Creamy Lemon Risotto

Creamy Lemon Risotto

Nothing says comfort food to me like a creamy bowl of risotto. It truly gets a bad rap as being very fussy and time consuming which is complete hogwash. It takes only 30 minutes to cook and if you can stir, you can make a fabulous risotto. I have adapted my recipe from Nigella Lawson and Jaime Oliver. Once you learn to make the basic risotto, you can add any combination of ingredients to pair with any meal. Or do as I did tonight and eat risotto alone for din din. The key to success is stir, stir, stir and know when to call it quits - when the risotto is perfectly creamy and al dente. Wild mushrooms, rosemary and marscapone cheese are another great combination and completely change the flavor. Keep in mind that the risotto continues to absorb the liquid as it sits, so remove it from the heat just short of finished.

origin - Nigella Lawson and Jaime Oliver
difficulty - medium

Basic Risotto Recipe
5 cups strong chicken stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2-3 shallots finely chopped
2 cloves garlic (optional)
2 stalks celery finely chopped
2 cups aborio rice
2 cups dry white vermouth or white wine
salt/pepper to taste *I only cook with kosher salt

Additions for Creamy Lemon Risotto
2/3 cup marscapone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesean cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup pine nuts toasted

Heat the stock. In a separate heavy saucepan saute the celery, shallots and garlic in the olive oil and butter on medium high heat until softened - approximately 5 minutes. Add the aborio rice and cook until the rice begins to turn transluscent, stirring continuously. Add the wine and cook just until the alcohol evaporates. Add salt and pepper. Now begin adding the stock one ladleful at a time (a ladle is about 1/4 cup). Make sure the heat is set so you are getting a strong simmer, but not cooking into the rice too quickly. Stir continuously as you add each ladle of stock and do not add more until each one is absorbed into the rice, but not completely. This should take approximately 25-30 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, start testing the rice for 'doneness'. It should be al dente, not chewy, but not too soft. Keep in mind that it continues to cook once off the heat, so make sure it's slightly soupy (not runny, just like thick soup). Turn heat to low and add the rosemary, lemon zest, marscapone and parmesean cheese. Stir just until combined. In a separate bowl combine the lemon juice and egg yolk and stir into the rice to complete. Garnish with toasted pine nuts. Now take comfort in the fact that you just made a perfect risotto!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Nothing too fancy here, but who doesn't love Spaghetti and Meatballs?? I'm sure you all have your own recipes - but I wanted to share mine. It's origin is very mysterious, however many people credit the Neopolitan region of Italy- as large pieces of meat in a red sauce are common there as in much of southern Italy. Home made spaghetti sauce is really easy to make and so much tastier than a jar sauce. I add a small amount of ricotta cheese to the meatballs to achieve a tastier flavor. The texture of meatballs really depends on the blend of meats you choose and how much you work the meat. I prefer a 'tighter' meatball which will not fall apart in your sauce. If you want a more crumbly meatball, add more ground beef and be careful not to stir or work the meat too much. Mangiamo! (let's eat in italian!)

origin - lisa lou
difficulty - easy

Home Made Tomato Sauce

2 28 oz cans whole tomatoes including juice (I prefer Cento)
1 onion chopped - yellow or vidalia
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced OR 2 shallots finely chopped
1/4 cup carrots shredded
1 cup full bodied red wine (like Chianti)
1 cup strong chicken broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp dried italian spices (I like Mc Cormick's blend - you can substitue a combination or dried oregano, basil, rosemary)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp onion powder
salt/pepper to taste
2 tbsp brown sugar (less if you prefer less sweet sauce)

Saute onion, garlic and carrots in the olive oil over medium high heat until tender - approximately 6 minutes. Add salt, pepper, onion powder, bay leaves and italian seasonings. Pour red wine over and let cook off for a few minutes to evaporate some of the alcohol. Add chicken broth, tomatoes including juice, tomato paste and brown sugar. Let simmer over low heat for 1-2 hours (the longer you simmer the thicker the sauce will become) partially covered so the steam can escape. Add meatballs at the last half hour of cooking. Serve over your favorite pasta topped with shredded parmesean cheese and fresh chopped basil.

Ricotta Meatballs *makes approximately 12 meatballs with 1 lb meat

1-2 lbs combination ground beef, veal and pork *many grocers carry a package that includes all three, but NOT premixed. I don't like pre-mixed combinations as they tend to not be very flavorful. You can always buy ground beef and add sweet or spicy italian sausage taken out of the casing.
1 large shallot finely chopped
1 small egg
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup parmesean cheese finely shredded
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1 tbsp italian seasoning
salt/pepper to taste
4 tbsp olive oil

Combine all ingredients (except olive oil) - using your hands works the best! Form the mixture into your preferred size meatballs, heaping tablespoons work well. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the meatballs and turning occasionally cook until all sides are browned - the meat will not be fully cooked through. Remove meatballs from the oil and drain slightly on papertowels. Add to the sauce and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes (or muffins!)

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

This recipe came about in an attempt to find a new recipe for the amazing strawberries we've been getting this summer. I simply took my favorite blueberry muffin recipe (which is much more like cake than muffins), used strawberries instead of blueberries and topped them with a delicious cream cheese frosting! Once again, half this recipe makes 12 regular sized cupcakes, which is plenty in our house. I did try two different recipes and the food critic and I are at odds over which one is better, so I'm giving you my vote!

origin - Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Family Style
difficulty - easy

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 3 extra -large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream

• 1/4 cup milk

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems *substitute fresh strawberries quartered, dry lightly with paper towel and sprinkly with flour before folding into the batter.
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries, strawberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

3. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, *I prefer to fill 3/4 full, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean. Top with cream cheese frosting once completely cooled. Recipe follows.
   

The bakers at Barefoot Contessa use an ice-cream scoop to measure the batter so that every muffin comes out the same size.
Greasing the tops of the pans makes it easier to take the muffins out.
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese
4 tbsp butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted

Cream the cheese and butter together. Don't have the cheese too soft or it will break down in the mixing process. Add the sifted sugar just until combined and smooth. Do not overmix. Spread over cupcakes.

Green Bean Gratinate

Green Bean Gratinate

This delicious casserole like side dish is a great way to try something new with green beans. The recipe came from the magazine 'Lidia - Italy at home'. Chef, restauranteur and travel/tour company owner, Lidia Bastianich is a great resource for true, rustic italian recipes (many of you in pittsburgh may know one of her restaurants, 'Lidia's' ,which offers a trio of pasta's). Make sure to check out http://www.visitpa.com/visitpa/playlistDetail.pa?type=celebrity&name=Lidia_Bastianich after July 3rd! Interestingly enough, her recipe called for 'Grana Padana', an ingredient I had never heard of. Well, it turns out that Grana Padana is really just a different kind of parmesean cheese - vs. Parmigiani Reggiano. The creation of cheese in the middle ages (in europe) resulted from excess milk from the cows that farmers did not want to waste. Grana Padana and Parmigiano Reggiano came next when the people wanted a harder cheese that would last longer. What is the difference you may ask?? The regions in which they both come from (Padana vs. Parma/Reggio) have different grasses resulting in slightly different cheeses, which honestly are both interchangable. Grana Padana is slightly less expensive and a bit 'grainier' - Grana means grainy in italian! How's that for a little history of cheese?? Only one change I would suggest (after my food critic tried this last night), add another type of cheese for more flavor as the mozzerella is very bland. Try provolone, goragonzola or pecorino instead of parmesean in the crumb mixture.

origin - Lidia, Italy at Home
difficulty - easy

1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes (about 3 cups), preferably small “grape” tomatoes
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella
4 to 6 fresh basil leaves
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter

Arrange a rack in the top half of the oven and preheat to 375. Fill a large pot with water (at least 5 quarts) and bring it to the boil.
Trim both ends of the beans and remove strings (if they’re an old fashioned variety and have strings). Dump them all into the boiling water, cover the pot until the water boils again, then cook uncovered, for 10 minutes or so, until they are just cooked through—tender but still firm enough to snap.
Drain the beans briefly in a colander then put them in a big kitchen bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt on the hot beans and toss them so they’re all seasoned. Let the salt melt and the beans cool for a couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse and dry the tomatoes; if they’re larger than an inch, slice them in halves, otherwise leave them whole. Cut the mozzarella into 1/2-inch cubes. Slice the basil leaves into thin shreds or chiffonade.

Toss the grated cheese and bread crumbs together in a small bowl. Lighlty grease the insides of the baking dish with a teaspoon or more of the butter. Sprinke 1/4 cup of the cheese-and-bread-crumb mix all over the bottom of the dish.
When the beans are no longer steaming, drop the tomatoes, cubes of mozzarella, and basil shreds on top. Drizzle the olive oil over all, sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss together a few times. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the cheesy breadcrumbs on top and toss well, so everything is coated.
Turn the vegetables, scraping up all the crumbs, into the baking dish, and spread them in an even layer. Sprinkle over the remaining 1/4 cup of crumbs; cut the rest of the butter in small pieces and scatter them all over the top. Place the dish in the oven.
Bake the gratinate for 10 minutes, the rotate it back to front and bake another 10 minutes. Check to see that it is browning and bake a few minutes more, until the gratinate is dark golden and crusted. (If the crumbs still look pale after 20 minutes in your oven, raise the temperature to 400 or 425 and bake until done.)
Serve the hot gratinate in the baking dish.

Penne with Beef and Arugula

Penne with Beef and Arugula

I really love pasta salads, but they often seem to be so boring. This recipe was recently prepared on Everyday Italian with Giada DeLaurentis - one of my favorite chefs. It is absolutely simple to prepare and really scrumptious, and let's not forget HEALTHY. I made quite a few changes and additions to perk it up a bit. I grilled the steak and vegetables to increase the flavor - or should I say Brian grilled the steak and vegetables. If you don't have a vegetable grill pan, you really should invest the $5 (at Target). It's like a frying pan with holes in it that allows you to grill vegetables without the mess and all the flavor! You could use any kind of steak, but New York strip is one of the most flavorful. If you choose to try a different cut of meat, I would recommend marinating it. Do not overcook the vegetables, as the acid from the vinegar in the dressing will continue to soften them. Once again arugula has such a wonderful bite and holds up beautifully in this dish. I added grape tomatoes for a little sweetness - they are very similar to cherry tomatoes (which you could also use) but even sweeter. I grated fresh parmesean cheese on at the end. This would be a great dish to bring for a picnic - add the dressing at the last minute. I served this room temperature. This is a summer must cook!

origin - Everyday Italian - Giada DeLaurentis
difficulty - simple

(1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence *McCormick makes a great italian seasoning blend which has marjoram, thyme, oregano, basil and rosemary, I use it ALL the time.
1 garlic clove, minced *I replaced with 1 chopped shallot
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
1 medium vidalia onion sliced and quartered *grill with the asparagus, a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper until crisp tender
1 bunch asparagus cut on the diagonal into 2 inch pieces

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes.(I recommend 15 minutes to let the juices redistribute.) Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water. *I did not add any pasta water to the salad.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil (I used only 1/2 cup olive oil and added one chopped shallot). In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula, asparagus, onions, tomatoes and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Grate approximately 1/3 cup of fresh parmesean cheese with a microplane over the top. Toss, pack for the picnic, or serve.

Sesame Chicken

Sesame Chicken *without the sesame

We love chinese food and either get take out or make a stir-fry once a week! I wanted to try a new recipe to change things up a bit. The recipe was titled 'Sesame Chicken' but only uses sesame seeds as a garnish, so it's really more like a sweet/sour chicken. You marinate sliced chicken, pan fry it and then toss it in a delicious sweet/sour/spicy sauce and serve with steamed broccoli. It's really tasty and I plan to try this same method with different sauces. One new ingredient I used is chili paste. I always thought chili paste would be incredibly spicy and hot, but it's actually more flavorful than spicy. I also served steamed jasmine rice - which has much more flavor than everyday long grain rice. We're having leftover ravioli's tomorrow night - so no new recipes until Sunday! I froze the ravioil's and pink vodka sauce - so simple to reheat!

origin - Tyler Florence 'Eat This Book'
difficulty - simple to medium

2 large egg whites
2 tbsp cornstartch
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp sodium sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar *I used apple cider vinegar
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into thin strips *I used breasts
peanut oil for frying - I used vegetable oil
2-2 1/2 cups flours for dredging
salt/pepper to taste
1 bunch broccoli, trimmed and cut ito florets

Sauce
2/3 cup ketchup *if I were to do over, I would reduce this slightly
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice vengar *I used apple cider vinegar
1 fresh hot green chile, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp chile paste, such as sambal
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds for garnish *I used chopped green onions instead

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the cornstarch. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar and stir. Add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil for the broccoli. Pour the oil into a wok (or fry pan) and heat to 370 degrees. Meanwhile, season the flour on a plate with a good amount of salt and pepper and mix with your fingers to incorporate the seasoning. Working in batches, remove the chicken from the marinade, dredge in the flour and fry until crisp and lightly browned, about 1 minute. *this recipe calls for 'deep frying' but you can also pan fry in a pan filled 1/4 of the way with oil. Transfer to a paper towel lined platter. Now drop your broccoli into the boiling salted water. Return the water to a boil and cook the broccoli for about 1 minute, or until it's crisp-tender and a bright green color. Drain. Meanwhile, you need to make the sauce (I did this ahead of time). Combine all sauce ingredients in wok (or separate sauce pan) and heat over medium heat until it's warmed through. fold the chicken into the hot sauce until it's well coated and serve on a bed of the broccoli. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (or green onions) and serve.

Grilled Rosemary Steak served with Orzo and Stuffed Zucchini

Grilled Rosemary Steak served with Orzo and Stuffed Zucchini

Today I'd like to focus on the Orzo as a side dish. The Rosemary Steak recipe is in a previous post(rosemary steak salad)- I happened to use skirt steak last night. The stuffed zuchhini was a new recipe I wanted to try and not everything I hoped it would be. I will be working on a new one and post it once it's perfected! But the Orzo is a delicious mainstay side dish that I've grown up with. We eat it at least once a week. Orzo is simply a small rice sized pasta that most commonly is boiled - which I think is wrong wrong wrong! My mom taught me to make it just like rice, but in a saute pan - letting all the broth absorb. You can do absolutely anything with the orzo to change it up. I like to add shallots, tomatoes, fresh basil, pine nuts and parmesean! You could add mushrooms, rosemary and goat cheese or serve it cold as a greek salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives and a vinaigarette. I prefer the Barilla brand of orzo and for some reason San Giorno turns out sticky.

origin - Pat Ann Harris
difficulty - simple

Orzo with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts

1 cup dried orzo
2 cups chicken broth (or water)
1-2 tbsp butter
1-2 shallots chopped *depending on size (or one small onion)
splash of white wine
1 chopped tomatoe
handful of basil chopped (or 'chiffonade')
1/3 cup pine nuts toasted
1/3 cup shredded parmesean cheese

Saute the shallots and butter in a saute pan over medium heat until softened. Add the uncooked orzo and saute for approximately 3-5 minutes more until the orzo is beginning to brown. Add splash of white wine and wait 1 minute until it begins to evaporate. Add the chicken broth, salt and pepper and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until all liquid has absorbed. Treat it like rice and try not to stir until it's finished. Stir in tomatoe, basil, pine nuts and parmesean cheese and serve.

Grilled Orange Chicken with Orange Cilantro Vinaigarette

Grilled Orange Chicken with Orange Cilantro Vinaigrette

Baked whole chickens are one of my favorite comfort foods - this is a new twist on the original. My father gave me this really great tool called a 'chicken sitter' that allows you to either bake or grill a whole chicken upright on top of an opening that holds any kind of liquid which steams the chicken and keeps it incredibly moist. The chicken sitter is a fancy version of the 'beer can chicken' cooking method. I prefer the ceramic ones, but metal ones are also available. You can find them at Target and several websites on line (www.barbeque-store.com). You can use them in the oven, but grilling is the best. Rub the chicken with any spices you like and fill the sitter with anything from beer, wine, water, broth or any combination. Get creative. Whole chickens are very inexpensive - 3-5 lb chicken on sale is only $5. I served the meat sliced on the pita breads (in the previous post) with an Orange Cilantro Vinaigrette. I've also coated the chicken with BBQ sauce at the end and served with Rosemary Yukon Potatoes.
origin - Willy D. (that would be my daddio!)
difficulty - simple

Grilled Orange Chicken

1 3-5 lb whole chicken (clean out the cavity and rinse in cold water)
2 oranges quartered
olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
salt/pepper to taste

Remove the zest from oranges with a microplane. Quarter the oranges and squeeze the juice into the sitter. Fill the balance of the sitter with chicken broth. Stuff the quartered oranges into the cavity of the chicken and place on the sitter. Tie the wings in close to the body of the chicken with kitchen twine so they don't burn. Rub the entire body of the chicken with olive oil , orange zest, salt and pepper. Place on medium hot grill for 1-2 hours depending on the size of the chicken (make sure it's cooked to internal temperature of 180 degrees). Take chicken off the sitter, cover with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Orange Cilantro Vinaigrette

juice of one orange
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
handful of chopped cilantro
1-2 shallots chopped

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until the cilantro and shallots are relatively small and a vinaigrette forms.

Pita Bread

Pita Bread

This is the follow up recipe from my previous post. Once you get the hang of making yeast breads, they're really quite easy and so delicious! Don't forget to knead at least 10 minutes and keep adding a little flour until the dough isn't sticky. After several tries, I figured out that the key to getting the pita's to 'puff' and create the typical pocket is making sure not to roll them out too thin. The oven must be very hot and you can not peak! (hopefully your oven has a window!) If you have a baking stone, that's great - just make sure to heat it up in the oven first. If not (that would be me) a cookie sheet works fine - heat that up too.

origin - Tyler Florence
difficulty - medium

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
11/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
31/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon olive oil In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir to blend. Let the yeast stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the salt. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated and the dough gathers into a ball; this should take about 4 minutes.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it's smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Place a large pizza stone on the lower oven rack, preheat the oven (and stone) to 500 degrees F.

Punch the dough down, divide it into 8 pieces, and gather each piece into a ball; keeping all of them lightly floured and covered while you work. Allow the balls of dough to rest, covered, for 15 minutes so they will be easier to roll out.

Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a circle that is about 8-inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Make sure the circle is totally smooth, with no creases or seams in the dough, which can prevent the pitas from puffing up properly. Cover the disks as you roll them out, but do not stack them up. Put 2 pita rounds at a time on the hot pizza stone and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bread puffs up like a balloon and is pale golden. Watch closely; they bake fast. Remove the bread from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 5 minutes; they will naturally deflate, leaving a pocket in the center. Wrap the pitas in a large kitchen towel to keep them soft.

Falafel Sandwiches on Pita Bread

Falafel Sandwiches on Pita Bread with Tahini Dressing
*recipe in 3 parts - Falafel, Pita, and back-up Chicken!

I decided to try something new last night! I've always wanted to make falafel, and recently Tyler Florence did a 911 special with Falafel and home made Pita Bread that inspired me to give it a try. Falafel are a mid eastern sandwich consisting of fried chick pea patties served in pita bread and topped with a tahini/yogurt dressing. This is a fantastic vegetarian dish, and aside from the Pita Bread, not that difficult. I even made a back up sandwich filling (orange roasted chicken grilled on the sitter-next entry) for Brian, but he actually loved the falafel! Surprise, surprise. Even if you don't make your own Pita Bread (separate entry) buy store bought and try the Falafel. I read a lot of recipes and reviews on falafel and have included only one minor addition below. People were frustrated that their falafel would dissappear when fried in the oil - I'm guessing that they didn't soak the beans long enough, and/or grind/puree them fine enough. You really need a full 24 hours of soaking the beans or they won't be the right consistancy. You must use a food processor as the beans are still too hard to attempt by hand. Don't let the consistancy of the dough/batter confuse you, it's definitely not mashed fine like paste, it is more like fine bread crumbs. When frying this - make sure your oil isn't too hot or the falafel will burn faster than they cook. I actually had my stovetop on medium high. This is served with a tahini/yogurt dressing, but if you don't like or have tahini (ground sesame paste) you could try the orange-cilantro vinaigarette on the next entry.

Falafel

2 cups dried chickpeas, picked through and rinsed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, smashed *I always replace garlic with shallots due to preference
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground *powder is fine
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground *powder is fine
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves coarsely chopped
1 handful fresh cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp flour - helps to bind the mixture

Vegetable oil, for frying
8 warm pita bread, store bought or homemade recipe follows *next entry
Tahini Sauce, recipe follows
Shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, chopped cucumbers Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and add cool water to cover by 2 inches. Soak the beans in the refrigerator for at least 18 hours or up to 24; the chickpeas will swell to triple their original size. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

Put the soaked chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to coarsely grind, not until smooth but with no whole chickpeas remaining either. Add the baking powder, onion, garlic, spices, and herbs; process until the mixture is pureed; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while heating the oil, this should take about 15 minutes.

Pour 3-inches of the oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.

Roll the falafel mixture into ping-pong size balls. (Alternatively, use an ice cream scoop.)I made them tablespoon sized. Carefully slip a few at a time into the hot oil, making sure they don't stick to the bottom. Fry until the chickpea fritters are a crusty dark brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the falafels with a slotted spoon and drain on a platter lined with paper towels.

Open the pita bread halves to make pockets (don't split all the way) and put 4 fried falafels into each. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and layer with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Serve immediately.

Tahini Sauce:

1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 cup plain yogurt or water
1 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Pinch salt
Pinch paprika Combine all the ingredients in a blender, process on high speed to make a smooth and creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning, to taste, and serve with falafels or as a salad dressing.

Yield: about 1 cup

Salmon with Brown Sugar-Mustard Glaze

Salmon with Brown Sugar-Mustard Glaze

Last nights recipe came from my sister-in-law Chris. Salmon is such a delicious fish and so readily available. It's great grilled or baked and can give many dishes a wonderful flavor (soup, dips, etc) Salmon is also a 'filling' fish, in my opinion. Where so many other fishes are light - they leave you feeling still hungry! I did not have the Old Bay Seasoning ingredient, so I decided to take a few liberties and change it up a bit. Old Bay Seasoning was originally invented as a crab spice and is simply a combination of cayenne pepper, celery salt, paprika, dry mustard, cinnamon, all spice, clove, ginger and pepper. So I decided to make my own with dry mustard, onion powder, cayenne pepper and black pepper. I also added shallots and fresh grated ginger to the wine poaching step. I served the salmon over a bed of greens with baby arugula and it was an excellent compliment. Thanks Chris! Keep them coming.

origin - epicurious.com
difficulty - simple

3/4 cup dry white wine *remember, if you wouldn't drink it - don't cook with it!
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning *I omitted
dash cayenne pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger (you can always used dried powder)
1 -2 sliced shallots
1 2-pound center-cut skinless salmon fillet

1/3 cup spicy brown mustard (such as Gulden's)*or try one with wine in it like Grey Poupon dijon with white wine.
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Boil wine, butter, and Old Bay seasoning in small saucepan 3 minutes. Sprinkle salmon on both sides with salt and pepper. Place fish on heavy rimmed baking sheet. Pour wine mixture over. Bake until fish is opaque in center, about 14 minutes. Remove from oven. *I reduced this mixture quite a bit until it thickened slightly and then created tinfoil packets for the fish to create a 'steam' bath.

Preheat broiler. Mix mustard and sugar in small bowl to blend; spread over salmon to cover. Broil salmon until topping is brown and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Transfer salmon to platter and serve. Try serving over baby arugula.

Krispy Cookies

Krispy Cookies

Just another one of my favorite cookie recipes. This one combines oats, coconut, chocolate chips and rice krispies. The cream of tartar and oil create a very crunchy, crumbly cookie. They are very flavorful! Again, I make half this recipe and still yield over 2 dozen cookies.

origin - ???? it's been around for a long time....
difficulty - simple

1 cup butter
1 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
31/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup oats
1 cup rice krispies
1 cup coconut
12 oz chocolate chips

Cream butter, oil, brown and white sugar on medium speed of mixer until well combined - about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and continuing mixing until blended. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cream of tartar. Add flour mixture a bit at a time until blended. Do not overmix. Stir in oats, rice krispies, coconut and chocolate chips. Drop tablespoon sized amounts onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Goat Cheese Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Goat Cheese Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Simple, beautiful salad to serve with many meals. I wanted to include one of my favorite, easy salads that I serve quite often. You can use any combination of ingredients you want, but I am never without goat cheese or pine nuts in my kitchen. Chef's talk about their 'mise en place', well those are definitely two ingredients that would be in my mise. Pine nuts are delicious on everything from pasta to salads as I've mentioned before. The vinaigrette recipe is the same one from 'rosemary steak salad' except I use lemon juice instead of vinegar and add more mustard. When you see how simple and delicious making your own dressing is, you'll never want bottled again!

Lemon Vinaigrette
origin - Pat Ann Harris

juice of one lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp honey - depending on your taste
1 small finely chopped shallot
salt and pepper to taste

I like to combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a mini food processor for 30 seconds. Then add the olive oil and combine again. Voila! Home made dressing. If you don't want to use the food processor, combine all the ingredients except the oil with a small whisk until combined and then slowly stream the olive oil in while whisking until combined. The idea is to 'emulsify' the oil into the ingredients so you don't have separation. This dressing lasts for quite a while in the refrigerator.

Goat Cheese Salad
origin - lisa lou

Mixed greens - I really like to have a blend with Arugula
Approximately 1 tbsp goat cheese per salad
Approximately 1 tsp lightly toasted pine nuts per salad
Cucumbers chopped
Plum tomatoes chopped

Assemble each salad and top with Lemon Vinaigrette.

Ravioli's and More

Ravioli's and More!

This is a tribute to one of our favorite joints 'down the shore', called Ravioli's and More. They carry something like 30 different kinds of raviolis. But buyer beware, the following recipe is not for the faint of cooking hearts. You must love cooking - it has three different parts and takes almost 3 hours to prepare. BUT - you can make the ravioli's ahead of time and freeze and the final result is worth it! If you've never made home made pasta before, not sure I would recommend starting with this. You also need a pasta maker - I've read many reviews and the consensus is it's incredibly difficult to achieve pasta thin enough with a rolling pin. You can fill the ravioli's with any of your favorite combinations and you can really get creative. I personally would try at least two fillings if you're going to take the time to make your own pasta dough! I've included two of my own and also a recipe for a pink vodka sauce that works great with many different fillings. You'll notice that I mention 'good quality ricotta cheese' - since I've moved to NJ the ricotta really does seem better! I like Maggio's or Sorrento's. The pink vodka sauce is really simple and delicious, try on any pasta even if you don't attempt the rav's. Now that I've scared everyone off.......my italian mother in-law would be proud!

Basic Egg Pasta
origin - 'La Tavola Italiana' *GREAT italian cookbook.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp. water

Combine the flour and salt. Add the eggs, olive oil and water and mix to obtain a firm dough. I like to create a well in the center of the flour, combine wet ingredients in the center and slowly combine flour a bit at a time until it all comes together. Knead 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes by heavy-duty mixture. If dough is sticky slowly add a little flour as you knead it until you get a smooth, firm dough. Set the ball aside, covered and let rest for 30 minutes. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Starting with the thickest setting on the machine, run the dough through at least 10 times folding the dough over in thirds each time you run it through. When the dough is ready continue to feed through the maker reducing the setting once for each time until you get to #2 or the second to the thinnest setting. You should be creating a long rectangle, that I like to cut in half when I reach the #3 setting. Now you should have 2 long rectangles that will be the top and bottom of the ravioli's. Place a tsp. of desired filling approximately 3/4 inch apart (I usually get 6 on the sheet). Using your finger tip dipped in water, damped the edges creating a square around each tsp of filling. Next take the other rectangle sheet of pasta and working from on end lay over the fillings while pressing down around all sides pressing out as much air as possible. Air pockets are bad! Using a pizza cutter or serrated pasta cutter, cut out the ravioli's into squares or circles and place on floured cookie sheet. If you plan to use later pop in the freezer for 15 minutes and then place them in ziplock bags until ready to use. Drop ravioli's into a pot of salted, boiling water for approximately 5-8 minutes, the should float to the top when they are cooked, drain, and serve with your favorite sauce.

Veal Filling
origin - lisa lou

1 lb ground veal
1 finely chopped shallot
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
splash of white wine
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 egg yolk
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded parmesean cheese
1 cup good quality ricotta cheese

Saute shallot in butter over medium heat until softened, add ground veal and continue cooking until no longer pink. Add rosemary, salt, pepper and splash of white wine and cook until alcohol smell evaporates. Drain any excess liquid off of meat and cool. Place meat in food processor until a 'spreadable' consistancy is reached. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.

Ricotta and Goat Chesse Filling
origin - lisa lou

1 cup good quality ricotta cheese
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
1/2 egg yolk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (depending on your personal preference)

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.

Vodka Sauce
origin - 'Prime Time Emeril'

1/4 lb bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups finely chopped yellow onions *I use 2/3 cup vidalia onions
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes *I use whole tomatoes that I chop and add all the juice.
1 cup vodka
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup frozen green peas *I omit

Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat just until crisp, about 4 minutes. Add onions and crushed red pepper. Cook stirring often until the onions are deep golden, soft and slightly caramelized about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a boil, stirring often and cook for 2 minutes. Add the vodka and cook until the sauce is slightly reduced about 4 minutes *I actually cooked it for 20-30 minutes on low. Stir in the cream and peas and cook until thickened about 2 minutes. *be careful not to cook too high or too long because the cream may separate. Remove from heat and add basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Taco's/Burrito's

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Taco's/Burrito's

Someone mentioned needing crock pot recipes so I've decided to include one of my favorites. It's so nice to toss a few things in the crock pot before you leave the house, and come home to a home cooked meal and a great smelling house! This same idea can be used for Barbeque Pork sandwiches, which I've heard are delish! (coat the pork with bbq sauce and follow the balance of the recipe adding more sauce at the end and serving on potatoe rolls). Use this meat for anything - hard tacos, soft taco's, burritos, taco salad, etc. We use the leftovers with scrambled eggs on breakfast burrito's - really yummy!

origin - lisa lou
difficult - negative easy!

1 small pork tenderloin 1-2 pounds (if you can't find a small one, just double the recipe with the exception of the water)
1-2 packets of taco seasoning depending how you like it! (wait to add more than one packet until after the meat is cooked and you taste it)
1/2 jar salsa - optional
1 can chopped green chiles - optional
1/2cu p water - if the meat is still watery after you shred it, just drain it.
favorite taco makings.

Put all ingredients in your crock pot and cook all day on low (8-10 hours) or on high for 4 hours. Pull apart the meat with two forks creating shredded meat. Drain any excess juice off and correct seasonings to your preference. Use to make your favorite taco/burrito/salad etc. This makes great leftovers. I love to serve this with a refried bean dip that consists of one can of refried beans, 1/2 cup salsa, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, 1/2 sour cream - combine and microwave for approximately 3-4 minutes.

Giant Ginger Cookies

Giant Ginger Cookies

One of Brian's favorite cookies are ginger cookies. I think I've made every recipe out there - but only recently found a GREAT one. These cookies stay just chewy enough and can be made any size you want. I found this recipe on simply recipes and it was submitted by a 10 year old! So when I say it's easy, I figure if a 10 year can do it...... Don't be shy with the molasses - it's the key to a rich flavor. As always, I make half this recipe and I've never substituted pumpkin pie spice for the ginger, cinammon, and cloves as the recipe mentions. I like to use a full tablespoon of batter instead of 1/4 cup, but if you want GIANT just use 1/4 cup.

origin - Simply Recipes/Audrey age 10
difficult - need I rate this?

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger*
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon*
1 teaspoon ground cloves*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup coarse sugar or granulated sugar *I use sanding sugar.

* Can substitute the ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves for an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice.

1 In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.
2 In a large mixing bowl beat together butter with the 2 cups granulated sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses. Beat in the flour mixture, using a wooden spoon.
3 Shape dough into 2-inch balls using 1/4 cup dough. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup coarse or granulated sugar. Place about 2-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4 Bake in a 350°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Makes two dozen 4-inch cookies.

English Toffee

English Toffee

So the last two nights were left overs and out to dinner! Were you wondering where I went? I'm back! I really enjoy baking and candy making - and I've recently made my famous English Toffee that I usually reserve for holidays. I had a friend in need of a pick me up and I thought this would be appropriate. People tend to be afraid of making candy, but it's really not difficult. The only thing that can truly go wrong is the mixture can 'sugar' on you and not have that hard toffee crunch. I like to test a small bit of the mixture in a cup of water before I pour it over the nuts. You'll know if it's right! You do need a candy thermometer, especially when making candy that need's to get to 'hard crack' stage. I prefer to roast my pecans in a little butter and salt for this recipe, and the better the chocolate on top, the better the candy. Ghiradelli works great and has recently been available in many grocery stores in bars. If all else fails, juse use chocolate chips. This is really a treat!

origin - lots of recipes!
difficult - easy

3/4 cup pecans roughly chopped plus 1/4 cup finely chopped for the top
1 cup butter - don't worry, it's an entire batch of candy!
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla - use real vanilla, not imitation! It's so much better.
1/8 tsp. salt - or small pinch
2 8 oz bars bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate OR 8-10 oz semi sweet chocolate chips melted

Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven (I use my toaster oven for this all the time)6-8 minutes or until fragrant. I prefer to toast them whole and then chop them. Be careful not to burn them, they will taste very rancid. Form a 10" shell out of heavy duty aluminum foil with 1" sides and place on a baking sheet. Scatter the roughly chopped pecans over the bottom. In a heavy saucepan, cook the butter, sugar, water and salt over medium heat until the temperature reaches 305 degrees (hard crack stage). Stir occasionally until mixture becomes dark golden brown then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract quickly and pour mixture over the nuts. cool at room temperature for 45 minutes or until hard. Melt chocolate and spread over the cooled toffee then lightly sprinkle/press the finely chopped pecans over the top. Cool completely until the chocolate hardens. Break toffee into pieces - I usually start making cuts with a large knife and the candy will began cracking.

Decadent Chocolate Molten Cakes

Decadent Chocolate Molten Cakes

For those of you who don't know me - I am one of those people who would say that if I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be chocolate. I consider myself quite well versed in the chocolate arena and this recipe is by far the best in the 'dessert' category. You will often find different forms of these decadent cakes on many restaurant menu's, but often chefs 'cheat' by inserting hard chocolate in the center to create the molten. I do not - this is the real deal. It does take practice to bake them the perfect amount - but don't worry, if you over cook them they are still delicious, you just won't get 'molten'. The traditional way to serve them is in a puddle of creme anglaise, which is a smooth creamy vanilla sauce. However, Brian has a crazy addiction to mint chocolate chip ice cream - and it is an amazing accompaniment to these cakes! You could always put a dollop of whipped cream on them instead. I prefer to bake these in small, ceramic ramekins which you can find at any cooking store like William's Sonoma. The original recipe makes 12-15 cakes so I've cut it in half and you can expect at least 6. By far the best cooking chocolate is Valrohna but can be a bit pricey (about $10 a bar) - last night I tested plain old bitter sweet chocolate by bakers secret and although not as good, worked just fine. The key to success are the beating times. Happy eating!

origin - Regan Daley's 'In the Sweet Kitchen'
difficulty - medium to hard

6 oz bittersweet chocolate finely chopped -preferably Valrhona *look for 70% cocoa solids
6 tbsp unsalted butter cut in small pieces
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour

Thoroughly grease ramekins and dust insides well with flour, tapping out the excess. Make sure the entire inner surface of each cup is completely coated. Melt chocolate and butter in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water until melted. Cool slightly. While the chocolate is cooling beat the eggs, yolks and sugar at medium-high speed until very thick and pale - 10 minutes. Gradually beat in the four a little at a time, making sure each addition is completely incorporated before adding the next. Gradually pour the chocolate mixutre into the batter stirring continuously. Continue to beat until the batter is thick and glossy - 5 minutes. Divide the batter among the prepared cups and refrigerate for 30 minutes covered with plastic wrap. You can make these 24 hours in advance. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. About 30 minutes before you plan to bake, remove the cakes from the refrigerator. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the center of the oven. Bake until the edges are set and spring back when touched, but the centers are still wobbly and jiggle slightly when the cups are moved. The cooking time varies greatly depending on the size of the ramekin and your oven temperature. I usually start checking them at 12 minutes. You can put a clean toothpick in the outer edge to check if that portion is cooked. Cool the cakes in the pan for 1 minute and run a thin blade around the edges. Invert onto serving plates, dust with powdered sugar and serve with creme anglaise, ice cream, or whipped cream. The centers should ooze chocolatey goodness when eaten.

Superb Stuffed Chicken

Superb Stuffed Chicken

It's an Anniversary dinner at the Moore house tonight! This is our 'special' dinner that reminds us of Antigua - where we were married. It's a little putsy, but absolutely delicious. Chicken breasts are stuffed with a cheesy asparagus and mushroom filling and then wrapped in puff pastry and served with a white wine mustard sauce. Puff pastry is readily available at local grocery stores and comes in packages of 2 sheets which is plenty for 4 servings. The marscapone cheese gives this dish a very rich taste but can be easily replaced with either all parmesean, gruyere, goat or cream cheese. You need to make sure that you each pouch is completely sealed to reduce leaking of the filling. I like to serve this with just a side of roasted asparagus. Sprinkle asparagus with a few splashes of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven (450 degrees) until desired doness. It's the best way to eat asparagus - it has so much flavor! You can always put a few splashes of balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice on after for a little kick. It's a pretty filling dish - so I would recommend against a starch like potatoes or rice. A simple salad would be a great accompaniment too!

origin - mrs. moore's kitchen
difficulty - medium to hard *if you're familiar with puff pastry, this can take practice.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 sheets puff pastry
1 shallot finely chopped
1 tbsp butter or splash of olive oil
3-4 stalks asparagus roughly chopped
4-6 cremini mushrooms roughly chopped
1/2 cup marscapone cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesean cheese
1/2 tsp thyme
1-2 tbsp finely chopped parsley - I prefer italian parsley, if you don't have either you can omit.
salt/pepper to taste
splash of white wine
1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a pocket horizantally into each chicken breast. Salt/pepper them inside and out. Prepare filling - saute asparagus, mushrooms, and shallot in butter until softened over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, thyme and splash of white wine - cook just until the wine is evaporated. Cool to room temperature and then mix in the marscapone, parmesean, and parsley. Stuff each chicken breast with the filling - if the filling is too soft, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. Next cut pastry sheets in half and roll out lightly. You may need to put a little flour on the counter/rolling pin. Place chicken breast on the bottom half of the pastry sheet and fold over to cover completely. press edges down and cut off excess - you should have a half circle. Pinch the dough around the edges and create a 'pie crust' like edge (you can always seal the edges by pressing the tines of a fork down on the edges). Place on well greased cookie sheet and continue with remaining chicken breasts. Brush the tops with an egg wash to create a shiny golden crust. Bake for 35-45 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Serve with white wine mustard sauce (recipe follows).

white wine mustard sauce
1 cup white wine
2 tbsp dijon mustard - whole grain is tasty!
1/2 cup light cream
salt/pepper

Combine mustard and white wine in a hot pan and reduce until the alcohol smell is gone. Add the cream, salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened.

Apple Cider Ribs and Rosemary Yukon Potatoes

Apple Cider Ribs and Rosemary Yukon Potatoes

I have recently found the most amazing rib recipe that even rivals my Dad's - which is an incredible feat! The ribs are rubbed with spice and marinated in apple cider over night, slow roasted in the oven with brown sugar and then finished on the grill with your favorite barbeque sauce (I've included mine!). The meat literally falls off the bones and has an incredible apple flavor undertone. It's not difficult at all, just time consuming. I've also included a recipe for Rosemary Yukon Potatoes which are a delicious side dish that is simple and yet tasty. Yukon Gold potatoes come in several sizes and they're all great. They have a rich buttery flavor and are a beautiful gold color. The key to success is having a very hot oven and not turning them until they are golden brown. I just told Brian that I don't even like other potatoes anymore. They are that delicious. You'll notice that I like to use a lot of fresh herbs - they really do make a difference. I have recently begun growing fresh basil, rosemary, parsley, and cilantro plants in the house so I can have them on hand at all times!

origin - Emeril Lagasse and Lisa Lou's
difficult - simple but time consuming

1 rack pork ribs (baby back or regular)
5 cups apple cider
onion powder
salt/pepper
oregano
thyme
1 cup brown sugar
Barbeque Sauce - recipe follows

Cut rack of ribs in half. Sprinkle and rub both sides with onion powder, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme OR favorite rub. Put in a dish large enough to lay both pieces of meat side by side and cover with apple cider. Cover and refrigerate for 8-24 hours. Remove from apple cider and pat dry with paper towels. Lay down a large piece of tin foil and saran wrap on top of foil. Place one portion of ribs on and pack flesh side with brown sugar. Close up saran wrap and then foil to form a pouch - be careful not to have any holes that the steam and liquid can escape. Be sure to use quality saran wrap - you can use foil only if you like. Continue with next set of ribs. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove from pouches and let sit until room temperature. Grill on medium to high heat and baste with barbeque sauce for approximately 8-10 minutes.

Barbeque Sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion - I prefer vidalia but yellow would be fine
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup catsup
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or 1/2 cup red wine vinegar)
3 tbsp. worceshtire sauce
juice of one lemon
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. hot sauce *I prefer red devil, but if using tobasco, only use a few shakes
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp. onion powder
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 cup red wine *recipe works fine without

Saute onion in butter until soft - about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and combine, simmer over low-medium heat for approximately 20 minutes, until slightly reduced. Slather on the ribs and serve extra sauce on the side!

Rosemary Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 1/2 - 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes quartered into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary chopped *feel free to use dried, but make sure to grind up

Toss potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. Bake in 430 degree preheated oven until gold brown. Be careful not to try and turn them too early or they will stick to the pan.

Rosemary Steak Salad

Rosemary Steak Salad

I've had a request for something a bit 'healthier', so I'm including one of our staple meals that we have almost every week (this one's for you chica!). The base of this recipe is a fantastic marinade that I use for any cut of steak and even lamb chops. As for the salad - add whatever you like or whatever you have on hand. This recipe is just my favorite ingredients including a wonderful vinaigrette that my mother taught me to make. She's definitely my biggest cooking influence and a superb cook. You can use any dressing you like. When I'm serving this steak on it's own, I reduce the leftover marinade and serve as a sauce on the side. The biggest task in this recipe is remembering to put the steak in the marinade the night before! Alway's remember to cut london broil or flank steak against the grain and on an angle. These cuts of meat get a bad name for being tough, but properly marinated and cut correctly, they are not tough at all and very inexpensive.

origin - lisa lou
difficulty - easy

beef marinade
1 flank steak or london broil
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 shallot finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped *or substitute dried
juice of one lemon
2 tbsp worceshtire sauce

Combine all ingredients. Puncture meat on both sides with a fork and place in ziplock bag, pour over marinade and let rest overnight or at least 8 hours. Turn periodically. Drain off marinade and grill on medium-high heat until desired doneness. Let meat sit for a minimum of 10 minutes to let the juices re-distribute - this is VERY important. Slice meat thinly, against the grain on an angle and lay over salad and top with vinaigrette or dressing of choice (recipe to follow).

salad
hard boiled egg sliced
avocado sliced
tomatoe sliced
cucumber sliced
arugula salad blend
toasted pine nuts - I always have pine nuts on hand, throw them in the toaster over for a few minutes and they are a great topping to anything from salads to pasta.
lemon/mustard vinaigrette
juice of one lemon
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt/pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp honey - to taste

Combine all ingredients in food processor or whisk all ingredients together adding olive oil last to emulsify. Serve over steak salad!

Cotija Corn

Cotija Corn on the Cob

For those of you who love corn on the cob, this is the ultimate in decadant corn. I can't remember the first time I had this, but you will often see it on Mexican restaurant menu's. Cotija cheese is considered the 'parmesean cheese' of Mexico. It's a semi hard cows milk cheese that reminds me of a combination of feta and parmesean. It's sprinkled over grilled corn on the cob that has been slathered in a spicy butter mixture. What could be better? Corn, Butter, Cheese?!?! You don't have to grill the corn, but it's definitely worth the effort. There is nothing better than the smell of fresh corn grilling. Finding cotija cheese takes a bit of effort, unless you have a mexican grocery store in the neighborhood, something southern new jersey is seriously lacking! I found some at Wegman's, I would also try a specialty cheese store. You can use parmesean cheese instead, but if you can find cotija - DO IT! Feel free to take liberties with the spices - add or subtract based on your preferences. To me, the lime and chives really make it spectacular. Another thing to keep in mind - good corn makes the dish! Sweet, white corn is the best!

origin - Bobby Flay
difficulty - simple

8 ears corn 4 fresh limes, quartered Garlic butter, recipe follows 1/2 cup grated cotija cheese *can substitute parmesean if necessary 2 tablespoons chopped chives, for garnish Preheat grill to medium. Peel back the husks of the corn without removing them. Remove the silks and recover the corn with the husk. Soak in large bowl of cold water for 30 minutes. *very important step in order for the corn to produce enough steam to cook. Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes. Unwrap corn and brush with the garlic butter. Sprinkle with the cotija cheese and squeeze with lime. Sprinkle with chopped chives, to garnish. Garlic Butter: 2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened 8 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped *I use shallots 1/4 habanero pepper, seeded *I use a few shakes of red pepper 1/4 bunch fresh chives Salt and freshly ground black pepper Combine butter, garlic, habanero, and chives in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.

Loin of Pork with Green Peppercorns served with Zucchini Gratin

Wow - we had a perfect 10 dinner tonight! I am forever searching for a pork recipe that keeps it tender and moist and I finally found one. This is really quite easy to prepare, the key is to not overcook it and make sure and let it rest for 15-20 minutes so the juices redistribute. I did a lot of research on how to cook pork loin etc, there are many theories out there from high heat initially then to lower heat, or this recipe cooks the pork high heat the entire time. The bone in gives the pork more flavor but you can certainly use a boned pork loin. Green peppercorns in brine - now this is a difficult ingredient to find. After going to 4 different stores I finally found them at Williams Sonoma for $5. They really do add a unique flavor, but if you don't add them, I would add a bit more crushed fennel to the sauce or even try capers. Green peppercorns come from Madagascar which is actually the fourth largest island in the world situated 250 miles off the east coast of Africa. The zucchini gratin can be prepared a day in advance and is scrumptous. I'm sure you can substitute a different kind of cheese, but the gruyere is really divine. It forms a crust on the top of the gratin. This would be a great dish to bring to a party or holiday dinner.

origin - Ina Garten/Barefoot in Paris
difficulty - relatively easy

Loin of Pork with Green Peppercorns

1 pork loin, bone in, Frenched and tied (about 5 pounds, 10 bones)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, divided
4 teaspoons whole-grain mustard, divided
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed *use a mortar/pestle or food processor
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup good white wine
3 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth *I always cook with good bouillon cubes - who the heck has homemade chicken stock in the fridge??
1/4 cup green peppercorns in brine, drained *find at Williams Sonoma

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Allow the pork to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Place the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it comfortably. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of each mustard, the fennel seed, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Rub the mixture on top of the pork and roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and cover tightly with aluminum foil for 20 minutes.

For the sauce, remove all but 1/4 cup of fat from the roasting pan. If there isn't 1/4 cup, add enough butter to the pan to make 1/4 cup total. Over medium heat, whisk the flour into the fat in the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock, the remaining 2 teaspoons of each mustard, the green peppercorns, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened.

Remove the strings from the roast pork, slice between the bones, and serve warm with the hot sauce.

Zucchini Gratin

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping *I only used 1/2 stick total!
1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large) *too many onions, I used one medium vidalia onion, the sweetness of vidalia's works really well.
2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk *1% worked fine.
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs *I used store bought crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese *grate on the finer side of the box grater.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. 20 minutes is a bit long as they will continue to cook with the zucchini. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

fab chocolate chip cookies *I renamed them!

Okay, so I must admit....last night was all leftovers thanks to US Scareways delayed flights!! But I did bake. So I'm sure you all have your favorite cookie recipes, some like them crunchy, some like them soft and gooey...blah blah blah. BUT - I've made some changes to a recipe from Giada that she actually made and served at her wedding - as if she doesn't have someone to do that for her. But they are awesome! With the addition of toffee chips and ground oats - it's really a winner. If you don't want dozens of cookies around the house - but need a little sweet treat, just make half the recipe. Be watching for tonights dinner - it's a doozy - Zuchinni Gratin and Green Peppercorn Pork Loin (bone in). Friday will be a night out - but there's a request for the famous ribs this weekend!

origin - Giada De Laurentis / Everyday Italian
difficulty - simple!

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar *I usually cook with dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract *I like to add 1 1/2 tsp, try to use real vanilla instead of imitation - it really does make a difference!
4 ounces English toffee candy (recommended: Heath or Skor bar), finely chopped *I also have used toffee bits that you can find with the chocolate chips in any grocery store.
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, and chopped *I never add nuts, due to Brian's preference.
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips *you can use less chips, more toffee - any combination you prefer, just be careful not to have too many toffee chips or they will get hard.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. *I recommend 335 - 340.

Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Most people don't have parchment paper on hand, so either use a Silpat sheet or just lightly grease the pan. Finely chop the oats in a food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I have recently started sifting the dry ingredients together - a flour sifter is very cheap and you can even get one at the local grocery store for $5! Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Don't overmix the flour in or you will get tough cookies. Stir in the toffee, hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.

For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough onto sheet, spacing 1-inch apart (do not flatten dough). Bake until the cookies are golden (cookies will flatten slightly), about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

egg casserole

Last nights dinner was more of a 'brunch' - but please forgive the photo, my food stylist was not available! Egg dishes/quiches are some of my favorites and very versatile. Below is a great basic recipe for an egg casserole - but get creative with any combination of ingredients. I added crumbled sausage, spinache, onions, and gruyere cheese! Ham and cheddar is a great combo especially for kids. Also, I did half this recipe and it worked great. This is a great use for leftovers. Try using fresh herbs like basil or chives. Just make sure that any vegetables you use have the moisture either cooked or drained out of them. I pre cooked the spinache and onions last night, I would do the same for mushrooms.

origin - from the Edgewood Orchard collection
difficulty - simple


12 large eggs
1 quart milk *half milk and half light cream are great!
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
4 cups cubed, stale bread
1 tbsp minced onion *or onion powder would work
1 tsp dry mustard
1 lb bacon fried and chopped *I prefer 1- 1/2 cups cubed ham
*I always add a few splashes of hot sauce and worcestershire sauce

Spread the cubed bread, cheese and ham/bacon evenly into greased 9x13 baking dish. Whisk the remaining ingredients until combined and pour over the bread mixture. Cover with foil and refrigererate overnight *I only let it sit for 1 hour - which is plenty. Remove foil and bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 50-60 minutes. You may need more time depending on what ingredients you put in. It should be firm to the touch - set, not wobbly. Be careful not to brown the crust too much, if it is getting too brown cover with foil.

pizza margherita

In 1889 Queen Margherita was on holiday in Naples and called for chef Raffaele Esposito to make 3 types of pizza - this was her favorite and thus Pizza Margherita got it's name! I know that cooking with yeast seems overwhelming, but it's really not hard. It just takes time - but keep in mind that since you only let pizza dough rise once, the actual rising time is only 1 hour. This recipe can also be used for foccacia which you will see on another posting in the near future, since it's one of our favorites! The key is the kneading. You should really knead the dough for 10 minutes, which takes a little bit of hand muscle, but will produce a very fine crust! You can top the pizza with anything you like, but the traditional pizza margherita is topped with tomatoes, basil and mozerella cheese. I added crumbled sweet italian sausage last night - and it was really tasty. Make sure your oven is very hot and preheated before you bake the pizza or your crust will be soggy.

origin - I have tried 4 different pizza/foccacia dough recipes and Tyler Florence has the best!
difficulty - medium to hard because of the time and getting a feeling for the dough takes practice.

1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water (100 - 110 degrees) *if it's too hot you will kill the yeast
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cups all purpose flour *a lot of recipes call for bread flour, but all purpose works great

sliced fresh mozzarella cheese torn in pieces
sliced tomatoes *I either seed them or squeeze out the excess moisture with paper towels
crumbled sweet italian sausage, cooked
handful of fresh torn basil leaves
grated parmesean cheese


In a mixing bowl combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes until the yeast begins to foam. If it does not foam - the yeast is not active, start over. This is where a lot of people make a mistake, make sure it is foaming. Stir in the salt and olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing until all the flour is incorporated. I usually stop once I've added 2 1/2 cups of flour and then slowly add more as I knead it. When the mixture becomes too stiff to mix, knead by hand adding just enough flour so that the dough is soft but not sticky. As you work, squeeze a small amount of dough together between your thumb and fingers - if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour. Knead until smooth and elastic - about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a round and lightly oil it with olive oil and put in a clean bowl that is also lightly oiled. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size - approximately 1 hour. If you don't have a warm spot - turn your oven on to 350 and let it sit on top or near the oven. Turn the dough out onto an oiled cookie sheet and pat down or roll out to any shape. I like to brush the dough with olive oil and a little salt at this point. Cover with your preferred toppings and bake in a 450 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted.

warm mushroom salad with balsamic reduction vinaigrette

I use the 'base' of this salad many different ways. The below recipe is the 'italian' version, but another great way to serve it is by eliminating the prosciutto and adding roasted asparagus, goat cheese and pine nuts. It's a new way to do a 'warm' dressing and very tasty. If you don't like balsamic vinegar you could use red wine vinegar - but remember the dressing won't get syrupy. I never thought Brian would enjoy this - and it's now a staple in our house! If you can't find arugula, spinach works great too.

origin - combination of two recipes from Ina Garten and 'Lumiere Light'.
difficulty - simple

blend of arugula and spinach or any combination of salad greens that include arugula
prosciutto thinly sliced into strips
shaved parmesean cheese

2 tbsp olive oil
6-12 oz baby portobello or cremini mushrooms sliced(depending on how many people)
1-2 shallots chopped (not too finely)
2/3 - 1 cup balsamic vinegar
2-3 tbsp honey
salt/pepper to taste

Arrange the greens, prosciutto and parmesean cheese onto plates. Heat olive oil on medium to high heat in skillet and cook mushrooms and shallots until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are cooked - if it gets to dry before they are finished I often add a splash of white wine. Top each salad with the warmed mushrooms. Return pan to heat (don't clean it!) and add the balsamic vinegar and honey on medium heat. Reduce by approximately 1/3 or until the sauce is slightly syrupy. Don't worry if it doesn't get thick enough. Add salt and pepper to taste - even add more honey if it's too tart. Drizzle over the salads and eat!