Fusilli with Golden Beets, Beet Greens and Toasted Walnuts

Summer orientation started this week, so life is busy, busy, busy.  I was on maternity leave last year so I missed the whole shebang.  But this year, I am making up for it.  Presentations, presentations, presentations.  It's the name of the game right now.  Last week I was talking to parents about dropping their child off at college.  Don't ask me how I am qualified to speak on this topic.  I'm not; but I did a lot of research, and I had an amazing team helping me put it all together. It's a tough time...and I am SO glad I don't have to deal with it for another 14 years!   

Believe it or not, one of the best parts of my job in summer is that we eat in the UCSB dining commons.  They are award winning.  They use as many local and sustainable ingredients as they can.  And, they have a huge variety of food at every meal.  Last week they had an amazing beet salad that I missed out on, so I was inspired to find my own beet recipe.  This one was great.  I was a little sceptical about beets and pasta, but the combo was super tasty.  And easy...noticing a theme in this blog?!  So, try this out for a quick, easy, fresh summer pasta; no orientation needed.  

Recipe slightly adapted from Epicurius,

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped


4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 large onions, quartered lengthwise through root end, sliced crosswise (about 4 cups)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bunches 2-inch-diameter golden beets with fresh healthy greens; beets peeled, each cut into 8 wedges, greens cut into 1-inch-wide strips

12 ounces fusilli pasta

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and stir until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil and onions to same skillet and sauté until beginning to soften and turn golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to sauté until onions are tender and browned, about 30 minutes longer. Add garlic and stir 2 minutes. Scatter beet greens over onions. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over; cover and cook until beet greens are tender, about 5 minutes.


Meanwhile, cook beets in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beets to medium bowl. Return water to boil. Add pasta to beet cooking liquid and cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Stir onion-greens mixture and beets into pasta. Add pasta cooking liquid by tablespoons to moisten. Season with salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Divide pasta among shallow bowls. Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve, passing additional cheese.

Balsamic, Orange, and Rosemary Chicken

There is a new friend at our house, but we are hoping he doesn't stay long.  He is not the best house guest.  Our dog seems to like him fine, but we aren't big fans of the trenches he is digging, or the holes he is creating in the yard. We have tried to reason with him, tempt him elsewhere, catch him in a humane trap with a promise of being set free in an open field, but he just won't leave. We attempted the vibrating stakes in the ground.  The website for these promised to drive him away without harm.  We were a little skeptical, but many of the reviews were positive, that is, of course, all except one reviewer who wrote: "Don't waste your money.  The only way these get rid of gophers is if you accidentally stab one in the heart while pounding them into the ground."  We had a good laugh about that.  But so far, he seems to be right.  I'm not sure the vibrating stakes have even deterred the gopher from the immediate surrounding area.   If anything, it seems we are now providing him free massage.  No wonder he isn't too anxious to leave.  Ugh, what to do?  Any suggestions are welcome.  We are running out of humane options. 

As for the recipe, my very thoughtful and kind husband made this for me awhile back.  Wasn't that nice of him?  I hope you will remember his kindness if my fear becomes reality, and we have to resort to a rather unfortunate method of getting rid of the gopher...

Ingredients:   
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
150ml fresh orange juice
150ml pint chicken stock
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
orange segments and fresh rosemary sprigs to garnish

1. Put the chicken between pieces of plastic wrap and flatten slightly by bashing with a meat tenderizer. Unwrap and sprinkle on both sides with pepper. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then brown the chicken for 5 minutes, turning halfway through.

2. Pour 2 tbsp vinegar over the chicken, add the orange juice and stock and sprinkle with the rosemary and salt. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and bubble gently for 5-8 minutes until tender, spooning with the sauce frequently and turning chicken halfway through.

3. Stir in the sugar, butter and rest of the vinegar, then sizzle for a few minutes until reduced and glossy.

4. Put the chicken in a serving dish, spoon the sauce over and garnish with orange and rosemary. Serve with rice and a crisp green salad.

Guinness Rarebit with Vegetables and Poached Egg

My first St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was a tad surprising.  It's always been one of my favorite holidays and I was excited to experience it in a country where it actually had true significance.  That morning, I pinched Andrew for not wearing green.  I was met with an astounded, "Why did you just do that?" Me: "'Cause you're not wearing green."  Andrew: "Why should I be wearing green?"  Me: "It's St. Patrick's Day!"  Andrew: "So?"  Me: "So, I pinched you because you weren't wearing green on St. Patrick's Day."  Andrew: "You are supposed to wear green on St. Patrick's Day?  I've lived in Dublin for five years and I've never heard of that before."  Me: (equally astounded) "What do you mean you've never heard of that?"  Andrew: "Must be an American thing babe."  Me: speechless, but here's what I was thinking: ("He's just not that observant.  He's from England so he probably just doesn't know.")  But, he was right.  They don't wear green, they don't drink green beer, they don't say "top 'o the mornin' to 'ya," there's no pinching, they don't eat corned beef and cabbage, there's no such thing as the Guinness toast, there are no leprechauns, and they refer to the holiday as "Paddy's Day".  That's with two "d"s not two "t"s.  People go to church, there's a parade, and the day centers around drinking and music - with nary a shamrock in sight. 

They don't eat rarebit on Paddy's Day either, but it felt like a very Irish meal to make - at least to an American...

Adapted from http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/

1/3 of a stick of butter
1 tbsp flour
50ml milk
50ml Guinness
8 oz. mature cheddar
1 tsp English mustard
Worcestershire sauce
4 large slices bread , toasted
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, cut into small strips
4 eggs, poached

Melt the butter in a small pan,stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually mix in the milk, then slowly add the Guinness until you have a thick sauce. Bubble for a couple of minutes then add in the cheese and stir until melted. Mix in the mustard with a couple of splashes of Worcestershire sauce and season. Spread the mix over the bread then broil until golden and bubbling.

Meanwhile, saute the cabbage and carrots in a little butter until tender.  Poach the eggs to desired hardness.  Top the rarebit with the vegetables and an egg.  Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. 

Savory Bread Pudding

Remember the Easy Bake Oven?  I loved that thing growing up.  What a great idea; independent cooking for kids.  You didn't have to ask Mom to open the oven for you or help you stir thick batter.  You just opened a little pouch of mix, added a couple tablespoons of water, got out a cereal spoon, and viola, ready to be poured into a cake pan the size of an English muffin, and put into the Easy Bake Oven to be cooked by the heat of a light bulb.  Ten minutes later and you were enjoying a thumbprint-sized cookie or a small mouthful of cake.  Yum!  Once I tried to create my own recipe.  I put some strips of raw potato in hoping to net a few french fries.  I got distracted and came back to three charred inedible black potato strips.  My Mom kindly showed me how to use the timer to "remind" myself to check the oven.  This memory came back to me as I pulled my bread pudding out of the oven and thought, hmm, a little browner than I had intended.  Glad I caught it before it got too dark. 

We ate this for dinner, and really enjoyed it.  It would also make an excellent dish for a brunch or Sunday breakfast.  It's so versatile too.  You could add any number of different vegetables and/or some chirizo or bacon if you feel the need for some meat.  Just do yourself a favor and set the timer!

From Edible Santa Barbara, Winter 2010

 3/4 loaf or about 1/2 pound of day-old bread
4 eggs
2 Cups whole or skim milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
black pepper
4 ounces grated cheese (Gruyere or cheddar)
1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Olive oil

1 onion or 2-3 leeks, white portion only, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 small bunch of chard (or kale, or any other green), stems removed and leaves cut into thin slices
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes to loosely fill an 8-inch souffle dish or 2 quart baking dish.  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.  Add the dry mustard, salt, and pepper.  Add the bread cubes and combine until bread is thoroughly moistened.  Stir in the grated cheese and chopped parsley and set aside.  

In a saute pan over medium heat, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom.  Add the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until softened.  Add the greens and a little salt.  Reduce heat, cover and cook until greens are tender, 5 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the leaves.  Add a little water to the pan if it dries out.

Place half of the bread mixture in the baking dish, then add the greens and onion mixture.  Then add the remaining bread mixture.  Top with the grated Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 45 minutes or until pudding is set and lightly browned on top.  Let sit for a few minutes before serving.          

Artichoke and Spinach Lasagna

I had the chance to see a few old high school friends over the holidays.  It has been a lot of years, but some bonds never change.  I love seeing how people's lives unfold.  Even though the end results were partly surprising, in hindsight, it's easy to see how choices from the early teen years have led them to their current places in life.  For one, fame.  For another, fortune.  And, for another, philanthropy.  All three, so impressive. In all honesty, it did make me question what I had accomplished in life...


This lasagna was a bit of an ego booster!  It felt like something I threw together last minute, but got such rave reviews from our dinner guest (one of those successful high school friends).  Plus, it was nice to make a vegetarian dish that didn't feel like it was lacking a key ingredient, aka meat! 


From www.allrecipes.com


Ingredients:
cooking spray
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 (28 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce
3 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (4 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.



2.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.


3.Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.


4.Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 cooked noodles. Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.


5.Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.


 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Goat's Cheese

It's been a week of turkey leftovers, and I am, to put it bluntly, a little over it.  I hate wasting food, so I've made a couple of notes to myself for next year: BUY A SMALLER TURKEY!  It's either that or INVITE MORE PEOPLE!  In which case, I'll need to make another note to BUY A BIGGER HOUSE, and then FIND A HIGHER PAYING JOB!  


Needless to say, after a week of turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, and turkey curry, I was ready for something totally different, and most importantly, vegetarian.  This recipe did not disappoint.  We used a butternut squash from our garden, but didn't have a second one, so used an acorn squash as the second squash.  Both were delicious.  I preferred the acorn squash, but Andrew preferred the butternut squash.  I recommend trying both, and trust me, you won't have any leftovers!


From BBC GoodFood


Serves 2-4
2 small butternut squash (or 1 butternut and 1 acorn)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of dried chili flakes
1 tsp. thyme, chopped
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 small red onions, cut into thin wedges
handful of cherry tomatoes
1/4 Cup pine nuts
1/2 Cup goat's cheese, crumbled
1 Tablespoon bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon parsley - chopped
1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese


1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Then cut a criss-cross pattern over the cut-side of each one.  Mix together the garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, chili flakes, and thyme and brush this mixture over the flesh.  Bake for 40-50 minutes until the flesh is tender.


2. To make the filling, put the zucchini, pepper and onion in a roasting pan and drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil.  Season and roast for about 20-25 minutes until tender and starting to brown at the edges.  Add the cherry tomatoes and pine nuts and cook another 10 minutes. 


3. Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley, and Parmesan.  Arrange the roasted vegetables and goat's cheese in the squash halves.  Scatter with the breadcrumb mix and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Inside-Out Eggplant Parmigiana

This recipe seemed appropriate for the week I had.  I got to work on Tuesday and discovered, much to my dismay, that I had my shirt on backwards.  Even more unfortunate, was the fact that I had kissed my husband goodbye, dropped off both my children at day care, seen their teachers, fellow parents, and a few co-workers, all before realizing my error. How I miss the days when I had time to glance in the mirror before leaving the house! 

So, dinner with "inside-out" in the title looked like the recipe for me.  Thankfully this was amazing!  We loved it.  The egg patties and sauteed arugula were a nice twist on traditional eggplant parmigiana.  I know it looks like a lot of directions, but it really wasn't that involved.  It's worth it! 

Adapted slightly from Gourmet, January 2009

For tomato sauce


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups crushed fresh tomatoes, skins removed
3 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pasta seasoning

For eggplant stacks

2 (1-lb) eggplants
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus additional for drizzling
3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 lb arugula, coarse stems discarded, coarsely chopped
1/2 lb cold fresh mozzarella, ends trimmed and remainder cut into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices

Make tomato sauce:

•Heat oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes.

•Meanwhile, peel and crush tomatoes. Add to onion mixture in saucepan with red pepper, seasonings, 1/4 tsp salt and balsamic vinegar and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Keep warm, covered.

Bake eggplant:

•Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lowest position.

•Cut 12 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds from widest portion of eggplants. Brush both sides with 2 Tbsp oil and season with 1/2 tsp salt (total). Bake on an oiled baking sheet, turning once, until golden and tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, covered. Leave oven on.

Make egg patties and sauté arugula:

•Stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, half of garlic, and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper, then stir in eggs and water.

•Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop 4 rounded 1/3 cups of egg mixture into skillet and cook, turning once, until patties are golden brown and puffed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

•Add remaining Tbsp oil to skillet and cook remaining garlic with red-pepper flakes, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add arugula and stir until just wilted, then stir in 1/8 tsp salt.

Assemble stacks:

•Arrange 4 egg patties about 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Top each with 2 Tbsp tomato sauce, 1 slice mozzarella, 1 eggplant slice, 2 more Tbsp tomato sauce, another eggplant slice, arugula mixture, and remaining eggplant. Bake until cheese melts, 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with additional oil and serve remaining sauce on the side.

Beets, Beet Greens, and Orange Butter Chicken

Waste not, want not, right?  I certainly learned this lesson growing up!  If there were a few mere tablespoons of a dish left at the end of dinner, my Dad would insist we wrap it up and put it in the fridge.  Once a week we'd have leftovers and I'd have to fight my brother for the couple of spoonfuls of our favorite dishes.  Don't get me wrong, it's a happy memory.  I did rather enjoy the rock, paper, scissors games to determine who got to eat the last of the tuna casserole.  So, I guess that's why I was drawn to this recipe, a recipe where you use every part of the beet.  After working hard to grow these gorgeous vegetables, it did seem a shame to throw the luscious leafy bits into the composter.  And what a shame it would have been.  The beet greens were the highlight.  (In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll let you in on a little secret: I didn't even know you could eat beet greens before seeing this recipe...)  Shh!  Don't tell anyone!  I promise.  I will never waste them again!   


Slightly adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2009
Serves 2

1 1/2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature, divided
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel, divided
1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
2 Tablespoons chopped shallots
2 medium red beets with greens, greens stemmed and coarsely chopped, beets peeled and coarsely grated
3 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar, divided (or use balsamic vinegar)
1/3 Cup water


Mix 1 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon orange peel in small bowl.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.


Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon orange peel, and the orange juice in medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Add to skillet and saute until cooked through and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes each side.  Place one chicken breast in center of each plate; tent with foil to keep warm.


Melt remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter with 1/2 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat.  Add shallots; stir until tender and beginning to brown, about 1 minute.  Add beet greens; toss until leaves are tender but still bright green, about 2 minutes.  Add 2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar; stir 30 seconds.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Spoon greens alongside chicken; cover to keep warm. 


Add grated beets and 1/3 cup water to same skillet; cover and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Uncover and continue cooking until beets are tender and water is almost evaporated, stirring often, about 1 minute.  Add remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar; stir 30 seconds.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 


Spoon beets onto plates.  Spoon orange butter atop chicken and serve.


Note: Be sure to season your chicken breast well.  Also, I added some orange zest while cooking which gave it a nice flavor. 

Fig, Arugula, and Blue Cheese Pizza

It was an El Nino year my first and last years of college.  I have memories of wading through the dining commons to get my lunch, watching my fellow students row a boat down our street, and playing mud football on the res hall lawn.  On a campus where the only way to get around was to either walk or bike, you had little choice on rainy days but to get soaked on the way to class.  These days, students wear rain boots and carry umbrellas, but in the mid-nineties, you'd rather have your Mom walking you to class than sport an umbrella.  So as you might imagine, on rainy days the campus was filled with lots of students getting very wet.  One rainy day I decided to wear flip flops.  I got lots of comments and even an offer from my boss to loan me a pair of warmer shoes.  But, wouldn't you know it, after about ten minutes inside, I was the only one with warm dry feet.  Ever since then, when I get a slightly unusual idea in my head, I stop and think, ya' know, this might just be like wearing flip flops in the rain! 


It's an interesting concept...salad on a pizza crust.  I pondered this one for awhile, not sure if I'd like it.  But we had fresh ripe home grown figs to eat, and it occurred to me that this might be the key ingredient to give this a shot.  The verdict: delicious!  The pizza crust with the sweetness of the figs, salty blue cheese and tangy vinegar, yum!  Sound odd?  Not convinced?  Hmm, maybe you should try some flip flops next time it rains...       


1 package ready made pizza dough (I used the whole wheat dough from Trader Joe's)
12 ripe figs, quartered
2-3 handfuls of arugula
1/2 Cup crumbled or diced good quality blue cheese
a little bit of very thinly sliced red onion
a few drizzles of balsamic vinegar and olive oil
freshly ground black pepper


Prepare pizza dough as directed on the package.  Brush with a little olive oil before baking.  Bake as directed, removing from the oven once crispy and lightly browned.  While dough is cooking, cut up figs, arugula, blue cheese, and red onion.  As soon as pizza crust is done, transfer onto plate and top with arugula, figs, blue cheese, and red onion.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and top off with a light dusting of freshly ground pepper.  Serve immediately. 

Linguine with Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce

I admit it.  I grocery shop without a list.  If any of you have been under the false assumption that I am supremely organized and have it all together, I have news for you.  I'm not and I don't.  I've survived this long in life simply because I have a decent memory, and after two children, I have to say, that too seems to be going.  What was I talking about again?  Oh right, my memory, yeah.  Anyway, I don't totally meander about the store.  I have a mental list, or shall we call it a feeling for what I need?  But, rarely do I enter the store with anything written down.  That would involve taking the time to scribble it and then remembering to bring it and then remembering to look at it.  Who has the time?  It probably won't shock you to hear that I often end up missing one or two ingredients for a recipe.  I've been wanting to make this pasta dish for a long time now, but not surprisingly, I always seemed to be one or two ingredients shy and didn't want to sell it short by making substitutions.  I'm so glad I didn't.  You've got to try this.  It was amazing, and definitely unforgettable!        

Recipe by Marina (see her blog: http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/)
Serves 4

1 medium sized butternut squash

1 head of garlic, halved crosswise

1/2 a medium onion, sliced

pinch of sugar

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

8 sage leaves, torn

extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter
1 lb linguine, rigatoni or other favorite pasta, cooked al dente


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Slice squash lengthwise and brush with olive oil. Drizzle the garlic halves with olive oil and wrap loosely in foil. Place squash and garlic on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45 minutes for the squash and 30 minutes for the garlic. Cool enough to remove skin.  Save half of the squash and garlic for a later use.   
 While squash and garlic are roasting, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of sugar, and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes.


In a food processor, pulse the peeled squash, peeled roasted garlic, Parmesan cheese and caramelized onions until smooth.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sage and simmer until fragrant and butter just begins to brown. Stir into the squash mixture. Thin with pasta water and/or milk until desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in cooked pasta and top with more Parmesan cheese.

Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Bake

The best thing about living in a house with no air conditioning, on the hottest day on record in Southern California, is...you can turn your oven on and it really doesn't make your house any hotter! Two days ago it was 110 at my house.  Not the best day for a casserole, but oh well.  This one was a keeper.  There was just one thing that would have made it even better: 60 degree weather!




Adapted from a recipe in Rachel Ray magazine. 


1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
3/4 pound bow tie or ziti pasta
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pasta seasoning
1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Cups pitted kalamata olives, drained and chopped
1/4 Cup flat leaf parsley
1/2 Cup bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast, stirring halfway through, until browned, 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Lower the temperature to 350 degrees. 


2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta until al dente.  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.  Return the pasta and cooking water to the pot and stir in the crushed tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and half each of the parsley, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese.


3. Pour the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish; top with the roasted cauliflower and remaining bread crumbs and Parmesan.  Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle remaining parsley on top.

Traditional Cornish Pasties

Sometimes I look back on things that have happened in my life, and, had I not lived them, would never have believed it possible.  Meeting my husband was one such experience.  Go traveling in Europe, meet a fabulous man, and get married?  No way, that type of thing doesn't happen to me.   But, in the year 2000 it did.  Now, let me make one thing clear; I didn't head out on my trip hoping to find love, far from it.  I was on a three-month journey of self discovery, and, for the first two weeks, I was just trying to ride a bike around Ireland and fix my friend Megan up with the adorable British guy on our tour (Andrew).   After a few days of trying to implement our plan, Megan said to me, "I think Andrew likes you, and I think you should go for it."  What?  I didn't see it.  But, a day later and I am pretty sure I was already in love with him.  Fast forward ten years, and here we are, with two girls and a wonderful life together. 


We've just returned home from a visit to Scotland and England to see his family.  His parents are from Cornwall but spent most of their adult lives in the north of England, and now in Scotland.  Andrew's Mum makes traditional Cornish pasties, and they are Andrew's favorite.  I had the honor of learning how to make them on this last trip.  It felt like learning a real family secret.  Thank you Grace for teaching me and for taking the time to share a part of your family heritage with me.  It means a lot.


The pasties have nothing to do with our vegetable garden, sorry.  And, for those of you looking for a healthy, low-cal recipe, this isn't the one for you.  But, they are worth the trouble for the treat, and they will make your heart smile, that I guarantee.    


For the pastry:
8 ozs Plain Flour
Pinch salt
5 ozs lard and margarine mixed, try 2 ozs lard and 3 ozs margarine (I know what you are thinking, lard?   Really Suzanne?...Yes, it's one day, it will be okay, just don't tell your cardiologist!) 
cold water to mix


1. Mix flour and salt, add fat and cut into small pieces
2. Stir with a knife (do not rub in). Mix to a stiff dough with water
3. Roll onto a floured surface to a narrow strip
4. Fold in three, give a quarter turn so one of the open ends is towards you and roll out again. Do this three times.
5. Cover pastry and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
6. Roll pastry as required, roll away from you and do not break the air bubbles that will rise


(We skipped the fold in three step, and just mixed it a bit with our fingers and cut it in half.  It still came out perfect.)


For the filling:


1 Cup raw meat, cubed (traditionally they use steak, but you can use any meat you like)
1 1/4 Cup potatoes, sliced into small pieces
1/4 Cup onion, chopped in big pieces
salt and pepper
1/2 inch cube chunks of butter (enough so each pasty you make has three chunks on the top)


1. Once pastry dough is made and chilled, remove from fridge and roll out.  Cut circle pieces using a plate as a guide.
2. Place enough meat, potatoes, and onions to fill, on top of rolled out circle of pastry dough.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place 3 chunks of butter across filling.
5. Moisten the edges with water and pinch together, pushing the whole thing over to the side once pinched.
6. Paint with egg yolk or milk and place on greased baking tray.
7. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.  Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 45 minutes.


Notes: Pasties are often served with pickled beets or chutney, weird by American standards, but very tasty!  Since I don't eat beef, my mother-in-law always makes mine with chicken and corn.  It's delicious.  Also, if you are up for a short cut, you can use ready made pie crust instead of making your own pastry. 
  

Grace and me assembling the pasties!

  

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon with Spinach, Olives, and Golden Raisins

I'm not one for technology.  Something has to pretty much become standard before I incorporate it into my life.  Had remote controls and power windows not become universal, I'm pretty sure I'd still be cranking my car windows down and getting up to turn the dial on my t.v.  That's why it shocked my husband when I said I was going to buy an Ipod Touch.  I'm not much for choosing the music we listen to.  I've never ever downloaded a song.  I'm sure he must have wondered what on earth I was going to do with an Ipod Touch.  He probably figured it was one more piece of technology he would end up having to be the tech support for.  Oh, but this is different.  I have finally found a piece of technology I LOVE.  Hand held access to the world, amazing!  All the apps that are available, incredible!  And my favorite so far (or at least a tie with Words with Friends, hee hee) is the epicurious app.  Any recipe, any time, shopping lists, sensible ways to search, reviews.  It's pretty darn amazing.  Thank you Apple, thank you epicurious, and thank you science.  I am in love, with technology...  

Now here's a tasty recipe I found using the epicurious app.:

From Bon Appetit, February 2010

Serves 2, but easily doubled

2 9-ounce bags spinach leaves
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 5-ounce salmon fillets with skin
1/3 Cup chopped shallots (I used green onions)
1/3 Cup halved pitted Kalamata olives
1/3 Cup golden raisins (I used regular raisins)
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey

Pour a few tablespoons water into a heavy large nonstick skillet.  Place over medium-high heat.  Add 1 bag spinach (skillet will be full).  Using 2 wooden spoons, turn and toss spinach until most of leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes.  Add remaining spinach leaves in 2 batches.  Turn and toss spinach until just wilted but still bright green,  Transfer cooked spinach to strainer set over bowl. 

Wipe skillet dry if necessary.  Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper.  Place in skillet skin side up.  Sear until brown, about 3 minutes; turn fish.  Cook until just opaque in center, 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer to plate; wipe skillet clean.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to same skillet.  Add chopped shallot, halved olives, and raisins.  Stir 1 minute.  Add spinach; toss until heated through, about 1 minute.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Mound spinach mixture on plates.  Top with salmon. 

Add balsamic vinegar and honey to skillet.  Boil until reduced to glaze, about 30 seconds.  Spoon glaze over salmon and spinach and serve. 

 

Stuffed Tomatoes

Okay, I just realized this is my second post in a row that starts with "stuffed."  It must be some metaphor for how I am feeling right now, 38 weeks pregnant and "stuffed."  Perhaps it is theapeutic to take out my uncomfortableness on vegetables.  The more I stuff into them, the less I focus on how stuffed this baby is into me!  You better hope this baby comes soon, otherwise watch out, I'll be stuffing broccoli stems! 


My two year old actually helped me create this recipe.  I was telling her that I was thinking about what to make for dinner and she said she wanted to help me chop tomatoes.  The thought entered my mind, let's have stuffed tomatoes for dinner.  I asked her what we should put in them and she suggested rice and cheese.  And thus, the recipe was born.  I didn't measure anything while I was making it, so this is my best guess.  Basically you just need to make enough of the stuffing for the number of tomatoes you want to cook.  I made four and that fed the two of us just fine (me and my husband (not my toddler - she just enjoys helping make them, not eating them)). 


4-6 Roma or Beefstake tomatoes, tops sliced off and internal contents removed
1 Cup brown rice
1/4 Cup bread crumbs
1/4 Cup chopped bell peppers (I used yellow since that is all I had)
1/4 Cup black beans
1/4 Cup roasted corn
3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 Cup tomato pieces (salvaged from what you scooped out)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
salt and pepper to taste


De-seed and remove centers of tomatoes and set aside.  Mix all remaining ingredients.  Spoon into tomatoes and replace tops.  Place in a well oiled baking dish, drizzle a little olive oil on the top and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.  Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, or until tomatoes seem soft.  I served them on top of some grilled sourdough bread that I brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with garlic powder, and toasted on the BBQ for a couple of minutes.   

Stuffed Zucchini with Garlic, Paprika, and Cheese Crustinis

My mom forwarded me one of those cliche email forwards that talks about the specialness of being a mom.  It was actually quite touching and made me laugh a few times with memories from my teenage years, specifically, learning how to drive.  Shortly after getting my learner's permit I was out with my mom practicing in the Dodge Caravan and took a corner a little fast.  We went rolling around the corner on two wheels.  I found it funny.  She, was petrified.  Now that I have my own daughter, and another making an appearance very soon, I realize how terrifying it can be at times to be a parent.  Will they make good decisions?  Can I trust their friends?  Who is watching over them when I am not there?  Will everyone be kind to them?  Will they be kind to others?  Will they eat their vegetables? exercise? take care of themselves?  The list goes on and on and on.  The scary part is that most of the time I am not in control of any of these things, and neither is my husband.  All we as parents can do is try to model the way, teach them values and morals, and hope for the best.  I made this recipe tonight in hopes that we might get a vegetable and some meat down our toddler.  No luck.  Instead she ate plain bread, a few bites of mac and cheese, and some applesauce.  When I offered her some of our food she told me she didn't like it, but maybe she will when she gets bigger.  I guess we have something to look forward to in the teen years. If she keeps this up long enough it really will balance out all the new driver/first date/you did what? experiences.     

 

Stuffed Zucchini (adapted from a recipe that came with a bottle of Smoking Loon merlot!)

4 medium zucchinis (mine were small so I used six)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon butter

1/2 Cup onions, chopped

1 Cup ground turkey

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 Cup fresh bread crumbs

6 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon oregano

salt and pepper, to taste

Boil zucchini about 10 minutes, then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the pulp.  Set shell aside and chop pulp.  Heat butter and oil in a skillet, cook onions and ground turkey.  Add zucchini pulp and garlic, cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Drain.  Into this mixture, add the egg, bread crumbs, 2 teaspoons of Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon this into hollowed zucchini shells, mounding tops slightly.  Place into a shallow, oiled baking dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese and dribble a few drops of olive oil over each shell.  Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.  Remove foil, bake an additional 10 minutes to brown.  Serve and enjoy.  Serves 4-6 people.

Garlic, Paprika, and Cheese Crustinis

8 slices of nice sourdough bread (or whatever your preference is)

butter or olive oil

garlic powder

paprika

Parmesan cheese

dried parsley

Lay bread slices on a baking sheet and butter one side of each slice (or brush with olive oil).  Sprinkle each slice with remaining ingredients.  Put in the oven with the zucchini for the last 10 minutes of cooking.  Brown under the broiler for a minute or two if needed. 

Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

What?  What on earth is shakshuka??  I had no idea before about a week ago, but, since I have fallen off the blogging wagon recently, I figured I had to fix something with a catchy name!  I know, I know, where have I been?  I really thought it had only been a few weeks since my last post, but it has been a whole month, sorry.  There hasn't been a lot of cooking going on recently.  I am due to have a baby in a few weeks and have been super busy with finishing up work projects and home projects.  Anyway, we have not starved for an entire month.  I do have a recipe or two to share.  This one was a huge success, and so easy.  It also got us through the dry spell of no ready-to-pick vegetables from the garden. 


Fun tip:  I recommend calling up a friend and casually saying, "hey, want to come over for some shakshuka?"   


Adapted from Saveur and http://www.smittenkitchen.com/
Serves 4 to 6


1/4 Cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chilies or 3 jalapenos, stemmed seeded, and finely chopped (I used canned jalapenos and it was decently spicy without burning your taste buds!)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained (I used a chopped tomatoes)
kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
Warm pitas for serving (optional)


Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes.  Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.


Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands (or just use a can of chopped; I never really understood why you use whole tomatoes just to break them up!).  Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 Cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.  Season sauce with salt.  (I found it salty enough without adding any additional, so taste before you add).


Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce's surface.  Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes.  Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk.  Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.  Or, you could serve this for breakfast with some toast!

Linguine with Clam Sauce

The parsley seems to be our best growing herb in the herb garden. When we planted it I thought I'd rarely use it, but it has been surprising how many recipes call for fresh parsley. Our daughter also got to take sprigs of it to day care to feed to the class guinea pig, Rosemary. The kids loved watching her munch away at it and the teachers appreciated the treat. Rosemary spent the weekend with us once and was in guinea pig heaven with all the fresh parsley she got to eat. But then, one day, we took parsley in. I watched as the kids fed it to her, and left feeling like it was just an ordinary day. Upon picking our daughter up, we all had notes in our mailboxes that Rosemary had passed away that day. Oh dear...my first thought, could it have been the parsley?? Oh please no. Hopefully Andrew did not put down some pesticide or slug pellets the day before, yikes! I read the note and talked to the teacher. She reassured me that Rosemary's demise was a result of heat stroke and not our parsley. Phew!

We are all going to miss little Rosemary. I can't pick parsley without thinking of her. So, when I made this recipe the other night I took a moment to mentally wish her well and apologize for not bringing parsley more often!

This recipe comes from a friend's mom. It's incredibly easy and so tasty. You can make it with fresh clams and fresh pasta, or use canned clams and dry pasta. Either way, it comes out great.

Serves 4
1 pound of linguine cooked
3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons milk
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 10.5 ounce cans minced clams (or use fresh clams)
dash of red pepper flakes
dash of dried basil
Wondra flour

Saute garlic in butter and olive oil. Add clam juice only. Simmer 10 minutes. Then add milk, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, clams, red pepper flakes, and basil. Thicken sauce by adding more parmesan cheese and a small amount of Wondra flour. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately

Quick and Easy Frittata

We are in a little bit of a lull right now with the garden.  We have a lot growing but not too much ready for picking, with the exception of lemons, which seems to always be in season.  We've had so many lemons on this little tree of ours that we ended up calling the Food Bank to donate the fruit.  They came and picked our tree of every single ripe lemon just a couple of weeks ago, and today I could have filled another few bags with even more.  We are hoping the peach tree looks up to the lemon tree as an extraordinary role model.  Last year it failed to notice the exemplary behavior, and we ended up with just one so-so peach.  But this year, we think it may have taken notice.  There are a lot of budding peaches!  And, there are a lot of budding apricots, and orange and grapefruit blossoms, and blueberries, and strawberries.  If I wasn't so worried about jinxing it all I might mention something about jam and pie recipes being in my future.  (Shh!  Pretend I never said that.)  Said what?  Right, you get the picture.  Don't count your chickens before they hatch.  One thing we are counting however, is peas.  There are a lot of those.  And, we get a few sprigs of asparagus here and there and an occasional onion.  It's not a lot to make a meal of, but thrown into various dishes they add a great burst of fresh vegetable flavor. Hence, the frittata.  When you have some odds and ends, a frittata is a perfect solution.  And the beauty is, you could add just about anything.  I've listed a recipe and instructions below, but it's meant to be a guideline more than a recipe.  You can have fun and clean out the fridge at the same time!  


Serves 4


6 eggs, beaten and thinned with some milk
Seasoning salt
Seasoning pepper (or just use some regular salt and pepper and any favorite seasonings)
1 1/2 Cups of cooked filling (vegetables, meat, cheese, any combo that sounds good to you.  I like caramelized onions, mushrooms, and spinach the best, but this time used peas, asparagus, broccoli, bacon, and parmesan cheese)


Beat eggs, thin down with a little milk, and season well.  Set aside.  Assemble fillings and place in a heated 10" non-stick skillet.  Pour eggs evenly over filling.  Cook uncovered over medium-low heat ~15 minutes or until nearly cooked through.  Pre-heat broiler.  Finish frittata in broiler.  Let cook in pan or slide onto a plate.  Serve warm or cold. 


          

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Quinoa and Spinach

Sometimes you just can't go wrong with a vegetarian meal.  It can be hard to make something filling enough for people who are used to having meat with their dinner.  But, I think this recipe does the trick.  It is packed with high protein quinoa and the squash is equally satisfying.  It is also really easy to make and makes a nice quick dinner for two. 

Adapted from "Squash Boats with Quinoa" recipe on www.sproutedkitchen.com

Serves 2

1 acorn squash

1 1/2 Tablespoons Agave nectar (or honey)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of salt and pepper

3/4 Cup Quinoa

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 Shallot, minced

2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar (or honey)

1/4 Cup chopped walnuts (or pine nuts)

1 1/2 to 2 Cups fresh spinach

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut squash in half  and scoop out seeds.  Mix the olive oil and agave nectar and rub generously onto the flesh of the squash.  Roast cut side down for 20 minutes.  Then turn the squash cut side up and roast another 15-20 minutes or until soft. 

While squash is cooking, prepare quinoa.  Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil and add the quinoa.  Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes, or until water is absorbed.  Meanwhile, saute minced shallot in 1 Tablespoon olive oil until soft.  Add spinach and heat through just until it begins to wilt.  Set aside.  Once quinoa is done, transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool for five minutes or so.  Add the lemon juice, cardamom, a glug of olive oil, agave nectar, nuts, and a little salt to taste.  Stir well.  Then add the sauted shallot and spinach and stir.  

Remove the squash pieces from the oven and let them sit about 5 minutes to cool down.  Fill each cavern with desired amount of quinoa mix.  Sprinkle the top with salt and fresh ground pepper and serve.   

Chicken Marsala

My Mom always said, never try a new recipe when you are having company over.  Did I listen?  Of course not.  Who really listens to unsolicited motherly advice anyway?  I've heard it all a million times before, 'practice makes perfect,' 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again,' 'slow and steady wins the race,' and a million other cliche sayings that go against my 'those who don't take chances, never get to drink champagne' life motto.  But, I have learned that sometimes mother really does know best.  This chicken marsala tasted GREAT, I just over did it a little with my carelessness.  I took my eyes off of it for a minute and the sauce disappeared, and sadly the chicken was a little overcooked.  NO!  Luckily, my wonderful guests cut me a little slack and maybe, just maybe, had enough wine by the time it was ready that they really didn't notice.  Yeah right, but I can dream can't I?  Despite very little sauce, which would have perfected the dish and been a nice addition to the pasta and vegetables I made for the side, it was still really good.  And so, I post this with the promise that I will make it again, a little more carefully, a little more slowly, and you'll see an even better updated post on how great the sauce is!  (I 'borrowed' this picture from the blog I got the recipe from, www.smittenkitchen.com, one of my favorite cooking blogs ever!  I will use one of my own when I make the recipe again.) 

From www.smittenkitchen.com, original recipe from Gourmet
Serves 6



3 whole boneless chicken breasts with skin (about 2 1/2 pounds), halved
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, sliced thin
3/4 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet heat oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown chicken in 2 batches, transferring with tongs to a large plate as browned.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and sauté onion and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Marsala and cook mixture, stirring, until Marsala is almost evaporated. Add broth and chicken with any juices that have accumulated on plate and simmer, turning chicken once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken with tongs to a platter.

Simmer mushroom sauce until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until butter is just incorporated. Spoon mushroom sauce around chicken and sprinkle with parsley.