Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

Has butternut squash worn out its welcome around these parts yet?  Hopefully not, because this use of it is a serious winner (a couple of years ago I made it for my book club and everyone was fighting over the leftovers, it's that good! : ).  It is serious comfort food and the leftovers taste almost better than the original dish.  Originally adapted from a Cooking Light recipe, it's even pretty healthy as well!

If squash is not your thing (Please don't knock it til you try it!  And, by the way, butternut squash is the creamy tan, bell-shaped vegetable in the winter squash section), you could certainly play around with the fillings to have other white sauced lasagna options: for example, spinach, mushrooms and Italian sausage; other mixed vegetables like zucchini, spinach, red bell pepper and carrots (first sauteed and seasoned how you like); sliced cooked chicken, you get the picture...

Finally, although there are several components, all the steps can be done ahead of time.  Prepare the white sauce, roast the squash and saute the spinach and then refrigerate until you're ready to assemble your lasagna.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
8 cups (3/4") cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Cooking spray3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
4 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 (6-ounce) bags fresh baby spinach
9 cooked lasagna noodles, al dente (8 ounces uncooked noodles)
1 1/4 cups shredded Asiago, Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place squash in a large bowl.  Add vinegar and toss to coat.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat.  Spread evenly in one layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and thyme.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add half of minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds to a minute or until fragrant.  Add flour to pan and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, or until smooth and golden.  Remove from heat, add about 2 tablespoons warm milk to flour mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Gradually add remaining milk about 1/2 cup at a time and whisking constantly until all the milk is added and mixture is smooth.  Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until smooth and thickened.  Remove from heat.  Cover surface of sauce with plastic wrap, set aside.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, red pepper and remaining garlic in a large pot over medium heat.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add spinach, 1 bag at a time; cook until wilted, stirring frequently.  Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. 

Spoon 1/3 cup white sauce mixture in bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Arrange 3 noodles over sauce, top with spinach mixture, 2/3 cup milk mixture, 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup mozzarella.  Arrange 3 noodles over cheese; top with butternut squash mixture, 2/3 cup white sauce, 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup mozzarella.  Top with remaining 3 noodles, remaining white sauce mixture and remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine December 2007

Vegetarian Black Bean and Quinoa Burritos

The streak is over.  And by streak, I mean a ridiculous string of postings on sweets.  I know, it was getting a little excessive.  To offset all that sugar (and no, I haven't given up sugar yet like I was musing about previously and yes, today I thoroughly enjoyed the pumpkin bar I picked out from the cute little bakery next to my son's hair cutting place--speaking of ridiculous, my 5 year old son has such tricky hair to cut that I take him to a fancy children's salon and spend more on his haircuts than I do), I am featuring these extremely healthy, yet incredibly delicious burritos.

Black beans and the protein-rich seed quinoa are mixed with other Southwestern style ingredients including a quick lime vinaigrette and wrapped in whole grain tortillas.  If you leave the cheese off the top, they're even a vegan recipe! 

I sort of made them up as I went along and wasn't sure what I was going to end up with but I was really happy with the result.  I was also quite relieved since I had made an extra pan of them to bring to a neighbor who just had a baby--I know they always say not to try out new recipes on company and I never listen.  Sometimes I pay the price for that, but thankfully not this round!

I knew it was a good sign when my dear husband told me they were "top notch" and the baby ate thirds (never mind that the floor around his chair was scattered with black beans and corn kernels--those are the days I wish I had a dog...). 

Vegetarian Black Bean and Quinoa Burritos
1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 small ear), you can also sub frozen or canned or omit
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions (can sub cooked brown or white rice)
large handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 burrito size whole grain tortillas (Santa Fe Tortilla Company found at Costco recommended)
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese, optional
sour cream for serving, optional

In a large bowl, mix together black beans, corn, red bell pepper, onion, zucchini, quinoa and cilantro.  In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, cumin, garlic powder and salt.  Drizzle in olive oil and stir to combine.  Pour over bean mixture and toss together.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 9x13" glass baking dish with cooking spray.  Scoop 3/4-1 cup filling onto each tortilla.  Roll tortillas around filling and place seam side down in baking dish.  Pour salsa over top of burritos (I like it poured right down the center so that the edges of the tortillas stay dry and get crispy).  Sprinkle cheese over top, if desired.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until top of burritos are lightly browned and salsa is bubbly.

**Double the recipe, assemble half in a disposable baking dish and put it in the freezer to give to someone in need of a pre-made, healthy meal!**

Homemade Hot Pockets

 

I don't know a boy who doesn't like Hot Pockets.  These versions of those popular frozen convenience foods will be beloved by boys and girls alike.

This is not so much a Rachael Ray-endorsed recipe but rather a labor of love.  They take a bit of time to put together, but they're so very worth it.  Make it a rainy Sunday afternoon activity.  Make a couple batches and freeze them for convenient lunches.  In addition, I made a Spinach Feta version I'll post soon. 

Also, I think I found a new favorite pastry recipe.  Adding the cream cheese makes the dough extremely easy to work with.  I'll be using that in other future recipes, I'm sure.

Savory Chicken Pocket Pies:
1 heaping cup shredded, cooked chicken
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped carrot (about 1 carrot)
1/3 cup chopped celery (about 1 large stock)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 recipes (2 disks) Cream Cheese Pastry (see below)
1 large egg

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Saute onion, carrot and celery until vegetables begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the salt and 2 tablespoons flour and cook 1 additional minute.  Add the chicken broth and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in shredded chicken and Parmesan cheese.  Cool in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Butter or line a baking sheet. 

To form the pocket pies, work with half of a disk of dough at a time, rolling it out on a floured surface.  Using an overturned bowl (about 5-inches across), cut out circles from each piece of dough.  After cutting out circles, gather up the scraps into a ball, re-roll and repeat until dough is used up. **Depending on the exact size of your bowl, you should end up with 10+ hand held pies.**

Place about 1/4 cup filling on one side of each dough circle.  Wet the edges of the dough with water.  Fold the dough over to form a half circle.  Pinch the edges of the dough together.  Crimp the edges with a fork (I forgot to do this part and they turned out just fine).  Repeat the process until all the filling is used.

The pocket pies can be frozen at this point (Place on a single layer on a cookie sheet. Freeze until solid and then transfer to a freezer bag for storage.  You can then bake them from frozen, just add 5-10 minutes to the baking time). 

Place the pocket pies on the prepared baking sheet.  Prick each pie on top twice with a fork.  When ready to bake, beat the egg with 1 tablespoons water.  Brush the egg wash over each pocket pie.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.  The pies can be cooled and frozen after baking to reheat in the microwave for a minute and a half or so.

My Busy Little Helpers

Cream Cheese Pastry
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (I used reduced fat), at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Process the butter, cream cheese and cream in a food processor, electric mixer or by hand to thoroughly combine.

Add the flour and salt.  Process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball.  Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface.  Divide into 2 pieces.  Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.  If the dough is chilled overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling.

Working with one dough disk at a time, place the disk on a clean, well-floured surface.  Sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the dough disk as well.  Starting in the middle and gently roll out, changing directions and flipping occasionally so that the dough doesn't stick to the other side.  Roll out until the dough makes a circle of about 12 inches in diameter.

Recipe Source: Mad Hungry: Feeding Hungry Men and Boys by Lucinda Scala Quinn


This recipe is linked to Cast Party Wednesday (check it out for some great recipe ideas!)

Vinegar Glossed Chicken over Polenta

I am completely in the mood for Fall.  I bought supplies to make an apple pie and I am really excited for the Pumpkin Spice Lattes to start appearing in Starbucks.  I was having a conversation with of my "foodie friends" the other day and we were commenting on how we are about tired out of Summer food.

So, today, on the unofficial Last Day of Summer, I look to usher in Fall with this completely Fall-esque menu.  Vinegar Glossed Chicken may sound like an unassuming dish, but it was so amazing that we were practically licking our plates to reach the last bits of the sweet and savory, luxurious sauce after the chicken had been picked clean.  There is a reason why the recipe's author says it's been in her family's rotation for over 20 years.

The recipe originates from Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys which is a cookbook that feels like it was written especially for me.  Not only do I have two little hungry boys and a hungry husband, we have a seminary student living with us.  I am completely surrounded by boys these days...

I followed the recipe almost to a T (except for substituting balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar called for) and it was delicious.  I think in the future I will experiment with boneless skinless chicken breasts and even pork chops.  I have a feeling, whatever meat I'll be glossing with vinegar, this technique will be with my family in the next 20 years!

First Fall Menu:
Vinegar Glossed Chicken over Soft Polenta (recipes below)

Roasted Butternut Squash (cut into 1/2" cubes, toss with a couple tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper and some dried herbs--rosemary, sage and thyme and roast at 425, stirring occasionally until golden brown and tender: 20-25 minutes). 

Green Salad lightly dressed with vinaigrette


Vinegar Glossed Chicken
1 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2-3 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
5 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (each part should be cut in half)
salt and black pepper
olive oil
3/4 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed

Combine vinegar with minced garlic and rosemary.  Set aside.

Dry off chicken with a paper towel.  Generously season with salt and pepper.  Heat a 14-inch skillet (or two smaller ones) over high heat and swirl in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet.  Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down.  Don't crowd the pan.  Work in batches, if necessary.  You should hear an immediate sizzle when the chicken hits the pan.  Don't move them it takes a couple minutes to sear the chicken so it doesn't stick.  Brown all sides, this will take about 10 minutes per batch.  Regulate the heat so it stays high but does not burn the chicken.  Place all the browned chicken back in the skillet.

Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Lower the heat, simmer and reduce for 15-20 minutes.  Increase the heat to high and pour in the vinegar mixture.  Swirl the pan and stir around as the vinegar evaporates to form a simmering glaze, 8-10 minutes.  Serve immediately or reheat with some extra broth. 

Polenta: (a dish from boiled cornmeal that can be served similarly to mashed potatoes or fried up after it is cooled and sliced)

2 cups chicken broth or water
2 cups milk
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a medium sauce pan, bring chicken broth and milk to a boil over medium-high heat (watch it very carefully because as soon as it comes to a boil, it will spill over if you aren't paying attention).  As soon as liquid comes to a boil, slowly whisk in cornmeal.  Stir constantly to prevent lumps for about a minute or until mixture becomes thick and bubbly.  Stir in garlic powder and cheese until well mixed together.  Serve immediately (like mashed potatoes).  Or, you can pour into a pan, allow to chill and cut into slices and reheat by sauteing in a pan with a bit of butter or olive oil.

Recipe slightly adapted from Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys

Ricotta Gnocchi in Sage Brown Butter

Last Wednesday was one of those extra-crazy, hectic evenings.  Mealtime rolled around and there was nothing even remotely ready to sit down for.  Quick! Feed the kids whatever randomness you can gather from the fridge!  Never mind that it doesn't entirely cover all the food groups and your five-year-old goes to bed wailing that he didn't get to eat "real dinner."  Jay and I agreed that I would put together something for us once the little darlings were tucked away for the night.

Once the kids were in bed, I set to work on a dish I had been wanting to try for awhile.  It made use of the remaining container of ricotta cheese I had used to make Summer Lasagna the week before and some fresh sage leaves I actually happen to be (trying) to grow this year.  I put on a pot of water to boil, browned some butter and within a short time, we were settled on the couch in front of the tv together with our respective pasta dishes (what a treat nowadays since having kids--the whole eating in front of the t.v.--for our family, that is).  Traditionally, "gnocchi" are little dumplings made from potatoes and flour and served with pesto or pasta sauce.  That said, gnocchi (which translates literally into "lumps") can actually be made from many ingredients.  These Ricotta Gnocchi were incredibly simple to make and are creamy and light, Italian comfort food.  I served them with sage brown butter, as recommended by Mark Bittman, the recipe's author.  You don't have to wait for a night when the kids are already in bed to make them (I would think they would be kid friendly--especially if they got to help), but I don't blame you if you do. 

Ricotta Gnocchi
1 15 ounce container ricotta cheese (preferably whole milk)
1 1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese (this is a time where freshly shredded improves things greatly)
2 eggs, beaten
freshly ground black pepper
salt
3/4-1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8-10 fresh sage leaves

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  In the meantime, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and Parmesan.  Mix in eggs and stir until well combined.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add in 1/2 cup flour, adding more until mixture comes together in a very sticky dough.  Put one spoonful of dough into the boiling water.  If the dough holds its shape while it boils, the dough is ready, if not, add more flour.

Put the butter in a large skillet and melt it over medium heat.  Continue to cook butter until it becomes a nutty brown color.  Add the sage leaves and fry in the butter until crispy looking (just a minute or so).  Turn heat to low and just keep warm.

Place spoonfuls of the dough (working in batches of about six at a time) into the boiling water.  When gnocchi rise to the surface, remove from water with a slotted spoon and add to the skillet with the sage butter.  Continue to boil gnocchi and transfer to skillet until dough is used up.  Once all the gnocchi are in the skillet, toss with the sage brown butter, taste and adjust seasoning as needed and serve immediately.
Serves 4

Source: Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi by Mark Bittman

Easy Chicken Tacos

Since getting rid of our cable last Fall, I have discovered the hidden gem that is PBS.  One of my favorite shows is "From America's Test Kitchen: Cook's Country."  It is totally cheesy, but is extremely informative and the cooking demonstrations always leave me feeling hungry and excited about trying a new recipe.  This recipe for Chicken Tacos is one of those that piqued my interest.  I never would've thought to combine the ingredients called for, but it makes for an extremely easy, flavorful taco filling.  Make some extra to put into quesadillas and burritos for the rest of the week as well!

Also, for fun, I included a sample menu of what I served with the chicken tacos.  Hope you find it useful!

Fiesta Menu: 
Easy Chicken Tacos and suggested toppings
Tortilla chips with pico de gallo and packaged queso dip (Velveeta and a can of Rotel is still my fav)
Spanish Rice
Canned Refried Beans heated and topped with shredded cheese
Cantaloupe slices with lime zest, honey and lime juice drizzled over top
Tropical Shortcakes: yellow cake topped with chopped pineapple, mango, kiwi and berries, pastry cream and whipped cream

Easy Chicken Tacos:
3 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (look for these in the Latin foods section)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste
12, 6-inch flour tortillas

For serving: grated cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato or pico de gallo, diced avocado, sour cream

Directions: Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat.  Add garlic and chipotle peppers and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in orange juice, Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup cilantro.  Bring to a boil.

Add chicken and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through and registers 160 degrees, about 10-15 minutes, flipping chicken half-way through cooking.*  Remove chicken from sauce mixture, transfer to a plate and set side, tenting with foil.

Increase heat to medium-high and cook until sauce is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in mustard.  Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces (and removing any "icky bits" as necessary).  Return chicken to skillet.  Toss with remaining cilantro and toss until well-combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve in tortillas with desired toppings.

*Crock Pot Variation: Follow above direction through bringing the sauce mixture to a boil.  Place raw chicken breasts in a crock pot, pour sauce mixture over chicken and cover.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork.  Remove chicken to a plate.  Pour sauce mixture back into skillet and reduce as directed above.  Shred chicken, toss with sauce mixture and serve or return to crock pot to keep warm until ready to serve.  Stir in fresh cilantro right before serving.    

Source: Easy Chicken Tacos from America's Test Kitchen, Cook's Country TV

BLT Panzanella Salad

My dad has a deep love for the Farmer's Market.  He also shares a love of all things involving gardening and landscaping and I certainly enjoy reaping the benefits.  When he goes to the Minneapolis Farmer's Market, he enjoys sharing his favorite booths with us.  One of the "must stops" is Tollefson's Family Pork stand.  I have heard it said "Bacon is the gateway meat" and if that's true, I think the bacon from this Minneapolis-local and dedicated family farm might push anyone flirting with Vegetarianism right into a full-blown carnivore.   

I had been dreaming of a way to use this really incredible bacon and this BLT Panzanella Salad seemed like a perfect way to feature it alongside some great summer flavors.  Panzanella is usually an Italian bread and tomato salad (a good way to use up stale bread).  But as "They" also say, "Everything's better with bacon," so this version was a bit of a take on a BLT that was enhanced with creamy avocado.  I also got to use fresh basil from the garden (Hallelujah! That is a joyous summer rite of passage!), topped it with some sliced grilled chicken (so officially it turned more into a "Club Panzanella Salad, I suppose) and called it a day.  A very delicious day.

Panzanella Club Salad
1/2 pound thick cut bacon
1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ripe avocado, cut into bite sized chunks
5 ounce box of washed salad greens (or about 6 cups lettuce of your choice in bite-sized pieces)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade), plus more for garnish

1 loaf Ciabatta or French Bread, cut into 1" cubes (day old is fine)

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Sliced grilled chicken, optional

 Directions:
Cook bacon until crispy.  Remove from pan and reserve 2 Tablespoons drippings for bread cubes.  Cut cooled bacon into 1" pieces.  Set aside.

Toss bread cubes with bacon drippings (or 2 tablespoons olive oil, if you prefer).  Spread in an even layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until slightly crispy and beginning to brown.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Pour vinegar in a small jar or bowl.  Stir in mustard, maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle in olive oil and whisk or put lid on jar and shake furiously until smooth and well combined.  Adjust salt and pepper as needed.  Set aside.

To assemble: In a large bowl, combine lettuce, basil leaves, halved tomatoes, avocado chunks, croutons and bacon pieces.  Pour over vinaigrette and toss well.  Garnish with fresh basil leaves as desired and serve immediately. 

Adapted from Alton Brown's TBL Panzanella recipe

My Dad and older son enjoying the Farmer's Market

Playing in Grandpa's Garden

inspecting how everything's coming along...

Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles

Currently, my 17 month old son's diet consists of four food groups: milk, eggs, fruit and spoonfuls of peanut butter.  Seriously.  Hoping to appeal to his love of peanut butter and wanting to avoid heating up my kitchen this evening, I whipped up these Cold Peanut Noodles (he wasn't convinced, but the rest of us liked it!).

This is one of those recipes that comes together as quickly as it takes to boil water and cook the noodles.  A quick Asian-style peanut-sesame dressing and crunchy vegetables are tossed with pasta for an easy and delicious warm weather dish.  Feel free to personalize the dish with your own favorite veggies--I think sliced snow peas or thawed frozen shelled edamame would be great!  Although substantial enough on its own, we rounded our noodles out with some grilled chicken on the side!

Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles
8 ounces thin spaghetti or angel hair (can substitute rice noodles as well)
1 small cucumber
1/2 red bell pepper
1 medium carrot
3 green onions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine or water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic
1-inch piece fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Prepare noodles "al dente" according to package directions.  Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until cool.  Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible and transfer to a large bowl.

(This next part can be done while waiting for the water to boil and the noodles to cook)
Cut the cucumber into matchstick sized pieces. Thinly slice the red bell pepper.  Peel the carrot and cut into thin matchsticks.  Thinly slice the green onions, white and green parts, reserving a small amount for garnish at the end.  Roughly chop the cilantro, also reserving some for garnish.  Add everything except reserved garnishes to the bowl of noodles.

In a blender or food processor, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, wine, lime juice, sesame oil, honey, garlic and ginger.  Blend on medium speed until smooth, adding a tiny bit of water, if necessary, if mixture is too thick.  Once dressing is completely smooth, pour over noodle and vegetable mixture, tossing to combine.  Transfer to a serving platter, if desired, and garnish with reserved green onion and cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Zucchini "Fettucini"

Even though it has seemingly been all the rage and "all the cool people are doing it,"  I don't think I could ever go low carb.  I just like bread too much.  And pasta, I love pasta.  Still, there are some times when maybe it's nice to go a little lighter (perhaps in exchange for a really decadent dessert).  In those cases, this might be in order.  Zucchini squash is shaved into thin ribbons to resemble strands.  It comes together in just a few minutes and the "pasta" is light but sturdy and incredibly satisfying.  I topped mine with Chicken Sausage and Pea Pasta Sauce from the Peasant Pasta recipe.  I did not even miss regular pasta--those low carb-er's might be on to something, at least once in awhile!  File this recipe away, especially for this summer when gardeners are begging you to take their zucchini off their hands.

Zucchini Fettucini
serves 2
1 pound small sized zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper taste
Freshly shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese
favorite tomato sauce

Wash and dry zucchini.  Using a vegetable peeler, peel thin slices off of one side of the zucchini until you hit the seeds.  Rotate and peel again until hitting seeds.  Continue to rotate until all the sides have been peeled down to the seeds.  Discard the core.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  When hot, add zucchini and a sprinkle of salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes until zucchini is softened and begins to turn translucent.  Do not overcook.  Transfer to a serving dish, season with salt and pepper.  Top with Parmesan cheese and sauce, if desired. 

Recipe source: NY Times Zucchini 'Pasta'

15 Minute Blackened Fish Tacos

Everyone needs a few recipes on hand that you can throw together in the blink of an eye.  This is one of those recipes that comes together in 15 minutes (yippie!).  When I was throwing out dinner options tonight (and I was secretly hoping for the boys to pick soup because it's been cold and rainy all day), my four year old jumped on the fish tacos option.  I guess what I'm saying is that if fish tacos was a kid's first choice, they really are a crowd-pleaser.  We all (should) know that adding more fish to our diet is a good thing for our health and this is an easy and appealing way to add a serving.  This recipe uses tilapia, which I've heard called "the gateway fish."  It's mild flavored, economical and doesn't have a fishy taste.  Other good options besides tilapia would be cod, red snapper or catfish.  Oh, and "Blackened" just refers to the cooking style--rubbed with Cajun style seasonings and cooked in a really hot skillet to form a crispy crust!

Blackened Fish Tacos
serves 4 
1-1 1/4 pounds tilapia fillets (about 4)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
     (*also, you can substitute Cajun or Blackening Seasoning for the above spices)
2 tablespoons olive oil

corn tortillas (about 8-12--double layer them for best plate to mouth handling)
bagged coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup sweet onion (such as a Vidalia), finely chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
lime wedges
(diced avocado would be nice too, I just didn't have any)

Directions: In a small bowl, stir together cilantro and diced onion.  Set aside.  In another small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream and lime juice.  Set aside.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium high heat.  Stir together salt and spices and season tilapia fillets generously with spice mixture.  When the skillet is good and hot, place the fish fillets in a single layer in the skillet.  Cook, untouched, for about 4 minutes or until edges of fish are opaque.  Also, there should be a crispy looking crust formed on the bottom side.  Flip over and cook additional 2-4 minutes or until the second side is browned, and fish flakes easily with a fork.  Remove from heat.  Break into large chunks. Squeeze a lime wedge or two over top of the fish

To serve, double layer the corn tortillas.  Spread a thin layer of the sour cream mixture on tortillas.  Top with chunks of fish, a handful of coleslaw mix and sprinkle with cilantro-onion mixture.  Serve with additional lime wedges, as desired.  ¡Olé!

Turkey Brie Panini

Alright, we probably ought to get something straight here.  Apparently, according to Wikipedia (which is ALWAYS right) Americans have a tendency to think that a panini refers only to a grilled sandwich.  Feeling a responsibility to not contribute to misconceptions I feel it's best to go on record that in Italy, a panini can refer to any form of sandwich (and if you want to get really technical, you'd really call one sandwich a "panino").  As for this sandwich, however, it falls right into the grilled panini stereotype.  But that is alright.  In fact, in my book, gooey melted brie layered with roasted deli turkey, crisp apple slices, tangy honey mustard and fresh spinach all grilled up in toasty French is a very good thing indeed!  In honor of my parents enjoying their time in France right now, I whipped up a French-inspired lunch.  Bon Appetit!

Turkey Brie Panini

For each sandwich (panino : ):
1 4-6 inch section of baguette, split (or two slices rustic-style bread)
1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2-1 oz brie cheese, thinly sliced
thinly sliced apple (I used Braeburn)
fresh spinach leaves
softened butter

Stir together mustard and honey.  Spread on inside of bread.  Layer turkey, apple slices, spinach leaves and brie.  Smoosh the sandwich together.  Spread a thin layer of butter on the outside of the sandwich.  Grill in a panini press until golden brown.

note: If I was at home and did not have my parents' fancy Griddler Gourmet at my disposal, I would've probably just grilled my sandwich in a skillet, flipping to brown on both sides.  Or, I may have dusted off the good ol' George Foreman grill (when he was "Knocking out the fat" was he thinking of making grilled cheese?). Or, if I was feeling really wild, I might've used the skillet,  loosely covered the sandwich with a layer of aluminum foil and then topped the sandwich with another skillet weighed down with some heavy cans to weigh it down and flatten the sandwich, flipping halfway through to brown both sides.  Panini press?  Who needs a stinkin' panini press?

Steak Fajitas

I am currently sitting in rainy Minnesota, starting a week+ worth of "Brother-Sitting."  Dropped my parents off at the airport an hour ago ("Bring me back something French!") and since then, have 1) tried on my mom's shoes, 2) found lots of potential treats/pitfalls (I've eaten a spoonful of Ben and Jerry's, a piece of leftover Easter chocolate and some almonds from a fancy tin), 3) perused the magazine collection and 4) had my fill of sattellite tv (we got rid of ours last Fall and I thought I would be glad to catch up on the Food Network and others, but the magic seems to be lost--probably just as well).  I thought that before I go do something useful (like read a book?), I'd post a dinner-worthy recipe.  Even though it's gray and drizzly here today, we have definitely entered the grilling season.  Let's celebrate with a classic, Steak Fajitas (of course, you can also substitute chicken breast or all veggies if you prefer, I just happened to get a screaming deal on skirt steak last week).  Also, these might be the perfect way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo next week...

 Steak Fajitas
Marinated Skirt Steak
1 pound skirt steak
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 scallions (green onions), white and green parts, washed and cut into big chunks
2 cloves garlic, peeled
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Fajita Veggies
1 large onion, thinly sliced length-wise
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
1/2-1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
4 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil, divided
lime wedges (optional)

Extras
tortillas (click on link for homemade, if you like!)
Fajita fixings: sour cream, shredded cheese, guacamole, etc...

To prepare the steak, remove skirt steak, rinse and place in a gallon sized freezer bag.  In a blender pitcher, combine oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, vinegar, red pepper flakes, cumin and brown sugar.  Blend until smooth and thoroughly combined.  Pour into bag over steak, seal up and marinate for about one hour in the fridge.  Remove steak from bag, pat with paper towels and allow to come to room temperature while you prepare the grill (I just used our gas grill, but you can use charcoal or an indoor grill pan as well). 

Grill steak for 1-2 minutes on each side (you just want to sear the outside, flank steak is thin!).  Remove from the grill, cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for about 10 minutes while you're cooking the vegetables.

Preheat a large skillet over high heat.  Add half the oil and saute vegetables in two batches, paying attention not to crowd the pan (so you don't steam them).  Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and crisp tender.  Remove from heat and keep warm.

After steak has rested, cut across the grain into very thin slices.  Serve in warmed tortillas with the pepper and onion mixture and topping with your desired fixings.

Skirt Steak inspired by Alton Brown's recipe 

Spinach and Goat Cheese Baked Risotto

I think most people when they think of risotto (and that's if they think of it at all...) would consider it a "restaurant food."  I know that I always loved to order the creamy rice dish (preferably with lots of shrimp and scallops in it) when I'm eating at Italian restaurants that are not the Olive Garden (nothing against the OG and its amazing salad and breadsticks, I just can't remember it ever being on the menu...).  I guess risotto is intimidating because it's supposed to be so hands on in its preparation (read: constant stirring for long periods of time).  Enter: baked risotto.  All of the yummy, creamy, heart-warming goodness and none of the arm-cramp-inducing stirring.  And, when you add garlicky, sauteed spinach and tangy goat cheese to the mix, you end up with something glorious.  Thank you to Martha Stewart and Jamie Oliver for your recipes, when I married them together, they made quite a delicious baby!


Spinach and Goat Cheese Baked Risotto
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (plus more for serving)
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
2-2 1/4 cups hot water
1/2 cup homemade or low sodium canned chicken stock
kosher salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
5 1/2 oz fresh spinach, washed and dried
ground nutmeg, preferably fresh
a big handful or two of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon, zest removed and reserved
7 oz. soft goat's cheese, crumbled 



Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon each of oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring to coat the grains with oil, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook until it has completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, the stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.  Pour rice mixture into an ovenproof baking dish and cover.  Transfer to the oven, and bake, covered, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, 20 to 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile, place an additional tablespoon each of olive oil and butter along with garlic in a large skillet over medium heat.  When butter is melted, add spinach.  Cook, stirring constantly, until spinach is wilted down.  Season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg to taste.  Chop finely or blend up in a food processor.  Cover and set aside to keep warm.
When rice is cooked through, remove from oven and stir in spinach mixture, 2 additional tablespoons butter, a good squeeze of lemon juice, Parmesan and half of the goat cheese.  Stir until butter and goat cheese is melted and rice is creamy.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.  Spoon into bowls and top with additional crumbled goat cheese, a sprinkle of lemon zest and a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve immediately as a main dish or hearty side.  

Recipe adapted from: Martha Stewart's Oven-Baked Risotto and Jamie Oliver's Spinach and Goat Cheese Risotto from Cook with Jamie

Easy Fried Rice

I know I have mentioned this before, but growing up, my very few experiences with restaurant food was almost entirely relegated to Asian take out.  What can I say, my Dad hasn't met an egg roll he didn't like.  Fried rice was always a staple of our order and it always seemed like a real crowd-pleaser.  I have just realized that I imagine Chinese restaurants are very happy when people order fried rice.  Why, you ask?  Because it's best made with LEFTOVER rice!  What a great way to cut down on product waste!  That said, it's a delicious use of leftovers and so unbelievably simple to recreate at home, it makes me think twice about ordering it in a little paper box again.  

Easy Fried Rice

(makes two large meal sized portions or four sides)
2 cups leftover cold cooked rice
3 eggs
cooking spray
salt and pepper
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup pea pods (optional)
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1-2+ tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup bean sprouts (optional)
3 green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup leftover cooked meat of your choosing, cut into bite-sized pieces *see note*
 
Lightly beat the eggs and scramble with salt and pepper in a wok or large frying pan coated with cooking spray.  Once eggs are scrambled, break up into bite-sized chunks (if they aren't already), remove from pan and set aside.  Return pan to stove and over high heat, add diced carrots and pea pods (if using) and 1/3 cup water.  Boil vegetables uncovered until water evaporates and vegetable are crisp-tender (watch closely so they don't burn, the water will be gone quickly).  Remove from pan and set aside with the eggs.   Return the pan to high heat, add 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and sesame oil so you have a decent film over the bottom of the pan.  Add the rice and stir fry for a couple minutes, stirring frequently to break up any chunks of rice.  Once rice is heated through, add soy sauce to taste.  Return eggs and vegetables to rice mixture.  Add frozen (the heat of the rice will thaw them quickly) peas, bean sprouts (if using) and any diced, cooked, meat desired to the pan and cook an additional minute, stirring frequently, until mixture is heated through.  Serve immediately, chopsticks optional. 

*Note: If you like meat in your fried rice you have a lot of potential options.  I used leftover chicken from a chicken and broccoli stir fry I had made the night before but pork chops basted with hoisin sauce is a really delicious addition and brings back happy memories of when my mom would make "Young Jewel Fried Rice" from the LeeAnn Chin Chinese Cookbook--was that just a Minnesota think?).  Really, just about anything works--you could even use leftover Thanksgiving turkey (I have done it and it turns out great!).

*You could even make fried rice from leftover restaurant take out (if you have any left--we always seem to have leftover white rice that starts to petrify in its little paper box).  And, you can use some remaining meat from an entree to turn your fried rice from side to main dish.  

Black Bean Burgers and Chili-Cumin Sweet Potato Fries

I don't know what took me so long to try this.  I have always loved veggie burgers and you can often find a box of Boca Burgers or some Morningstar Farms in my freezer.  That was until Christmas when my sister gave me the cookbook, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, by Mark Bittman (thanks, Elise!).  After realizing how easy (and insanely cheap--the most expensive thing in them is a can of beans and a handful of shredded cheese) it is to make my own veggie burgers, I will be hard pressed to shell out for pre-made ones again (and will not be able to bring myself to order another one at Chili's restaurant the rare time I find myself there!).  Also, you probably have everything on hand to make some variation of bean burgers right now.  How is that for a healthy desperation dinner?  See this recipe as just a starting off point and feel free to come up with your own variations using different beans and seasonings. 

Black Bean Burgers
2 cups well-cooked black beans (or 1 14oz can, drained)
1 medium onion, quartered
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional
1/2 cup rolled oats (or cooked brown rice or dry breadcrumbs)
1 egg
or
1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or both! They each act as binders to help form the patties and cheese adds great flavor)
liquid as needed (water, milk, stock, wine, etc. if necessary--not likely)
olive oil or vegetable oil as needed

Burger Fixings: (we used toasted buns and dressed them with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced avocado and crumbled goat cheese)

Directions: Combine beans, onion, oats, seasonings, egg and cheese in a food processor or blender and pulse until chunky but not pureed, adding a little liquid if needed to produce a moist but not wet mixture (if yours is too wet, you can add some more oats or breadcrumbs.  Let the mixture rest for a few minutes.  With wet hands, shape into whatever size patties you want and allow to rest again if time allows.  You can also make the mixture and refrigerate up to a day ahead (just bring to room temperature before cooking).  Pour a couple tablespoons of oil into a large nonstick or cast iron skillet.  Turn the heat to medium and allow to heat for about a minute.  Add patties and cook until browned on one side (about 5 minutes).  Turn carefully and cook on the other side until firm and browned.  Melt additional cheese on top if desired.

Suggestions: Add up to 1/2 cup veggies (more and they'll be too wet or have a hard time staying together).  Spinach, carrots, bell peppers, corn, cooked potato or sweet potato, etc. are great.  Cut into chunks and add with the onion.


Variation: Use a can of white beans, omit chili powder and cumin.  Substitute 1 teaspoon rosemary or Italian seasoning.  Add 1 cup cooked spinach (or 2 cups fresh), 1/2 cup quartered mushrooms and 1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, crumbled feta or goat cheese (or any combination).  Mix and cook as directed.

Also, you can use your bean to form into smaller "meatball" shapes and serve with sauce and pasta or cook into crumbles to use as a filling for tacos, burritos, sandwiches, topping for pizza.  You are only limited by your imagination!

Recipe Source: How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

p.s. We served these with Chili-Cumin Sweet Potato Fries.  To make, toss cut sweet potatoes in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until evenly coated.  Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Roast in a 425 degree oven flipping occasionally until browned on the outside and tender inside (25-45 minutes, depending on size of the fries).  Sprinkle with ground cumin, chili powder and additional salt to taste.

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

"Waste not, want not" I think is how the saying goes and although it's cliche, some really great meals have come out of trying not to waste food.  Hence, this particular enchilada dish.  Leftover rotisserie chicken, leftover taco shells and leftover onion dip mixed with the new Philly Cooking Creme (savory cream cheese sauce ready to be mixed into quick meals) I scored for free with coupons.  It's not very highbrow, but it was met with raves from the family and the urgent insistence from my husband that I record the recipe.

As for the new Philly Cooking Creme, I am pretty impressed and think that it's something to keep on hand for throwing together quick meals and I am excited to use some of the other flavors in different dishes (and, I was not prompted to say that by any means...although I would be happy to say nice things for some means--just in case anyone from Kraft is reading... : ). 

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
12 Hard taco shells, broken in halves (or use broken tortilla chips)
2 cups cooked shredded chicken (great time to use leftover rotisserie chicken)
1 can black beans, drained
1 12 oz. jar salsa verde, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 container Philly Cooking Creme (plain or Santa Fe flavor) (or one 8 oz package cream cheese, softened)
1 cup French onion sour cream dip (or 1 cup sour cream)
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese, divided
Shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, sour cream etc. for garnish (optional)

Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.  Layer half of broken taco shells in bottom of baking dish.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, combine chicken, black beans, half of salsa verde, cumin, garlic powder and chili powder.  Stir to combine and pour into baking dish on top of taco shells.  In same bowl, mix together Cooking Creme, sour cream dip, remaining salsa verde and half of shredded cheese.  Pour half of Creme mixture over top of chicken mixture, and spread evenly.  Top with remaining taco shells.  Spread remaining Creme mixture over taco shells and top with remaining shredded cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and browned on top.  Or, if you're in a big hurry (not me, I ALWAYS plan ahead!), microwave on high until casserole is heated through (about 10 minutes) and then brown in 400 degree oven for about 5 minutes. 

Tortellini and Chicken Meatball Soup

Alright, I know.  This is not my first chicken soup recipe that I've posted.  Still, it was so good and so easy, I felt it must be shared.  I married together a recipe from a recipe by Chef Tyler Florence and a soup commonly found in Italian restaurants that I love, Tortellini en Brodo (tortellini in broth).   This version is fast, healthy and has simple, clean flavors that promise of warmer weather but is still hearty enough to satisfy on an evening where there's still a chill in the air. 


Chicken Meatballs:
1 pound ground chicken breast
sat and pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
olive oil for sauteing

Remaining soup ingredients:
1 one pound package refrigerated cheese tortellini (or frozen, mine were tri-color)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted, but with basil and garlic would be good too)
2 quarts chicken broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon thyme
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
black pepper
juice from 1/2 a lemon
shredded Parmesan cheese for serving

Crusty bread for serving

For the meatballs, preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, season ground chicken generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Add parsley, if using.  Add egg and stir gently to combine.  Stir in bread crumbs gradually until the mixture comes together in a mass and the egg is absorbed.  Using your hands, form chicken into small meatballs (about 1"-1 1/2" in diameter) and place on a baking sheet.  Continue until all meatballs are formed.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and set aside.  Conversely, you can also pan fry the meatballs in the olive oil, do them in batches using a skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally until well browned on all sides. 

In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil.  Stir in Italian seasoning, thyme and entire can of tomatoes.  Add tortellini and meatballs and reduce heat to medium high and simmer for 5 minutes or until tortellini is cooked through.  Roughly tear or chop baby spinach leaves into smaller pieces and stir into soup.  Add in freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Serve immediately seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and shredded Parmesan. 

A Taste of South Africa: Bobotie

If you were ever in a recipe rut, this is the dish for you!  Bobotie is a savory and sweet, traditional South African dish made of curry-spiced ground meat (or "mince" as they call it) covered with an egg-based topping served with rice and mango chutney.  Don't be intimidated, it's incredibly easy.  The flavors and texture are complex and addictive.  To be honest, I was not a fan of curry flavors and still am picky when it comes to ground meat dishes, but I fell in love both when used in this dish!

We were introduced to Bobotie in Switzerland, of all places.  Five years ago, we traveled to gorgeous Switzerland (and lovely, romantic, Italy...it was a fantastic trip for this European History major...) for a seminary class for my husband (you think I would've let him go alone? No way!).  Our host family was from South Africa and they showed us an incredible example of hospitality.  They welcomed us into their home and family for the week, left chocolates on our pillows, taught us about rugby, shared incredible stories of daring escapes from wild animals, introduced us to Settlers of Catan, opened my eyes to the gloriousness that is Rooibos tea, shared with us some divine-tasting Amarula Cream liquor over ice cream and gave us our first taste of Bobotie.  Clearly, they made an impression.  I carried the recipe home with me in my suitcase and have replicated it many times since.  As a nod of thanks to a family that taught me so much about caring for others, I wanted to pass on this recipe and hopefully, create some more Bobotie-lovers in this world!  

Bobotie
2 slices white bread
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 pounds ground meat (ground beef and or lamb is traditional, I used 1/2 ground been and 1/2 turkey breast)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons jarred mango chutney (or apricot jam plus 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)
juice from half a lemon
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
two eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
4 bay leaves (or lemon leaves, if you have access to such things, which in that case you can omit the lemon zest!)
jarred mango chutney (or apricot jam) for serving
toasted sliced or slivered almonds for garnish (optional)
hot cooked rice for serving

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a small bowl, pour milk over slices of bread and allow to soak until needed.   
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add onions and saute, stirring frequently until softened, about 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and saute just until fragrant (about one minute).  Add in ground meat and brown, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat so it is crumbled.  When meat is fully browned, drain any grease (if necessary) and stir in curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper.  Squeeze milk out of bread, reserving milk and crumble bread into meat, stirring to combine.  When fully mixed, stir in chutney (or jam), lemon juice and raisins and almonds (if using).  Spread ground meat mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. 
Beat eggs and add to milk.  Stir in lemon rind and mix thoroughly.  Pour custard mixture over top of meat mixture.  Stick bay leaves into top.  Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes or until custard is set.  Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with almonds and extra chutney to taste.
 

 

Homemade Pizza Party

My one year old son adores pizza above almost anything else.  Adores it.  Like "can eat two full slices (torn into bite-sized pieces) in one sitting" adores it.  And if any of said pizza pieces find themselves fallen to the floor or in the crevices of his highchair, you can bet that he will be trying to swipe them up and shovel them into his mouth before I can get them cleaned up.  Therefore, we knew it was a must to have pizza for his Birthday.  We served "build your own mini English muffin pizzas" for his Birthday/dedication with our church family (a fun idea in themselves: just toast the muffins a little beforehand, top with sauce, cheese and desired toppings and bake until cheese is melted and browning!) and after the last English muffin was consumed and all the cake crumbs were swept up, we still had a lot of toppings remaining.  To use them up, I made one with "The Works" (pictured: pepperoni, chicken sausage, ham, spinach, banana peppers, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers and red onions).


Making your own pizza really is easy and it's nice to be able to control the quality and quantity of your toppings (no getting charged $2 for extra cheese and getting to adorn your pizza with organic chicken basil sausage? Yes, please!).  Also, it can be cranked out pretty quickly!  Letting the dough rest will really improve the texture and the workability, but you can assemble the pizza as soon as the dough is formed if you're in a rush.  Also, it won't hurt my feelings if you want to try some not-so-run-of-the- mill combinations (listed below) on a pre-made crust.  Any way you slice it up, who doesn't love pizza?


   
Homemade Pizza Dough
makes 1 12-16” pizza, depending on thickness
2-2 1/2 cups flour (can use up to half whole wheat and up to 1/2 cup corn meal)
1 envelope quick rise yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
6-8 oz. warm water (around 110 degrees)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Optional: 1 tsp. herbs or garlic

    In a glass measuring cup, add yeast and sugar to warm water.  Stir and allow to sit for about 5 minutes to proof (it will grow in volume and be bubbly).  Meanwhile, in a food processor or stand mixer, blend together flour, salt and olive oil (and herbs, if using).  While processor is running, pour in water-yeast mixture and continue to process until a solid ball of dough is formed (you may have to add a little more flour or water).  Allow to run 30 seconds more.  Turn off machine and pull out dough.  Place in a greased bowl and cover with a dish towel or greased plastic wrap.  Allow to sit at least 30 minutes.  Punch down dough and turn in on itself a few times. 
    Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  When ready to assemble, on a well-floured surface, roll out dough to desired size and thickness.  Transfer to pizza stone or pan sprayed with cooking spray and dusted with cornmeal.  Drizzle 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil around edge of dough and brush oil over surface of the unbaked crust, focusing on the edges.  Top with desired sauce and toppings.  Bake at 500 degrees for 9-13 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is bubbly. 

Pizza Suggestions:
BBQ Chicken Pizza: Made famous by California Pizza Kitchen...
    Mix together equal parts barbeque sauce and pizza sauce and spread on crust.  Top with cooked shredded chicken.  Use combination of mozzarella and provolone cheese (use smoked if you can find it for extra flavor).  Sprinkle diced red onion on top of cheese.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Once out of oven, scatter chopped cilantro over the top. 

Taco Pizza: I had no idea this combination existed until a I moved to Iowa.  You really haven't lived until you've tried a Casey's Taco Pizza (or so my husband would say!). 
    Use cornmeal variation on crust.  Spread refried beans and salsa or taco sauce on dough.  Add cooked taco meat, if desired.  Top with mixture of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Once out of the oven, top with shredded lettuce and crushed nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips (i.e. "Doritos" no one said this was very authentic!).  Pass more taco sauce for additional spice.

Balsamic Salad Pizza: My husband's former youth pastor and his wife made this combination and I nearly fell over it was so good.  It looks really classy, too.  Perfect for a book club meeting!    
     Omit pizza sauce.  Drizzle additional olive oil over entire pizza.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder over top.  Use Italian cheese blend (mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, etc.).  Bake until golden brown (8-11 minutes).  Top with 3 cups baby salad greens tossed with 1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over top.
   
Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette:
    4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    pinch of salt
    1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    2-4 tablespoons olive oil
   1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    fresh ground black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a plastic container with a lid.  Shake vigorously until ingredients are combined.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Shake again immediately before using. 

Chicken, Canadian Bacon and Green Olive (with red sauce): My brother, Peter, worked as a delivery guy for a Minnesota pizza chain, Davanni's (Pizza AND Hot Hoagies), and he would bring home pizzas with this combination.  Fantastic.

Pepperoni and Banana Pepper (red sauce)s: Buca di Beppo's has it right on this combination...Paired with a red wine (try a Sangiovese)...heaven!

Pineapple and Black Olives (red sauce): don't knock it till you try it, I was introduced to this combination in high school by a dear friend, Abigail, and it is really good.  It's something about that salty-sweet combination...

p.s. I know this is a really looonnngg post, but I just wanted to share a sweet pizza memory from my life.  When my (now)husband and I were dating, we went out on a date for pizza.  I love vegetarian pizzas and especially love black olives.  Jay, my husband and previous olive-hater, happily ate a vegetarian pizza with black olives on our date and told his mom that he had had pizza with black olives and that they were actually pretty good.  And, that, dear friends, is the moment my now mother-in-law knew that her son with in love because he ate olives on his pizza for me.  : )

Tamale Pie

Well, after the toothache we must all have after eating a whole bowl of cookie dough from the last post, I thought I would post something healthier.  I really love making this tamale pie because it's really more one of those concept recipes--meaning it's easy to vary the filling based on what you have on hand.  What makes the "tamale" part is a soft polenta made from regular, old cornmeal.  Then, the filling possibilities are endless--taco meat, shredded beef, refried beans, fajita style chicken, you get the picture... For this particular night, I made a vegetarian version filled with black beans and green chiles to pair with some really delicious Chicken Green Chile sausages I picked up (thank you, new Sunflower Market, for opening up right near my Thursday morning Bible study!). 


Tamale Pie (Black Bean variation)

Polenta
3 cups water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken base (I love "Better than Bouillon" brand--or bouillon cube)
1 cup yellow corn meal (the kind you make cornbread with)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, divided

Black Bean Filling:
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles (or 1 can Rotel), drained (or substitute salsa)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 cup (or one small can) diced green chiles

Garnishes as desired: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, black olives, jalapenos, etc.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To prepare filling, combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally and keeping warm while preparing the polenta. 

To prepare the polenta, in a medium sauce pan bring water, milk and chicken base or bouillon cube to a boil (watch it very carefully as it will boil over very quickly with that milk in it.  I am not sure why milk boils over like crazy given the opportunity, but you do not want to clean that mess up!).  Immediately whisk in cornmeal and lower heat to medium low and continue to whisk until all the water is absorbed and the mixture is thick and bubbly (about 1 minute).  Stir in cheese to melt.  Working quickly, as the polenta will firm up quickly, pour half of polenta mixture into a greased baking dish (8x8 or round casserole).  Pour filling over top of bottom layer (or spread over any desired filling), sprinkle with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, and spread remaining polenta over top of filling topping with the remaining cheese.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and browning and filling is bubbly. 

To serve, top individual servings with desired garnishes.