Classic Ratatouille

We belong to our local CSA, Fresh Fork Market and just LOVE IT. Wednesdays are my favorite day of the week when we get to head to the neighborhood truck and pick up our weekly share. The bags are overflowing with the most gorgeous fruits, veggies, and since we get the Omnivore Share, meats too. It's such a fun way to not only support local farms and small businesses, but also try things you may never have picked up at the grocery store on your own. It keeps meal time exciting for sure! 

But sometimes I gotta admit on weeks when we are particularly busy (like last week!) I have to play a game of catch up to use my veggies before 1) they go bad 2) we are hit with next week's share doubling our fresh food and loosing space to store it all in my fridge! In these situations soups, stews and stir-fry's are kings in our house! And Friday was one of those days. In my crisper was zucchini, patty pan squash, eggplant, a variety of peppers and my counter tops were full of tomatoes (just to name a few!!). What was the best way to use this all up? Ratatouille of course! 

Ratatouille is a delicious vegetarian stew from the Provence region France using the best of summers bounty. It can be eaten as a side dish, spooned onto nice crusty bread, served over rice, stirred into pasta, we love it over roasted chicken and as a base instead of sauce for homemade pizza; its uses are endless! I won't lie, it is a bit of a labor of love due to lots of vegetable chopping and sauteing in batches, but its a super easy dish to throw together and can be made in advance and reheated throughout the week.  I actually think Ratatouille tastes even better the next day because then all the flavors have had a chance to meld together. It also freezes wonderfully! This recipe has become a favorite and I hope you love it as much as we do. 

Ratatouille

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 onions halved and then sliced into wedges
2 peppers, deseeded and chopped into 2" chunks
2 eggplants quartered and then chopped into 2" chunks
2 zucchini or yellow squash halved and sliced
5-6 tomatoes roughly chopped, juices and seeds included
1 can whole plum tomatoes or stewed tomatoes, undrained
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
A few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 bunch fresh basil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil. Once oil is hot add your chopped peppers, zucchini, and eggplant and sauté until they begin to soften and brown a bit. Do not cook through. Work in batches if needed and transfer cooked veggies to a bowl. Set aside.

Add a teaspoon of oil to the stockpot along with the garlic and onions. Sauté for 15 minutes until soft and beginning to caramelize. Add the cooked vegetables, tomatoes- fresh and canned, whole sprigs of thyme and Balsamic Vinegar to the pot. Stir well to combine, gently scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate the wonderful brown bits into the stew. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add a good pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper and stir well. Simmer for an additional 15-30 minutes allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken. The longer the veggies simmer, the softer and silkier they will become. Taste and adjust seasoning.  Remove the stems of the thyme and discard. Now you want to chiffonade the basil. You do this by stacking the basil leaves on top of one another and then roll up. Thinly slice the basil creating long thin strips. Sprinkle the basil into the ratatouille, reserving a bit for garnish. Stir to combine.

Serve alongside crusty bread, trust me you'll want it to sop up all the delicious sauce. Enjoy!

Insalata Caprese, Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad

While studying abroad in London during college I took a holiday to Paris for the weekend. I got in late and was STARVING. After checking into my hotel I decided to go wander around and find a place to get a bite to eat. Paris seems to never sleep and there were so many amazing sites and smells all around me, but a cozy little pizza place called my name. After traveling in a foreign country, here I felt at home. This restaurant, of all places, was where I had Insalata Caprese, or Tomato Mozzarella Salad, for the first time. A classic Italian salad while in Paris, France! No better place really, it created a special memory that I'll never forget. What's even better is that it is SO EASY to recreate, and has become a summertime staple in our home.

Insalata Caprese

3-4 large Tomatoes, thickly sliced
2 large balls of Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, thickly sliced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, leaves stripped from the stems
Coarse Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Glaze

Alternate thick slices of fresh Tomato (look for nice big ones!), Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil leaves around a large platter. Season generously with coarse sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a Balsamic Glaze. And then dig in!


This salad goes with just about anything. We equally love it alongside a juicy steak as with nice dippy eggs at breakfast. Sooooo good. While the tomatoes are still showing up in your CSA bag and at roadside stands, be sure to give this recipe a try! You'll see it's the perfect kiss of summer.

And here's a little tip.  Instead of buying the expensive basil in the plastic clam shell packs in the produce department (that seem to go bad way before you have time to use them all!) buy the fresh cut stems.  Then when you get home, place them in a glass or mason jar of water on your windowsill. You can pinch off the leaves as you need it when cooking and after time, your basil will start to take root! Eventually you can plant them in a pot for a kitchen cutting garden or in your back yard!

Cheesy Quinoa Bites

So it isn't a huge secret that I am not all that crazy about quinoa.  I want to like it, I really do!  It is so crazy good for you, it is supposed to aid in migraine health, and your body burns it as fast as you eat it.  But for the most part, it just isn't one of my favorite things.  That is until I discovered these guys!  A blog I love,  So Very Blessed, created these little gems and oh man are they delicious!! They are crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside and JAMPACKED with flavor! What I really love about this recipe, is how customizable it is.  You can switch around the ingredients for totally different flavors- add pepperoni and mozzarella cheese and now you have quinoa pizza bites, use ham, diced chicken and Swiss and voila! you have Cordon Bleu bites.  A bit of corn, black beans, chilies and cilantro and now they are Southwestern!  These cheesy ones I feel are the "base recipe", and from there the sky's the limit!   Be sure you check out So Very Blessed to see all the many flavor combinations she has come up with!  I've made each and every one and we LOVE them all!  The kids can't get enough of them either, making it even better.  They make an awesome snack, appetizer or side dish. I've even served them alongside a salad for a satisfying dinner.  No matter how you serve them, they will get gobbled up as fast as lightening!

I normally make the quinoa bites in my mini muffin pan, but this last time, I had extra mixture left over so I made a few patties in my muffin-top pan and they were fantastic! They would make a great "burger".  In these pictures I had a used a quinoa/brown rice blend because that was what the market happened to have at the time, and they were just as yummy. 

Cheesy Quinoa Bites
Recipe courtesy So Very Blessed

Makes: ~ 28 bites

Ingredients
2 cups cooked quinoa (I cook my quinoa in low sodium chicken broth)
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded carrot
2 stalks green onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.Mix together quinoa, carrot, egg, green onion, garlic, cilantro, cheese, flour, salt and pepper.
3.Distribute mixture into a (well!) greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (1 heaping Tbs each).
4.Bake for 15-20 minutes.

We are big dippers in our house- the more sauces the better! Ha!  Our favorites are honey mustard dressing (pictured), BBQ sauce, frank's hot sauce, ranch/blue cheese dressing and for the pizza bites, spaghetti sauce of course!

Italian Sausage Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers

This is a yummy and super easy meal that is perfect for a weeknight.  You can easily prepare these peppers the night before and then throw them in the oven to bake when you get home from work cutting down on your time even more.  I call for Cubanelle peppers which are one of my favorites!  They have a mild heat yet taste sweet at the same time, especially after cooking.  But if you prefer a spicier pepper, Hungarian Hot peppers are a great substitute.   When I make these, I like to use a combination of Cubanelle peppers and mild Italian Sausage.  It has just the right amount of spice, but mild enough for the kids to enjoy.  Jackson my 6 year old couldn't stop raving about these at dinner.  He even ate the pepper!   It was too cool. 

Italian Sausage Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers
4 Cubanelle Peppers (banana or Hungarian Hot peppers will also work nicely)
1 lb ground Italian Sausage (sweet, mild or hot are all delicious choices!  Use your favorite)
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with pam, and cover bottom with a bit of spaghetti sauce, just to keep everything moist. Sauté onion and minced garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the ground Italian sausage and sauté until no longer pink. Pour pork mixture into a large bowl and add bread crumbs, salt and pepper, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and one beaten egg. Stuff them into halved cubanelle peppers (banana or Hungarian hot are also good choices). Top with remaining sauce and shredded mozzarella. Cover and bake for 50 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes. Serve alongside a nice green salad and some crusty bread, enjoy!

I apologize for the not s great photograph.  I am having problem with the memory card for my camera.  So iphone it was today! 

Fall Harvest Recipe Round-Up!

Are you on a hunt for some wonderful Autumn treats for this Hauntingly Fun Halloween Weekend?!  I have assembled for you some of my most favorites, that will definitely be a hit at any party- and especially at your own dinner table!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Both a Savory and a Sweet Version!

Traditional Garlic and Worcestershire Pumpkin Seeds and also  Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Cider Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Favorites

From Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
Kolokithopita- Savory Greek Pumpkin Pie
Low Carb Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Yum Yum Brownie Muffins
Caramelized Onion Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Apple Treats 

From Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
Apple Cream Cheese Quick Bread
Apple Dapple Cake
Traditional Apple Crisp
Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar

Owl and Bat Cupcakes

And just incase you are looking for some fun ways to decorate your cupcakes for the Halloween Party, these are always a huge party hit!

Owl and Bat Cupcakes

Farfalle Pasta Salad with Sweet Peas and Dill

This pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment to any and every summer meal.  It is different from the pasta salads you see everywhere and has a huge addicting quality making people want to have more and more. This is my sister's recipe and I have absolutely fallen in love with it.  I always hope for leftovers because I can never get enough!  Even though we tend to have it for family parties as a side dish, this would make a wonderful light dinner as is or with some grilled chicken or tuna tossed in.  Seriously, so, so, so good!  You will LOVE it, trust me.


Farfalle Pasta Salad with Sweet Peas and Dill

1 (16-oz) box Farfalle Pasta (any thick noodle would work well, but these bow ties look so pretty!)
1 cup sweet peas
1-1.5 cups)  mayo
dijon mustard
lots of fresh dill, chopped
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions on box.  Allow to cool.  Combine the peas with the pasta and add enough mayo to coat, but not so much to make it to be super saucy.  This isn't a sloppy, saucy, mayo-rich salad, just enough for great flavor and to evenly coat.  Add a good squeeze of dijon, about 2 tablespoons or so and stir. Add a ton of chopped dill, and season to taste with salt and a bit of ground black pepper and stir to throughly combine. Allow to chill before serving.

This recipe is featured on This and That and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party

Quick Pickled Onions

Oh how I love pickles. They are deliciously pungent, tart, salty, sometimes a little sweet and have the best crunch.   They can add so much flavor and dimension to so many recipes.  But you know what my favorite part of the pickle is, those onions and garlic that have been shoved inside the jars to give the cucumbers, peppers and whatnot all their flavor.  Yum.  Tiny pearled pickled onions are the BEST.  My absolute fav.  I will pick those out of my spicy hot Giardiniera jars first followed closely by the califlower. I'm not alone here, am I?

When I stumbled across this recipe on NPR the other day I knew I had to give them a try.  Quick Pickled Onions?  Really?!  How fun!  These things are ready and able to be eaten as soon as they completely cool. There isn't a long curing time like with some pickling recipes- only 25 minutes.  I can handle that. I was making a Mustard and Vinegar BBQ Chicken tonight (I'll give you guys that recipe tomorrow!) and thought they would make a fun new accompaniment instead of the slaw I generally make.

The first time we ate these I wasn't too sure about the cumin flavor, it felt a little too strong and they were very sharp tasting and a little too vinegary.  Still good, but I felt the recipe might need some tweaking.  Until the next day, that is.  I tried them again on my leftover chicken and they. were. perfect. Cold, crunchy, salty, tart, and just the right amount of seasoning.  The cumin was no longer overly pronounced, just a light smokey flavor that really did add to the onions nicely.  So next time I make them I will definitely give the onions more time to get icy cold in the fridge before serving.  Now when i walk past the fridge I can't help snatching a few every now and then!  They would have been dangerous when I was pregnant and really craving vinegar flavors!

We originally had them on the pulled chicken sandwiches.  But they are also yummy topped on a burger, tossed in a salad, and today I added them to my tuna sandwich.  Anywhere you want a little of the pickle flavor without committing to a full blown (cucumber) pickle, these are your guys.

Quick Pickled Onions
recipe courtesy NPR


2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium onions, about 1 1/4 pound (red onions turn a beautiful pink when pickled)

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat.

While the brine heats, prepare the onions. Peel and trim them, and cut them in half from root to stem end. Then slice each half as thinly as you can into half-moons. Ideally, no slice should be thicker than 1/4 inch.

When you've finished slicing the onions, check the brine. If it isn't boiling, increase the heat to high. When the brine boils, add the onion slices all at once, and stir to combine. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for about 25 minutes.

Transfer the onions and brine to a large bowl, and set aside to cool at room temperature. (Or, if you're in a hurry, put the bowl in the refrigerator.) When the onions are fully cooled, pour them and their brine into jars with tight-fitting lids, and store in the refrigerator. Unlike other types, these quick pickles are ready to be eaten as soon as they are fully cold.

These pickles will keep, chilled, for up to 2 weeks.

Kolokithopita- Savory Greek Pumpkin Pie

At our last girls' night in, we decided on a Greek Theme for dinner.  I've made plenty of Souvlaki's, hummus and pitas, kabobs, and all your traditional fare in the past.  So tonight I thought I would try something a little different.  Being that it is fall and I love all things pumpkin this recipe really stood out to me.  It is a pie, like the famous Spanakopita; a spinach and cheese pie layered between flaky phyllo pastry.  Only instead of spinach it uses the festive pumpkin!  It is called a "pumpkin pie", but it tastes nothing like the American counterpart.  It has a slight sweetness thanks to the pumpkin, but otherwise it is a very savory dish with the salty feta and ricotta cheeses, sautéed onion, and rice.  It was a lovely recipe and I am so glad I gave it a whirl!  You should too.

Kolokithopita- Savory Greek Pumpkin Pie

adapted slightly from Healthy Greek Recipes

1 medium to small pumpkin OR one can of pumpkin
1 large onion, chopped
1 and ½ cups milk (I prefer evaporated because is creamier)
1 cup short grain rice
2 whole eggs (substitute is ok too)
2 cups different cheeses (you can use feta, which is typical, but any other cheese will do it as long as it is a salty one.  I used one cup of feta and one cup of ricotta)
pepper to taste
1 tsp cinnamon
Either ½ box of Phyllo (pictured) or 1 whole box puff pastry

If using a whole pumpkin, cut in half, clean out the seeds and grate the pumpkin into a bowl.  Set aside. 

In large skillet sauté the onion until it begins to caramelize and turn brown. Add the pumpkin stirring occasionally over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes until it looks like paste. Add the milk and rice and stir for about ten more minutes. Add the eggs, cheeses cinnamon and pepper and mix throughly. Taste and adjust seasoning according to your liking.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

If using puff pastry:
Brush olive oil at the bottom of a pan and roll out the first sheet of pastry on the bottom.  Spread the pumpkin and cheese mixture on top and layer with the second sheet of pastry. Brush the top with a little olive oil and put it in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pastry becomes light gold. Allow to cool before you cut in squares.

If using phyllo dough:
Brush the pan with melted butter. Carefully layer the thin sheets of phyllo one on top of the other, brushing each sheet with the melted butter or olive oil before adding a new sheet of phyllo.  You want about half of the stack of phyllo layered on the bottom of the pan.  Spread the pumpkin and cheese mixture on top and repeat layering and buttering of the remaining sheets of phyllo dough until gone.  With a sharp knife carefully score the top few sheets of phyllo dough into squares where you will want to cut them apart.  This will keep the phyllo from shattering when you cut it after baking.  Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour or until the phyllo sheets are crisp and golden brown.


I linked up my recipe on Mom's Crazy Cooking!

Greek Pasta Salad with a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette

I love a nice chilled pasta salad for a summer lunch and they are obviously the perfect side dish for any picnic or BBQ.  But I am not always all that crazy about those that are doused in mayo.  Talk about wasted calories! I would much rather have an extra glass of sangria then mayo-laden pasta salad.  This is a lovely alternative. Totally guilt free and absolutely bursting with flavor.  I used my sister's Roasted Tomato Salad Dressing and it went perfect with the feta and olives.  So yummy!  And actually I felt that the salad tasted even better the next day after all of the flavors got to hang out with each other a bit.  If I was making this for a party, I would definitely put it together the night before.

print this recipe

Greek Pasta Salad with a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette 

For the vinaigrette:
Roasted Tomato Dressing
Container of cherry or grape tomatoes
Small red onion (I used 3 chopped green onions, since that is what I had on hand.  Any onion would work really)
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2-2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Empty and entire container of tomatoes on a baking pan. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in the oven until they start to split, about 15 min. While roasting, mince a small red onion & put in large bowl. Take roasted tomatoes and juice from the pan and put in bowl with the onions. Mash the tomatoes with potato masher or fork. Stir in dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. In a slow steady stream, stir in olive oil while stirring with a whisk or a fork.  Stir until well blended, add salt & pepper to taste.

For the pasta salad:
1/2 box cavatappi pasta, cooked according to directions on box (or another ridged pasta; penne, fusilli or gremili would be nice)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 english cucumber, sliced into rings and then cut into fourths
1 can black olives, sliced into rings
1 block feta, crumbled
a bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta to al-dente, according to directions printed on the box.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Set aside to allow to cool down.  This is a good time to make up your vinaigrette.  Once your vinaigrette is made, combine all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl.  Pour dressing on top and mix well.  Chill for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to combine.

I have a hard time waiting to eat this yumminess, but I have to admit it tastes best chilled.

You could definitely add cooked chicken or shrimp to make this more of main course.  It would be delicious!

"Spinach and Herb" Green Beans

Going along with my awesome giveaway for a Party Pack from Tastefully Simple, all week I am going to feature recipes using different Tastefully Simple products.  Today I am featuring the Spinach and Herb Dip Mix.  Although it makes a wonderful dip for veggies and pita chips, I tend to use it most often as seasoning while I cook- especially in the cooler months when fresh herbs aren't as plentiful.

There is tons of flavor in this seasoning mix, combining spinach flakes, onion, minced green onion, dill and garlic, making it completely versatile in cooking.  There is also only a very, very small amount of salt, so you can pretty much season your food as you would do so normally without worrying about sodium overload.  Love that!  It is also completely All Natural- no additives to get in the way of a healthy meal.

This quick recipe for green beans was a huge hit at Easter Dinner.  Everyone loved them.  The left overs (if you have any) are wonderful cold, tossed into a green leafy salad with a lemony vinaigrette.  Yum!

"Spinach and Herb" Green Beans
1 lb green beans, steam-end snipped
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 whole shallots, diced
water
1 Tablespoon Spinach and Herb Dip Mix, like Tastefully Simple's
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large rimmed saute pan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft and translucent. Remove shallots from pan and set aside. Add green beans to pan and enough water to come up half way on the green beans. Cover and steam until beans are crisp-tender and bright green in color. Drain beans and return to pan. Add remaining olive oil, shallots, Spinach and Herb Dip Mix and stir to combine. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste.  Sauté 3 minutes to allow spices to rehydrate and flavors to combine.  Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!

Other suggestions for the Spinach & Herb Dip Mix

• Serve dip in a blossom of purple kale.

• Add dry mix to scrambled eggs before cooking.

• Perfect on broiled or baked fish.

• Make herb bread by adding 1–2 Tbsp. to Bountiful Beer Bread Mix®.

• Toss dry mix with cooked carrots, cauliflower and broccoli.

• Add prepared dip to seafood pasta salad.

• Toss with hot, cooked fettuccine noodles.

• Spread prepared dip on finger sandwiches.

• Dollop prepared dip on baked potatoes.

• Sprinkle on cottage cheese.

• Look for more recipes at www.tastefullysimple.com.

Don't forget to enter for a chance to win this party pack from Tastefully Simple!  Click {here} to enter the giveaway!  Drawing ends on June 6th, so hurry up!

For ordering information, please contact Melissa Kroft,  Independent Consultant ID# 0060063 at www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mkroft  or email her at melissakroft@sbcglobal.net.  She will be more then happy to hook you up with all of your needs or set you up with a local consultant in your area. 

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Alicia Hansen

"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'

Alicia Hansen

For today's Fridays, Feasting with Friends I would like to introduce you to another local Cleveland blogger, Alicia Hansen.  She writes the very popular blog Poise in Parma and also works with the Ohio Blogging Association.  Poise in Parma is a blog about finding balance in her life in this crazy town: Her non-stop life of family, career, food, fitness and one amazing golden retriever. How She lost 110 pounds in under eight years – and have managed / struggled / survived to keep it off. But most importantly, the discoveries she makes in Believeland along the way.  It is a fun blog, full of wonderful inspiration and of course all things CLE.

If you live in Ohio and have a blog, and haven't done so already, be sure you head over to Ohio Blogging Association and sign up.  It is fantastic place to network with other local bloggers, find out about fun events and help grow your blog.  I only recently discovered OBA, and am so loving the connections I have already made.  I have yet to make it to an event- but already have the next one, Saturday, May 14th: OBA May Meet Up: Cleveland Marathon Pot Luck Pasta Dinner written on my calendar!!  I can't wait!

So as Alicia likes to say: "Run those 3.1 miles then eat some potato & bacon pierogies with me." Cheers!

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Savory oats. It’s very therapeutic for me – to stand at the stove, stirring the oats, boiling off the water,getting them to the right consistency. I love cracking the egg in the finished oats, breaking the yolk and evenly distributing it to get everything nice and fluffy. It’s definitely a practice in developing patience. The end result is always worth it.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
I HATE pan frying fish/seafood at home. The prep, the cooking, the lingering smell… I would much rather pay for someone else to make it.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of AMP 150. I really appreciate Chef Cooley approach to how he using his ingredients in his cooking. I’m also a huge fan of Zack Bruell, but have never dined at Parallax. It’s on my CLE dining bucket list.

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
My John Coltrane Pandora station. Can’t beat solid jazz for background music for a social gathering in my opinion.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
As I’m gluten intolerant, it would be a crazy gluten fest: a grilled turkey, roasted beet & goat cheese panini on a thick pumpernickel. On the side: sweet potato fries and the largest dill pickle you could find. For dessert: a waffle cone from Honey Hut Ice Cream: Honey Graham flavor please.

What are you currently reading?
I’ve been working my way through The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky as a personal project I’m calling How I’ll Find Happiness in 2011. The suggested practices in the book have been a great way to figure out what brings me joy and how I can embrace those things in my every day life.

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
I chug coffee like it’s no one’s business. I love mine well mixed with a milk frother I picked up at La Sur Table.

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
I am always asked to make pasta salad for family get togethers. Mine is nothing special (bow tie pasta, black olives, green peppers, mozzarella cheese, grape tomatoes, etc.), but my family can’t get enough of it.

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
No question, it’s the people. Yes, we have amazing museums, restaurants, parks, companies and
organizations. But it’s the residents of our area that make all those things spectacular.

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
Elbow macaroni with meat sauce has a soft spot in my heart. I don’t make meat sauce much since my husband isn’t a huge “ground meat” fan. But when I know I’m making dinner for myself, I’ll break out some quinoa macaroni, ground turkey & some quality jarred pasta sauce for dinner for one.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
In no specific order, The Muppet Movie, Singing in the Rain & Office Space.

What was your happiest moment in life?
It’s so cliché, but my wedding day. The entire day was a dream. I practically ran down the aisle because I was so excited to marry my husband. My dad had to hold me back to slow me down! Also, our reception was a PAR-TAY – guests still say to me how much fun they had dancing the night away.

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
We do a weekly run to Marc’s Stores. We also it up Giant Eagle, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods as
needed. I’m trying to make it to more farmers’ markets in 2011.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
Ice cream. Good, high quality, homemade ice cream. I’m obsessed with Honey Hut. (See previous
question on last meal on earth.)

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
Professionally, coordinating a span of ten events in seven days in the Fall of 2009. The events included from organizing a performance for a Hollywood star, a formal sit-down banquet, a private home strolling dinner with an Iron Chef, a luncheon on a stage at PlayhouseSquare, and opening night cast party, and a backstage tour.

Personally, running the 2011 Walt Disney World Half Marathon this past January. When I was previously a size 22 at 250 pounds, I thought things like that were impossible. Now – much smaller and somewhat older – I know they aren’t.

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
Make gluten-free pierogies.

One word that best describes you is: Kindhearted.

Now please share a favorite recipe:
Spaetzle is an egg based dumpling that is served with many of my family’s old world recipes. For this recipe, you’ll need a spaetzle maker, but the tool is worth it for this side dish. This is adapted from a recipe found on the Food Network page – I unfortunately can’t find the original link.

Spaetzle

ingredients:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted
1/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pam cooking spray
Butter (to taste)
Parsley

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil, then lower the heat and allow to simmer. Combine all the
ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spray your spaetzle maker with Pam, then place it over the pot. Ladle batter into the spaetzle maker, then being creating dumplings by sliding the dough over the holes of the device.

Make sure to stir the water/dumplings for even circulation around the pot. Continue the dumpling making until all batter is gone. When the dumplings float, continue to boil until the dumplings look fluffy.

Remove the spaetzle by draining through a colander. Place dumplings in a serving dish, top with butter and parsley (and probably another sprinkle of salt) and serve.

"Good Morning Idaho"- Eggs Baked in Potatoes

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As soon as I stumbled across this recipe from Real Simple, I just had to try it!  It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone here how much I love eggs.  They are so comforting and delicious.  I'm already head over heels in love with my other baked eggs recipes.  There is the traditional recipe, Baked Eggs, and then there is the fancier (but just as easy!) Eggs Baked in Tomatoes with Prosciutto and Pesto.  This is the perfect addition to the list.  Plus it is all the best breakfast components in one delicious bite- eggs, bacon (or sausage) and potatoes.  Yum!  We enjoyed these as a dinner with a bowl of Roasted Red Pepper Bisque.  It was a lovely combination.  Jackson told me I should make his eggs like this from now on.  This has easily become his new favorite food.

While making these guys the name "Good Morning Idaho" popped in my head and I loved it!  I think it is the perfect name for the perfect dish.  They are very easy, with modest ingredients that you will probably always have on hand.  You need one large baking potato per person.  Rub them in olive oil, sprinkle the skin with coarse sea salt and puncture all over to avoid an explosion in your oven.  Roast at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly so you are able to handle them. Once cool, carefully cut the very top of the potato off.  Sprinkle this little yummy bit with pepper and enjoy before moving on to the next step.  This is the bonus for being the chef *wink*

Now you want to take a spoon or a large melon baller and very, very carefully scoop out the insides of the potato.  You don't want to remove too much, because you'll want the potato as part of your meal too.  But you will need room to crack your egg in.  Sprinkle the insides of the potatoes with salt and pepper and add a pat of butter.

What do you do with all that potato you just scooped out?  Save it to make Potato Puffs of course!

While you are roasting your potatoes fry up some bacon or sausage until crisp.  Allow to cool and then chop into pieces.  I used prosciutto since I had it on hand, but any breakfast meat would be good.  Now you want to add some of your yummy ingredients to the inside of the potato bowl, being careful to leave enough room for the egg.  For these potatoes I used prosciutto, chopped green onion, finely chopped fresh rosemary and shredded cheese.

Now very carefully break one egg into the center of each bowl.  Sprinkle with additional cheese, herbs and meat.  Place into a rimmed baking dish and return to the oven at 350 for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the whites of the egg have set and you have the yoke done to your liking.

Enjoy!

Bacon and Herb Quinoa

Quinoa, pronounced "keen-wah", is commonly considered a grain, but is actually the seed of the plant and is closely related to spinach and swiss chard- wild huh?!  It is thought to be one of the most "ancient" of all foods, "the gold of the Incas" which provided stamina to the warriors.  This "grain" is incredibly high in protein and is actually considered a "perfect protein" because it includes all 9 of the amino acids.  Making it great for people who suffer from migraines and diabetes.  Since the birth of my oldest son I am a Chronic-Daily-Headache (CDH) sufferer.  Meaning I have gotten a headache every single day for the past 4 years.  I also get a whopping migraine every now and then.  Not fun.  I take beta-blockers which help considerably, but do not rid me of them completely.   I am always looking for other ways to help ease the pain and make them more manageable.  So when I read about eating quinoa to help I thought well why on earth not!  Plus, who isn't looking for something other then rice or potatoes to have with your dinner....  I have only started adding it to my diet so I don't yet know how it will effect my headaches- I will report back in the future with my findings.  Hopefully this little guy will do some magic!

Quinoa has a wonderful nutty flavor, and can be eaten either cold or warm.  I tasted it for the first time over the summer at a wedding shower and really enjoyed it.  This was my first time making it at home.  I found it super simple and was a big hit all around.  Jackson, my four year old even loved it!  Score!


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Bacon and Herb Quinoa
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained (don't skip this step unless your Quinoa states that it has been pre-rinsed)
1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock (water my be used instead, but the stock gives a much richer flavor)
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
4 scallions, chopped into 1/4-inch lengths
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 strips of bacon, chopped
a few dashes of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and stock; bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed and the grains are translucent, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, pick parsley, oregano and thyme leaves from stems, chop leaves coarsely, and set aside.

Chop bacon into bite sided pieces and saute over medium heat until browned. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. In the same saute pan that you cooked the bacon, remove all but 1 tablespoon of grease and add your onions. Saute until translucent and just beginning to caramelize.

Toss the quinoa with the olive oil, chopped green onions, butter, and chopped herbs and mix until combined. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, top with cooked bacon. Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley and serve.

Petite Mushroom Terrines

These little beauties are earthy, satisfying, and just bursting with flavor.  Baked in ramekins they are the perfect size for a side dish. But I think the next dinner party I host I may make them using my mini-muffin tin for tiny, one-bite appetizers.  The way the earthiness of the mushrooms blend with the garlic, herbs and green onions, they just taste so springy to me.  Makes me want to put my Wellies on and go splash in some puddles.

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Petite Mushroom Terrines
2 Tablespoons Canola or grapeseed oil
8 oz cremini or porcini mushrooms, chopped
8 oz white mushrooms, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon heavy cream or half and half
1 egg
2 egg yokes (don't throw away those egg whites!  save them for a healthy scramble in the morning)
1/2 bunch fresh chives (or 4 scallions), chopped
1 Tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter or oil 4 ovenproof ramekins or 4 muffin tin cups.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and saute all the mushrooms for 5 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium-high, swirl in the butter and saute the mushrooms until the moisture evaporates and the mushrooms are lightly browned.  Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the cream or half and half, egg, egg yokes, chives, and parsley together.  Stir in the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.  Pour into the prepared ramekins and bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.  Run a knife around the inside of each terrine and unmold.  Serve at room temperature.

I served these along side a Garlic and Rosemary Crusted Pork Tenderloin and the flavors were wonderful together.  Pork recipe to follow tomorrow!


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Potato Puffs

These cute little guys are the perfect little bite, super yummy and thoroughly addicting!  Go ahead and double this recipe because they will seriously fly off the plate.  My husband and 4 year old couldn't get enough of these guys.  We all agreed that we could eat a lot of them!

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Potato Puffs
2 large baking potatoes
1 egg
1/4 cup ham, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
handful shredded cheese of your choice (I used cheddar)
salt and pepper to taste

bake potatoes in oven until fork tender, about 45 minutes.  You can also "bake" them in the microwave using your Baked Potato setting if you don't have 45 minutes.  Scoop out the potato from the skins and discard skins (or save them and make Potato Skins!)

Add one egg to the potato and mix thoroughly.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Grease mini muffin cups with Nonstick Cooking Spray, and scoop about a tablespoon of mixture into each cup. Sprinkle a little bit of more cheese onto each bite.  Bake at 350 degrees until nicely puffed, about 15-20 minutes.  Makes about 12-15 puffs.


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Teriyaki Pork Wraps with Sweet-Hot Cucumbers and Sesame Bean Sprouts

The other night, I was originally planning on making a pork stir-fry over rice to serve for dinner.  But I just wasn't feeling it.  Not in the mood for rice, but still really wanted a nice Asian dish that was a little different then what I normally make in the house.  A-Ha!  I {heart} Asian lettuce wraps.  They are so fresh, crisp and full of fantastic flavor.  Unfortunately I purchased mescaline greens this week instead of the bib or romaine hearts I generally buy.  So lettuce wraps were out of the question.  But I did have some nice soft flour tortillas.  They worked beautifully!  These wraps were so good I had them for lunch the next day and I seriously think I need to make them again this week.

The recipes for the Sweet-Hot Cucumbers and the Sesame Bean Sprouts are each ones that I had jotted down ages ago and have no idea where they came from- except that they are delicious!  They balance out the saltiness of the teriyaki perfectly.

Teriyaki Pork Wraps
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 green pepper, cut into long thin strips
1 onion, cut in half and sliced into strips
2 boneless pork chops, sliced into very thin strips
4 scallions (green onion), sliced into 1" pieces
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce, reserve additional for dipping (the absolute best is Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded cabbage
Sweet-Hot Pickled Cucumbers *recipes follows
Sesame Soy Bean Sprouts *recipe follows
sesame seeds for garnish
4-6 flour tortillas

For the Pork Filling

In bowl, toss thinly cut pork with teriyaki sauce, cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes- overnight.

In hot non-stick skillet add 1 Tablespoon canola oil, sautee green peppers and onions over medium heat until tender-crisp. Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with foil to keep warm. In the same pan, add the additional 1 Tablespoon oil, cook and stir marinated pork over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add sliced scallions and sautee for an additional 1 minute.  Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.

Warm stack of tortillas by sandwiching them between two damp paper towels and microwave for 40 seconds.

These cucumbers are a bit sweet but also have a nice kick from the black pepper.  They are so very addicting.  LOVE them!

Sweet-Hot Pickled Cucumbers
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 English Cucumber OR 1 large cucumber, seeded and peeled

Combine the vinegar, sugar, water and salt in a small pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring until it boils and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. Cut cucumber lengthwise into quarters and again into 1/8″ strips. Place in a serving bowl and pour marinade over cucumbers, stirring to blend. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Next, lets move onto these yummy bean sprouts

Sesame Bean Sprouts
1½ cups bean sprouts
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp roasted sesame seeds

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the bean sprouts along with the other ingredients. Cook over a medium-high heat until the bean sprouts are tender. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To Assemble Wraps
I like to have all the different components in their own individual bowls on the table. This way everyone can make their own to their liking. This is my personal favorite layering method for maximum crunch/flavor factor.

On a warm tortilla, layer pepper/onion mixture, shredded cabbage and carrots, pork/ scallions mixture, Sweet-Hot Cucumbers (I like lots of these babies!) , Sesame Soy Bean Sprouts, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds for garnish and drizzle with a touch of extra Teriyaki Sauce. Be careful with the Teriyaki Sauce, it can be quite salty and you don't want to over-do it.  Roll up and devour!

Layer, wrap and enjoy!