Hummus

Hummus is a wonderful Mediterannean dip made from blending garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), tahini and spices until smooth and creamy.  It is so delicious, super kid friendly and a big hit at parties.  The best part- it comes together in seconds!!  You are done with the entire recipe in a matter of 5 minutes.  This one is a nice traditional recipe, but you could easily vary the flavor by adding in a handful of kalamata olives, roasted garlic in place of the raw, chives or roasted red peppers to the food processor.  Roasted red peppers give it a lovely reddish color.  There is so much you could do to make it fun and different each and every time.

It is most commonly used as a dip, but it is awesome for a sandwich spread.  I love it on my veggie burgers even!  Our dinner this evening was a big spread of raw carrots, cucumber spears, grape tomatoes, pita bread wedges, pita chips, feta cheese, a garlic and herb cheese and rotisserie chicken.  It was so colorful, light yet satisfying and everyone loved it.  When I serve vegetables this way my son will always take tons and eat them before anything else!  Offer color and variety and let them choose.  You will be surprised at how well they actually eat!!

I tried a new technique today when making a batch of my homemade Hummus. Peeling the soft skins off of the chickpeas (yes, every single one!) before blending. I heard from an Arabic friend that this is how their family has always done it. Supposed to make it creamier. I was curious after never doing it this way so I figured why not! Good thing I have a 5 yr old to help out :) It did seem a bit creamier but in the end I don't think I would go to the trouble- there are a lot of chickpeas in 2 (15 ounce) cans!! My 5 minute recipe turned into a 25 minute recipe this way. lol. It was a fun experiment, and Jackson loved helping- at least for the first can until he got bored! In the end, do it if you have extra time on your hands. Otherwise, I just wouldn't bother.

Hummus
2 (15 ounce) cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), juices from one can reserved
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice (roughly the juice of two and half lemons)
3-4 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red chili flakes
pinch cumin

for garnish
olive oil for drizzling
a sprinkling of paprkia
fresh chives or parsley, chopped

for dipping (any assortment of the following)
various raw vegetables, sliced (carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, whole cherry/grape tomatoes, etc.)
pita bread or naan
pita chips
bagel chips
olives and porcini peppers are nice on the side as well

Combine in food processor or blender the garbanzo beans, tahini, 1/4 cup lemon juice, garlic, salt, red chili flakes and cumin.  Bend until smooth.  Taste and add more lemon juice to suit your taste.  We prefer  it more on the lemony side.  It will be quite thick at this point.  Slowly add in some of the reserved garbanzo bean juice to thin it out.  Blend again.  Add more of the juice, blend and taste.  Repeat until you reach the right consistency.  You won't need all the juice just enough to get it creamy!!  The texture should be smooth and creamy and not too thick.

Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with paprika and fresh herbs.  Serve alongside various dippers and enjoy!

Fantastic Steak Marinade

Here is a fantastic steak marinade, courtesy of Rachael Ray.  I have used it so many times, for steak sandwiches, quick skillet steaks, and nice big juicy steaks on the grill.  It has become a favorite method in our house if we are looking for something a little more then just olive oil, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Steaks, marinating ready to become steak sandwiches.  Look a all that flavor! Yum!!

Fantastic Steak Marinade
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Mix Together the garlic, grill seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the EVOO. Pour into a 9x13-inch glass dish or a sealable plastic bag. Add the steak and coat it evenly in marinade. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. Prepare steak as desired!

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Caramelized Onion, Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce

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Caramelized Onion, Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce
makes 50-60 tortellini's, one serving is 6-8 prepared.

Ingredients
1 package Won Ton Wrappers
small bowl of water

For the Filling
1 cup pumpkin- NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING!!!! (about 1/2 of a 15 oz. can)
1 cup ricotta
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (this is a common blend of herbs from France, containing savory, rosemary, thyme, fennel seed, oregano, basil, and marjoram. If you don't have any Herbs de Provence or can't seem to find this in a store, any combination of these would still be nice.)

For the Sauce
4 Tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
a small bunch of fresh sage leaves, whole of roughly chopped
fresh ground black pepper

In a saute pan over medium heat, melt one teaspoon butter.  Once it begins to froth, turn down your heat, add the onions and saute for 15-20 minutes on low so they caramelize and turn into an almost jam-like consistancy.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg and Herbs de Provence.  Once the onions are at the right consistancy, add them to pumpkin/ricotta mixture. Taste your mixture to make sure the seasoning is correct.  Adjust as needed.

On a cutting board, lay out 4-6 wonton wrappers and spoon just under a teaspoon filling into the center of each one.  Dip a finger into the small bowl of water and wet around all four sides of the wonton.  Fold in half, corner to corner making a triangle.  Making sure there are no air pockets, press down firmly to seal.  Bring both corners up to meet each other and seal with a bit of water, making a little purse-like bundle.

Set aside on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet while you are working.

If freezing, put entire tray of tortellini into your freezer.  Once frozen, remove from freezer and divide into servings in ziplock bags for future dinners and refreeze.

To cook your tortellini's, fill a medium stock pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil.  Once you get a nice rolling boil, add a teaspoon salt and carefully add the tortellini's.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, or just until they float to the top.  If cooking from frozen, add 2-3 more minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon.

For the sauce
In a DRY medium saute pan over medium heat, add your chopped walnuts and toast, tossing often, until they begin to lightly brown and give off a nice nutty fragrance.   Add your butter to the walnuts.  Once the butter is melted add the sage leaves.  Swirl the butter, watching it closely.  It will foam and then start to become a beautiful chestnut colored brown.  You will also smell the wonderful nuttiness the butter gives off when it browns.  This means it is ready.  Be careful no to overcook the sauce- it can turn from brown butter to burnt butter very fast.  Once finished cooking, remove from heat and add a couple grinds of black pepper.  Pour over the raviolis and serve.  The crispy sage leaves are completely edible- don't you dare pick them out!  They look so pretty and add such a wonderful flavor to the dish.  

This dinner exceeded all of my expectations.  The torellinin's were exactly what I had a taste for in my mind. The meal was elegant, rich, and very gourmet.  Yet it was so simple to prepare.  Scott was a little unsure of how he would care for pumpkin tortellini's, thinking they would be too sweet for his taste.  But they have a much more savory flavor, with just a touch of sweetness that balances out the richness of the butter and walnuts.  He said they were delicious and was very impressed with the results.  Jackson gobbled his up, no questions asked!  I thought for sure he would at least ask me what was inside the noodles, but no!  He ate every single last bite.  This recipe was a winner with my whole family.  I am so excited I have quite a few more servings in my freezer for a quick dinner- or a pretty little lunch for myself during the week.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros stands for Ranch Style Eggs.  This is one of my most favorite meals of all time.  It is spicy, gooey and 100% satisfying.  It makes for a fun, non-traditional breakfast.  But I cook this for dinner all the time.  It is very fast meal, so you can easily make this at the end of a long day and have dinner on your plate in well under 20 minutes.

There are two ways you can prepare this dish.  You can cook a homemade salsa in your skillet, using fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cilantro- my favorite method.  But if you don't happen to have any of these ingredients onhand, but do have a jar of prepared salsa- use that!  I use this short-cut all the time.  especially in the months when the tomatoes in the grocery store look less then appetizing.  You really want juicy tomatoes.  So if they are too firm in the market or look too pink (you know what I mean), buy a good quality jar of salsa.

The whole basic concept of this recipe is you cook your salsa in a skillet (or heat up the jarred salsa) until simmering.  Then you very carefully slide an egg into holes you create in the salsa and poach them in the sauce until the tops become translucent, but still the yokes are runny.  Serve ontop of a warmed tortilla, top with a touch of cheese- and voila!  So easy, but really a crowd pleaser.

Huevos Rancheros 
serves two

4 eggs
2 tortillas (I prefer flour, but you could very well use corn)
freshly grated cheese (I used a cheddar and a montery jack)
1 Tbsp olive oil

For Ranchero Sauce (if using jarred salsa, skip these ingredients.)
3 large tomatoes, chopped. Do not drain. You want the juice and seeds. or or 1 - 15oz. Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes, undrained
1 yellow onion, chopped into chunks
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed (you can keep the seeds and ribs if you want more of a kick. This is where the majority of the heat is located), diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup cilanto, coarsely chopped (parsely may be substitued if you don't care for cilantro)
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Move oven rack into the middle position and preheat oven to 200°F. Place 2 ovenproof plates on rack to warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. One at a time, heat tortillas for about 30 seconds a side, until just starting to bubble. Flip and repeat. Once lightly warmed on both sides transfer to a plate in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortilla. Loosely cover both plates so the tortillas don't dry out.

For the Ranchero Sauce: (if using jarred salsa skip down to the next step)
Over medium heat, add the olive oil to the same skillet you browned your tortillas in.  Add the onions, garlic and jalapenos and sauté until the onions become translucent.  Being careful not to burn your garlic. Add the tomatoes to the pan and simmer until the sauce reduces a bit and begins to thicken, about 10 minutes.   If your tomatoes don't seem juicy enough, add a little water at a time until you get a nice, salsa type consistency.  Once thickened add the cilantro, salt and pepper and combine.

If using jarred salsa, pour the salsa into your skillet and simmer over medium heat until it reduces a bit and begins to thicken.

Now is the fun part!  We are going to "poach" the eggs inside the salsa.  One at a time, make a hole inside the salsa about the size of a half dollar and very carefully break your egg into the hole. Repeat with remaining eggs.

Lightly pepper your eggs and let simmer in the sauce until the white become opaque and the yokes start to glaze over.  If your yokes are taking a little too long to set up, cover briefly, checking on them often.  You totally want a runny yoke for this recipe.  It makes the dish!

Once eggs are set up, remove your plates from the oven and discard foil.  Top each tortilla with a few spoonfulls of your cooked salsa.  Carefully using a large spoon, place two eggs per plate on top of the salsa tortillas.  Spoon a bit more salsa onto the eggs and sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve with Classic Black Beans or Black Beans and Corn on Rice (shown).  Enjoy!

Sesame Chicken Rice Noodles

One of my other obsessions when it comes to Chinese food is the dish Cow Mei Fun.  It is a noodle dish made with thin rice noodles, Chinese vegetables and Chicken.  Last night I came up with my own play on this recipe and was super happy with the results.  Scott and I both agreed this was a definite Do Again.

Sesame Chicken Rice Noodles

14 oz thin rice noodles

1 carrot, cut into long fine strips

8 oz cabbage, cut into long fine strips

4 scallions, cut into one-inch sections

3/4 cup fresh shiitake or button mushrooms, thickly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, finely sliced

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

For the sauce

3 Tbsp rice or sherry vinegar

5 Tbsp soy sauce

4 Tbsp sesame oil

6 Tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp grated fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp ground

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a small bowl with a pinch of salt.  Slowly while mixing with a whisk, add in your olive oil to emulsify.  Set aside.  

Soak the noodles in warm water for ten minutes.  Stir them occasionally to separate.  Drain well and pat dry. Turn into a bowl.  While you are soaking the noodles, saute the mushrooms in a little olive oil until they turn golden brown.  Add the rest of the veggies for just a minute or two, stirring to combine.  Add the vegetables to the noodles.  Pour in just over half of the sauce, then toss the mixture well.  Adjust the seasoning according to taste.  

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.  Add the chicken, and stir-fry for three minutes, or until cooked and golden brown.  Remove from the heat.  Add the sesame seeds, and drizzle in some of the sauce.  

Arrange the noodles on individual plates, making a nest on each plate.  Spoon the chicken on top.  Sprinkle with additional sesame seeds for garnish.  Serve any remaining sauce on the side to add as desired.  

Thai Peanut Sauce, two versions

Ok, so remember the last time I made that wonderful Cold Udon Noodle Salad I used a doctored up version of a store bought Peanut Sauce. Well I promised you that the next time I made it I would provide a yummy homemade Thai Peanut Sauce to use instead. So what is even better then one option, but two?! The first one here, Version 1 is the sauce that I have created and the second, Version 2 is one that my sister Bonnie has made. They are both super yummy , and the best part is that they each use a different combination of ingredients. They each provide very similar results, but have their own unique flavor. It is always nice to have choices just incase you don't have coconut milk on hand or you are in the mood for a bit of honey...

Don't restrict yourself to using this only as a sauce for pasta.  These would also be great as a dip for chicken satay skewers, Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls, or even a spread for a yummy wrap.

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Thai Peanut Sauce, Version 1
1 1/2 cups creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons warm water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-3 tablespoon hot chili sauce, like Sriracha (I used 3 tablespoons because I was in the mood for some good kick!)
3 cloves garlic, minced
chili flakes to taste

In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy.


Thai Peanut Sauce, Version 2
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken stock (or warm water)
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon chili flakes

Puree all ingredients in a blender for two minutes, or until smooth

Basil Pesto

Oh how I love Pesto.  I wait all year until I have enough basil leaves in my garden to make this beautiful sauce.  I know I mentioned this recipe yesterday, but I felt it needed a page of its own. It is incredibly quick to make- no cooking involved! All you need is a food processor (or even a blender will work) and about 2 minutes of your time!  There are so many uses for Pesto. One of the most common is obviously tossing it on pasta for a flavorful sauce.  But remember, if you have never cooked with pesto before, a little goes a long way.  So be sure to add just a little at a time, until you get the flavor you want. You don't pour a ton on like you would a red sauce. This is a very pungent sauce, full of robust, fresh flavor.

There are other uses for pesto, you might not think of off hand.  One of my most favorite is to add a 1/2-1 teaspoon of pesto to your eggs when making scrambled eggs.  Serve it with nice thick slices of garden tomatoes and wow, is this the definition of a summer breakfast!!

Pesto also works great in place of red sauce on your favorite homemade pizza.

Drizzle a bit of pesto over your grilled steak for a lovely herb sauce, that melts right into the meat.

With all of those tomatoes at that are beginning to line up on your countertop, make my mom's Gourmet Tomato Soup, and drizzle a little on the top before serving.

Everyone loves breakfast for dinner.  Have you tried my Pesto and Potato Frittata?  It is elegant, and looks amazing on the table.  But yet so easy to prepare.  Your guests will have no idea that it took you no time to make this lovely dish.  Kids love it too!

At your next dinner party or for a nice light lunch, make up a few of these Pesto, Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Crostini. So yummy!

Lightly toss roasted or boiled potatoes in pesto for a vibrant side dish.

I honestly could go on and on.  But hopefully this will give you a good starting point for all the recipes that you can come up with on your own.  Use your imagination and goodness gracious, enjoy one of the simple joys of the season!

Basil Pesto

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup pine nuts, tosasted

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Next add the cheese right into the food processor and just blended for a quick couple of seconds to incorporate. 

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

Cooking with Herbs- Crostini and Pasta with Fresh Herbs

Last night Bonnie and Dawn came over to my house for our monthly Cooking with Friends night in.  Since my herb garden is in full abundance right now we went with the theme Cooking with Herbs.  There is so much that you can do with fresh herbs, and honestly we only just scratched the surface!  But our dinner was delicious and absolutely bursting with herbs!  Bonnie chose to make a pasta that incorporated the use of a bunch of herbs, that really showcased their flavor.  They were easily the star of the show.  It was so yummy and one I will totally be making again and again.  I think the addition of some chopped garden tomatoes would be lovely too.  

I went with a mixed variety of Crostini, some hot and some cold, all using different fresh herbs to show a lot of versatility in one basic little dish.  They all turned out delicious and we had a tough time deciding on a favorite.  But two stood out a little more then the rest- the Roasted Garlic Topping and also the Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping.  These two packed a ton of flavor in just very simple ingredients.   I was thrilled with the outcome of all the crostini and will definitely be making them again. What a perfect appetizer for a dinner party!  ....Although I doubt I will be waiting until a party to make these again- they are too good!  

from left to right: Roasted Garlic with Parmesan Cheese, Basil Pesto with Buffalo Mozzarella and Bruschetta Tomatoes,  Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping

Basic Crostini
1 french bread baguette, sliced thin on the diagonal (about 1/4-inch thick)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Place butter and olive oil in a small sauce pan over low heat and stir until butter is melted.  Brush both sides of the bread slices with the mixture and place on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven, turning once, until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes.  Allow crostini to cool, then place in an airtight container until ready to use.

Classic Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Topping
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
healthy drizzle extra virgin olive oil
shaved Parmesan Cheese

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside, unrefrigerated for at least 30 minutes.  Place onto toasted crostini and top with slices of shaved Parmesan Cheese.

Classic Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Crostini 

Roasted Garlic Topping
from Outer Banks The Bountiful Coastal Carolina Cookbook by Chyrel B. Austin
3 heads of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel garlic cloves and place in a small oven proof dish.  Pour oilve oil over the cloves; oil should cover the garlic cloves completely.  Cover the dish tightly with a double thickness of foil.  Place on the center shelf of oven and bake until cloves are tender.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.  Reserve the oil.  Place the garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil in a food processor and process until pureed.  Season with pepper, transfer to airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 days.

To serve, spread each crostini with a teaspoon of the roasted garlic mixture.  place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until crostini are warm, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve warm.

Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow or white onions, very thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (we used fresh, so it would be 1 tablespoon instead)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups grated Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onions. Let onions cook at least 3 minutes before stirring (they should start to brown before you move them around). Continue to cook, stirring only occasionally, about 20 minutes, until onions are well browned. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Spread bread slices with a little mustard. Divide onion mixture evenly over bread slices then top each with cheese.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts, tosasted
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Next add the cheese right into the food processor and just blended for a quick couple of seconds to incorporate.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

*for the crostini, I spread the pesto lightly onto the toast, topped them with slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese and a spoonful of the Classic Bruschetta Topping.

Shrimp and Sausage with Asiago Cheese

Shrimp & Sausage with Asiago Cheese Topping
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb. Italian hot or sweet sausage, casing removed
1/2 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup coarsely grated Asiago cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper and cook, stirring, until onion is wilted about 3 minutes. Add sausage meat and cook, stirring to break up lumps until no longer raw, about 5 minutes. Add chopped shrimp and garlic, cooking just until shrimp turns pink. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Preheat broiler. Place Basic Bruschetta slices on a baking sheet. Top with shrimp and sausage mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil just until cheese melts (3-4 minutes). Do not let brown. Remove from oven, cut into 2-inch pieces and serve hot. Serves 4.

Pasta with Fresh Herbs

Pasta with Fresh Herbs
1/2 lb uncooked pasta
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon dried marjoram (we used fresh since I am growing it! Make it 1 Tablespoon if using fresh.  Note:if you can't find Marjoram you can use oregano instead. They are in the same family.)
1 teaspoon ground savory (fresh here again- 1 tablespoon)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sliced black olives (we added more because we all love olives)

Cook pasta acording to package directions.  Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat.  Stir in the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.  Stir in the herbs.

Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.  Add the butter mixture and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with black olives.  Garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

The big, wonderful bowl of pasta- yum!

*I didn't make this one last night, just ran out of time and bread!  But I want to share the recipe for future use because it sounds wonderful!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Topping

Adapted slightly from Williams Sonoma 

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and

coarsely chopped

2 Tb. slivered almonds or toasted pine nuts

3 Tbs. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 c finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 oz. goat cheese 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the red peppers on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Bake for approx 40-45 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Let them cool and then, seed, peel and chop them.

In the bowl of a food processor or using a hand blender, combine the red peppers, the remaining garlic clove, nuts, cheese, 3 Tbs of the parsley, lemon juice, 2 tsp olive oil and the cayenne pepper. Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Season with salt and black pepper.

Reduce the oven to 350°F.

With the crostini in a single layer on a baking sheet, spread about 2 tsp of the goat cheese on each crostini. Bake until the cheese is slightly soft and the crostini are warm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and top each with about 1 Tbs of the red pepper pesto. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley.

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Dave Whittaker

"One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating.  And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends."

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'


Dave Whittaker

I am so excited to present today's Fridays, Feasting with Friends!  This is Dave Whittaker, he is a fellow Cleveland native, and also a fellow Foodie Blogger!  I stumbled across his blog one day while looking for a Michael Symon recipe and have been hooked ever since.  It is entitled Live to Cook.... at Home, where he is slowly cooking his way through Michael Symon's cookbook Live to Cook and in-turn learning some new recipes, techniques and having fun along the way.  And I am have such fun following along on his journey!  This lucky guy has had his blog featured on Channel 3, The Avon Ledger, Yahoo News and also Ohio Authority, Ohio's Premier Online Magazine {click here} to read these interviews.  The blogging world is such an awesome place!  I love that you can stumble across someone with the same interests as you do and in the process learn fun things, make new friends, and just have some great daily reading material!  My blogroll is getting larger and larger all the time- I just love it!  So do yourself a favor and add Dave's to yours today!  

What is your favorite thing to cook?
I like to experiment and try lots of new things, that's why I'm cooking my way through Michael Symon's cookbook. If forced to pick just one thing I guess it would be BBQ. I love to smoke pork butts and ribs and experiment with other dishes on the grill. I make all my own rubs, slathers, and sauces from scratch using the highest quality chilies, herbs and spices from SpiceHound at the Coit Road and Tremont Farmers Market.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
I wouldn't say it's my least favorite thing but my biggest challenge is cooking fish. Cooking through Michael Symon's book has helped me come along way, but I still worry about over or undercooking fish whenever I make it.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
We eat at Bar Symon more than any other restaurant because we love the food, it's close to home, and our 14 month old is welcomed with open arms (literally, the waitresses love her!) but Dante is probably my favorite restaurant right now. Dante is putting out some amazing food. Menu 6 tops the list of restaurants I'd like to try (I loved Boulevard Blue in that space) and I'd really like to make a return trip to L'Albatros.

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
I am usually too busy cooking to worry about music (and most of our guests don't have the same musical taste I do) so I let my wife pick. My personal play list would include music from The White Stripes, MGMT, Kings of Leon, O.A.R., Bloc Party, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, and The Raconteurs.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
More important than the food would be that it would be shared with my family and friends. For the food, I'd invite my favorite chefs and ask them each to prepare their favorite dish, paired with my favorite craft beers and wine.

What are you currently reading?
My blogroll! It's tough enough for me to keep up with all the great food and sports blogs I follow. I don't have time for books unless I'm on vacation.

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
My VitaMix. I got one last fall and use it almost everyday when I am home. It's great for making smoothies, fruit/veggie juices, soups, sauces, peanut butter, milk shakes and so much more.

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
Pulled pork is my go-to dish for a large crowd. Locally raised pork butt slowly smoked over applewood for 12 hours served with Carolina style BBQ sauce, my spicy coleslaw, and some jalapeno cheddar cornbread.

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
I am a complete Cleveland homer. I've had opportunities to leave for great opportunities in great cities multiple times but my family and friends keep me here. Cleveland is an under appreciated city with world class restaurants, museums, theater, parks, a Great Lake, and 3 major sports teams. It also has a low cost of living and minimal traffic, two things that keep me from moving to Chicago. It is extremely frustrating that the leaders in the area cannot put their selfish agendas aside and develop and grow this city into what it really could be.

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
My favorite meal was my Mom's lasagna. I rarely make lasagna but thanks for the reminder because I love it and should make it more often.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
I'm not all that into movies and I haven't been to the theater in over a year. When I do watch movies, I am a sucker for stupid comedies like The Hangover, Zoolander, and Old School.

What was your happiest moment in life?
God has blessed me with a wonderful life full of happy moments. The couple that come to the top are the day my daughter Isabel was born and the day I married my wife, Beth. If the Indians, Browns or Cavs ever bring home a championship, that would probably round out the top 3.

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
I buy as much as I can from local farmers and farmers markets. My favorites are Bluebird Meadows (pasture raised pork & beef, also eggs) and Plum Creek (humanely raised veal, chicken, duck, turkey, and plenty more). This is the third year we've belonged to a CSA. We receive bags full of delicious produce, fruit, eggs, meat and more from Plum Creek every week. I also like to go to the Homerville Food Auction to buy in bulk for freezing and canning. I get most everything else I need from the Westside Market and Heinen's.

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
I am cooking my way through Michael Symon's cookbook Live to Cook and blogging about it - www.livetocookathome.com. I started off well but have stalled a bit as of late.

One word that best describes you is: Passionate

One of my favorite recipes is one I tweaked from Food & Wine - Braised Pork Shoulder Steak with Fried Egg, Scallions, Pickled Ramps & Hot Peppers, and a Bacon Scallion Horseradish Mustard. The dish, as described by the author, is a combination of two of his favorite Japanese dishes,  donburi (meat and an egg with rice) and kakuni (slow-braised pork served with hot mustard). I followed the recipe for the most part, tweaking slightly with what I had on hand. Bluebird Meadows pork shoulder steak slowly braised in onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, & mirin, topped with a fried egg from Plum Creek Farm, leeks from Chef's Garden, homemade bacon scallion horseradish mustard, and homemade pickled ramps  and hot peppers, all served over rice with some of the braising liquid.

I did a short blog about it here: http://www.livetocookathome.com/2010/01/monday-supper.html

Here's a link to the original recipe in Food & Wine: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/braised-pork-with-ginger-pickled-shishito-peppers

Bacon Scallion Horseradish Mustard
1 cup dry mustard
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped cooked bacon
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1 teaspoon creamed horseradish

Mix the mustard and the vinegar in a non-aluminum saucepan; let sit 30 minutes for the mustard to dissolve. Whisk in the sugar, eggs, and tarragon. Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and is very hot to the touch. Do not boil. Stir in the bacon and the scallions. Immediately remove to a bowl or decorative glass jar and cool to room temperature. The mustard may be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for several months.

Dave, thank you so much for doing this interview for me!  It has been great to read and I am so thrilled to learn of two new local farmers that I wasn't aware of!  I am excited to check them out.  See you around the blog-world and maybe one day we can get the families together for dinner Michael Symon style :)  

Captain Morgan BBQ Sauce

Caryn, TD and their handsome son Cassidy

While in Cambridge, MA I lived across the courtyard from a wonderful couple, Teradon (TD) and Caryn.  They became fast friends, welcoming me into their group, inviting me places and including me on all sorts of fun times.  As much as I am happy to be back home amongst family, I miss my East Coast friends so very much.  Thank goodness for the internet, making it easy to keep in touch!

TD is always playing around in the kitchen and sent me this awesome recipe he created for a Captain Morgan BBQ sauce.  I am so excited to give it a try.  The flavors sound perfect for summer.  Looks like I am going to be sending Scott out to pick up a new propane tank this weekend....


Captain Morgan BBQ Sauce
makes a little less than 750ml

30 oz Tomato sauce
½ C Captain Morgan’s
¾ C Cider vinegar
¼ C Dark Brown Sugar
¼ C Dark Molasses
1 T Honey
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
1 T Onion Powder
2 t Paprika (1 regular and 1 smoked)
1 t Chili Powder
1 t Lemon Pepper Powder
1 t Liquid Smoke
½ t Fresh Ground Black Pepper
½ t Garlic Powder

Simmer to reduce. Great on Hamburgers.  I use this as my base for my Jack Daniels sauce as well. Switch out the Captain with the Jack Daniels and then add a shot of JD when you go to bottle it.

Chicken Souvlaki-Pita's with Cucumber Raita and Short-cut Strawberry Shortcakes

Over the holiday weekend my dear friend Tera and her husband Brian were visiting from Michigan and we were lucky enough to have them over for lunch.  I wanted to do something light, since it was pretty hot.  And also something that I wouldn't be cooking the whole time they were here- I wanted to visit and have fun with my company too!!  Sandwiches are an easy choice, but can be slightly boring- aha!  How about Chicken Souvlaki's?!  A Souvlaki is the Greek version of a kebab- meat that is threaded onto a skewer and then grilled.  They can be eaten off the skewers or put into a pita as a sandwich.  I decided to go with the later.  They are traditionally served with sliced onion, tomato and lettuce and then garnished with a sauce, like a Tzatziki.  I loooooooooove tzatziki, but garlic has been a little hit or miss with my nausea these days so I opted for the Indian version, called a Raita.  It is also a cucumber sauce, but made with mint instead of garlic. It ended up being a wonderful accompaniment for the Souvlaki-Pita's.  Plus the mint was lovely for the summer.  A perfect substitution for a nauseated pregnant girl *grin*.

I wanted to keep things as simple as possible so I did the old favorite for marinading chicken.... oil-based salad dressing.  If you haven't done this, hurry up!  It makes the chicken super tender and full of flavor.  I generally use Italian Dressing for this, but to add a bit of a different flavor, this time I opted for an Olive Oil based Honey Dijon Mustard Dressing.  Add a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper and you are good to go.  Let it sit in the refrigerator for a least an hour to marinate.  Meanwhile soak your bamboo skewers for about 30 minutes in water to prevent burning.  When ready to grill, remove the chicken from the fridge and thread onto the soaked skewers.  Grill or broil until cooked through.  Serve with all the fixings and let people add what they would like.  Finished product- delicious!!!

  

Chicken Souvlaki-Pita

(serves 4)

4 Marinated Chicken breasts, chunked, skewered and grilled/broiled

1/2 pint grape tomatoes, chopped

Romaine lettuce, chopped

Red Onion, sliced

Cucumber Raita (recipe follows)

Flat Bread Pita, warmed on the grill

Assemble all of the yummy fixings onto the warmed flatbread pita's.  Be sure to load on the Cucumber Raita- it tastes best when it is dripping through your fingers!  Enjoy

Cucumber Raita
2 hot house cucumbers (English), peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (lightly salt and allow to drain for at least 15 minutes to pull out the extra moisture)
2 cups Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cumin

Directions
Stir together all of the ingredients, adding the cucumber last. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

For dessert, Tera and Brain made a yummy Strawberry Shortcake.  This is a great dessert to have in your back pocket.  It is simple to assemble and quite inexpensive when strawberries are in season.  

Short Cut Strawberry Shortcake

Premade shortcake rounds

fresh strawberries, sliced

strawberry glaze

whipped cream

Place a dollop of strawberry glaze into the center of the premade shortcake rounds.  Top with sliced fresh strawberries and a generous amount of whipped cream.  Serve immediately.  

It was so wonderful having Tera and Brian in town.  I could easily get used to it!  We will miss you guys- hurry back!

Exciting New Discovery- Almond Milk (plus 2 recipes)

As you can see I changed things up a little here- again!  Maybe it is the Spring fever in me, but the other layout , although I liked it very much, was just too dark for me.  I wanted something a little brighter, fresher and showed off the pictures of food a little better.  So I thought I would try this one on for size for a little while.  We'll see if it sticks.  Still deciding on it....  

I have been on a Almond Milk kick lately.  Have you tried this stuff yet?  I have a sometimes-love-hate relationship with dairy. I used to be Lactose Intolerant, and thankfully I'm not really anymore, but every now and then rich foods or too much milk will send my stomach in knots.  I have tried out all those other non-dairy substitutes and not many of them thrill me too much.  I find Soy milk a bit too chalky, rice milk is all carbs and honestly I don't need more help in that field, and Lactaide= yuck.  Thanks to Hungry Girl's newsletter I discovered the joy of Almond Milk.  It is low fat (same as 1% milk), but there is also no dairy, lactose, cholesterol, peanuts, casein, gluten, eggs or MSG in it.  It only has 2 grams of carbs (yippee!) It is 100% vegan, contains no saturated fat, and can be used cup for cup when cooking or baking to replace cows milk.  You can buy the unsweetened original, unsweetened vanilla or unsweetened chocolate or there is also the Original, which has just a slight faint hint of sweetness, Vanilla and Chocolate.  The first time I bought it I purchased the Original, I wanted to start there and see what I thought before playing around with their other stuff.  Scott was out of town and I thought for sure he would be like "What in the heck is this?!" when he got home.  But guess what, he really liked it!  I was sort of surprised just because he likes his coffee with 2% milk, and isn't always so thrilled when I buy 1%.  And NO sugar or any sweetener of any kind.  I'm not a sugar in my coffee kind of girl either, and this stuff is yummy!  Not sweet, but with wonderful flavor.  It makes your coffee nice and frothy, which I also love.  I know I probably sound like they are paying me to rave about them, but alas that is not the case.  I just love this stuff and feel everyone should know about it!!  It is like on the best hidden secrets out there!  

I have been doing some cooking with it and so far everything has turned out really great.  For dinner tonight I wanted something relatively easy.  Scott was buying our new family car and wouldn't be home until a bit later then usual.  I had some refrigerated Buitoni Pasta in the fridge, Whole Wheat Chicken and Prosciutto filled Ravioli's to be exact that were screaming for a nice rich cream sauce.  I love the Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce at the Macaroni Grill and I wanted to create something similar.  But no heavy cream in this house, just Almond Milk....guess what, It turned out amazing.  And, I didn't have to feel completely terrible about eating it because it was so much lower in fat.  Now remember, you could totally use regular cows milk, cream or half and half in place of the Almond milk in this recipe.  

Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

1 whole head of garlic, peeled 

extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, cut in half and then sliced thin

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups of Almond Milk (or any milk product of your choice)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

lots of cracked black pepper

a pinch of nutmeg

When I make roasted garlic, I like to peel an entire head, and place it in an oven proof dish and pour in enough olive oil, just to cover the cloves.  Cover with foil, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove cloves and reserve the olive oil for future cooking or for dipping good crusty bread into- do not throw away!  You just made Roasted Garlic Infused Olive Oil at the same time!  Yum!  Mash the garlic up and create a sort of paste.  Set aside. 

Sauté your onions in one tablespoon olive oil for about 20 minutes on low heat, letting them sweeten and caramelize.  Be sure to add a pinch of salt to the onions, it keeps them from burning.  

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  In a separate bowl, mix the flour and milk together with a whisk being sure to get  rid of any lumps.  Add it to the saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir continuously until the sauce will thicken.  With the almond milk it took a little bit longer then cows milk, about 10 minutes.   Whisk in your cheese and add the roasted garlic, caramelized onions, salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.  Be sure not to leave the nutmeg out.  You wont notice that it is nutmeg you are tasting, but you will notice a wonderful flavor you can't quite pin point.  Nutmeg is a perfect addition to just about any cream-based sauce.  Top onto your favorite pasta and serve.  

This pasta was sooooooo delicious, so creamy and just as I had hoped, worked perfectly with the ravioli.  This will be a definite Do-Again!

I just received a yummy sounding recipe using Almond Milk so I wanted to post it here for easy access.
*Recipe Submission by Tera Pepper

Peanut Butter, Banana and Almond Milk Smoothy

Almond Milk, to taste
1/4 Cup Natural Peanut Butter
1 Banana
2 teaspoons Honey
lot of ice


Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth and enjoy!