Basil Summer Rolls

 One of my favorite quick service restaurants is Mama Fu's, we just call it the Fu, and whenever we're thinking about where to go for lunch, the Fu is always mentioned. It is very healthy (if you order the right thing - steamed veggies, brown rice, sauce on the side), there are tons of vegetarian options, and it's fast. When dining with a temper-tantrum prone one and a half year old, getting food on the table as fast as possible is key. The basil summer rolls are one of my favorite dishes there because they're so fresh tasting, full of herbs and peanuts, and they hit the table in a minute or less after you order. The only downside is the price, $8 for 4 rolls, which isn't terrible, but I can make them at home for pennies. So I did!

Rather than just use rice noodles in the filling, I sliced up some napa cabbage from the CSA to bulk up the noodles and add even more veggies to the dish. The combination of fresh mint, basil and cilantro gives these rolls a ton of flavor, the bean sprouts and peanuts add some crunch, and the peanut dipping sauce takes them over the top. I like to give my peanut sauce a hefty squirt of sriracha for spice!

Basil Summer Rolls

inspired by Mama Fu's, sauce from chow.com

rolls:

12 rice paper rolls

1 oz. cellophane rice noodles

2 c. thinly sliced napa cabbage

1 c. fresh bean sprouts

1 large carrot, shredded

2 tbsp. fresh chopped mint

2 tbsp. fresh basil, julienne

2 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

1 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. chopped peanuts

2 tbsp. peanut dipping sauce (recipe follows)

peanut sauce (I quartered this)

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. water

3 tbsp. hoisin sauce

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. chile-garlic paste

1 garlic clove, pasted (I used 1 tsp. dried garlic)

1/2 tsp. sesame oil (omitted)

First, make the sauce by whisking together all ingredients.

Next, make rice noodles according to package, drain, roughly chop and toss in a large bowl with sesame oil.

Chill noodles, toss with remaining ingredients except rice paper rolls.

Dip rolls in warm water for 10 seconds, place on a cutting board, fill with 1/4 c. noodle mixture, roll. 

Continue until you run out of rice paper wrappers or filling, it should be close! 

Serve with dipping sauce and sriracha on the side.

My 3rd Blogiversary & Tabbouli, Mandaloun Style

Today is a very momentous occasion on Veggie by Season, it's my third Blogiversary! Looking back over the past three years, beginning a blog has been absolutely one of the best decisions of my life. I have met so many other bloggers and enjoyed reading theirs through the tight-knit community, I have challenged myself to cook with new ingredients, techniques, and cuisines, and I have really tapped into my creative mind constructing recipes as well as writing about them. 

Looking back over the last year, my proudest blogging accomplishment was the POM Party victory. Being chosen in the top 10 among over 100 talented bloggers was really a special moment for me. Also, the Bakesale for Molly was another great moment during the last year. I was completely floored by the generosity of both the bakers and the bidders, and the way word spread among the blogging community and beyond. (As an aside, we were able to cover all of Molly's medical expenses, and I purchased 6 months of medication for her to take to her foster home, where she continues to reside awaiting adoption.)

Now in the past, I have celebrated my blogiversary in different ways. The first Blogiversary I made meatloaf cupcakes with whipped potato frosting, and last year I recapped my favorite recipes from the year. This year, I'm going in a little different direction. As I've said, blogging has led me to try many new ingredients, and even re-try things I thought I didn't like (cucumbers, turnips, lima beans, pears) and... parsley! I've always been completely opposed to parsley, and would substitute any other herb in it's place. Then, about a year ago, I tried tabbouli and I loved it. How could it be, I hated parsley?! More recently, I went to a Lebanese restaurant and ordered the Vegetarian Mezze platter, which featured tabbouli. Only this tabbouli was different - no blugur! It was completely parsley based, and I absolutely loved it.

I thought about it some more, and realized that when the parsley is minced into a fine piece, its flavors really come out, and it smells like lemon. I made this tabbouli based on my memory of the style of Mandaloun's, and it was very, very similar. Though I think I prefer just a bit of bulgur mixed in, this tabbouli is also something special. 

Thank you so much to everyone for your readership through the years. I never thought a blog would bring me so much joy and connect me with so many wonderful people. 

Tabbouli, Mandaloun Style

(no bulgur, authentic Lebanese)

3 bunches of parsley, stemmed

1 bunch of fresh mint leaves, stemmed

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1/2 English cucumber

3 garlic cloves

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp. Red Wine vinegar

1/4 c. EVOO

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Wash parsley and mint in a large colander, shake and dry well.

In batches, place mint and parsley leaves in a food processor, pulse and process until leaves are in small, minced pieces.

Place in a large plastic storage container and repeat until all herbs are minced.

Quarter tomatoes, add to herbs.

Mince cucumber, add to herbs.

Using a microplane, grate garlic into vegetable mixture.

Zest the lemon into vegetable mixture, then slice in half and squeeze juice into mixture.

Add vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper.

Place a sealed lid on and shake the mixture to mix well.

Taste, adjust seasonings.

Refrigerate over night or for several hours, taste again before serving to adjust seasonings.

The $119 Sandwich (or Martha's Pressed Picnic Sandwich)

Every morning I listen to the Bob and Sheri Radio Show. It's based out of Charlotte, NC, so I stream it on my computer. Because I work in a secluded office, I like to think they're my co-workers and we're having our morning chat. Bob and Sheri appeal to a large demographic of people, so during the "chat room" segment (8-9am), they have callers based on a different subject each day. A few days ago, they were talking about how low the new Martha Stewart shows ratings are, and asked anyone to call in if they watched. A man called in, who I would guess is in the 40-year-old range, and said that his wife watches it. He was home with her one day when she put it on, and said while he'd usually be against watching it, she made a sandwich and they couldn't stop drooling over it. They immediately went out to the grocery store to buy all of the ingredients and make the sandwich. The total bill? $119. Bob and Sheri asked if it was even worth it, and he said it was a great sandwich, but he wouldn't make it again for that price! 

I immediately went online and looked up the sandwich to find out what could possibly be driving up the price... I expected truffles, Gruyère and sliced steak. What I found was something very similar to a recipe I made and put on the blog ages ago - Mediterranean Vegetable Subs. I do realize that it would be easy to make this sandwich add up to $119 if you buy a pound of prosciutto, the finest salami, a gourmet olive tapenade, and fresh bunches of herbs, especially if you make this in the winter and peppers and herbs aren't in season. 

Luckily, I'm a savvy shopper, I grow my own herbs, and have a well stocked pantry, so I was able to make this sandwich at 1/10 of the price! Keep in mind, I didn't include the meat, but if you add 1/2 lb. of each salami and prosciutto, that should only add maybe another $10. Instead, I added a layer of fresh heirloom tomatoes. I also made my own olive paste, the amount I needed, much cheaper than purchasing it. 

So the $119 verdict? I loved the complex flavors this sandwich presented, from the sweet peppers and basil to the savory goat cheese and artichokes with a surprising kick from the cilantro. I really don't think the deli meat is necessary, but would add a nice salty touch to pair with the olive paste. I wouldn't pay $119 for this sandwich, but I would definitely make it again for my next picnic!

Tips and Trades:

-Rather than buy fresh herbs, try using herbed goat cheese on the sandwich. 

-If bell peppers are out of season or quite expensive, look for jarred bell peppers.

-This recipe calls for marinated artichokes, which I find cheaper than regular in small jars. If you can't find marinaded, toss the artichokes in the vinaigrette you make before putting them on the sandwich.

-Ciabatta is a tougher bread, and stands up to all of the ingredients on the sandwich. If you're not eating this immediately, be sure to use a bread with crust, like a baguette, because sliced bread will get soggy.

The $119 Sandwich (Pressed Picnic Sandwiches)

from Martha Stewart

3 bell peppers

1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. EVOO (I used 1 tbsp.)

Salt and pepper

1 loaf of rustic Italian bread (I used Ciabatta from the Whole Foods bakery)

1/2 c. prepared olive paste (recipe below)

8 oz. fresh goat cheese

8 oz. marinaded artichoke hearts

2 1/4 c. mixed herbs, such as parsley, cilantro and basil

1 heirloom tomato, sliced

Olive paste:

1/2 c. mixed olives (I used kalamatta and Spanish green)

2 tbsp. minced parsley

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and pepper

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Add all olive paste ingredients to a food processor, pulse and run until a paste is created, add EVOO if necessary. Refrigerate until using.

Heat a broiler on high, place peppers directly under and broil until skin is charred, rotating as necessary. 

When all sides are blistered and charred, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam skins off.

Rest for 5 minutes, peel skins off and discard with seeds, slice peppers in half.

In a small dish, whisk together Dijon, balsamic, EVOO, salt and pepper.

Slice the bread loaf in half, rip out insides and reserve for another use (breadcrumbs or croutons).

Spread olive paste on one half of the bread, crumble goat cheese on top, then artichokes, tomatoes and bell peppers.

Drizzle with vinaigrette, add herbs and top, press down and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. 

Refrigerate until eating, at least 30 minutes, up a few hours. 

Spicy Cilantro Baked Lemon Tofu Sticks

Earlier this week, I was having a discussion with my co-worker about vegetarianism and my marriage. See, he feels that poor JJ must be suffering miserably in a vegetarian home. This brought up two major issues with me. First, he automatically assumed JJ doesn't like tofu, and that how could anyone possibly be satiated by tofu in a meal. Second, he inferred that I am the only one who can cook, and what I put on the table is the only option. See, JJ is fully capable of purchasing some chicken or a steak, bringing it home, cooking it, and eating it without my assistance.  

But he doesn't.

I see two possible reasons for this. First, he doesn't really mind eating tofu, or any of the other dinners I prepare. Second, he's too busy (read: lazy, he was off the better part of the summer and made no effort to cook meat). But I think it's secret option three: a mixture of both. He's too lazy to fend for himself, he doesn't mind tofu when it's prepared to his liking, AND he's appreciative of his wife who slaves over a hot stove preparing dinner for us each night, and would not dream of insulting her culinary masterpieces. What? It could be true... 

JJ really has come a long way with tofu. I no longer only prepare it for myself and automatically make him chicken. Instead, I give him the option, and for the past few months he's chosen tofu. Another ingredient he's come a long way with is cilantro. I think credit should be split here between Chipotle and myself. He didn't mind a pinch here and there in salsas and as a garnish on Mexican dishes, but he can't dictate how much cilantro goes in his beloved Chipotle Corn Salsa. So slowly but surely, he's built up his cilantro love (ok, tolerance) to where he actually enjoyed this cilantro-marinated and then crusted tofu. 

This marinade and resulting crust on the tofu was flavorful and spicy, bright and fresh. I definitely would double or triple this in the future, and keep the leftovers in the fridge for topping big summer salads for a no-cook meal. 

Oh, and I did bring in some tofu for Mr. Coworker to try, and he loved it. 

This is what a victory is in my life! 

VBS Tips and Trades:

-If you haven't planned ahead and frozen the tofu overnight, it's no problem to just press it once and then marinade and cook. My husband actually told me he likes the one-press preparation better than the press, freeze, press method.

-This recipe can be made with other herbs, if you're not on Team Cilantro. Or, for less cilantro bite, try using half flat leaf parsley, half cilantro.

-I like to buy extra firm tofu cakes, they stand up best to pressing, cutting, marinading and tossing, but firm will work as well, just be careful! 

Spicy Cilantro Baked Lemon Tofu Sticks

adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

1 extra firm tofu cake

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. canola oil

1/2 c. packed cilantro

1 scallion stalk, chopped

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

Press tofu cake for 10 minutes, drain water.

Place in a small freezer safe bag, freeze overnight.

Thaw (either in the fridge for 8 hours or in the microwave on defrost for 2 minutes) and press again for another 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400*

Add all marinade ingredients to a blender, puree until smooth.

Add water 1 tbsp. at a time to thin, if necessary.

Slice tofu cake into matchsticks, place in a bowl and pour in marinade.

Set aside for 10 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with nonstick spray.

Lay tofu pieces on foil, drizzle with remaining marinade.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove and eat immediately or chill and eat cool.

Cilantro Macadamia Pesto

After enjoying the Chestnut Spinach Pesto on Monday evening, I was once again craving pesto with vegetables and pasta. I seem to buy a bunch of cilantro every week when I'm grocery shopping, whether I have it planned for a dish or not. I love cilantro, the flavor is so bright, fresh and almost spicey. However, I know cilantro tends to be either loved, or hated. There's not much in between.

My husband falls closer to the hate side of the cilantro gap, so I'm always hesitant to make dishes where he can't pick it out. However, I find that cilantro pesto, though packed with cilantro, doesn't have the same flavor as a dish with copious amounts of minced cilantro. Maybe it's just in my head though? 

For this pesto, I figured since I was going to throw cilantro in JJ's face, I'd at least use the Macadamias from Oh! Nuts to appease his Macadamia-loving self. This pesto was so delicious, so easy, and the perfect no-cook, no-heat sauce for summer! 

Cilantro Macadamia Pesto

2 bunches of cilantro, about 2 c. packed

2 tbsp. Romano cheese

1/4 c. Macadamia nuts

2 small cloves of garlic or 1 large

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and pepper

Water, for thinning

Rinse off cilantro bunches and tear off the top leaves, some stems are ok.

Place in the food processor and let it run until cilantro is minced.

Add Romano, Macadamias, garlic, lemon juice, and EVOO.

Pulse to chop ingredients, then let it run for 10-20 seconds.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, add 2 tbsp. water.

Let it run again, add water if necessary to thin.

Taste again and season.

Serve. 

Mango Slaw

I've proclaimed my love for Smitten Kitchen and her countless slaw recipes before, but I think this one takes the cake. I can't get enough mango lately, so this recipe was perfect for me. As I've said, my husband is not exactly a slaw hater, but pretty close. Because this slaw had cashews, mango, and used Napa Cabbage, he was less reluctant to eat a sizable bowl for dinner. 

I tried to find harder mangoes at the store, but as luck would have it, they were all pretty ripe. I wasn't able to shred or slice it too thinly without it disintegrating, so my slaw was a little chunkier than SK's. I will definitely be making this, or versions of it in the future. I have visions of adding shredded carrot, a bit of cilantro, some shredded snow peas, and even Macadamia nuts rather than cashews. The possibilities are endless for this perfect-for-summer mayo-free slaw! 

Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint

from Smitten Kitchen

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and julienned

1 1/4 lbs. Napa cabbage, halved and sliced thin

1 red pepper, julienned

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 c. rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp. canola oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 c. sliced mint leaves

1/4 c. toasted cashews, coarsely chopped (I left a few whole for garnish)

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt and red pepper flakes.

Add mangoes, cabbage, pepper and onion to the bowl, toss to coat.

Refrigerate for an hour, before serving toss with mint and cashews.

Rosemary Parmesan Grilled Polenta

Polenta has become one of my favorite starch sides recently. It has a similar quality to mashed potatoes when served creamy style, with a lot less work. It also can be served in cut out form, which requires a bit more work, unless you take a store shortcut and but a premade log. If you'd like to see how I make my polenta rounds, visit this post, and definitely try out that recipe! It's absolutely delicious!

Since we've been on this grilling kick, I've been brainstorming different things to grill. Polenta was a definite no brainer, as I've seen grilled polenta rounds at many restaurants. To make this polenta little more special, I simply added parmesan and rosemary to the mixed polenta, then added a little crumble of it on top after it flipped to create a little cheesy crust. This polenta was outstanding, firm and crisp on the outside, and smooth and buttery inside. I served this alongside skewers of chicken sausage, mushrooms and Brussels sprouts for a complete meal. 

Rosemary Parmesan Grilled Polenta

1 1/2 c. vegetable stock

1/2 c. nonfat milk

2/3 c. polenta (not quick cooking)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. white pepper

2 tbsp. fresh minced rosemary, separated

1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese, separated

Bring stock and milk to a boil in a saucepot, stream in polenta, whisking constantly.

Turn heat to low, stir polenta and continue to cook as long as package directs (mine was 15 minutes).

Remove from heat, stir in salt, pepper, 1 tbsp. rosemary and 1/4 c. parmesan cheese. 

Line a small baking sheet with parchment, spread polenta on baking sheet, about 1/4-1/2" thick.

Place in the refrigerator and chill for 2+ hours.

Heat grill to medium-high, spray with nonstick grill spray.

Cut polenta rounds out, place on the grill, cook for 5 minutes, flip.

Add remaining rosemary and parmesan cheese in a small dish, sprinkle over polenta.

Close grill over and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve. 

Symon Sundays: Sheep's Milk Ravioli with Brown Butter and Almonds & Roasted Dates with Pancetta, Almonds and Chile

This week's Symon Sundays recipes were chosen by Tasha at The Brick Kitchen. Please visit her site and the other Symon Sundays participants to read about their opinions on the dishes! You can find links to their blogs and the Symon Sundays schedule on the right blog column.

The first dish chosen is from the appetizers section of Live to Cook. I had been eying it for months, and even considered making it for a dinner party, but it slipped my mind. Because it was paired with a pasta dish, I decided to turn it into a salad. There were few ingredients in this dish, but they all are packed with flavor and had something to add to the final product. I would definitely make this as an appetizer in the future, or use the combination of a spin off a warm bacon-dressed spinach salad, just chop the dates so the sweet punch of flavor is in each bite. 

Please visit Tasha's blog for the recipe! 

Roasted Dates with Pancetta, Almond and Chile

The second choice of Tasha's was Sheep's Milk Ravioli with Brown Butter and Almonds. I searched for Sheep's Milk Ricotta, but it wasn't available. Since the recipe called for really thick ricotta, and because I couldn't find sheep's milk, I decided to make my own ricotta. While the ricotta came out extremely thick and delicious tasting, it wasn't really a money saver as I had hoped. A half gallon of organic milk is around $4, and a tub of organic ricotta is around $4.50, so by the time I factor in my time to make it, the price is the same. However, it was fun to know I literally made this entire dish from scratch!

For the ravioli, the dough is made from only egg yolks and white flour, but I substituted a whole egg and a white, and used half whole wheat flour and half unbleached all purpose flour to make it healthier. For the sauce, I couldn't bring myself to use 12 tbsp. butter, so I used 1 tbsp., the juice of the orange, and some vegetable stock. The recipe called for parsley, but I don't like parsley, and love rosemary paired with orange, so opted for that combination. I also served the ravioli with steamed broccoli for a little extra veg in the meal. 

While I varied a great deal from the original recipe, and I'm sure a pool of brown butter would be amazing, my substitutions made this dish quite tasty! 

Sheep's Milk Ravioli with Brown Butter and Almonds

Making the ricotta:

Bring 1/2 gallon milk, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. citric acid to 195*, rest for 5 minutes

Strain in cheesecloth for 5 minutes

Tie up and hang to strain in the fridge for a few hours, very thick ricotta!

Tasha's dates look fantastic! 

Joanne had the same idea and served hers over a salad, but used figs and added goat cheese and cranberries

Joanne also reduced her butter, and added some zucchini to her ravioli

Natashya added dill to her pasta, adding a nice punch of flavour! 

Mojito Cupcakes

Though I made a variety of cupcakes based on tropical and fruity drinks for my birthday, I'm not really a fan of the actual drinks. However, if I am opting for a fruity drink, it's going to be a mojito. They're tart from the lime, spicy from the mint, and a little sweet, but not in your face sweet. 

For these cupcakes, I started with a simple yellow cake base and added lime zest and juice. Then I made a rum and lime wash for soaking the cake, and finally topped it with a minty cream cheese icing. I think what really made these cupcakes taste so fresh and spot-on mojito was the fresh mint in the icing! I'll definitely be making these again.

Mojito Cupcakes

cupcakes:

2 sticks of butter, softened

2 c. sugar

3 eggs at room temperature

1/3 c. dark rum

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Zest of 1 lime

Juice of 2 limes

Scant 1 c. buttermilk

3 cups AP flour

Preheat oven to 350*

Cream together butter and sugar over medium speed for 3-4 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, scrape down sides if necessary.

Turn mixer on low speed, add rum, vanilla, salt, baking powder and soda.

Add lime juice and zest to a measuring cup, add buttermilk to reach 1 cup.

Alternately add flour and buttermilk-lime mixture, ending with flour.

Mix on low speed until batter just comes together and flour is absorbed.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, add batter to fill cups 3/4 of the way.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a rack.

Rum-Lime Wash:

1/4 c. dark rum

Juice of 1 lime

Mix together rum and lime juice, use a pastry brush and lighly apply to each cupcake top, ice immediately.

Mint Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, at room temperature

2 lbs. confectioners sugar 

1/4 cup mint leaves, minced

2 tsp. rum

1-4 tbsp. cream or milk

Cream together butter and cream cheese, add mint and rum.

On low speed, slowly add in confectioners sugar, if frosting gets too thick, add milk or cream 1 tbsp. at a time, but be sure to add all sugar.

Ice cupcakes immediately, or keep frosting refrigerated until using. 

Hominy Salad with Basil Shallot Vinaigrette

Now that the weekly weather forecast is showing every day at 90+ degrees, cold dinner salads are becoming more and more desirable. I've cooked my way though countless pasta salads, and I've started to make more grain based salads, but this is my first foray into the world of hominy salads. If you're not familiar with hominy, it's corn without the germ, and dates back to the American pioneer days. Most often, hominy is cooked and ground and made into grits, often called hominy-grits or just grits. 

Eating hominy is it's whole, cooked form, however, has a completely different flavor and texture. It can be found in the canned vegetable aisle of the grocery store, near the canned corn. The texture is pillowy and soft, but still firm, and not mushy. It is great for salads because it's canned, so it just needs a rinse and it's ready to go, there's no need to cook it and chill like pasta or grains. 

I found this recipe in May's Vegetarian Times, and made it right away. Not only do I have copious amounts of basil, but I've also got some delicious cherry tomatoes available for picking! In a country where the "know where your food comes from" attitude is gaining popularity, I find comfort in knowing my tomatoes are pesticide free, fresh, and deliciously grown in my yard. 

*Recipe note - The original called for lima beans, I subbed snap peas. The original also called for cheese, but I omitted it as well. 

Hominy Salad with Basil Shallot Vinaigrette

adapted from Vegetarian Times, May 2010

1 shallot, quartered and sliced thin

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 tsp. honey

Salt and pepper

1/4 c. basil leaves, minced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 c. sugar snap peas, chopped

1 bell pepper, diced

1 15 oz. can hominy, rinsed

Add shallots and vinegar to a dish, set aside while you chop vegetables.

Add EVOO, honey, basil, salt and pepper to shallots, whisk to combine.

Add tomatoes, snap peas, bell pepper and hominy, toss to combine.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Garnish with more fresh basil and serve chilled.

Mediterranean Cous Cous

When it comes to a quick, easy side dish, cous cous really can't be beat. It only takes about 5 minutes to cook, can be flavored a million ways, and doesn't leave you slaving over the stove!

You can purchase boxes of cous cous with little seasoning packets, but it's so much cheapier, healthier, and more versatile to buy a big container of plain cous cous. For dinner I had prepared baked falafel, so I took my cous cous in the Mediteranean direction. I simply sauteed some vegetables, added stock and cous cous, and then finished it with fresh herbs and feta cheese. It was so incredably flavorful, but quick and easy to make!

Mediterranean Cous Cous

1 tbsp EVOO

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

Salt and pepper

1 1/4 c. vegetable stock

3/4 c. cous cous

1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced

1 tsp. fresh mint, minced

1/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled

5 green olives, sliced

Heat EVOO in a small soup pot over medium heat.

Add onion, garlic and red bell pepper.

Season with salt and pepper.

Saute' for 5 minutes, until softened.

Add stock to vegetables, turn heat to high, bring to a boil.

Pour in cous cous, stir, cover and turn heat off.

Rest for 5 minutes.

Remove lid, fluff cous cous with a fork, toss in herbs, cheese and olives.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Cilantro Pesto and Artichokes

Last week, I made this delicious dinner, Pumpkin Ravioli in Broth with Vegetables and Beans. As I described in the post, I have a deep love of all things pumpkin, especially ravioli, but have a hard time finding sauces that aren't cream based. That recipe was a huge success, and I almost made it again with my leftover frozen ravioli!

But as I was making the ravioli that Saturday afternoon, I was brainstorming on what to do with the leftovers. See, ravioli making is a process, so when you commit to it, you might as well go all out and make a few batches. I'm hoping to one day locate ravioli forms, which do make it a bit easier, but for now, it's truly a from scratch, handmade affair.

My thoughts went from sauce to sauce, I didn't want something heavy, and since it was a weeknight, I needed something fast. Enter pesto. I absolutely love pestos of all kinds, from the flavorful fresh herbs to the variety of cheese and nut combinations, it's truly a clean out the fridge type sauce that seems elegant and is just so simple to make. One of it's downfalls though is though it's not creamy, it can still be very high in calories and fat. Though nuts and EVOO contain the 'good fats', and the calories are from a good source, it needs to be kept in check.

I like to make my pesto on the thicker side and use a bit of the starchy cooking water to thin it. I also opt for less nuts and cheese, and really pack it with herbs. The best part of making a pesto is it's foolproof. Keep adding the ingredients until you reach the consistency and flavor balance you want.

These ravioli would pair well with almost any herb, basil would highlight the sweet flavors, parsley would make it more earthy, spinach would also work well, but I chose cilantro. Pumpkin and cilantro are a common combination in Indian and Thai cooking, and they really complient eachother well. I chose to add some artichokes because I wanted more vegetables, but roasted red peppers would also be a nice addition!

I see another weekend of ravioli making in my future because it literally took just a few minutes to throw this dish together for an easy weeknight meal.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Cilantro Pesto and Artichokes

1 dozen Pumpkin Ravioli

1 can of quartered artichoke hearts

1 bunch of cilantro, about 2 cups, packed

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese

Handful of almonds

1 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp - 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt and add ravioli.

Add cilantro, garlic, feta and almonds to a food processer.

Pulse to create small bits.

Season with salt and pepper, add EVOO, pulse again.

Use a measuring cup and spoon out some of the ravioli water, drizzle into food processor and pulse to create desited consistency.

Add half the pesto to a bowl, drain ravioli, add to the bowl, top with the remaining pesto.

Gently toss to coat, add artichokes, toss, top with extra feta and serve.

Corriander Roasted Carrots with Feta and Cilantro

This recipe is a simple side dish that is bright and colorful, and great for spring! It is inspired by a recent Martha Stewart Magazine recipe for Roasted Carrots with Parsley. I used to have an aversion to parsley, but now I enjoy it in dishes like Tabouli or as the base of a pesto. However, I still prefer many other fresh herbs and enjoy their stronger flavors, so if I see a recipe with parsley, I tend to look for other herbs to substitute. The other change I made to this recipe was to add some spice to the carrots. When roasted, they become very sweet, the feta adds a salty punch, so I wanted an earthy flavor and a bright flavor. That's where I brought in a double punch of cilantro and corriander. Because corriander is the seed of the cilantro plant, they have similar flavor profiles, but are also quite different. The corriander adds a smoky quality, and the cilantro adds a bright, fresh punch of flavor. They compliment eachother very well in this recipe and add depth of flavor to a rather simple side dish.

Corriander Roasted Carrots with Feta and Cilantro

5 lbs. medium carrots, peeled and cut on a bias

2 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and Pepper

1/2 tsp. ground corriander

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup crumbled feta

Preaheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss carrots in EVOO, salt, pepper and corriander on a baking sheet.

Roast for 15 minutes, flip and toss with a spatula, roast for another 5-10 minutes, until tender and caramelized.

Remove from the oven, spoon into a bowl, top with cilantro and feta and serve.

Symon Sundays: Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup & Shaved Fennel Salad with Lemon, Dill and Watercress

This week's Symon Sundays recipes were chosen by Tasha of The Brick Kitchen. I was really excited to try the tomato soup because I love anything with blue cheese and sriracha might be my favorite condiment! The soup was fantastic, simple but clean flavors, and lots of it! I love recipes that have fewer ingredients, but utilize big flavor. It almost tasted like a buffalo chicken soup, absolutely delicious!
The fennel salad, I had my doubts about. I'm not a huge fennel fan, but decided to keep an open mind. I think the orange and lemon did wonders at balancing out the sharp licorice taste, and the salad was fresh and delicious. I loved these two dishes, and as always, I love Chef Symon :)
If you'd like to see the recipes, check them out at Tasha's blog as they were her choice this week! Tomato Soup and Fennel Salad recipes can be found here. And stop by everyone else's blog to see what they thought!

Tasha

Gia

Joanne

Natashya

Meredith

Chopped Greek Salad in Phyllo Cups

The first appetizer I'm posting from our Housewarming Party is one of my personal favorites, Chopped Greek Salad in Phyllo Cups. It's not a very innovative recipe, but they're really cute, have great stage presence, are easy to make tons of, and taste wonderful! The great thing about these are you can do any variation of ingredients or ethnicities, like a chopped asian salad, chopped cobb salad, indian salad with tahini dressing, tex mex with black beans, corn and avocado....the list is endless!

Making the cups was actually very easy, and took about an hour to make about 100 cups (which was way more than we needed, but I snacked on them the next few days). If you don't want to mess with the phyllo, you can also use wontons or even tortillas. I personally enjoy phyllo the most, probably because of the golden color and buttery crunch!

I made the phyllo cups the night before the party and loosely wrapped them in saran wrap. I chopped all the veggies and put them in tupperware, then tossed the salad in the dressing right before I spooned them into the cups.

Chopped Greek Salad in Phyllo Cups

cups:

1 package of phyllo, defrosted in the refrigerator

1 stick of butter, melted

salad:

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and minced

1 english cucumber, seeded and minced

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, seeded and minced (or 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes)

1 cup green olives, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

dressing:
1 tsp. minced fresh oregano
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
(or 1/2 cup prepared greek dressing or a vinaigrette)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out phyllo on counter, cover with a damp towel.
Melt the butter in a small dish.
Place a piece of phyllo on a cutting board, brush with butter, repeat 4 times.
Using a pizza cutter, slice into 3" squares.
Press into a mini muffin tin.
Bake for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown.
Pop out, cool on a wire rack, keep in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Add all salad ingredients, toss.
Spoon into phyllo cups, garnish with extra herbs.

Yield: 100 cups and enough salad for about 50 cups

Zucchini and Carrots a Scapece

A few months ago I was at a cookout and my friend Sara brought this dish. I told her I loved and it she said it was a Giada recipe. When I decided to make an Italian dinner I thought this would be the perfect summery side dish to lighten up the Chicken Parmesan.

I changed it a bit from Giada's recipe. I elected to grill the zucchini rather than fry them because the dish does get a bit oily for my taste. I also added a bit of crushed red pepper and oregano. This dish gets even better as it sits, so I made a huge batch and have some for lunch every day now!

(also, scapece means fried, so the name doesn't really pertain anymore)

Zucchini and Carrots a Scapece

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

5 medium zucchini, sliced in 1/2" on the bias

6 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" on the bias

Salt and pepper

1/3 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. EVOO

1 tsp. raw sugar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. chopped basil

1/4 c. chopped mint

2 tbsp. minced oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat grill pan over medium heat.

Heat a saute' pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO.

Season zucchini slices with salt and pepper, grill each side for 3-4 minutes, until tender and grill marks appear.

Add carrot slices to the saute' pan and season with salt and pepper. Toss and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients.

Add warm vegetables to the dressing, toss and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, tossing every hour to coat all vegetables.

Serve at room temperature.

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.

Eggplant and Cannelini Ragout over Herbed Polenta

I made this recipe up to pack in with the Dinners for Dad. He loves eggplant, and grows some beautiful ones in his garden. I love serving ragouts over polenta (here and here), I've made a few others, but I thought dad would like eggplant the best. I ate a few bites of this and it was great!

Eggplant and Cannelini Ragout

over Herbed Polenta

Ragout:
1 tbsp. EVOO
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large eggplant, diced
1 spring of rosemary
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. dry red wine
1 15 oz. can cannelini beans, drained
salt and pepper


Polenta:
2 c. vegetable stock
1 c. skim milk
1 c. polenta
1 tbsp. fresh minced herbs
salt and pepper


Heat a large skillet over medium, add EVOO.
Saute' onions and garlic for 3-4 minutes, or until softened.
Add eggplant, season with salt and pepper.
Sautee for 5 more minutes.
Turn heat to high, add wine, reduce.
Turn heat to low, add tomatoes, rosemary and beans.
Stir gently to combine.


Heat a stockpot over medium-high.
Add stock and milk. Bring to a simmer.
Sprinkle in polenta, whisking as you add it.
Turn heat to low, cover and stir every 2-3 minutes.
Cook for 20 minutes, add herbs, salt and pepper.

Fettucini with Roquefort, Lemon and Rosemary

I found this simple pasta recipe in a cookbook I got to guide me in my French cooking by Patricia Wells, a chef who is known for her French cuisine. It looked basic, really showcasing the flavors of the star ingredients. When I read through the ingredients, I was a bit curious how so many strong flavors would go together, but it was delicious.

Patricia calls for dry fettuccini in the pasta, but I made a fresh whole wheat blend pasta. I had a tough time finding Roquefort, and I think any blue cheese could be substituted.

Fettucini with Roquefort, Lemon Zest and Rosemary

Adapted from At Home in Provence

1 lb. fettuccini

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

½ c. crumbed Roquefort

1 tbsp. fresh grated nutmeg

½ c. reserved pasta water

Fettuccini:

¾ c. whole wheat flour

¾ c. all purpose flour

2 eggs

Prepare pasta by mixing flours and making a well in the center. Crack in eggs and mix to combine. Knead, add flour or water to reach desired consistency. Let dough sit for 10 minutes.

Roll through a pasta roller into long strips of dough, let the dough rest again for 10 minutes.

Roll through the cutters into fettuccini, or roll into a log and slice into thicker ribbons.

Toss with flour and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt heavily.

Drop in pasta, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving ½ c. of the water.

Drop back into the pot, add remaining ingredients (set some aside for garnish if desired) except pasta water. Toss to incorporate, if dry, add some of the pasta water. Plate and serve immediately.

(I ate this with my Ratatouille)

Parmesan Crabcakes and New Potato Salad with Green Beans

For dinner this week, I’ll be cooking from Norway. I am taking the same approach I did with Ireland, using a newer cookbook that creates gourmet dishes, using Norwegian ingredients, because traditional recipes just aren’t as appealing to me.

For our first night, I found a recipe for crab cakes that looked good. JJ’s obsessed with crab cakes, so I knew they’d make him happy. The few other times I’ve made them, I used a Creole recipe from Emeril, but this recipe was quite different, really showcasing the actual crab. I didn’t eat them, but JJ said they were outstanding.

I was drawn to the potato salad because it screamed summer to me, all of the fresh herbs in a lemon vinaigrette, it was delicious! It really cleaned out my areo garden! It was extremely herb-y, but not overkill, in my opinion. The lemon really balanced it, and the capers added a nice bit of salt.

These recipes are both from Kitchen of Light by Andreas Viestad.

Parmesan Crab cakes with New Potato and Green Bean Salad

Crabcakes:
6 oz. lump crab, picked over for shells
1 egg white
¼ c. panko bread crumbs
¼ c. chopped parsley
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ c. parmesan cheese, shaved
EVOO for frying

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, form into 4 patties.

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium high, add EVOO to coat, drop cakes in. Brown on first side, about 5 minutes, and flip. Brown on the second side for 4 minutes. Plate with extra parmesan and parsley.

New Potato Salad with Green Beans:

1 lb. new potatoes, quartered
1 lb. fresh green beans, ends snapped
2 cloves garlic, pasted with salt
2 tbsp. capers
¼ c. fresh herbs, chopped, such as parsley, mint, dill, basil, and thyme
Zest and Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. EVOO
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Place potatoes in a large pot of cold water, cover and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, until just under fork tender. Add green beans to the pot and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain beans and potatoes into a colander, set aside and bring to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, combine garlic, capers, herbs, lemon, vinegar, EVOO, and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Add potatoes and beans, fold dressing mixture over and mix, be careful to not break potatoes. Serve at room temperature.

fistfuls of fresh herbs...yum!