Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto

This past week, I did something that I haven't done in a few months, probably since we were living in Jacksonville. I went through some of my favorite websites and blogs (cookbooks are in storage, I'm really missing the Moosewood ones!) and printed out dozens of recipes and put them in a folder. On Friday, I went through the recipes and picked out six to make for dinner each night this week (we leave for a weekend trip on Friday!) It has been so nice to have a new variety of things, especially this risotto.

I made a few small changes from the original, a Cooking Light recipe, specifically adding some wine, using diced canned tomatoes, and a grate of Parmesan to finish the dish.  The flavors were delicious, basically a caprese salad, but warm and comforting, a nice way to taste the best flavors of summer in the cooling fall weather!

Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto

slightly adapted from Cooking Light

1 tsp. butter

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 small yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 c. arborio rice

1/4 c. dry white wine

1 c. canned, diced tomatoes

3 c. vegetable stock, warmed

2 c. fresh baby spinach leaves

1 dozen basil leaves, roughly chopped

2 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped

1 oz. fresh grated parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Heat a shallow skillet over medium heat.

Add butter and olive oil, melt together, then add onion and garlic, saute for 5 minutes.

Add rice, stir to gently toast for 2 minutes.

Add white wine, when liquid has reduced to half, add tomatoes and about 1/2 c. stock.

Once stock is absorbed, add another 1/2 c., continuing to stir rice every minute or two and adding more stock, as needed.

After about 20 minutes of adding stock and stirring risotto, turn heat off.

Fold in spinach and basil leaves, then add mozzarella and parmesan and gently fold.

Taste and add more salt, if necessary, it might be salty enough, season with black pepper.

Serve immediately.

Baked Quinoa with Zucchini, Corn and Basil

As I was perusing Williams-Sonoma's recipes last week for some dinner ideas, I came across this Baked Penne with Corn, Zucchini and Basil. It was the perfect way to marry the fleeting summer produce with a warm, wintery recipe. Because there was no real vegetarian protein, and already starch from corn, I substituted quinoa for the pasta. I also used canned, diced tomatoes rather than fresh, just because I had them on hand.

This is another great casserole meal to keep in mind for freezer stocking, baby/sick meals, or just something warm, hearty and healthy to cook for your own family! Now please excuse me while I go huddle in the corner with my space heater, we had our first frost last night.

Baked Quinoa with Zucchini, Corn and Basil

adapted from Williams Sonoma

1 c. quinoa, rinsed well

3 c. vegetable stock

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off

1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
12 large basil leave, torn
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a stock pot, add quinoa, turn heat to low and cover, cook for 15 minutes.
While quinoa cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and corn kernels, saute for 5 minutes, then add onion, garlic and zucchini.
Season with salt and pepper, and continue to saute for another 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown a bit.
Add white wine, scrape bits off the bottom of the pan, when wine has evaporated for the most part, add diced tomatoes, and turn heat off.
Preheat oven to 400*
Fluff quinoa with a fork, then add to the skillet with vegetables, gently mix, then add torn basil leaves and gently mix once more.
Transfer to a casserole dish, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Top with parmesan and mozzarella in a layer on top.
Place in the oven, and bake for 15-25 minutes, until cheese are beginning to brown and crisp.
Serve immediately. 

Portabella and Mozzarella Panini

So far, I've been really happy with the restaurants Boise has to offer. But I can't lie, I miss Panera! I didn't go there that often, but there are a few things there I just absolutely love, like this sandwich. I haven't had it in a while, but was craving it this week. I completely got help with this entire sandwich, so it's more of a construction than cooking, but the flavor combination is so delicious! 

Panera presses the sandwich, but I don't have one here, so I just broiled it on each side to toast it and pressed it with my hands. I used a Rosemary Focaccia  from the Whole Foods Bakery, which makes it more authentic, but any bread choice would be find. I also used the grilled portabella caps from the hot bar, which make this sandwich cheaper and less work, since portabellas are about $2.50/each! Finally, fresh mozzarella isn't necessary, but it is so good! We enjoyed this sandwich with French Onion Soup.

Portabell and Mozzarella Panini

copycat Panera Bread recipe

1 loaf of Focaccia bread, preferably with Rosemary

3 portabella caps, grilled or roasted with salt and pepper

1/4 red onion, grilled or roasted with salt and pepper, sliced

4 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls or sliced from a large ball

10 fresh basil leaves, torn

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Slice Focaccia loaf in half, place on a baking sheet, broil for 2-4 minutes, until slightly toasted and golden brown.

Toss portabella caps in red wine vinegar, arrange in a layer on focaccia, top with onions and mozzarella.

Place bread with toppings back under broiler, broil for 3-5 minutes, until mozzarella has melted.

Sprinkle torn basil all over the mozzarella, place top of loaf on the sandwich, and broil for another 1-2 minutes, until toasted.

Slice and serve immediately, preferably with your favorite soup. 

Southern Belle Salad with Tempeh

It's a bit ironic that this is my first home cooked meal in Boise, but this salad was all I wanted the past few days! The hardest thing to leave behind in Florida was probably The Floridian - ok, it was my friends, but The Floridian is a close second! I'm sure I've professed my love of the restaurant before, but I can't help it, Ive never had a bad meal there! The only downside is it's in downtown St. Augustine, which was a good 40 minute drive for us from our house in Jacksonville. However, any time we had company in town, this was the first place I took them!

(my sister Becky and tiny Violet with another outstanding dish, the Not-So-Mac-and-Cheese with Tempeh)

It's quintessentially Florida - from the fresh local produce to the fresh seafood, even the dairy is locally sourced. Plus, the menu changes seasonally, so you know you're eating fresh food. It combines beachy food with traditional southern dishes, and caters to vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters all at once!

My last meal there was a lunch in May, I ordered this salad and it was delicious! It combines some ingredients that I wouldn't have thought to put in a salad together, but they just worked so well! Their presentation is more of a chopped salad, but I left this whole so you could see the ingredients. They give the option to serve the salad with tempeh, fish, or other proteins, as they do with just about all dishes. If you're in the Jacksonville/St. Augustine area, I highly recommend you check out The Floridian!

Southern Belle Salad with Tempeh

adapted from The Floridian

Serves 2 as a main dish

1 large sweet potato, sliced

1 6-8 oz. package of plain tempeh, sliced

1 large lemon, juiced

4 tbsp. olive oil

4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. dried basil, crushed

salt and pepper

1 peach, pitted and sliced

1/2 c. candied pecans (I got these from the Whole Foods bulk bin)

2 oz. crumbled goat cheese

4-6 c. baby spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 400*

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray, arrange potato slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper

Roast for 20-25 minutes, until tender and slightly browned on the bottom

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic, honey, basil, salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasonings.

Place tempeh in a bowl, toss with half of the dressing mixture, gently toss.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add tempeh and cook 3-4 minutes per side, until browned.

Arrange spinach in a bowl, top with potato, peach and tempeh (chop into small pieces, if desired)

Top with blue cheese and pecans, drizzle with remaining dressing, serve.

(Optional - chop spinach, tempeh, peaches and potatoes, add to a large bowl, toss with cheese, pecans and dressing, serve)

Caprese Salad & The Olive Leaf

If you're a long-time reader, you know that this blog began when I lived in the frozen tundra of Bloomington, Indiana! My husband was working on his masters at IU, and worked for the IU baseball team (when they were B1G 10 champs!). We have many fond memories there (favorite restaurant), and have kept in touch with many friends from there. In fact, I recently was crowned champion of a Fantasy Football league run by a friend from Bloomington! But enough bragging... let's get to the food!

During Thanksgiving, my family took a trip to Greensburg, Indiana, to meet with some friends from Bloomington for lunch and to exchange Christmas gifts. My friend, Vickie, gifted me with a set of gourmet Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil. She told me to check out the website, and after trying the oil and vinegar, I did! The Balsamic vinegar she gave me is Pomegranate Balsamic, it's sweet, syrupy, tangy and delicious. The oil she gave me is the Cilantro and Roasted Onion, which is bright and full of flavor. I'm not usually one to dip bread in oil, but I could use a baguette as a sponge to sop it up. Vickie even mentioned making grilled cheese with it once... definitely on my "to-make" list!

Now The Olive Leaf has no idea who I am, this post isn't sponsored, but if you're looking to support a local Bloomington company, and try something insanely delicious, check out all of the varieties they offer! If you're a Bloomington local, head on over, try it out, and tell me how wonderful it was so I can live vicariously through you! I just saw they even offer tasting parties!

To showcase these products and use some of the delicious tomatoes from my CSA share, I made a simple caprese salad for Christmas brunch that was divine.

Caprese Salad

featuring The Olive Leaf products

4 large tomatoes, in wedges 

8 oz. fresh pearl mozzarella

1/4 c. basil chiffonade

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Arrange tomatoes in a bowl, season with salt and pepper.

Arrange mozzarella balls, sprinkle with basil.

Drizzle with balsamic and olive oil, serve.