.

Mix in the shredded carrot.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the coconut, cranberries, and nuts.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake for about 20 minutes, then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lime Curd Creme Tart with Raspberries

For dessert with our Mother's Day/Birthday dinner, I decided to make something light and springy. I love lemon curd in tarts, but since we had lemon cake the previous night, I decided to try out lime curd. It was absolutely delicious! I made it the same way as lemon, just with lime juice. For the tart I simply used a layer of pastry cream then a layer of lime curd/whipped cream and topped it with raspberries. Very simple, and all of the components can be made ahead of time.

Key Lime Curd Creme Tart with Raspberries

Tart Shell:

2 cups flour

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 stick of cold salted butter, grated

1 egg yolk

2-3 tbsp. ice water

Combine flour and sugar in a bowl.

Grate in butter, add egg yolk.

Stir together with a fork, add water until it forms a loose ball.

Knead quickly for a minute, press dough into a 10" tart shell pan.

Place in the fridge until ready to bake.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until just browned on the edges.

Pastry Cream (Dorie Greenspan):

2 cups whole milk

6 large egg yolks

1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits at room temperature

Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and cornstarch until thick and well blended.

Still whisking, drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the hot milk-- this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won't curdle.

Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remainder of the milk.

Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly (making sure to get the edges of the pot), bring the mixture to a boil.

Keep at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the vanilla extract.

Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are full incorporated and the pastry cream is smooth and silky.

Scrape the cream into a bowl.

You can press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the cream to create an airtight seal and refrigerate the pastry cream until cold or, if you want to cool it quickly--as I always do--put the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water, and stir the pastry cream occasionally until it is thoroughly chilled, about 20 minutes.

Lime Curd (from southern living):

1 c. sugar
1 tbsp lime zest
1 c. fresh lime juice
4 eggs yolks
1/2 stick of butter, diced

Bring sugar, zest, and juice to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

Remove from heat, and gradually whisk about one-fourth hot juice mixture into egg yolks; add egg yolk mixture to remaining hot juice mixture, whisking constantly until well blended.

Place saucepan over medium heat, and cook, whisking constantly, at least 10 or up to 12 minutes.

Add butter a piece at a time, whisking constantly until butter melts and mixture is well blended after each addition.

Remove from heat, pour into a bowl.

Place plastic wrap directly on warm curd, chill 3 hours.

Whipped Cream:

1 c. heavy cream, very cold

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

Place mixing bowl and attachment in the freezer for a minute.

Pour cream into bowl, whisk on medium for a minute until it gets frothy.

Add powdered sugar while mixing, turn speed to high, beat until it forms stiff peaks.

To assemble tart:

Place tart shell on a platter.

Spread the pastry cream over the bottom.

Fold lime curd into whipped cream, spread over the pastry cream layer.

Top with fresh or frozen raspberries and lime wedges.

A Year Ago: Mamie's Chicken with Mushrooms and Creole Risotto

Happy Birthday, ME!

Well, if I postdated this post correctly, it's my birthday!!! I'm the big 2-4 today! Sometimes I forget how old I am... not a good sign :) However, I'm feeling better this year than any other year I can remember! I feel so lucky and fortunate to have the husband, dog, family and friends that I do.

I've got lots of big plans this week/end that I'm so excited for. Last night, JJ and I baked my traditional birthday pumpkin pie together, but this year I used a chocolate graham cracker crust... we'll see how that goes! Basically, since I had to make my own cake (pie) I didn't feel like making crust from scratch, plus I love graham cracker crust!

Out of EVERY birthday wish I've ever had, I REALLY hope this year's comes true :) :) :)

A Year Ago: My Birthday Dinner! made by JJ