It's A Simply Delicious Life

Poached Etruscan Salmon

2012-01-08T06:53:00.001-05:00

This amazing dinner had one of us licking her plate clean (I'm not going to say which one), while the other two family members were showering her with compliments about the meal. Picky Teenage Son was at work, which was just as well as he does not enjoy seafood.

The recipe (and the photo above) come directly from the Wegmans website, which I have found to be a very reliable recipe source. If you're not watching your carbs, serve with bread or a little pasta or rice to soak up the scrumptious sauce.

BTW, as far as using a "braising pan:" a 4- or 5-quart straight-sided skillet with a lid that holds the fish without crowding or a Dutch oven would do the trick.

Poached Etruscan Salmon

Serves: 4
Active Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Wegmans Basting Oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons finely diced shallot
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups Kitchen Basics Seafood Stock
1 cup Italian Classics Grandma's Pomodoro Sauce
1 Tbsp capers, drained
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skinned
Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat basting oil in braising pan on MEDIUM-HIGH. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring, about 1 min, until soft but not browned. Add wine and crushed red pepper; cook 3-5 min until liquid is reduced to one-third. Add seafood stock, pomodoro sauce, capers, olives, and rosemary; heat to 170-degree simmer. Reduce heat to MEDIUM-LOW; simmer 5 min to combine flavors.

Season salmon with salt and pepper; place, skinned side up, in pan. Return to 170 degree simmer. Cover; poach 5 min. Turn salmon over; poach, covered, 5-7 min, until internal temp reaches 130 degrees (check by inserting thermometer into thickest part of salmon).

Remove pan from heat; let rest at least 2 min.

Calories: 480
Nutrition Info: Each serving (1 salmon portion , 3/4 cup sauce) contains 480 calories, 8 g carbohydrate, (2 g fiber), 41 g protein, 27 g fat, (4 g saturated fat), 110 mg cholesterol, 1750 mg omega-3 fats, and 730 mg sodium.

Just cook!

2012-01-05T06:42:00.000-05:00

Today's post is brought to you by your refrigerator. And your grandmother (or great-grandmother, depending on your age).

Your refrigerator would like you to use up its contents before you open another cook book, watch another cooking show, or print out another recipe from the computer.

And your grandmother would like you to put down the cookbook and cook from the heart. Make something you like, without a recipe, and without making another trip to the supermarket. Like grandma, use the contents of your "icebox" and pantry to create soups, pasta and bean dishes, stir-fries and other simple family fare with little waste and no added expense. If you can boil water, turn on the broiler and chop a vegetable, you've got the skills necessary to make something edible.

Sometimes in my house I ask a family member to name three ingredients from our pantry and fridge, and I make a meal from those. It might be a pasta dish, a soup, a big salad or some grilled meat. I season according to what I know we like (not too spicy), cook in healthy method, and dinner's ready.

In the new year, please JUST COOK. You don't have to be Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray or Bobby Flay - be yourself and create food you'd like to eat. It's that simple. And you'll make grandma very, very proud.

Ranch Oyster Crackers

2011-12-20T09:35:00.000-05:00

My last two posts have mentioned that evil chemical product otherwise known as ranch dressing. I can't bring myself to read the entire ingredient list on the back of the Hidden Valley Ranch bottle, that's how bad it is. But now and then it comes in handy to add some zip to a salad or sandwich. Happily, Mama Pea has come up with an all-natural way to enjoy those tangy ranch flavors with this recipe for Ranch Oyster Crackers. Thank you, Mama Pea.

In a happy side note, I developed a ranch dressing for a dairy-free/egg-free client yesterday using this same spice mix. I combined it with some Vegenaise, soy yogurt and red wine vinegar and voila - a ranch you can feel good about.

Ranch Oyster Crackers - by Mama Pea (my notes in parentheses)

2 t. garlic powder
2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. dry dill
2 t. dried parsley
1 t. dried chives (my addition)
1 t. kosher salt
3 T. canola oil
One 8-ounce package of oyster crackers

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry seasonings and mix well.

Add oil and stir to combine.

Pour the oyster crackers into the bowl and toss with a spatula to coat.
(at this point I started to taste them, and they were good even before cooking - always a good sign)

Transfer the crackers to a baking sheet (lined with parchment if you hate washing dishes like I do).

Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Slow-Cooked Honey Barbecue Ribs and Bacon-Ranch Slaw

2011-12-16T15:04:00.001-05:00

If you have a rib-lover in your house, you've got to put this recipe in your rotation. It practically cooks itself in the crock pot, leaving you hours to do other things - like put a CPK Barbecue Chicken Pizza in the oven for the family members who don't like ribs. I also managed to wrap all the Christmas gifts, finish writing out the holiday cards (if yours doesn't arrive soon, you're not getting one), walk the dog and do some paperwork while dinner was cooking.

I created the side dish knowing that slaw is a natural partner for barbecue spare ribs; however, my mayonnaise-hating crew won't touch it. So I substituted Ranch dressing for the mayo (brilliant, I know) and added another known entity, bacon, to make the side dish something they'd eat. And you know what? It worked. P.S. - The slaw was mighty tasty with the Barbecue Chicken Pizza, too.

Slow-Cooked Honey Barbecue Ribs and Bacon-Ranch Slaw
Serves 4

Ribs:
2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 2# each)
1 26-ounce carton reduced-sodium beef broth
2 - 3 T. honey mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
extra barbecue sauce for later

Slaw:
1 12-ounce bag Mann's Broccoli Slaw
reduced-fat Ranch dressing (whatever brand you like)
crumbled real bacon bits

1. Remove the silverskin from the ribs and cut them into 4-rib sections. Place in a greased crock pot.

2. Combine all the remaining rib ingredients in a large bowl (except for the "extra barbecue sauce for later") and stir to combine. Pour over the ribs in the crock pot. The ribs should be pretty much submerged.

3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours. After 4 hours, if you feel like it, open the lid a crack and use a fork or tongs to push down on the ribs that are sticking up out of the liquid.

4. Before serving, preheat your broiler and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil (for easier clean-up). Use tongs to remove the ribs from the crock pot. Lay them, meaty side up, on the baking sheet and pour some of the extra barbecue sauce over them. Broil for 4 minutes or so, just long enough to get the sauce sticking to the meat. Serve with more barbecue sauce if desired.

Slaw:

Pour the bag of broccoli slaw into a large bowl. Add a couple of glugs of Ranch dressing. Stir. If you'd like more Ranch, continue adding it until the slaw looks good to you. Use tongs to put on plates. Top servings with crumbled bacon bits.

Winter Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

2011-12-11T19:35:00.001-05:00

It's so easy to throw together a salad in the summer; in the winter, salads can get ho-hum. This bright salad can be made any time of year, but its colors and flavors are especially welcome in winter.

These vegetables will be quite happy with any sort of dressing, so please use anything you like - a simple vinaigrette, olive oil and lemon juice, or even (gasp) Ranch dressing would be just fine. I was in an Asian frame of mind, so I created the Sesame-Ginger dressing.

I enjoyed this as a side dish with an entree of Orange-Maple Glazed Scallops last night. Today, I had it for lunch on top of brown rice, with a bit of goat cheese crumbled on top. Who knows what I'll do with it tomorrow.

Winter Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
Serves 4

1 head organic broccoli
1 bunch organic carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup of cooked chick peas
1 - 2 beets, peeled and grated
Optional: Sunflower seeds or sesame seeds

Dressing:

1 T. minced shallot
1 t. tahini
2 T. rice vinegar
1 t. Dijon mustard
2 T. canola oil
salt and pepper
squeeze of ginger

1. Cut florets from broccoli. Place in a glass bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender.

2. Combine steamed broccoli with shredded carrots and chick peas. DON'T ADD THE BEETS until you are ready to serve - otherwise they will turn the whole salad purple.

3. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in the bowl of an immersion blender and blending until combined. Taste and tweak ingredients to you taste.

4. If preparing ahead, store the vegetables, beets and dressing separately. When ready to serve, add the beets to the salad and drizzle the dressing over the top.

5. Add sunflower seeds or sesame seeds if desired and serve cold or at room temperature.

Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash, Baby Greens and Prosciutto

2011-12-07T17:47:00.000-05:00

When I met my husband, he was amazed at so many of my qualities, foremost possibly being the enormous amount of pasta I could eat in one sitting. For my birthday, he decided to make me dinner - spaghetti. Twenty-five years later, he still cooks me spaghetti on my birthday. It's the only day of the year that he cooks, and he's much more streamlined than the first year, when he had to take half a day off of work to make the meal.

Pasta seems to fit the bill at any time of the day for me. In fact, I invented a Breakfast Pasta recently, but I couldn't find the camera (and I was starving), so that one never got posted. But it was good!

The Butternut Squash/Greens idea came to me because I've been seeing those boxes of Olivia's Organic Cooking Greens at the store, and my healthy side really wanted to do something with them. "Add pasta," said the devil on my right shoulder. "What else?" I wondered. "How about some of that good-looking butternut squash?" whispered the angel on my left shoulder. "Now I need something meaty or salty," I thought. "How about prosciutto?" offered the devil. "And some Parmesan, too!"

And so a new pasta dish was born. I enjoyed a bowl for dinner last night and another for lunch today, and I've gotta tell you, it's even better the second day. I am hoping that when I get up from the computer and go to the fridge, there's still more left so I can have it again tonight. And it's not even my birthday!

Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash, Baby Greens and Prosciutto
Serves 4

The essentials:

1 package diced butternut squash
1 - 2 shallots, chopped very large
1 - 2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
8 ounces pasta
1 box Olivia's Organics Cooking Greens

The other stuff - pick and choose what you like:

Wegman's Basting Oil
low-sodium chicken broth
prosciutto (or crumbled cooked sausage)
grated Parmesan Cheese
dried crushed red pepper flakes
a pat of butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Toss the cut up squash and shallots with the olive oil, salt and pepper on the sheet and roast for 30 - 45 minutes, or until the squash is tender but not mushy. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a good pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook until done. Drain, saving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Time to multitask: At the same time you're roasting the squash and boiling the water, get out a skillet, heat over medium, and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the greens and stir around until they start to wilt. Add a splash of stock if you want, and some salt and pepper, and cover the pan and let the greens wilt for a few minutes.

After you drain the pasta, place it in the skillet with the greens. Add the roasted squash and shallots. Toss it all together. Drizzle it with the Basting oil if you'd like. Add some salt, pepper and crushed red pepper if you'd like. Add some cooking water or more broth if you'd like. Add a pat of butter (that was the devilish side speaking). Stir until it tastes good to you.

Place the pasta/vegetable mixture in a serving bowl. Add bite-size strips of prosciutto and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Grind a little black pepper over the bowl and serve.

African Vegetable Stew

2011-11-22T19:13:00.003-05:00

I wish I could say that I invented this amazing concoction, but I did not. My friend Christine found it in the Peas and Thank You cookbook. Christine cooks for a vegan client and is always on the lookout for tasty veggie recipes.

You might be thinking, "What could possibly be so great about a bowl of cooked vegetables?" But this stew is so much more than that. Hearty, thick, spicy and soul-satisfying, it is a meal in a bowl. And here's more great news: this dish is totally hands-off once you get it started, because it cooks in the crock pot. This is my new favorite recipe!

African Vegetable Stew
Serves 4 easily

1 15-ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into about 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon curry powder (or more to taste)
3/4 teaspoon garam masala (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin
big squeeze of ginger (I buy it in the tube)
2 cloves garlic, minced
little squirt of agave nectar
dash of cinnamon
1 14-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can of light coconut milk
2 cups of vegetable stock (chicken stock is fine, too, if you're not making this for a vegetarian)
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed off very well

Optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, a dollop of yogurt or some chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. Spray the inside of a small or medium-size crock pot with non-stick spray.

2. Place all of the ingredients, except the garnishes, in the crock pot. Stir and cover. Turn to HIGH for 1 hour to get things started. Then turn to LOW. The stew is done when the sweet potatoes are cooked through. This took 2 additional hours in my crock pot; it could take 4 or more hours in yours, so keep checking.

3. Serve stew topped with any of the optional garnishes.

Bruschetta Cod

2011-11-20T12:12:00.001-05:00

When I went to the store yesterday, my plan was to pick up some salmon for dinner. John, my fishmonger, told me that scallops were the best pick in the case. If I'd been dining solo, scallops would have been perfect, but because the rest of my family doesn't like them, I asked John for another suggestion. He steered me toward the cod, saying it was really great. He was right, as usual.

Once home, I had to decide to how to prepare the cod. I was in an Italian-food mood, so I decided marinara sauce had to play a part in this preparation, and I happened to have an opened jar in the fridge. My family will eat almost anything with breadcrumbs on it, so those came out too. And so began the creation of "Bruschetta Cod," named after the appetizer featuring garlic-rubbed bread that's toasted and topped with tomatoes, basil and olive oil. I grabbed a few more things from the pantry and got to work. Within minutes, the cod was in the oven and I was on to steaming the vegetables. Twenty minutes later, we were sitting down to dinner.

Tip: Impress friends and family: The correct pronunciation of the word bruschetta is "bruce-ketta." Most people say "brew-shetta" which is incorrect.

Bruschetta Cod
Serves 3

1 pound fresh cod, cut into three equal-size pieces
salt and pepper
1/3 cup marinara sauce
a few diced sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 T. olive oil, with a crushed garlic clove and some chopped parsley or basil mixed in
1 T. Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.

2. Rinse cod and pat dry with paper towels. Remove bones if necessary. Place three pieces of cod on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle the top with salt and pepper.

3. Spread a nice layer of marinara sauce on top of each piece of fish. Place the sun-dried tomatoes on top of the marinara sauce.

4. In a small bowl, combine the panko with the garlic olive oil (or use Wegman's Basting Oil - it's already got garlic and herbs in it) and the Parmesan cheese. Season the bread crumbs with a little salt and pepper. Divide the bread crumbs evenly over each piece of fish.

5. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until fish is cooked throughout. Serve with a lemon wedge or extra marinara sauce and steamed vegetables of your choice.

Chick Pea and Pasta Soup

2011-11-12T12:51:00.003-05:00

When the leaves start to fall (or a freak October ice storm hits), I love a steaming bowl of soup. Hearty homemade soup is the ultimate comfort food, IMO. If you're stressed (say you have a new dog in the house), or cold, or just need a little warm comfort, make yourself a big pot of homemade soup.

My favorite soups contain lots of vegetables, often some beans, a little protein, a little starch (pasta or rice), often a Parmesan rind, and a good-quality broth. I know I should make my own stock and freeze it in quart containers. I've done that. Then we lost power. Twice in two months. So I keep some boxes of my favorite brands around.

The great thing about my favorite soups is that they taste even better the next day, and they freeze well, too. So the effort you put into the pot will reward you for days to come (unless of course you lose electricity for days because of an ice storm, hurricane, tropical storm or other weather event).

Chick Pea and Pasta Soup
Makes about 10 cups

1/4 pound prosciutto -- diced (you can buy it already diced at Wegmans!)
1/2 cup red onion -- diced
2 medium carrots -- cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 stalks celery -- diced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary -- chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 14.5 oz. cans petite-diced tomato
2 15 oz. cans chick peas(garbanzos) -- rinsed and drained
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 Parmesan cheese rind
handful linguine -- broken into 1 1/2 inch pieces
dash Penzey's Northwoods seasoning

Saute prosciutto, onion, carrots, celery and rosemary in olive oil in soup pot until beginning to soften, about 10 min.

Add tomatoes and their juice, chick peas, broth, tomato paste, bay leaf and rind. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30 min. or until vegetables are tender. Add pasta during last 8 minutes of cooking time. Season with a dash of Northwoods seasoning. Serve with additional grated Parmesan if desired.

Vegetable Quiche Cups

2011-10-25T13:19:00.000-04:00

Here's a portable, make-ahead breakfast that's low in calories, high in protein and bursting with vegetables. What's not to like?

The recipe comes from the South Beach Diet, which one of my clients is following. She loves these so much (I make her a double batch each and every week) that I decided I had to try them myself.

I have to say, I prefer my variation more than the original (I'm not a huge pepper and onion lover), but regardless, these little nuggets of eggyness are great to have handy for breakfast, a snack after working out, or even as an hors d'oeuvre before dinner.

Vegetable Quiche Cups
Makes 12

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (see my tip below)
1 cup liquid egg substitute (I use Egg Beaters original)
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/4 cup diced green bell peppers
1/4 cup diced yellow onions
pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with foil baking cups and spray each one with nonstick spray.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Divide the mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cup comes out clean.

These may be frozen and reheated in the microwave for about 10 seconds per cup. Remove foil liner before microwaving!

My Variation: Use 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 3/4 cup feta cheese instead of peppers and cheddar cheese.

My Spinach Thawing Tip: Take spinach out of box and place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 3 minutes. Remove plate from microwave and place spinach in a clean kitchen towel. Wrap it up and squeeze over the sink until all the liquid is released. Much easier than boiling and draining, or attempting to drain the spinach in a colander.

Recipe adapted from The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston, M.D.

Slow Cooked Apricot Chicken

2011-10-23T18:43:00.001-04:00

When my daughter was younger, she called our crock pot the "slow maker." The irony is, every crock pot I've ever owned cooks food in double time. I am now on my third "slow maker," and have learned that if a recipe says "cook on LOW for 6 - 8 hours," my dish will be done in 3 hours.

Apricot Chicken was no exception. I loaded the crock pot with almost 2 pounds of boneless thighs (the package was 2 lbs.; by the time I was done hacking off the fat, I think I had about 1 1/2 pounds, so I threw in a boneless breast from the freezer as well) and topped the poultry with a sweet and tangy apricot sauce. In three hours, dinner was ready. I served this with brown rice and green beans.

"Slow Maker" Apricot Chicken
Serves 4

2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, fat removed
salt and pepper
1 (11-ounce) jar apricot preserves
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
sesame seeds, optional
soy or hoisin sauce, optional

Spray crock pot with nonstick spray.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in greased crock pot.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients except for sesame seeds.
Pour sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 - 8 hours, or HIGH for 3 - 4 hours (mine was done after 3 hours on LOW).

Serve over rice. Sprinkle servings with sesame seeds if desired. Serve with soy or hoisin sauce for drizzling.

Recipe adapted from Stephanie O'Dea, Make it Fast, Cook it Slow

Orecchiette with Roasted Cauliflower, Arugula and Prosciutto

2011-10-20T16:41:00.001-04:00

I've got a day off from cooking! So I sat at my desk this morning and sorted through the stack of papers on my desk, most of which are recipes I want to try. There might have been a few bills and school permission slips in the pile, too, but those weren't calling to me. Next, I did what any good personal chef would do on her day off - I cooked.

Inspiration was easy to come by this week, because we just got a Wegmans! I will not tell you how many visits I've made to the store since it opened four days ago because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't believe me. It's more than four. But I digress.

I've found some awesome products at Wegmans, which helped me pull this meal together in no time at all. I didn't even need a cutting board - talk about easy. I know we'll enjoy this for the next couple of days as we shuttle the kids to the school play and generally enjoy our hectic life.

In fact, if I know myself, I will keep adding things to this dish each time I eat it to make it a little different - I think sun-dried tomatoes or kalamata olives would be really great. See what you think.

Orecchiette with Roasted Cauliflower, Arugula and Prosciutto, a la Wegmans
Serves 4

1 pound of washed cauliflower florets, large ones cut in half (get them at Wegmans!)
1 pint of grape tomatoes, rinsed and dried
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
12 ounces dried orecchiette (or any other small pasta shape)
1 4-ounce package of diced prosciutto (get it at Wegmans)
2 T. Wegmans Basting Oil (guess where you can get this?)
4 - 5 ounces Wegmans baby arugula
1/4 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees convection roast, or 425 degrees if you don't have convection. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with foil or parchment and spray with nonstick spray. Toss the cauliflower and tomatoes with 1 T. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt and cook pasta as directed on package. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Place the pasta back in the pot.

After 10 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven and toss the diced prosciutto with the vegetables. Drizzle with 1 T. Wegmans Basting Oil. Roast for 5 - 10 more minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly browned.

Add the cooked vegetables and prosciutto to the pasta in the pot. Stir in the baby arugula and mix to combine. Moisten with a bit of the pasta cooking water. Stir in the cheese, a little at a time (we don't like it too cheesy so I only used 1/4 cup of Parmesan - we might add a little more at the table). Taste it. Add another T. of basting oil, if you'd like, or some salt and pepper.

Inspired by a recipe by Pamela Anderson in Fine Cooking.

Mediterranean Lunchbag Cod with Linguine

2011-10-14T19:33:00.002-04:00

What a fun and healthy way to enjoy fresh fish! If your family likes Mediterranean flavors, I guarantee they will love this light, healthy dinner.

The recipe comes from Michael Chiarello, who used swordfish and red onions, two things my kids do not like. I adapted the recipe using vegetables and fish that we like - you can do likewise. Served with a side dish of Sauteed Spinach with Garlic, this was a delicious dinner.

Mediterranean Lunchbag Cod
Serves 4

1 can San Marzano whole tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano (I did not use)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup (1 small) minced red onion (optional - I didn't use)
2 tablespoons rinsed, drained capers
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
12 pitted and sliced kalamata olives
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, well-drained (my addition)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pinch dried crushed red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 pound dried linguine
4 brown paper lunch bags or 4 large sheets parchment paper
4 (6-ounce) portions of fresh cod
freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Feta cheese, if desired

Directions

Put sliced tomatoes in a large bowl and season with pepper. Add parsley, garlic, onion, capers, peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir gently just to mix and set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook linguine until al dente. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Reserve.

To cook the fish: Place a small square of parchment or waxed paper at the bottom of each paper bag. Using tongs, place equal portions of the linguine in each of the bags. Top with a spoonful of the tomato-vegetable sauce. Lay a piece of fish on top and top with another spoonful of sauce. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Fold over the tops of the bags, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes.

To serve, transfer the bags to 4 dinner plates and let each diner cut open the package to enjoy the aromas. Or, if your family is appalled at the sight of a lunch bag on their dinner plates (as mine was), cut open the bags yourself and gently slide each portion out onto a dinner plate.

Top with cheese if you must.

Recipe and photo credit: Michael Chiarello. Recipe ingredients and instructions were changed somewhat by yours truly.

Fridge Benefits

2011-10-01T18:53:00.001-04:00

It's pretty horrifying how much food goes to waste in the average American home. I've read statistics that state up to 50% of the food we buy ends up in the trash. I shudder when I have to go through the fridge and toss wilted or mushy produce, leftovers that have sat too long, and other unidentifiable (and stinky) objects.

Many of our best intentions are derailed each day. You want to cook great meals, eat more vegetables or cut down on fast food, but then life gets in the way.

Short of hiring a personal chef (I couldn't resist!), here's a terrific tip for you to try next time you're tempted to scrap making dinner in favor of a trip to the drive-thru: Open your fridge and use what you've got. (I don't have statistics on how much people spend each year on take-out food, but I'm sure the number is equally as horrifying as the waste statistics.)

Back to my fridge: I had purchased a beautiful looking bunch of locally grown kale at the farmer's market earlier in the week. If I didn't use it soon, it would be trash. The fridge also held an open jar of pasta sauce, a Parmesan cheese rind, half a carton of chicken broth and a small bowl of chick peas, all still viable. In the pantry, I noticed a half-full box of lasagna noodles that looked perfect for the meal. In the time it took to cook the pasta, we had a truly delicious (and very cheap) meal.

Like with many of my recipes, use this as a guideline or inspiration next time you're wondering what to make for dinner.

Pasta with Kale and Chick Peas
Serves 2

6 lasagna noodles, broken (or any pasta shape)
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bunch fresh kale, leaves pulled off of stems and rinsed well
chicken broth
leftover chick peas (1/2 cup?)
crushed red pepper flakes
Parmesan cheese
marinara sauce
optional delicious additions: walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, a dollop of pesto or ricotta cheese, grilled steak or shrimp...

1. Boil a pot of water. Add salt and pasta. Cook as directed and drain in a colander.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir it around until you can smell it. Then add the kale, tearing it up as you go. Stir it all around. When the kale is bright green (1 minute or so), pour in some broth. Cover the pan and let the kale cook for about 5 - 8 minutes.

3. When the kale is tender enough for you, throw in the chick peas and the cooked pasta. Stir it all around and taste it. You might want to add crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil or a pat of butter. Make it taste good!

4. Spoon the pasta and kale into bowls. Top with a couple of spoonfuls of marinara sauce and some shaved or grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

Meatless Monday

2011-09-26T19:24:00.001-04:00

Although I eat meatless many days a week, it's not often on Monday. But tonight it worked out that I could celebrate my meatless-ness. This cosmic turn of events happened because 1.) my carnivore husband is out at a meeting, 2.) my son had a large lunch and didn't want dinner, and 3.) my daughter will eat anything I make.

I had some tofu in the fridge and decided to sear it and then glaze it with my friend Mary Beth's Peach-Habanero Jam. Wise decision. Alongside, a quick saute of zucchini and carrot ribbons, topped with walnuts and blue cheese was just perfect.

On days like this, I DO like Mondays.

Seared Tofu with Peach-Habanero Glaze
Serves 2

1 package firm tofu, pressed
seasoning of choice: salt, pepper, Cajun, Creole, Italian...
a few tablespoons of a fruity-spicy jam
a few tablespoons of citrus juice (lemon, lime or orange)

Slice tofu into 4 thin slabs. Season one side with whatever seasoning you feel like.

Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Add oil or nonstick spray to the skillet. Place the tofu, seasoned side down, in the skillet. Let cook for about 5 minutes, undisturbed, or until there's a nice brown crust on the underside. Season the naked side, flip it over and sear for 4 more minutes. Combine the jam and the juice. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the jam/juice over the tofu. Let the sauce reduce in the hot pan for about a minute, spooning some over the tofu occasionally. Dinner's done.

Zucchini and Carrot Ribbons
Serves 2

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/2 small shallot, chopped
2 small zucchini, washed, ends trimmed, and peeled down to core
2 carrots, washed, ends trimmed, peeled down to core
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon or so of chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon or so of crumbled blue cheese

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Saute the shallot over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up a bit and add the zucchini and carrot ribbons. Saute for about 2 minutes, or until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and place on serving dish. Scatter walnuts and blue cheese on top and serve.

Tuna Cup Salad

2011-09-24T13:30:00.003-04:00

I always have Chicken of the Sea Tuna Cups around. They're the perfect size for making tuna salad for one, which is ideal because I'm the only family member who enjoys tuna. They're also transportable and easy to open, and with just 80 calories and 18 grams of protein per cup, I think they're a nutrition bargain.

Today I decided to use equal parts tuna and vegetables to make a super-healthy tuna salad.

After opening and draining the tuna, I put it in a mixing bowl. Then I filled the empty tuna cup with an assortment of chopped and shredded vegetables - whatever I could find, which included celery, carrots and scallions. Any raw or slightly cooked vegetables would work - use what you've got.

I tossed those in with the tuna and mixed with a fork. All that was needed was a binder or flavoring. Salad dressing, mayonnaise, oil and lemon juice, and salsa came to mind. I decided on a little squeeze of low-fat ranch dressing and a dab of Hellman's with Olive Oil (my favorite). I seasoned the salad with pepper and was about to dig in when I noticed some leftover cooked rotini in the fridge. So I threw a few pasta twists into the salad.

This great little lunch weighs in at around 250 calories, is low in fat and carbs and high in protein and fiber, and won't weigh you down.

Baked Spaghetti AND Roasted Broccoli

2011-09-17T19:45:00.002-04:00

Cooler weather has arrived, and I was ready with this dish of hearty Baked Spaghetti tonight. The kids and I ate it up - my husband's en route from St. Louis, but I predict he will eat whatever's left for breakfast tomorrow. He's good like that.

My favorite part of the meal was the Roasted Broccoli, which was surprising because up to this point in my 40+ years, I have detested any roasted broccoli I've ever eaten. Mr. Alton Brown and his roasting method have converted me. Maybe he (and I) will convert you, too.

There are two recipes here - so pay attention!

Baked Spaghetti
Serves 4

8 ounces spaghetti, broken up a bit
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
3/4 pound ground beef (I use 90% lean hormone-free ground beef - use whatever kind your family likes)
1/2 small onion, chopped
optional - other chopped vegetables such as peppers or mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
more salt and pepper
1 - 1 1/2 cups jarred pasta sauce
4 ounces (1/2 can) tomato sauce
1 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water for 8 minutes, or as long as the box says. Drain and rinse with cool water.

2. In a large bowl, beat the egg, milk, salt and pepper. Toss with the slightly cooled spaghetti (if the pasta's too hot, it will scramble the egg). Sprinkle with a little bit of Parmesan cheese and pour the pasta into a greased 9x9 pan or a greased deep-dish pie dish.

3. While the spaghetti's cooking, cook the ground beef and vegetables in nonstick skillet. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the fat. Stir the pasta sauce and tomato sauce into the meat mixture. Pour this over the pasta in the baking dish.

4. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with the mozzarella cheese and bake 5 minutes longer, or until the cheese has melted. Let stand a few minutes before cutting and serving.

Roasted Broccoli
Serves 4
Technique courtesy of Alton Brown

1 head of broccoli, rinsed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 - 2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

3. Place panko in a 9x13 metal baking dish. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 2 minutes. Panko should be lightly toasted. (Confession: I had to feed the cat during this step and I burned the first batch of breadcrumbs. Don't stray too far!)

4. Remove the panko from the oven and pour over the broccoli. Pour the whole thing back into the metal baking pan and put back in the 425 oven for 8 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.

5. Alton says to toss the finished dish with 1/4 cup of grated sharp cheddar or Parmesan - I did not because I thought tonight's dinner was cheesy enough. He also says leftovers are excellent. I will see if he's right tomorrow.

Late Summer Dinner Salad

2011-09-14T19:04:00.001-04:00

Today was the quintessential summer day - 80+ degrees with clear blue skies and low humidity - which felt kind of weird since school's back in session and my white shorts have been put away for over a week now. But I decided to capitalize on today's feeling of summer by grilling our dinner and using some of our last warm-weather local produce.

This salad can serve as inspiration for you, depending upon where you live and which vegetables are at their peak. Today I used local tomatoes and corn and headed in a Greek direction with my flavors; I could have gone Tex-Mex with the addition of avocado and jalapeno in the salad and different seasoning on the shrimp, or even Italian by roasting the tomatoes with garlic and adding some shaved Parmesan cheese.

Late Summer Dinner Salad
Serves 4

1 1/3 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
marinade for shrimp (I used olive oil and Penzey's Greek Seasoning)

2 large ears local corn, husked and marinated (I used dried oregano, olive oil, white vinegar, salt and pepper)

lettuce of some sort - I used arugula

other vegetables and such - I used cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives

1. Place shrimp in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and seasonings. Set aside.

2. Place corn in a large ziplock bag or shallow glass baking dish. Pour marinade over the corn and let sit.

3. Go out and light the grill.

4. While the grill is heating up, make a salad. I made mine with baby arugula, cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. I also cut up a lemon because I had one one hand, but I never ended up using it.

5. Thread the shrimp on skewers. It doesn't matter how many shrimp are on the skewer; you will remove it before serving.

6. Grill the shrimp and corn over medium heat. The shrimp will take just a couple of minutes per side. Remove and set aside. The corn will take 8 - 10 minutes to get a good char.

7. If you have picky children in the house, put some hot dogs or hamburgers on the grill now to avoid any dinnertime meltdowns.

8. To compose the salad, place 4 or 5 grilled shrimp on top of the salad greens. Add the kernels from 1/2 an ear of grilled corn. Taste. You might want to drizzle with some oil or squirt with a squeeze of lemon, but it might be just perfect as is. Add some cheese if you must. Serve.

Pepperoni Calzones

2011-09-09T19:48:00.002-04:00

When I'm planning dinners for the week, I take into account that on Friday nights, we'll most likely have some under-age visitors at our dinner table. Tonight's plan was Pepperoni Calzones (and a few without 'roni, in case there were any vegetarians in the house). These are easy to make (my daughter helped) and totally crowd-pleasing. I serve them with extra marinara sauce for dipping and a salad or fruit on the side.

Pepperoni Calzones
Makes 4 (serving size is 1 calzone, unless you're a very hungry person, in which case you might eat 2 so plan accordingly - the recipe can be doubled)

1 tube Pillsbury French Loaf dough (unbaked)
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
40 slices turkey pepperoni*
1 egg white, lightly beaten
sesame seeds or Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place foil or parchment paper on a large baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray.

2. Unroll the loaf on the cookie sheet. Cut it into 4 rectangles.

3. Spread 2 Tablespoons of marinara sauce on the bottom half of each rectangle. Leave a little border of dough on the bottom and sides so you'll have room to seal all the goodness inside.

4. Place a heaping 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce. Layer 10 pepperoni slices on top of the cheese.

5. Fold the top of the dough over the filling on the bottom half, pressing the edges to seal. Seal the edges again with a fork. If stuff is leaking out, it's OK.

6. Cut three slits in each calzone, to let the steam escape. Brush the tops with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds or Parmesan cheese.

7. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving with the additional (warm) marinara sauce for dipping.

*when I was experimenting with this recipe, I made a few calzones with regular (pork) pepperoni and some with turkey pepperoni. My family unanimously chose the turkey pepperoni because the calzones were much less greasy than those made with the regular pepperoni. That's why I strongly recommend the turkey 'roni. We like Hormel brand.

Post-Hurricane Stir Fry

2011-09-05T07:42:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene hit my town hard. We lost power for 38 hours, and I lost the contents of my refrigerator and freezer. With hurricane season still upon us, I refuse to restock the fridge with anything but the bare necessities.

Last night's stir-fry used chicken and vegetables I picked up at Whole Foods earlier in the week. It is very hard for me to walk through Whole Foods and not stock up, but I resisted. The memory of melted ice cubes, soggy bags of Alexia frozen potatoes and thawed seafood in my freezer was still very fresh in my mind.

The stir-fry combined any and all vegetables I had in the fridge, freezer and pantry (carrots, sugar snap peas, onion, garlic and edamame), along with a make-shift sauce dictated by my daughter, who was standing nearby. I served it alongside some brown rice. I've written the recipe as a guideline - use any protein, vegetables and sauces you like.

Post-Hurricane Stir Fry
Serves 4

2 - 4 T. canola or peanut oil for stir-frying
1 pound of any protein, thinly sliced if applicable (chicken, steak, tofu, seafood)
salt and pepper
3 cups of vegetables, sliced or chopped uniformly
1 large clove of garlic, minced
(fresh ginger would be good here - I didn't have any)
about 1/4 cup sauce of your choice (soy, teriyaki, hoisin, barbecue...)
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
sesame seeds to garnish, if you have them

1. Heat a very large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to coat the pan. Season the protein with salt and pepper. Add the protein to the skillet in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Stir fry for 1 - 2 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the cooked meat and place on a clean plate. Continue stir frying, in batches if necessary, until all the protein is cooked. Set aside.

2. Add a bit more oil to the skillet and add the hardest, crunchiest vegetables. Stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes, until they brighten in color and are getting a tiny bit softer. Add the more delicate vegetables now and stir fry another minute or two. Finally, add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

3. Pour your cooked protein, and any juices that have accumulated, back into the skillet with the vegetables. Toss to combine. Turn the heat down a little so you don't overcook the protein.

4. Drizzle the sauce over the contents of the skillet and toss again. We used a drizzle of hoisin sauce, a drizzle of barbecue sauce and a splash of soy sauce. Finally, add the cornstarch mixture and toss everything together. The cornstarch mixture isn't essential, but it will help thicken the sauce and add a little gloss to the dish.

5. Serve over rice or noodles, sprinkled with sesame seeds if you have them.

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

2011-09-01T19:00:00.001-04:00

Why wait until November to enjoy a turkey dinner? That's what my Thursday clients must have been thinking when they requested a roasted turkey breast, stuffing and cranberry sauce as one of their four meals this week.

I recently made a vow to make dinnertime less stressful at my house*, so I decided to roast a second turkey breast while I was at my client's, to serve my family this evening. When 6:15 pm rolled around, I felt like I had my own Personal Chef - all I had to do was heat and serve, which made everyone happy, most especially me (the chief dish washer was pretty pleased, too).

I adapted my recipe from this one. We're not a gravy-loving family, which is fine because this breast is so moist, it really doesn't need a sauce.

*this is kind of a funny story, involving Hurricane Irene, our 38-hour power shortage, and my very honest child - let me know if you want to hear the rest

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Serves 8 (two breasts)

1 very small onion (or 1/2 large onion) -- peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon, zested
6 fresh sage leaves
1 large handful fresh flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
6 tablespoons butter
two 2 lb. - 2 1/2-lb. turkey breast -- skin on, boneless or bone-in
(you can prepare one breast; this recipe makes enough herb rub for 2 breasts)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a roasting pan with foil. Place a rack in it. Spray with nonstick spray.

Put the onion and lemon zest into the bowl of mini food processor; process until fine. Add the sage, parsley and olive oil and a pinch of salt. Pulse until it forms a coarse paste (my paste comes out a little different every time - it's OK).

Put bay leaves and butter in microwave-safe bowl. Nuke 1 minute to melt butter. Remove from heat and set aside.

Put turkey breast(s) on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from one end, being careful not to pull it completely off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breasts generously with salt and pepper and spread the herb paste under the skin of breasts. Transfer the breasts to the roasting pan. Baste the breasts with half of the bay butter. Place turkey into the oven. After 30 minutes, baste the turkey with remaining butter and roast for an additional 30 minutes. At this point, take the temperature of the breast. It will probably be around 110 degrees. Cover with foil if the skin is getting really dark and roast about 20 minutes more, or until the internal temperature of the turkey is 165 degrees.

Remove the pan from oven, transfer the breasts to a platter, cover, and let rest at least for 10 minutes before slicing. (Can also be prepared hours ahead, cooled, placed in fridge and heated in a covered pan at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and heat 5 - 10 more minutes, or until skin crisps up and turkey is heated through.)

Mango Salad with Spicy Cashews

2011-08-11T11:44:00.000-04:00

I was invited to a friend's house for lunch yesterday. She was preparing an Oriental Shrimp Salad and my job was to come up with a side dish that would complement the main dish. My first thought was something with pineapple or mango - I love those fruits paired with Asian-flavored dishes. Because I wanted a side dish rather than a dessert, I knew some sort of greenery was necessary. The sweet-spicy cashews add a special touch and also tie in nicely with the Asian meal.

As a bonus, not only is this salad colorful and bursting with all sorts of interesting flavors (sweet! juicy! spicy! peppery!) - it takes all of 4 1/2 minutes to prepare. It's so good (and easy to make) that I just made a second batch to enjoy here at home today. Please feel free to mess with the proportions (more mango/less arugula) or make up another dressing (my Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette would be superb with this).

Mango Salad with Spicy Cashews
Serves 2 - 3 as a side dish

1/2 cup unsalted cashews
1 tsp. olive oil (or less)
sprinkling of kosher salt
sprinkling of chipotle powder (or cayenne)
drizzle of honey

Several large handfuls of arugula
1 lime
a little more olive oil
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

This is very easy! I swear to you!

Step 1: Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the smallest little drizzle of olive oil (I didn't measure but I'm guessing it's 1 teaspoon or less). When the oil's warm, pour in the cashews. Stir to coat. Sprinkle the nuts with the salt and chipotle powder or cayenne pepper. Stir to coat. Drizzle with honey. Stir to coat and remove from heat. The nuts can be used warm on the salad, or prepared hours ahead and used cold.

Step 2: When you're ready to eat, place the arugula in a serving bowl. Drizzle lightly with a little more olive oil and a squeeze or two of lime juice (or any dressing you like). Top the greens with the chopped mango and the spiced cashews and a little sprinkle of salt and serve.

A Very Berry Crisp

2011-08-07T15:51:00.003-04:00

The picture doesn't do this baby justice. It was bursting with berries, sweet and tangy, with an incomparable crispy brown sugar-oat topping. It was so scrumptious, that sadly, it was gone before I realized the picture stinks.

I guess the blame for the stinky picture is half my fault, as the photographer, and half my husband's fault, as the server of the crisp.

But really, who would serve such a carefully constructed dessert with no regard for the top or bottom of the thing? Especially after his wife carefully prepared this special dessert in such a manner that the berries were on the bottom of the dish and the topping was resting nicely on top (duh). But after the server spooned it out, there was topping all over the place, a slightly grumpy photographer/chef and a less-than-ideal photo.

Fortunately, the taste wasn't affected by the presentation. And this has taught me that I need to stop taking pictures with my cellphone at 8 pm with no natural light. And I will. As soon as I can find the camera.

A Very Berry Crisp
Serves 4 - 6

Topping:

Mix together:
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small bits

Filling:

Toss together in a large bowl:
5 cups assorted berries such as blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries, rinsed, dried and stems removed
1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 to 2 Tablespoons flour

Lightly grease a 9-inch glass pie pan or 9x9 glass baking dish (this just helps at cleanup time). Place berry mixture in pan. Spread topping over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes, or until topping is light golden brown and berries are bubbling out around the edges. Serve warm, cold or any which way. Vanilla ice cream on top is good, too.

The Yin Yang of Tex-Mex

2011-08-05T19:23:00.006-04:00

My kids have been at camp for three weeks, and my husband and I have been out and about like nobody's business. I had been pushing for one more dinner out before they return home (TOMORROW!), but we both agreed we'd be better off eating at home tonight. Of course he agreed - I'm doing the cooking. But my most recent dining out experience involved a turkey burger which was not my buddy for the next 48 hours - enough said. Dinner at home actually seemed like a pretty good idea.

Given his druthers, my husband would happily eat at Chipotle at least once a week. Tonight, I decided to make a Chipotle-style dinner at home, featuring Refried Bean Burritos with Green Rice and a Chopped Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing.

The yin yang of this meal is twofold. First off, there's the contrast between the creamy, rich and spicy burritos and the crispy salad with a slightly sweet dressing. Then there's the fact that it's the perfect meal for us: Mr. Simply Delicious loves refried beans, and I never want to see meat again. Yin yang Tex-Mex.

Refried Bean Burritos
Makes 4 burritos

The rice:
1 small can Old El Paso chopped green chiles
1 handful fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup white rice

The rest of it:
1 can Amy's Organic Refried Beans
- as much shredded cheese as you like
- whatever salsa you like
4 nice tortillas (I discovered Chi Chi's Cafe-Style Tortillas, made with Corn Flour, which were excellent)

In a small blender or the cup of an immersion blender, combine the chiles, cilantro and 1/2 cup of broth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it starts to soften, about 2 - 4 minutes. Add the garlic and the rice and stir until the rice is coated with the oil and onions. Then add the pureed pepper mixture along with the rest of the broth (this should total 2 cups of liquid; if it doesn't, add more broth or water). Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the rice in the pan for 10 - 15 minutes longer (don't lift the lid at all during all of this). When you do lift the lid, the rice should be cooked and all the liquid absorbed.

Meanwhile, lay the tortillas on a clean work surface. Divide the refried beans evenly over the 4 tortillas. Sprinkle with some cheese. Spread some of the cooked rice over the cheese (you won't use all the rice). Top with a bit of salsa and some more cheese. Roll up and place in a greased baking dish. Cover with foil and heat at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with additional salsa and sour cream, if desired. Serve the rest of the rice on the side if you're angry that the recipe made more than you needed (my friend Mary Beth's pet peeve about recipes).

Chopped Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Serves 4

Dressing:
1 lime, juiced
2 T. canola oil
2 T. olive oil
2 T. honey
2 T. fresh cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
salt and pepper

Salad:
- any kind of lettuce you like - chopped
- any vegetables you like, chopped - I used carrots, leftover corn on the cob, celery, cucumber, red bell pepper and tomato. Black beans are great in this salad, but I didn't want to overload us on beans tonight
- mild white cheese - optional - mild feta, goat cheese or cotija would add a creamy element to the salad

Blend all the dressing ingredients until combined. This will be a thin dressing. Toss with the chopped salad ingredients and top with cheese if desired.

Slow-Cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2011-07-25T19:42:00.000-04:00

File this under "Brilliant Summer Meals."

Lettuce wraps are always a cool, crisp, light meal, perfect for a hot summer day. But how about preparing them in the slow cooker, to further ensure the cook doesn't break a sweat?

And if you can't be home to turn on the crock pot 3 - 4 hours before dinner, you can prepare everything ahead of time, refrigerate it, and ask one of your vacationing kids to put it in the heating unit and turn it on at the designated time. Ah, summer!

Slow-Cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast and/or thigh pieces
salt and pepper
1 jar (about 10 ounces) apricot jam
1/4 cup orange juice
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce (more or less to taste)
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 red onion, chopped or sliced thin
1 T. peanut butter (optional)
1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated and washed and dried
1 cucumber, half-peeled, seeded and chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced thin
fresh chopped cilantro
Hoisin sauce

Spray your slow cooker with nonstick spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in slow cooker. Combine jam, orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili-garlic sauce, ginger and onion and whisk until combined. Pour over the chicken. (You can cover and refrigerate the mixture for several hours at this point, if necessary.)

(After you finish prepping the chicken and putting it in the crock pot, wash the lettuce, chop the cucumber and slice the mango, so you have less to do at dinner time.)

When ready to cook, place the covered crock pot into the heating unit and cook on Low heat until done - this could take anywhere from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours or longer. The time depends on the heat of your slow cooker, how cold your chicken mixture is and whether you use dark or light meat.(I used boneless breasts, cut in half, and they were done in 2 1/2 hours. Dark meat usually takes a bit longer.)

Once the chicken is done, stir in the peanut butter, if desired, to flavor and thicken the sauce. Shred the chicken with your (clean) fingers and pile it on the lettuce leaves. Top with fresh chopped cilantro, chopped cucumber and sliced mango. Drizzle with Hoisin sauce if desired and serve.

Recipe adapted from Stephanie O'Dea, Make it Fast, Cook it Slow

Peas, Love and Understanding

2011-07-12T19:43:00.001-04:00

Dear Woman I Met at the Farm Stand,

Hi! Remember me? We met when we were looking over the English Peas at Idylwilde Farm on Sunday. We were both trying to figure out how the peas from Lexington, MA, were different from the peas from Acton, MA. I popped open a few pods and declared the peas from Lexington looked much better to me.

We each ended up filling a bag with the peas from Lexington. Then I said, "You know, I'm going to take a few of these other peas and see how they compare." I'm pretty sure by then you had had enough of me, so you didn't respond.

I cooked the Lexington peas on Monday and they didn't blow my socks off.

Tonight, I cooked the Acton peas. The ones grown at Idylwilde Farm, that looked big and weird on Sunday, rattling around in their oversize pods. Turns out the Acton peas are delicious and sweet and just really perfect.

I'd like to remain friends, or at least comrades-in-arms, as we work our way through this summer's produce. Hope to see you again soon at the farm stand.

Sincerely,

Martha

P.S. In case you haven't cooked your peas yet, here's what I did. Shuck the peas. Put the shucked peas into a pot of boiling salted water. Cook for about 1 minute. Then begin to taste the peas. When they taste good to you, pour into a colander to drain. (The Lexington peas tasted raw until about 6 - 7 minutes in. The Acton peas were sweet and ready in about 1 1/2 minutes.) Place the cooked peas in a serving bowl and add butter and coarse salt.

Should I blog or should I go?

2011-07-08T14:36:00.006-04:00

Does anyone still read blogs? I ask because I was thinking, I have a years' worth of stories, recipes and crazy antics that someone might enjoy reading. But my daughter, who started me blogging almost exactly three years ago (see my first post ever!) said, "Mom, blogs are like fashion. And right now, they are out of style. Besides, all of your friends already know all of your stories."

That's what I get for asking her, and for having my office in the middle of our family room.

I visited my personal trainer today and asked her if she'd read my blog. She didn't know what a blog was, but since she's heard a lot of my stories, and she pretends to find them hilarious, she said her fiance might like to read my blog. Then she started me on a series of moves so strenuous I couldn't speak for the remainder of the session. I didn't take it personally. That's what I pay her to do.

Last, I asked my husband if he still reads blogs. He said yes, he reads about eight blogs every day. All political. What he meant was, "I don't have time for frou-frou blogs about other people's lives, except for people who agree with my political POV." I know this because we've been married for over 20 years, and I can now read his mind. I also don't always agree with his political POV, so I'm guessing he won't read my blog, either.

So, the future of "It's a Simply Delicious Life" hangs in the balance. What are your thoughts?

Taking a break

2010-08-01T17:26:00.002-04:00

Hello out there -

I've decided to take a break from blogging for a while; life has been busy, and blogging has fallen to the bottom of my priority list.

I still enjoy reading your blogs and will continue to do so, but for now, I'm on a "blog-cation."

Martha

Grilled Corn on the Cob

2010-07-18T08:26:00.003-04:00

I had no intention of blogging about humble old corn on the cob, until my husband's eye's popped open as he was eating his first ear. "You need to set up a little shop in New York and just sell this. Like the Soup Nazi. Only you'd be the Corn Lady."

I really don't want to be known as the Corn Lady, so instead, I took a picture of the one remaining ear and will share my secret with you. It's the marinade, and really fresh corn. That's it. Make extra - you will eat it, if not right way, then later, cold, from the fridge, or the next day, cut off the cob and mixed into your favorite pasta salad. It's that good!

Grilled Corn on the Cob
Serves ??

4 - 6 ears of corn, shucked (husks and silks removed)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
pinch of black pepper
2 T. olive oil
2 T. white balsamic vinegar
1 clove of garlic, pressed
coarse sea salt (for later)

Combine the rosemary, pepper, olive oil, vinegar and garlic in a small bowl and whisk until mixed. Place corn in a large ziplock bag or large shallow platter and pour marinade over it. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

When ready to grill, place corn on heated grill over medium heat and turn with tongs every couple of minutes, until it's starting to char and kernels are turning bright yellow. You will cook the corn a total of 6 - 10 minutes, depending on how hot your grill is and how large your ears of corn are. If you have any extra marinade in the bag or on the platter, drizzle it over the corn about halfway through the cooking time.

Remove the corn from the grill and place on a platter. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve. No butter required.

Grilled Halibut with Artichoke Caponata

2010-07-11T08:37:00.005-04:00

If you believe there's nothing better than a piece of grilled fish with a cool vegetable relish on a hot summer night, I'm with you. Here's a great one to try: Grilled Halibut with Artichoke Caponata.

Caponata, an Italian cooked vegetable salad, typically includes eggplant, celery, capers and vinegar, often along with tomato, pine nuts and raisins, in a sweet and sour dressing. Chef Michael White's recipe, which I found in Food & Wine, uses artichoke hearts in place of the eggplant with delicious results. The original recipe called for mahimahi, which isn't readily available in these parts. I chose halibut, and it stood up very well on the grill and with the relish. Beware: this relish is vinegary (my mouth is watering recalling it), but in a delicious sweet/sour way. I made a few other changes to the recipe to suit my tastes (and available pantry items) - enjoy!

Grilled Halibut with Artichoke Caponata
Based on a recipe by Michael White
Serves 6

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing fish
4 tender celery ribs,diced (1 cup)
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup prepared tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons agave nectar)
2 tablespoons small capers, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons shredded basil or parsley
Six 6-ounce halibut fillets

Directions

In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 T. of olive oil
until shimmering. Add the celery, onion and garlic and cook
over moderate heat until just softened, 4 minutes. Add the
tomato sauce, wine, vinegar, artichokes, olives, pine nuts,
agave nectar and capers and season with salt and pepper. Simmer
until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is reduced, 8
minutes. Stir in the basil or parsley and let cool. (The relish can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated until use.)

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Rub the fish with
olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over
moderately high heat, turning once, until cooked through,
about 9 minutes. (I use a sturdy grill basket to make sure I don't lose the fish in the grill grates.) Transfer the fish to plates, top with the
caponata and serve.

Oven-Baked Chicken Polenta Florentine

2010-06-26T10:38:00.004-04:00

We love polenta in my house, whether it's the kind in a tube, which I slice, brush with garlicky olive oil, and grill or saute until crisp, or the kind I make from scratch from finely ground cornmeal. I used to stand over the stove stirring the dangerously hot and sputtering mixture, until I discovered a fool-proof oven method, which I'll share with you below.

After cooking, polenta can be enjoyed plain as a side dish, in place of rice, pasta or potatoes, or it can be used as a base for your meal. For this recipe, I sauteed spinach, chicken sausage, onion and garlic and layered it on the polenta. You can change it up using any ingredients that appeal to you. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, and can be made dairy-free by substituting non-dairy cream, butter and cheeses where indicated.

Oven-Baked Chicken Polenta Florentine
Serves 6 - 8

6 cups water
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup cream (soy cream can be substituted)
4 tablespoons butter
pinch Parmesan cheese -- grated or shredded

16 ounces baby spinach -- stems removed (my personal preference - not mandatory)
1 pound ground chicken or chicken sausage, removed from casings
1/2 small sweet onion -- minced
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or poultry seasoning
salt and pepper
1 jar pasta sauce or 2 cups homemade marinara
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (soy cheese can be used)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Grease a 9x13 glass baking pan for the polenta (use a 9x9 pan if you cut the recipe in half).

In the greased baking pan, whisk together the water, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Cover tightly with foil, and bake 30 minutes, stirring halfway though. At 30 minutes, the polenta should still be loose enough to whisk but not watery. If it's still too watery, let bake an extra 5 - 10 minutes.

Remove polenta from oven and add cream, butter and a pinch of parmesan. Whisk briskly until smooth. (This can be done hours ahead of time. Let polenta cool in pan and then proceed by topping with cooked ingredients.)

While polenta is baking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add damp spinach in batches, stirring frequently, until wilted. Pour mixture into a sieve and let drain.

Reuse the same skillet to saute chicken or sausage and onion until cooked through. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add seasonings and stir to combine. (This can also be done ahead of time. You can set the filling aside until you're ready to assemble and bake the dish.)

Layer all of the spinach and then all of the chicken mixture on top of the polenta. Top with sauce and cheese. Bake about 30 minutes, or until cheese bubbles and is beginning to brown. Use a big spoon to serve portions to your very grateful family and friends.

NOTE: I've had equally good success using Quaker Corn Meal (very finely ground) as well as Bob's Red Mill Polenta (a coarser grind) for making the polenta.

Toffee Bars

2010-06-19T12:56:00.004-04:00

We interrupt our usual healthy recipes to post this sweet treat. I've got two birthdays + Father's Day at my house this weekend, and one of the celebrants requested Toffee Bars as a special treat. I obliged, and was sampling one (for quality-control purposes) before I took the photo. Busted.

Toffee Bars
Makes 24

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/8 t. salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1 Skor bar, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

Beat butter at medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, egg and vanilla and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Beat in the flour and salt until combined.

Pat the dough into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Using wet hands will help with this painstaking process. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees, or until edges are light brown and top is dry. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top. When chips have gotten melty, about 2 - 3 minutes, spread with a spatula over the entire surface of the crust. Sprinkle nuts and toffee pieces over the chocolate and cut into 24 bars. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Note: These bars get better with age, so prepare a day or two before you want to serve them if possible.

Recipe adapted from the New Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book.

Cantaloupe, Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Salad

2010-06-12T19:15:00.003-04:00

Inspired by a recipe I saw in Cooking Light, I shopped for a ripe cantaloupe, arugula and prosciutto on my last trip to the market, and put this summery salad together tonight (I had some blue cheese in the fridge already). In a matter of minutes, I had a flavorful side dish that everyone loved. I hope you do, too.

Cantaloupe, Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Salad
Serves 4

1 ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-size cubes
1/4 lb. thinly sliced imported prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup arugula (if you don't like arugula, I think flat leaf parsley would make a fine stand-in)
drizzle of sherry vinegar
drizzle of best-quality extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper

Combine the cantaloupe, prosciutto and blue cheese in a bowl or serving dish. Top with arugula. Drizzle with sherry vinegar and olive oil. Grind pepper over the top. Serve.

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad

2010-06-07T18:59:00.006-04:00

This dinner is my fallback on those evenings when I really want to eat dinner at home, but don't want to stop at the grocery store or spend a lot of time on my feet cooking. I usually have all the ingredients needed, or some variation thereof, in my fridge and pantry. Plus, I know everyone likes it.

*Warning*: This is not as "clean" as my usual meals, but I consider it our home-made version of fast food, and feel that on an occasional basis, it's OK for a family to have a meal like this.

My husband, daughter and I eat this salad as is. I sometimes add avocado to my plate as well. Picky Teenage Son is happy with the chicken strips, his salad on the side, some ketchup and a glass of milk.

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad

Buffalo-style Chicken Strips (frozen or homemade)
Salad greens of your choice
1 can Mexi-Corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
cherry tomatoes
fresh cilantro leaves
chopped bell peppers
shredded cheddar or jack cheese
Dressing:
equal parts barbecue sauce, ranch dressing and salsa, combined

Bake the chicken strips as indicated on the package.

Meanwhile, toss the greens with the corn, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, bell peppers and cheese.

Place the warm chicken on top of the salad. Drizzle with the dressing. Serve.

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber-Melon Salsa

2010-06-02T16:23:00.005-04:00

Fresh fruit salsas and relishes are a wonderful way to make a summery statement at dinnertime. Jazz up broiled tilapia, shrimp or grilled chicken with warm-weather fruit salsas made from mango, strawberries and melon. Add some fresh herbs, a bit of citrus zest or juice, and red onion, scallion or chives for bite, and your tastebuds will be singing a summer tune. Taste as you create; you might want to add a natural sweetener such as agave nectar, or a pinch of salt or red pepper flakes, depending on your taste.

Here's a tried-and-true recipe to get you started.

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber-Melon Salsa
Serves 4 - 6

2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed honeydew melon, canteloupe and/or watermelon
1/2 cup diced peeled cucumber
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for chicken
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon light agave nectar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
4 - 6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
Mint sprigs (optional)

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 9 ingredients; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, tossing well to combine.

3. Place chicken in a shallow dish and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with salsa; garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Chilled Zucchini Soup with Lemon-Cumin Shrimp and Cilantro Cream

2010-05-25T19:09:00.004-04:00

A cool meal is just the ticket on a hot day, and here's a great one for you: Chilled Zucchini Soup with Lemon-Cumin Shrimp and Cilantro Cream.

I made this for a client today, and it's got so much going for it: it's cool and refreshing, surprisingly hearty and really flavorful.

My client doesn't eat dairy, so I used soy sour cream. I also changed up the recipe by using 1 1/2 pounds of shrimp for four main-dish servings, which I sauteed in the oil called for. I tossed the cooked shrimp with ground cumin (the client can't tolerate seeds), lemon zest, salt and pepper.

The finished product was an absolutely perfect hot summer day dish.

Great news: If tomorrow's forecast is hot and steamy (or company's coming for lunch or dinner), make the recipe a day ahead: each of the elements of the dish can be prepared ahead of time, and then assembled in the bowl prior to serving. Which will leave you as cool as a cucumber (or zucchini) come dinnertime.

Saucy Tofu (or Beef) Stir-Fry

2010-05-23T06:39:00.009-04:00

"What smells so good?" each child asked as he or she wandered into the kitchen yesterday afternoon. "Tofu," I answered, and my taste testers ran screaming from the room. Well, they didn't actually scream, but they went out to the back yard to play Frisbee after I reassured them that I also had some beef to stir-fry for those who didn't want tofu. The great smell came from the sauce, a combination of soy sauce and barbecue sauce, two condiments I always have on hand.

Aside from the family-friendly sauce, one of the great things about this recipe is that you can make it vegetarian, or you can make it with beef, or you can do both and please everyone at your table. It's up to you.

Another great thing is that you can do lots of preparation ahead of time (like when you're making school lunches in the morning and already have the cutting board out, or when you're in the room as homework helper but aren't needed yet). That way, when dinner time comes, you just need to heat up a pan for the stir-fry and boil some water for noodles or rice, and you'll be good to go.

I did a lot of the chopping in the afternoon, enabling me to sit on the deck with a glass of wine and act as the official Frisbee photographer later on. I don't think I should quit my day job just yet:

Saucy Tofu (or Beef) Stir-Fry
Serves 3 - 4

1 package of extra firm tofu, pressed and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices, and/or1 pound of sirloin steak tips, sliced very thin
2 Tablespoons Canola oil, divided
2 - 3 bell peppers, sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
1 bunch broccoli, steamed for 3 minutes
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
rice or noodles

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 T. oil.

Add the peppers and onions; stir and cook for 6 minute or until crisp tender. Add the broccoli during the last minute of cooking. Remove all the vegetables to a cookie sheet and set aside.

Heat the other tablespoon of oil in the same pan.

If using tofu, place the slices in the skillet and do not move for 5 - 6 minutes. Flip. They should be golden brown. Cook the second side for about 5 more minutes. If using beef as well, remove the tofu and set aside. If not, skip the next paragraph (about cooking the beef) and proceed with the recipe.

If using beef, place the meat in the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and black pepper and cook about 1 minute more, until beef has just lost its pink color.

Add the soy sauce to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the barbecue sauce and stir. Add the cooked vegetables back into the mixture and stir together. Serve over rice.

(If you've also cooked tofu, I recommend adding some sauce to the tofu before removing it from the pan, and then tossing some of the cooked vegetables with it.)

Seafood and Vegetable Kebabs (and lunch the next day!)

2010-05-15T19:19:00.006-04:00

Tonight's dinner was unplanned, made without a recipe, and absolutely delicious. In fact, it was the kind of meal I wish I could find on a restaurant menu, but I can't.

I was in the mood for scallops and shrimp tonight, so I picked some up at the fish counter this afternoon during my Saturday grocery shopping. Around 5 pm, I rummaged through the vegetable drawer and found half an onion, a few bell pepper pieces and a zucchini, which I chopped and marinated in olive oil, vinegar and some olive paste I had in the fridge. I tossed the seafood with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest and let it sit while I preheated the grill.

Everything was grilled to perfection in under 10 minutes: my ideal restaurant meal, right in my own backyard. Life is good.

Editing to add - I turned the leftover shrimp and scallops into a "Poor Man's Lobster Roll" for lunch the next day. I chopped the seafood, added a stalk of finely chopped celery, a squeeze of lemon, a scant tablespoon of mayonnaise, salt and pepper and spooned it into a buttered, toasted hot dog roll. Life is good for a second day in a row!

Santa Fe Quinoa Salad

2010-05-14T18:24:00.005-04:00

Lunch with friends is always a treat, and when your friends are personal chefs, it's even better!

A few of us have been trying to get together for lunch for a while, and today was finally the day. A little-known fact about personal chefs is that many of us have Fridays off. Why? Because our clients want to eat our meals during the week: Mondays and Tuesdays are my most sought-after days. When I cook for families on those days, they end up with a fridge (and sometimes freezer) full of meals to enjoy on busy weeknights. And, most personal chefs are our own bosses, so if we want Fridays off, we take them off.

Today, each of us brought a dish, and our lunch was suberb: Christine's Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade, Patti's (dairy-free) Cream of Asparagus Soup, Lyn's Marinated Vegetable Salad and my Santa Fe Quinoa Salad.

Santa Fe Quinoa Salad
Serves 4 - 6 as a side dish

3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons canola oil
Freshly ground pepper
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small red bell pepper -- finely diced
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 3 ounce jar cocktail onions

In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa, water and a pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Spread the quinoa on a baking sheet; refrigerate for about 20 minutes. (Or make quinoa a day ahead and refrigerate until needed.)

Combine the ground cumin, lime juice, oil, salt and pepper in a jar and shake until combined. Pour the dressing into a bowl and add the black beans, bell pepper, cilantro and cocktail onions. Scrape the quinoa into the bowl, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Make Ahead:
The quinoa salad can be refrigerated overnight.

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, May 2010

Laura's Greek Chicken Bake

2010-05-09T07:09:00.004-04:00

It's a busy time of year at mi casa: we've got the school play, dance recital, lacross games, the invention convention, the arts festival and final exams on the agenda. Healthy meals and snacks are absolutely in order to keep everyone happy and energized, but most days, there's not a whole lot of time to shop and cook.

Yesterday afternoon I needed to whip up something that wasn't too heavy but would keep our stomachs from grumbling during DD's dance recital. I turned to my pantry and fridge, and then to my friend and fellow personal chef Laura Whalen's recipe for Greek Chicken. I served it with Spinach Orzo.

Laura's Greek Chicken Bake
Serves 3

1 package fresh chicken tenders (about 1 pound)
Penzey's Greek Seasoning, or salt and pepper
1 T. olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
15-ounce can diced tomatoes with garlic and oregano
4 ounces sliced black olives (or kalamata olives or 2 T. capers)
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
fresh parsley for garnish

Season the chicken lightly with Greek Seasoning or salt and pepper. Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides (about 1 - 2 minutes per side); chicken will not be fully cooked. Remove chicken from pan and place in a greased casserole dish.

Turn down the heat and add the chopped shallot, garlic and jalapeno to the same pan and saute until the vegetables start getting soft, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and olives to the sauce. Stir and pour over the chicken in the casserole dish. Top with feta cheese.

Bake casserole at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and dish is bubbly around the edges. Garnish with parsely.

Spinach Orzo
Serves 3

Place a couple of handfuls of baby spinach in a colander in the sink. Cook 1 cup of orzo according to package directions. Drain the orzo over the spinach, to wilt the spinach. Season with butter, salt and pepper if desired. Toss and serve.

Cold-brewed iced coffee

2010-05-03T07:38:00.004-04:00

Iced coffee is my a.m. drink of choice this time of year (and peanut butter toast is my breakfast year-round, in case you wondered). I love Starbucks' iced coffee, and Ann at my local Starbucks makes it just the way I like: mostly decaf, a splash of caffeinated coffee and a splash of soy milk. It's the perfect drink to get me through a hot morning of cooking.

When I'm home, I seldom make iced coffee. But this low-tech method was so appealing, I had to give it a try. I made up a batch (OK, two batches) over the weekend and enjoyed my first cold-brewed iced coffee this morning. Good stuff!

I started with Starbucks ground decaf, a couple of empty jars and a measuring cup. The straining part was a bit messy; next time I won't strain twice because it didn't seem necessary. I also didn't find it necessary to mix in any water when I made my drink. I just poured the coffee into a glass full of ice cubes, added a splash of soy milk, and was good to go.

Meaty Calzones

2010-05-01T17:00:00.005-04:00

A couple of my weekly personal chef clients are hooked on old-fashioned comfort food. Nothing pleases their families more than Baked Ziti, Meatloaf, Grilled Marinated Flank Steak or Oven-Fried Chicken. Now and then they branch out (two chose Vegetable Enchiladas this week), but for the most part, they ask me to prepare familiar foods.

Meaty Calzones seem to fit that bill. Made of seasoned ground beef and mozzarella cheese wrapped in individual pizza-dough packets, they're sort of a taco in a pocket, or a meat-za with a top.

I serve them with a mild marinara sauce for dipping, as well as a tossed salad, vegetables and dip or green vegetable - I love asparagus. (It's easy to roast while the calzones are cooling: toss trimmed asparagus with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the same 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.)

Meaty Calzones
Serves 4

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cornmeal
1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup marinara sauce for dipping

Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain all the fat and season the meat with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the paper with nonstick spray and sprinkle with cornmeal. Unroll the pizza dough on the sheet and cut into 4 rectangles. Stretch each rectangle to about 6x5 inches. Place 1/4 of the meat in the center of each rectangle. Top with cheese.

Bring the long ends of the dough up toward the center and pinch together. Fold the ends in slightly toward the center to seal. Flip the calzone over so all the folds are on the bottom. Repeat for remaining 3 calzones. Prick the top of each with a fork and spray with nonstick spray.

Bake for 11 - 15 minutes, until dough is light golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving with your favorite marinara sauce.

What do Alison Sweeney and Ham and Egg Sandwiches Have in Common?

2010-04-21T19:30:00.007-04:00

I thought that might get your attention.

Tonight for dinner, I repeated the Lean Egg and Ham Sandwiches that I'd made and blogged about in February, though I simplified the process by not heating the ham and not using parsley tonight (that's a picture from last time). We got home from DD's lacross game after 6 pm, and I need to get dinner on the table quickly. Once again, these sandwiches came through. I served them with fruit salad, and the crowd was very happy.

Now, back to that title. As my husband was eating his second Ham and Egg sammy, he murmured, "These are marvelous." The last time I heard him use that adjective, he was watching Biggest Loser. Host Alison Sweeney appeared, looking, well, like only Alison Sweeney can. "She's marvelous," he purred.

I'm not sure if I should be green with envy or happy that he enjoyed his dinner so much.

Meal Planning 102

2010-04-20T15:29:00.006-04:00

This is for those of you who've passed Meal Planning 101 and are ready for a higher level of meal planning. It takes into account the basics already covered in Meal Planning 101 but adds another element to streamline the process. Please open your laptops and we'll begin.

My latest attempt to make my life easier happened over the weekend, when I was trying to make my meal plan for the week. I decided to type up all the meals that at least 3 out of 4 of my family members like, by category. That ruled out categories like Tofu, Shellfish and Pork, since we don't have a majority who like any of those. What it left me with was Chicken/Turkey, Pasta, Beef, Seafood, and Salads/Light Meals. Not too shabby. I suppose I could have used different categories, like Italian, Chinese, All-American, Tex-Mex and Thai; or Grill, Oven, Crockpot, Saute, No Cook. Hmmm. Maybe next time around.

After deciding on the categories, I quickly typed in the names of recipes from my recipe binder that qualified as family favorites. I can always add new recipes, but for now I have 80+ recipes, which should keep us fed for quite a while.

The easy part was (and forever shall be) planning the meals for the week. By glancing at the list, I could pick a tried-and-true meal from each category for each night of the week. The best part is that the family has been so happy to see some of their old favorites at the table. We've enjoyed Asian-Grilled Chicken with Pot Stickers and Salisbury Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Peas.

Your homework is to make a list of meals your family likes, and see if it makes your meal planning any easier. Class dismissed.

Asian Grilled Chicken
Serves 4 - 6

One package boneless skinless chicken breasts (3 breast halves, about 1 1/2 lbs.: I used the package I got at the 5 for $25 sale!)
3/4 cup Soy Veh Teriyaki Sauce

Slice the chicken breasts horizontally so you get two equal size pieces from each breast (this is very easy to do if the breasts are slightly frozen). I do this because the thinner breast cooks very quickly on the grill.

Place the six pieces of chicken in a large ziplock bag with the Soy Veh sauce. Let marinate in the fridge for 2 - 6 hours.

Grill over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve.

5 for $25

2010-04-16T08:03:00.003-04:00

I'd never taken advantage of my grocery store's "5 for $25" meat special before this week, and now I'm not sure why. The meat is fresh and top-quality: I picked up three strip steaks, a package of chicken breasts and a package of turkey cutlets for $25. Other options included whole chickens, pork roasts, ground turkey breast, ground beef and Mrs. Budd's Chicken Pot Pies. Seriously.

According to my grocery receipt, I saved $10.15; the biggest savings came from the package of chicken breasts, which would have cost $8.94. So if I'd bought 5 packages of chicken breasts, I would have saved close to $20. But that's boring, in my opinion. I like variety.

I turned the strip steaks into Steak Shish Kebobs, following Amy's recipe, which I served with rice and corn. They were gone before you could say "mmmm."

I used my grill pan to make Grilled Turkey Cutlets in just three minutes. I sprinkled half of the cutlets with Penzey's Turkish Seasoning and half with salt and pepper, then brushed lightly with olive oil. I cooked them for 2 minutes on the first side, flipped and cooked for 1 minute longer. After placing on a serving platter, I brushed the spicier cutlets with barbecue sauce and left the others naked, for the less-adventurous eaters. I served the cutlets with a green salad and some pineapple, and it was one of the fastest dinners I've ever made.

No plans yet for the chicken breast, but I'm sure I'll think of something soon. And I'll definitely be stocking up at the next 5 for $25 sale.

All in a day's work

2010-04-08T19:41:00.007-04:00

Everything looked so colorful at today's cook date, I couldn't resist snapping a couple of pictures with my BlackBerry. While the colors don't pop quite as much as they did on the kitchen counter with the mid-day sun shining through the windows, I hope you get the picture.

On Thursdays, I cook for a family of six; they like simple foods that their kids will eat, and often request the same items each week. The top photo includes Baked Ziti (at the top of the picture - it's actually Unbaked Ziti - the client pops it in the oven the night they eat it); White Bean and Tomato Salad; Bacon and Cheese Quiche; and Emerald City Rice/Vegetable Salad.

The second photo includes the components for a Fresh Fruit Salad (black containers at the top); Chicken and Steak Fajitas with Onions and Peppers (two aluminum containers); and Hamburgers. The double aluminum pans are my cooling method: I place the hot food in one pan, which I place in a second pan full of ice. I stir the food and it cools quickly, enabling me to package it for the fridge or freezer without it being in the danger zone for any significant amount of time.

Today's Tip: I discovered that grilling a batch of hamburgers and then freezing them is the perfect way to have something for Picky Teenage Son to eat when he doesn't want what I'm serving for dinner. Or when he needs a meal at 3 pm. Or 11 pm.

Regardless of the time of day, all you have to do is take a frozen grilled patty from the freezer, place it on a microwave-safe plate, cover loosely and heat at 40% power for 2-3 minutes. The burger should be defrosted and warm at this point. Then flip the burger and heat for 1 more minute at 40% power (add cheese now if desired), and serve.

Dinner in a Pouch

2010-04-07T19:16:00.007-04:00

Keeping with the "Meal-in-a-Container" theme, tonight I tried cooking fish in a foil packet, and guess what? It was really good! Want to see what it looked like? Keep reading...

The first step in this super-simple operation was tearing off a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil for each piece of fish. For years I resisted buying heavy-duty aluminum foil, because I thought it was a waste of money. Well, as my husband's grandmother used to say, "You thought wrong." The stuff is priceless: I use it to line my baking sheet when I cook bacon in the oven and I have almost no grease to clean up; I use it wrap brisket and it doesn't leak, and tonight I used it for the fish packets, and again it came through for me.

I bought about 3/4 pound of salmon, cut it into two pieces, and put about 1 T. of a very secret mixture (see below) on each piece. Then I topped each piece with sliced pineapple and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. Could it get any easier?

Here's the fish after I prepped it, but before I sealed it up and put it in the oven.

And 20 minutes later, heeeeeere's dinner:

I served the salmon with vegetable fried rice (using whatever vegetables I had in the fridge) as well as some roasted asparagus. A simply delicious dinner!

Salmon in a Pouch
Serves 2 (can adjust quantities to serve 1 - 100)

heavy-duty aluminum foil!
1 T. teriyaki sauce
1 T. hoisin sauce
2 6-ounce pieces of salmon, skin removed
4 rings of pineapple, fresh or canned
sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes

Tear off a piece of foil for each piece of fish. I would say my foil was about 10 - 12 inches by 18 inches. Spray with nonstick spray and place a piece of fish on each piece of foil.

Combine the teriyaki and the hoisin sauce in a small bowl. Spoon 1 T. of sauce over each piece of fish. Place two pineapple slices on top of the fish and sprinkle with crushed red pepper to taste. Seal the packet by bringing the top and bottom pieces of foil up and folding, then folding in the sides.

Packets can be prepared 8 hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the foil packets on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes (if your salmon fillets are very thin, they will be done sooner; if very thick, they may need an extra couple of minutes). Remove from the oven, open carefully and serve.

Idea from Hungry Girl 1-2-3 by Lisa Lillien

Cup o' Breakfast

2010-04-06T08:29:00.003-04:00

What do you eat for breakfast? It's every man for himself around here, and typical breakfasts are toast, bagels, frozen waffles or cereal: quick, easy and energy-providing, what with all those carbs. Another bonus is there's not much to clean up afterward; we each put our dishes in the dishwasher and off we go.

However, I like some protein at breakfast. It helps keep me full longer and makes me feel less bloated than a massive load of carbohydrates. I love eggs, but rarely want to whip out the skillet to cook them on a weekday morning, what with a full day of cooking ahead of me (not to mention all the dishes I end up doing while I cook).

Today I tried something new, and in the time it takes to toast a bagel, I had a mug full of steaming hot eggs and vegetarian sausage that was packed with protein and flavor. Inspiration came from Hungry Girl 1-2-3, Lisa Lillien's new cookbook of easy, low-calorie recipes. I don't use lots of the processed foods she promotes, but I do like her ideas and flavor combinations, so I used her egg mug idea with (gasp) real eggs and came up with a great breakfast with infinite possibilities (not to mention 20 grams of protein).

My Breakfast Mug
Serves 1

1 egg
1 egg white
1 Morningstar Farms Veggie Breakfast Sausage patty, thawed*

Spray a microwave-safe mug with nonstick cooking spray. Crack the egg and the egg white into the mug and mix it with a fork. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir the eggs again and microwave for 20 more seconds, or until eggs are cooked through.
Crumble the sausage patty into the eggs and eat.

168 calories, 8 g. fat, 4 g. carbs, 20 grams of protein (made with above ingredients)

*Other possible add-ins in place of the sausage: shredded cheese, salsa, finely chopped vegetables, smoked salmon, bacon bits, chopped ham or turkey

Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds

2010-04-04T08:32:00.006-04:00

Last night's dinner proved once again that a dish using just a few quality ingredients almost always prevails as my favorite part of the meal. The fresh tastes sing out; there's nothing muddled or confusing; it's just clear, bright and delicious.

Let's take it from the top. I prepared Chicken Saute with Caramelized Ginger Sauce with side dishes Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds and brown jasmine rice. Despite an ingredient list that's twice as long as that of the side dish, the Chicken Saute wasn't twice as good. In fact, it didn't compare.

You can find both recipes by clicking on the links provided above; try them both. Or just try the Snow Peas, and let me know if you agree.

They Fought the Slaw (and I won)

2010-04-02T08:36:00.008-04:00

The word "slaw" is not greeted with enthusiasm at my house, because my three taste-testers believe America's third-favorite condiment, mayonnaise, should be outlawed. You'll never find potato salad, egg salad, tuna salad or coleslaw gracing our dinner table. Even the minuscule amount of mayo I use to bind my crab cakes together has gotten me in trouble with the family.

Last night I was planning to make grilled wrap sandwiches on the panini press (prosciutto and shredded Gruyere on Joseph's Wheat and Flax Flatbread - outstanding!) and thought slaw would be the perfect partner, especially since I had a variety of crunchy vegetables doing time in the veggie drawer. The dressing would have to be something familiar and mayo-free, so I got out a couple of Asian condiments and went to town.

The family waived their right to remain silent and gave high praise to the mayo-free slaw. What they didn't know was that they were getting a powerhouse of nutrients in every bite; I'll keep that information on the QT for now.

Asian Slaw
Make a little or make a lot

A variety of crunchy vegetables, shredded or sliced thin (red cabbage, green cabbage, bok choy, carrots, scallions, snow peas, cilantro... use what you've got. A bag of broccoli slaw from the produce section would be great, too.)

low-sodium soy sauce
toasted sesame oil
fresh ginger, grated, or a gingery condiment such as chutney

A handful of toasted nuts or seeds for more crunch

Toss all the vegetables in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix up the soy sauce and sesame oil with a whisk; start with about 2 T. soy sauce and a scant tablespoon of sesame oil for 2 - 3 cups of raw vegetables. Add some fresh grated ginger or something else gingery to amp up the flavor. I happened to have some very gingery mango chutney open, so I added about a tablespoon of that. Taste the dressing and see what you think. If you like it, pour it over the vegetables and toss well. They should be lightly coated with the dressing and not swimming in it.

Before serving, toss in the nuts or seeds for another layer of crunch. Enjoy!

Jambalaya

2010-03-27T19:37:00.006-04:00

As a Personal Chef, one of my responsibilities is to come up with new and different dishes for my clients every week. I look to magazines, TV shows, websites, restaurant menus and fellow bloggers for inspiration daily. Sometimes I feel like I spend all my waking hours trying to think up new meal ideas (some of my sleeping hours, too).

Inspiration can strike at the oddest times, as was the case with this recipe, which I stumbled upon in Family Circle magazine while on vacation recently. Vacation. A time of no work. But I couldn't help myself. I ripped it out, carried it home and made it soon after.

In my mind, there's nothing not to like about Jambalaya, the Creole combo of chicken, spicy sausage, shrimp, vegetables and rice. However, if there's something you don't like about it, it's not a deal-breaker - this is the kind of recipe you can fiddle with to your heart's content. You might not end up with the world's most authentic Jambalaya, but you will end up with a hearty, healthy meal. I adjusted the spices for my family and didn't include any seafood. It was a hit all around.

Jambalaya
Serves 6

1 T. vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 package fully-cooked smoked chicken sausage (I used Hillshire Farms Smoked Chicken Sausage - use something spicier if you can handle it - we can't!)
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 1/2 t. Cajun seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes (use the kind with green chiles if you like heat)
1 cup long-grain white rice (I use Uncle Ben's Converted white rice)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Heat oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sausage and saute until chicken is no longer pink but not quite cooked through. Remove chicken and sausage from pan and set aside on a plate.

Add onion, green pepper and celery to pan and cook until vegetables are crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in Cajun seasoning, tomatoes and their juices, rice and broth.

Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes, until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Stir the chicken and sausage back into the pan, along with any accumulated juices. Cook, uncovered, until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 5 more minutes.

This meal is just fine if you prepare it ahead of time, cool it, and then heat it up again before serving. Serve with hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Frank's) if you'd like to spice it up at the table.

Adapted from Family Circle magazine.

Oat and Almond Breakfast Bars

2010-03-20T08:10:00.002-04:00

When a friend called to see if I'd like to be part of the local elementary school's first Health and Fitness Fair/5K Run, I couldn't resist. Not only did both my kids attend the school, but I enjoy doing things in my community and spreading the word about healthy eating to anyone who will listen!

The event is next weekend, so I've been working on some handouts about quick, healthy meals, recipes and so forth. After talking to my Board of Health, I got permission to prepare and hand out a homemade snack (with some restrictions regarding potentially hazardous food). I decided fresh fruit and some sort of granola bar would be perfect, both for the runners and their families.

This was my first attempt at a granola bar, and I wasn't sure what to expect. The result wasn't too sticky or cookie-like, had a great texture and good flavor. I'm going to try to modify the recipe and remove the almonds, perhaps substituting another grain or some crisp rice cereal, because I'm quite aware of how many nut allergies there are these days. But I think these will be long gone by the time I whip up the next batch. They're that good!

Oat and Almond Breakfast Bars
Makes 24 bars

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
2 t. vanilla
1 large egg
2 cups old-fashioned oats, uncooked
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup raisins (I used a combination of raisins and Craisins)
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray the foil or parchment with nonstick spray.

In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, combine oil, honey, vanilla and egg until well mixed.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (I used my hands for this). With a rubber spatula, stir the honey mixture into the oat mixture until blended. It will look like there's not enough liquid at first, but keep mixing; it will all come together.

Use the spatula to scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Use your wet hands to pat the mixture into the pan.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until pale golden around the edges. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 1 hour. Use the foil or parchment to remove the entire rectangle from the pan to a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe from Good Housekeeping.

Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Red Pepper-Tomato Relish

2010-03-19T09:48:00.002-04:00

Meatloaf: the ultimate comfort food. You either love it or hate it, right?

My family falls into the "love it" category (with the exception of Picky Teenage Son, who refuses to eat mixtures of any sort). I have several meatloaf recipes that the majority of us enjoy, including an Italian Meatloaf (ground beef, crumbled Italian sausage, parmesan cheese and marinara sauce make it really flavorful); a Skinny Meatloaf made of ground beef and ground turkey with a ketchup-mustard glaze; and Ina Garten's Turkey Meatloaf , a regular on the rotation around here. Clients request meatloaf frequently, too, so I'm always on the lookout for something new.

This recipe caught my husband's eye in good old Cook This, Not That, so I gave it a trial run. It was hands down the most flavorful turkey meatloaf we've ever had (sorry, Ina). I prepared the relish a day ahead, using canned tomatoes instead of fresh, which worked very well. We ate leftovers for a couple of days, and then I froze the remaining slices for lunches or dinners in the near future.

Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Red Pepper-Tomato Relish
Serves 8

recipe adapted from Cook This, Not That, by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding

Relish:
1 T. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Meatloaf:

1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey (93% lean)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary1/2 - 1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten

To make the relish, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 10 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes, ketchup and Worcestershire and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. (relish can be made a day in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.)

When ready to make the meatloaf, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 6 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of the prepared relish along with the freshly sauteed onion and garlic and the rest of the ingredients for the meatloaf. Gently mix with your hands until everything is blended.

Turn the bowl over and let the meat mixture fall out onto a baking dish. Form it into a loaf shape and cover the top with half of the remaining relish.

Bake the meatloaf for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining relish.

Quinoa with Asparagus and Chick Peas

2010-03-14T08:55:00.004-04:00

We're back from vacation, and I for one am craving good-for-you, homemade food after OD'ing on restaurant fare for several days. I cooked up some quinoa the morning we got home and then hit the grocery store for some fresh produce, meat and poultry.
When I got home, I created this dish, which I've been nibbling on ever since.

Quinoa with Asparagus and Chick Peas
Serves 4-6 as a side dish

1 T. olive oil
1 can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 bunch of asparagus, ends snapped off and discarded, cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups precooked quinoa
lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to dress
optional: 1/2 cup toasted almonds

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the chick peas and saute them, without moving them around, until they begin to brown on one side. Then stir and add garlic and shallot to the pan. Saute for a minute, then add asparagus, chicken stock and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, until asparagus is bright green and begining to get tender.

Here's all the vegetables steaming in the pan:

Uncover the pan and stir in the cooked quinoa. Remove from heat and taste. Add some lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper if you like. Top with toasted almonds, if using, and serve.

French Onion Soup

2010-03-04T14:29:00.007-05:00

It was a dark and stormy night.

There were 4 starving teenagers at the house.

No, this isn't the start of a horror novel -- it's my life! My son's friends are a great group of guys, and they're always hungry. I love feeding them, but wasn't sure if the evening's dinner plan, French Onion Soup, was going to go over big. They surprised me by slurping it up; one even went back for a second bowl (that would be the bowl that Picky Teenage Son refused).

Once again, Cook This, Not That was the inspiration for this recipe. You don't have to wait for a dark and stormy night (or the arrival of a ravenous pack of teenagers) to prepare it.

French Onion Soup
Serves 6

1 T. butter
5 medium onions (red and sweet yellow), sliced thin (I used my mandolin)
1/2 t. salt
2 bay leaves
6 cups low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 - 5 fresh thyme sprigs
black pepper
6 slices sourdough bread
6 slices swiss cheese

Heat butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Add onions and salt. Cover and cook over low heat until onions are meltingly soft, at least 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes, depending on your patience. Stir every 10 minutes or so.

Add the bay leaves, broth, wine and thyme to the caramelized onions. Simmer on low heat for at least 15 minutes. Season with pepper. Discard bay leaves.

Preheat the broiler. Place six oven-proof bowls on a heavy baking sheet (one that won't go "boing" and twist). Divide the soup among the bowls. Top each bowl of soup with a slice of bread and a slice of cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling; about 3 minutes. Serve.

Pasta Bolognese

2010-02-22T19:03:00.003-05:00

Bolognese is a meat-based sauce made with carrots, onions, celery, beef broth, tomatoes and milk or cream and is typically served over a flat, wide pasta such as tagliatelle.

This version comes from my new friend, Cook This, Not That. The authors have slimmed down the traditional recipe by using lean meats and low-fat milk. A slow simmer gets it nice and thick and perfect for using on your favorite fresh or dried pasta, or even polenta. It would also make a very tasty meat sauce for a lasagna or baked ziti dish.

While it's not a diet food by any stretch of the imagination, this hearty homemade sauce deserves a place in your dinner rotation.

Pasta Bolognese
Serves 6 - 8

1 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 medium onion, diced
6 oz. ground turkey
6 oz. ground pork
6 oz. ground sirloin
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes (I used crushed tomatoes)
2 T. tomato paste (I used tomato paste with Italian herbs)
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 cup low-fat milk
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 package fresh fettucine (or more)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and stir with a wooden spoon until the meat is broken up and no longer pink.

Drain any accumulated fat from the pan. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, milk and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer the sauce for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 hours), until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm while you prepare the pasta.

Top the cooked pasta with the hot sauce. Serve sprinkled with the Parmesan cheese.

Lean Eggs and Ham

2010-02-21T19:12:00.004-05:00

Whether it's breakfast for dinner, brunch or, well, breakfast, you can't go wrong with this lean version of an egg sandwich. Picky teenage son chose this as one of his two selections from Cook This, Not That. I think you can see the corner of the book in the picture, as a matter of fact.

This is the book's version of Denny's "Belgian Waffle Slam" which boasts 940 calories and 53 grams of fat, not to mention setting you back $6.79. The Cook This version is all of 270 calories, with 11 grams of fat and a cost of under $1 per serving.

We all gave it two thumbs up.

Waffles with Ham and Egg
Serves 4, easily adjustable to serve 1 - 100

4 slices Canadian bacon or deli ham
1 T. butter (my addition to the recipe)
4 large eggs
salt and pepper
4 frozen whole grain waffles
2 T. pure maple syrup
4 T. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
fresh chopped parsley (optional)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the ham and cook briefly on each side, just to heat through and get a little brown. Remove the ham to a plate. Add butter to the pan. When it melts, crack 4 eggs around the edge of the pan, using a spatula to keep them from colliding. Let cook for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and flip the eggs. Cook to your desired degree of doneness (we all like them cooked through).

In the meantime, toast the waffles or place in a 350 oven for about 10 minutes until hot and crisp. Top each waffle with one slice of ham, a drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkle of cheese and the warm fried egg. Sprinkle with parsley if desired, and serve with some fruit salad.

Chicken Pot Stickers

2010-02-19T17:43:00.004-05:00

True confession:

There's a nice Barnes & Noble near my kids' school, and now and then I purposely leave the house early so I can stop and browse before I pick them up. Each time, I solemnly swear that I will NOT buy a cookbook or cooking magazine. And each time, I walk out with a cookbook or a cooking magazine. Sometimes both.

I recently purchased Cook This, Not That, which caught my eye because it features healthy spins on all sorts of favorite restaurant-type foods, from burgers to breakfast sandwiches to pasta dishes to comfort foods. My clients and my family love this kind of food, and a little extra inspiration never hurts (at least that was my justification for buying the book).

Last week, I asked my 2 kids and husband each to flag two recipes they'd like to try in the book. This is the family that really could care less what's for dinner, as long as it's vaguely familiar, lukewarm and ready to eat at 6:15 pm.

To my surprise, they flagged 13 recipes. Tonight I was inspired by the recipe for Chicken Pot Stickers from the Appetizers and Small Bites chapter. I wanted to bring a platter of something special to a cocktail party, and this was a big hit! I have put several more recipes from the book on our family menu for the upcoming week, so stay tuned for more tasty results.

Chicken Pot Stickers
Makes a big platter

1 bag frozen pot stickers (about 24 pot stickers; I got mine at Trader Joe's)
4 tsp. dark sesame oil, divided
2 tsp. canola oil
1 bag sugar snap peas (I use Mann's, found fresh in the produce section; they're already washed and strings removed)
2 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. rice vinegar
squirt of sriracha sauce
sesame seeds, optional

Cook the pot stickers in a big pot of boiling water until they float to the top, about 3 - 5 minutes. You don't want them completely cooked and mushy, but on their way to cooked. Drain and pat dry.

Heat 2 tsp. of sesame oil and 2 tsp. of canola oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Place the pot stickers in the pan and let cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until the sides are nicely browned.

Meanwhile, place the sugar snap peas in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and steam in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove plastic wrap. Toss browned pot stickers with sugar snap peas and 1 tsp. sesame oil in the bowl.

Make a dipping sauce by combining the hoisin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha and remaining teaspoon of sesame oil (or use any store-bought sauce you have around). Place the pot stickers and sugar snap peas on a platter, with the dipping sauce nearby (or toss them with the sauce and place on platter). Garnish with sesame seeds.

Recipe adapted from Cook This, Not That.

Fish in a Flash

2010-02-18T18:31:00.003-05:00

I don't seem to slow down all day, and my lastest quest is getting meals on the table fast. This dinner delivered, taking all of 5 minutes prep time this morning before I headed out the door and then 10 minutes start to finish this evening. You could prep the fish at dinner time; I happened to have a free moment this morning, so I got it ready then. I guess it helped that I had a bag of fresh breadcrumbs in the freezer, but if you don't, use some plain panko instead.

Fresh fish is the key to any successful fish dish, I've found. I'm lucky to live in a region where fresh fish is always available (though I see plenty of frozen fish in the market as well). I have tried both (side-by-side in some instances), and frozen fish doesn't hold a candle to fresh. I'm not talking about shellfish; I'm talking about fin fish, such as cod, haddock, tilapia, sea bass and salmon. Please don't buy them frozen if you can help it. They just don't taste as good, and may very well be the reason you think you don't like fish.

Tonight's dinner featured tilapia. In the time it took to preheat the oven and roast the fish, I cooked a cup of whole wheat couscous on the stovetop and steamed a bag of spinach in the microwave. I combined both of those with some dried seasonings for our side dish, and dinner was served.

Caesar-Baked Fish
Serves 3

3 tilapia fillet -- or cod or haddock
3 tablespoons mayonnaise (I like the olive-oil mayo)
3 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon -- zested
1/2 teaspoon salt -- or to taste
dash ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
lemon wedges to serve

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place fish fillets in a greased baking dish.

Combine mayonnaise, Parmesan, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Spread over fish fillets. Top with breadcrumbs. (This step can be done hours ahead. If making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.)

Bake about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily and crumbs begin to brown. Serve with lemon wedges.

Turkey Sausage-Stuffed Manicotti

2010-02-17T19:35:00.006-05:00

Judging from the title and the picture, you would probably believe me when I told you that this manicotti is delicious (it's true). You might even believe me if I told you that this dinner is much more healthful than anything you'd get at a restaurant (making healthy versions of favorite foods is my specialty). But I'm sure you wouldn't believe me if I told you how incredibly simple it is to prepare Sausage-Stuffed Manicotti. The only dish or utensil involved in the preparation is one casserole dish. Read on, and become a believer.

Turkey Sausage-Stuffed Manicotti
Serves 7

1 25 ounce jar marinara sauce -- I used Whole Foods 365 Tomato-Basil Sauce
1/2 cup water
8 ounces manicotti -- uncooked (1 box)
1 1/4 pounds turkey sausage -- I used Turkey Store Sweet Italian Sausage
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese (Parmesan would be good, too)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour 1 cup of sauce onto the bottom of the pan.

Add 1/2 cup water to remaining sauce in the jar. Replace lid and shake to combine.

Remove casings from the sausages. Take approximately 1/3 of one sausage link and roll it into a skinny tube in your hands. Gently insert it into the uncooked manicotti shell. Place the shell in the pan. Repeat the process until you've used all the shells and sausage; you should have 14 filled shells.

Pour the remaining sauce on top of the manicotti. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove foil and top the manicotti with both cheeses. Return to the oven for 8 - 10 minutes, until cheeses are melted and manicotti is tender. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Cape Cod Lollicakes

2010-02-14T19:05:00.005-05:00

As much as I wish I could pull off a cute dessert like this, there's really no way that's happening in my kitchen. Last time I had friends over, I had a bowl of M&Ms for dessert. That's about as good as it gets around here, dessert-wise.

So I ordered a dozen "lollicakes" (cake on a stick) from Cape Cod Lollicakes for my husband for Valentine's Day. He loved the presentation, and offered us each one. The chocolate covered lollicakes have a cookie dough cake filling; the pink covered lollicakes have a chocolate cake filling. These pops contain some of the tastiest cake you've ever had. Highly recommended. The only problem is, he's not willing to sharing the rest. :-(

Round 2: Tilapia with Tomato-Olive Sauce

2010-02-12T07:13:00.005-05:00

Cooking once and eating twice is always smart. Sometimes I plan to do so: I'll grill or bake extra protein and serve it again another night in a pasta dish, salad or quesadilla. Sometimes I don't plan, but it just happens, like when I made the roast beef. We had some leftover, so I incorporated into a fried rice entree a couple of days later. Last night was one of those "didn't plan it that way" nights.

The polenta and sausage from Wednesday's dinner were long gone, but I still had a cup or so of the chunky tomato-vegetable sauce. I hadn't served served fish this week, and I thought the sauce would go really nicely with almost any white fish or even shrimp. So I stopped in at Shaw's on my way home from work and picked up some tilapia fillets along with a scoop of pitted kalamata olives. I also should have bought some fresh parsley; I could have sworn I had some here, but I guess not.

At home, I put the olives in the sauce and sliced them a little bit with a dinner knive and fork (I really didn't want to dirty a cutting board - you know the feeling, right?). I set it in a little saucepan over low heat while I made the fish.

After seasoning the fish with salt and pepper, I heated a little olive oil in a nonstick skillet, sauteed the fish for a couple of minutes on each side, topped it with the newly olive-infused sauce, and wished I had some fresh parsley to scatter over the entire creation. Served with rice and (leftover) broccoli, it was a fantastic, easy weeknight meal.

Polenta with Chicken Sausage and Tomato-Vegetable Sauce

2010-02-10T18:51:00.004-05:00

This happy accident had my critics going back for seconds (all except Picky Teenage Son, who got up only to get a yogurt from the fridge). Getting PTS to go back for seconds of anything is like pulling teeth, which made me think the old Trident gum phrase, "3 out of 4 dentists surveyed recommend Trident for their patients who chew gum." Well, 3 out of 4 of my family members recommend this dish.

My dinner plan involved using a roll of polenta I'd picked up at Trader Joe's along with the al fresco chicken sausages that were on sale at Roche Bros. this week. I figured I'd need a sauce, so I opened the veggie drawer and pulled out half an onion, half a bell pepper and a portobello mushroom cap, sauteed them with some garlic, added a can of tomatoes and some seasonings, and dinner was ready.

Polenta with Chicken Sausage and Tomato-Vegetable Sauce
Serves 3 - 4

2 - 4 T. olive oil, divided
about 1 cup of chopped vegetables, such as onion, bell peppers, mushrooms and/or zucchini
2 cloves garlic, minced
splash of white or red wine
1 can petite diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
1 tube polenta, sliced into 10 - 12 rounds
1 package al fresco chicken sausage (fully cooked), I used the spinach and feta flavor
freshly grated parmesan or asiago cheese

Heat about 2 T. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the vegetables until they begin to soften, about 5 - 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add a splash of wine if you'd like, and stir around to scrape up any bits that are beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the can of tomatoes with their juices and the Italian seasoning, and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Keep warm, or set aside and rewarm before serving. (Sauce can be prepared hours ahead of time.)

About 15 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush one side of polenta with olive oil. Place oiled side down in pan and cook for about 3 minutes, or until grill marks or light brown color appear. Brush tops with oil and flip. Cook 3 - 4 minutes longer. Place polenta on a baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Use the same pan to heat your sausage, flipping once a couple of minutes through.

Place three pieces of polenta on each plate. Top with several sausage slices and a couple of spoonfuls of sauce. Top with shredded cheese and serve.

Scrappy Fried Rice

2010-02-08T19:26:00.003-05:00

Use it or lose it, I said to myself, as I stared at half a roast beef in the fridge, leftover from Saturday night's dinner. I couldn't let it go to wa$te, but I was really not in the mood for roast beef sandwiches or some other heavy concoction. So I got into the bathtub for a good soak and let my thoughts wander. They wandered to fried rice.

Fried rice can be made any day of the week. All you need is rice, soy sauce, a couple of eggs and whatever scraps of vegetables and/or meat you have lying around. Use what you've got; it will turn out great.

The raw ingredients for tonight's meal

Scrappy Fried Rice
Serves 4

3 - 4 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 - 2 T. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
fresh ginger, minced (if you have it; I didn't)
vegetables of choice, sliced small and thin - I used shredded carrots, sliced onion, sliced red bell pepper, sliced mushrooms and edamame
4 - 8 oz. cooked chicken, shrimp, beef, pork or tofu
2 T. soy sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 T. sesame oil
sesame seeds, sliced scallions or chow mein noodles for garnish

Either use leftover white or brown rice, or cook up some rice anytime during the day to use for this dish.

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Add all the other vegetables and stir fry for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add in the cooked rice and stir together with the vegetables. Add the soy sauce (use more if necessary) and stir to incorporate. Add the cooked meat or fish and stir to combine. Press down on the rice mixture with your spatula and let it cook, undisturbed, for a couple of minutes, to get the bottom crisp.

Make a well in the center of the rice in the skillet. Pour in the two beaten eggs and scramble gently. When cooked, incorporate the eggs into the rice mixture. Again, press the mixture down in the pan. Turn off the heat and let sit for a minute or two to crisp the bottom again. Drizzle with sesame oil, garnish and serve.

Popovers

2010-02-07T18:36:00.005-05:00

The first time I made popovers with my kids, about 10 years ago, they were quite impressed with the results. "These are like something you'd get at a fancy breakfast place," the older one exclaimed, though I couldn't recall ever taking him to a fancy breakfast place. Maybe he'd been imagining such an outing. My youngest just said, "'Nuther pop-up please," which was good enough for me.

I'd kind of forgotten about popovers until Saturday night, when I decided to make some to go with a roast beef. Believe it or not, I had never prepared a roast beef before, so I was quite fixated on the details of the big hunk o' meat (it came out quite well, thank you!). When I told my chef friends about the meal, each one of them related a popover horror story, or simply congratulated me on making popovers. And I thought roasting the beef was the tricky part!

So for anyone out there who's afraid of making popovers, here is the world's easiest recipe, from Pretend Soup, a children's cookbook by Mollie Katzen.

Popovers
Makes 11 or 12

2 T. melted butter
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brush the insides of 12 muffin cups with the melted butter.

Mix the milk and eggs together with a whisk in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt and whisk until combined; it doesn't have to be perfect.

Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour the batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 30 minutes WITHOUT OPENING THE OVEN DOOR!

Take the pans out of the oven and pierce each popover with a fork to let the steam escape. In a minute or two, gently loosen the popover from the muffin cup and serve with butter, jam or syrup.

White Bean and Artichoke Casserole with Goat Cheese

2010-02-07T16:34:00.003-05:00

Cold winter night. Delicious vegetarian casserole. I don't have much more to say, except open a bottle of wine and enjoy!

Thanks to Christine for the recipe and inspiration. (I tweaked the recipe a bit; couldn't resist.)

White Bean & Artichoke Casserole with Goat Cheese
Serves 4 as a main dish

2 cans cannellini beans -- drained, rinsed, liquid saved
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/4 tsp. pepper
kosher salt to taste
4 cloves garlic — minced
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (use even more if you LOVE goat cheese)
about 4 T. olive oil — divided
3 large leeks -- white part sliced very thin
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cans quartered artichoke hearts -- drained and rinsed
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add enough water to reserved bean liquid to measure 1 cup. Set aside.

Combine beans with thyme, sage, pepper, salt and 1 garlic clove. Mash lightly with a potato masher; beans should be just a little smooshed. Spread half of the bean mixture in a greased 11x7 casserole dish. Top with half of the goat cheese, crumbled. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Set the rest of the beans and goat cheese aside for a moment.

Heat 2 T. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add three garlic cloves, leeks, salt and artichokes. Sauté 4 minutes. Stir in bean liquid, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 8 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Spread artichoke mixture over the bean and goat cheese layers in the casserole. Top with the remaining bean mixture and the remaining goat cheese. Combine bread crumbs and 1 T. olive oil and sprinkle over casserole. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Simply Delicious Double Chocolate Brownies

2010-01-31T12:10:00.004-05:00

Double Chocolate Brownies are the answer to many of life's questions. Or at least the questions I hear: "When are you going to make some goodies to send to me?" (from my bachelor friend who moved away) "Do we have anything good to eat that isn't healthy?" (from my daughter) and "I need chocolate" (technically not a question, but something my body screams at me from time to time).

The fantastic thing about these brownies, aside from their taste, is that you probably have everything you need to make them in your pantry right now. My question to you: What are you waiting for?

Simply Delicious Double Chocolate Brownies
Makes 24 brownies

1 cup butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (1 teaspoon if you're using unsalted butter)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the sugar and return to the heat briefly, just until it's hot and the sugar has begun to dissolve into the butter. Transfer the butter and sugar mixture to a mixing bowl.

Stir the cocoa powder, salt and baking powder together. Add them to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat the mixture until it's smooth. Add the flour and the chocolate chips, mixing again until well combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with just a couple of crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Mediterranean Salad

2010-01-30T12:28:00.003-05:00

Half of my lunch is ready, so while I wait for my chicken breasts to cook, I thought I'd share this delicious, healthy salad with you.

I found the recipe in Cooking Light and made it for my Thursday client. It was so good, I knew I'd be making it again this weekend for myself. I'm a big fan of fresh fennel, especially when it's sliced paper thin like in this salad.

I tweaked the dressing a bit, and today I left off the feta cheese; I simply forgot to buy it, and I really don't miss it. But if you like feta, and can remember to buy it, please do add it to the salad.

Time for lunch.

Mediterranean Salad
Makes 8 servings

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cloves garlic -- pressed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 fennel bulb -- sliced thin, about 2 cups, use mandolin
1/2 red onion -- sliced thin, about 1 1/2 cups, use mandolin
1 cup pitted kalamata olives -- halved
3/4 cup fresh parsley -- chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese -- crumbled
1 15 ounce can cannelini beans -- drained, rinsed
12 cherry tomato -- halved

Make vinaigrette by combining red wine vinegar through olive oil.

Layer the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.

Before serving (an hour before if possible), toss ingredients with dressing.

The Dinner Buffet

2010-01-24T19:00:00.008-05:00

When my kids were little, one night I said we were having "Odds and Ends" for dinner. That meant I didn't have a plan, my husband was working late, and we were going to have whatever I had on hand. So I emptied the fridge, put everything on the counter, and let them pick and choose what they'd like. Wouldn't you know, "Odds and Ends" became a requested meal.

I think it was fun for them to decide what to put on their plates. I liked it because I had a bit of control (I offered healthy foods like fresh fruit, raw vegetables, cheese sticks, bread, whatever cooked protein I had around, and leftover pasta or rice), it was easy to prepare, and it helped use up the odds and ends.

My kids are older now and not as easily amused, so tonight I said we were having a Dinner Buffet. My main motivation was that I wanted to use up several slices of meatloaf and half a cooked flank steak from the freezer; there wasn't enough of either one for a family meal, but on the buffet, we had plenty for everyone.

It worked like a charm, and before you could say "odds and ends," the four of us were filling our plates with meat, freshly baked potatoes, green beans and other fruits and vegetables from the buffet.

Sometimes making (and eating) a healthy meal is easier than you'd think.

Pantry Challenge and Banana Bread

2010-01-23T13:38:00.005-05:00

I'm starting to see some space in the freezer after using most of the pork, beef, ground turkey and chicken I had lurking in there. Four boys sleeping over last night also helped: we no longer have cupcakes, most of the freshly baked cookies, dinner rolls, pasta sauce, frozen waffles or breakfast sausage bogging us down.

Tonight we're off to the neighborhood Progressive Dinner Party, so I won't be cooking at home (though I had leftover pasta and broccoli from last night's dinner for lunch today). But I've got next week's menu all figured out, using more pantry and freezer items supplemented by the fresh vegetables I bought yesterday. And here's the really cool thing: After deducting the cost of the ingredients I bought to make my dishes for the progressive dinner, I realized the weekly groceries for my family of 4 cost about $50.

In the spirit of frugality, I decided to bake some banana bread with the four overripe bananas in the fruit bowl. The recipe I used comes from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook, in which she hides various fruit and vegetable purees into foods that you'd like your kids to eat. Some of the recipes are good, others are questionable (I didn't enjoy the spinach in her Blueberry Oatmeal Bars). But I like her banana bread recipe; it's not as dense as some others I've tried, and it's easy to make.

Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Adapted from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
5 bananas, pureed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix the flours with the baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and oil with a wooden spoon until well combined. Mix in the egg, egg white, banana puree and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool at least 5 - 10 minutes before turning bread out onto a rack to cool completely. When cool, store in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Become a Fan!

2010-01-22T06:50:00.004-05:00

Thank you to my friend and fellow blogger Amy Casey of Dinners for a Year and Beyond for cluing me in to the "Followers" feature, which I've just added to my blog (look over to the right, under the Blog Archive list). I'd love to have you join my little fan club!

Update on the Pantry Challenge:

Last night was Taco Night, which pleased everyone and took care of a package of ground turkey from the freezer, a package of taco shells (I buy them in bulk at BJs) and a can of refried beans.

I've also been baking, so we now have fresh snickerdoodles, frozen snickerdoodles and a loaf of banana bread. Stop by; I'd be happy to share!

Pantry Challenge, Day 3: Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin + Sides

2010-01-20T11:41:00.009-05:00

I'm enjoying this challenge immensely and have been gratified and humbled by the realization that I have so much perfectly good food right here in my house. When I look around after three days, I don't see noticeably less food, even though I eat three meals a day (and lots of snacks) here. In fact, with a trip to the supermarket for more fresh produce and some milk over the weekend, I might continue the challenge for another week.

The rest of the family remains unimpressed with the experiment. In fact, certain family members have been ordering take-out at an unprecedented rate, which may explain why it's taking me so long to make a dent in the larder. But it's only Day 3. The plan for tonight was bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin (already cooked and in the freezer) jazzed up with a fruity side dish, as well as another vegetable and a potato.

I had a couple of Gala apples and half a sweet onion in the refrigerator, so I sliced them and drizzled with vegetable oil, salt and pepper, and convection roasted them for about 15 minutes. When the apples were just getting tender and the onion slices were starting to char, I took the pan out of the oven and tossed the mixture with a capful of apple cider vinegar and two spoonfuls of Caramel Apple Butter. A few leaves of thyme and the fruity side dish was done. (I don't usually have Caramel Apple Butter, but it was in a gift basket I received over the holidays, so why not put it to use?)

My vegetable was lightly boiled carrots, one of the few vegetables I had left in the drawer, tossed with butter, salt and pepper. I also prepared the remainder of a box of instant Garlic Mashed potatoes I had in the pantry. Judging from the empty plates, I think dinner was better than the latest round of takeout.

Sloppy Turkey Joes in Hash Brown Cups

2010-01-19T15:14:00.006-05:00

I interrupt the Pantry Challenge to bring you a cute AND delicious dish I made for today's special diet client.

If you read my blog a lot (I can't imagine there are many of you), you may remember that my every-other-Tuesday client is not only gluten-free and dairy-free, she doesn't eat red meat, vinegar (except rice vinegar), nuts, seeds, legumes, refined sugar or raw vegetables. No problemo.

Today's idea was completely inspired by and ripped off from fellow Personal Chef Patti Anastasia. I took Patti's idea and ran with it, substituting ground turkey for the beef, rice vinegar for the apple cider vinegar, and making a few other tweaks as I went along. The result was so tasty I have to share with you.

Update (Jan. 25, 2009): Just got an email from the client saying how much she loved these. You must try them NOW!

Sloppy Turkey Joes in Hash Brown Cups
Makes 8 filled hash brown cups, enough for 4 - 6 servings

Find Patti's recipe here.

Hash Brown Crust:
2 bags frozen hash browns -- thawed (we like Alexia brand)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
8 4-1/2 inch aluminum tart pans

Sloppy Joes:
1 3/4 pounds 93% lean ground turkey (not turkey breast please!!)
1 onion -- chopped
3 cloves garlic -- minced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 can tomato paste
1/4 can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
2 tablespoon agave nectar (if you can have sugar, use an equal amount of light brown sugar instead)
2 tablespoons apple juice, optional
3/4 cup shredded soy cheese (use sharp cheddar if you eat dairy)

To prepare crusts: Preheat oven to 450. If potatoes aren't completely thawed, put them on a cookie sheet or in an aluminum pan and pop them in the oven for a couple of minutes while it's preheating to finish the thawing process.

Toss the hash browns with the cornstarch, spices, and butter or oil. Spray nonstick spray in tart pans and place them on a cookie sheet. Press a heaping 1/2 cup of hash browns into the bottom and sides of pie pans. You want to make a 1/4-inch thick crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden. Watch carefully! The baking time is dependent on how much moisture is in your potatoes. Keep your eye on them, they may take less or more time.

While the crusts are baking, prepare the Sloppy Joe mixture: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Saute turkey in a bit of olive oil until it begins to brown. Add onion, and when it's almost cooked, garlic. Add vinegar, tomato paste, tomato sauce, seasoning and sweetener of choice. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened; stirring frequently. Taste, adjust seasoning. To make them more tangy, add more vinegar. To make them sweeter, add brown sugar or some apple juice. Spoon meat mixture into crusts. If desired, top each pie with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Bake 10 minutes and serve.

Pantry Challenge, Day 1: Wraps and Vegs

2010-01-18T18:48:00.008-05:00

Today marked the first day of the "Cook What You've Got Challenge," and I was ready! Well, I thought I was ready, until I realized the quantity of chicken I had in the freezer did not equal the number of mouths I had to feed. But I didn't let that stop me from being creative.

I arrived home from my client's house at about 1:30 today, whereupon I found my son still asleep. After waking him and having him shovel the front walkway, he asked for breakfast, specifically, three hash browns and two fried eggs. He ate that at about 2 pm, and I realized he wouldn't be hungry for dinner. Good, because by then I knew about my chicken deficit.

My vague idea for dinner involved the cooked chicken from the freezer as well as some spoils from today's cookdate: half a can of black beans, half a can of tomatoes with green chiles and half an avocado. I warmed the chicken in a skillet and added the black beans and some of the tomatoes as well as a squirt of barbecue sauce. I rolled the chicken and black bean mixture up in three flour tortillas, topped it with the rest of the canned tomatoes and baked it for 15 minutes. Then I uncovered the dish, topped it with some shredded cheese and baked it for 5 more minutes. Dinner was ready. And can I say, my husband remarked THREE times, "This is really good."

Side dishes were easy: carrot and celery sticks leftover from hubby's Chicken Wing run last night, a bowl of grapes from the fridge and a scoop of avocado salsa I made from the half an avocado and some vegetables in the drawer.

Day 2 won't be as exciting: Tuesday is dance (DD - 5:30 - 7:30 pm) and yoga (me - 7 - 8:30 pm) night, so everyone fends for themselves at different times of the evening. But I'll be back after Day 3 with another new meal from the pantry.

Penne Rigate with Spicy Braised Swordfish

2010-01-17T08:17:00.003-05:00

The pasta recipes in this month's Food and Wine have been calling to me. Last night I prepared the Penne Rigate with Spicy Braised Swordfish and was incredibly pleased with the results, even though I forgot to buy one ingredient, anchovies. No, I didn't forget them on purpose. I really like anchovies; but even if you don't, use them. You see, their little secret is that if you put them in a saute pan with some olive oil and cook for 30 seconds or so, they just plain dissolve, leaving just a mysterious, salty flavor in their wake. Next time, I won't forget the anchovies.

I was worried about using two whole jalapenos; the jalapenos at my market are huge, so I only bought and used one, and it was ample. I liked the way the cooked jalapeno mellowed and provided a subtle heat throughout the sauce. It wasn't as "in your face" as it is in salsa and other raw dishes.

The braised swordfish was tender and flavorful; in fact, the only criticism this dish received was from my husband, who wished there was more swordfish on his portion.

Here's the recipe, copied straight from Food and Wine, with my notes in parentheses.

Penne Rigate with Spicy Braised Swordfish
Recipe by Marcia Kiesel, Food and Wine magazine
Serves 4
Total time: 50 minutes (It took more like 30 minutes, tops)

The tomato sauce here—with big pieces of flaked swordfish and slivers of jalapeño—gets nicely absorbed by the penne. And, judge Michael Schlow adds, "There's a good proportion of tomatoes and fish to pasta, and it all comes together so well."

1 tablespoon salt-packed capers (I used regular capers, rinsed)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 large jalapeños, thinly sliced (I used one jalapeno, which was plenty for us)
6 large anchovy fillets, minced (I forgot to buy the anchovies)
1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock if you don't use wine)
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved
1/2 pound penne rigate (I used Barilla Plus)
1/2 pound skinless swordfish steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped basil (I was out of basil from my pesto making)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions
In a bowl, cover the capers with warm water. Let stand for 20 minutes; drain. (This is if you're using the salt-packed capers. Just rinse regular capers.)

In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and jalapeños and cook over moderate heat until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add the anchovies and cook, mashing, until dissolved, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and simmer over moderately high heat for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne until al dente. Drain.

Season the fish with salt and pepper and add to the sauce along with the capers. Cover and cook over low heat, turning once, until the fish is just cooked through and can be flaked into large, moist pieces, about 8 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate. (Taste the sauce and) season with salt and pepper. Add the penne to the sauce and simmer over low heat for 1 minute, stirring. Spoon the pasta and sauce into bowls and top with the flaked swordfish. Garnish with the basil and parsley and serve.

Pantry Throwdown!

2010-01-16T09:10:00.003-05:00

Main pantry area

Cereal and "extras" pantry

Upstairs freezer

Basement freezer

When my personal chef friend Tami Mitchell came up with the idea for a "Cook with What You've Got Challenge," I was in! I've been trying to deplete the freezer inventory since New Year's, and been doing an admirable job of it, but I'd slacked off a little bit lately. My insatiable desire to try every new recipe I run across means I rarely make the same dish twice here at home, and I cook most evenings. When we have leftovers, I package them up and freeze them, thinking we'll eat them one night in the future. But then I end up making something new the next night, and the next, and so on. So we never get to the freezer meals, and they're starting to accumulate.

In addition, I have a pretty well-stocked pantry. When I make the occasional run to Trader Joe's, I stock up on the items we like so I'll have them around. When I make the too-frequent BJ's trip, ditto, only in massive quantities. And when a family favorite is on sale at my grocery store, I buy a few as well. The result, as you can see above, is enough food to feed a small country. I didn't take a picture of my baking cupboard, but since I'm not that much of a baker, it contains only the staples like flour, sugar, vanilla and chocolate chips.

So Tami offered the challenge to cook for a week (or more) from the things you have in your home. She allows one trip to the store for produce and dairy. I'm planning to do that today, and there are just two recipes I REALLY need to try before the challenge begins on Monday, so I'll get the ingredients for those as well.

In case it doesn't sound like I'm on board, I really am. In fact, yesterday as I was looking through the fruit and vegetable drawers to see what we'd need for the week ahead, I found the remainder of the fresh basil I'd purchased for the lasagna I made during the week, as well as half a bag of baby spinach. Instead of letting them go bad, I decided to whip up a batch of pesto. I'll probably end up using it next week for one of our meals. Or else I'll freeze it.

Homemade Chicken Stock

2010-01-15T07:30:00.003-05:00

The pot is ready to simmer on the stove.

The final product: 15 cups of delicious homemade stock.

I make lots of soups and other dishes that call for chicken stock, and I most frequently take the easy way out and buy a box of Emeril's or Whole Foods Chicken Broth. But when I saw Perdue meaty roasters on sale for 99 cents/lb., I thought I'd make some chicken stock. Like many of you, my vegetable drawer is full of odds and ends so I didn't have to buy anything else to make my stock. In addition, though the ingredient list looks long, it takes all of 6 minutes to roughly chop the vegetables and toss everything in the pot. My 12-year-old actually did most of the work, though she refuses to touch raw poultry, so I had to do that part.

After simmering for a few hours, I cooled and strained the stock. Then I placed it back in the stockpot and refrigerated it overnight.

The next day, I skimmed the fat off the top and packaged it in 1-cup containers. Why 1-cup? Partly because this was the only size I had, and partly because I planned to freeze the stock, and thought it would be easy to defrost just the amount I need at any given time.

This stock will certainly come in handy next week, when I'm taking part in Garden Grocery Gadget Girl's "Pantry Throwdown" - cooking only from the pantry, fridge and freezer all week.

Homemade Chicken Stock
Makes about 15 cups

2 extra meaty roasters, about 5# each (or any combination of chicken parts)
2 large onions, unpeeled and quartered
4 carrots, unpeeled and halved
2 stalks of celery, cut in thirds
20 sprigs of parsley
15 sprigs of thyme
10 sprigs of dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
1 1/2 T. kosher salt
1 1/2 t. whole black peppercorns
5 quarts of water

Place all of the ingredients in a very large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim any foam that comes to the surface, lower the heat and simmer for 4 hours.

Strain the contents of the pot through a fine mesh colander, discarding the solids (this did seem like a big waste of chicken to me, so we saved some of that and ate it). Refrigerate the stock overnight. The next day, remove the fat from the surface and discard. Pack the stock in containers and store in the fridge or freezer.

Stock will last for 5 days in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.

Sausage and Three-Cheese Lasagna

2010-01-13T19:28:00.003-05:00

This lasagna was sooooo delicious I had to abandon the dirty dishes in favor of blogging. Can you blame me?

Let me start from the beginning. On my way out the door this morning, I flashed a few pages of Food and Wine by my husband and asked which pasta dish he'd like for dinner. He choose this one. He likes any food with the word "lasagna" in it.

The only reason I even considered making this dish is that it lacks ricotta cheese (the kids and I do not like ricotta). Instead, this version relies on a combination of fresh mozzarella, fontina and Parmesan for its cheesiness. Add in some fresh basil, tomatoes, garlic and sausage, and I thought it sounded pretty good.

Hubby, however, didn't realize this wasn't your run-of-the-mill lasagna, and looked a bit downcast when I served him. He picked through it and mumbled something about the fact that he likes his lasagna big, square and greasy. Then he finished his piece and went for seconds.

To me, this was a great dish because it was packed with flavor and each ingredient shone. If you love spicy food, add crushed red pepper to the sauce or use a spicy sausage. The F&W instructions were kind of convoluted, so I rewrote them as I went and will share with you below.

Then, I've got to get to those dishes.

Sausage and Three-Cheese Lasagna
Serves 6

1/2 pound lasagna noodles (I used 9 DeCecco lasagna noodles)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage)
1 cup water
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
One 28-ounce can chef's cut tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
6 ounces Italian Fontina, sliced
6 basil leaves

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lasagna noodles until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cool water, and transfer the noodles to a sheet of wax paper or aluminum foil that you've sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside until needed.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the Italian sausage, cover and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned all over. Add the water, cover and simmer until the sausage is just cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. Remove the sausage and water and reserve in a bowl or container.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and cook over moderate heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the larger pieces of tomatoes. Add the sausage and its poaching liquid and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove the sausage to the bowl. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat until thickened, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Coarsely break up or slice the sausage.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch ceramic baking dish.

Lay 3 lasagna noodles in the dish. Spoon a scant 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce over the lasagna noodles and sprinkle with a little grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Scatter almost half of the mozzarella and half of the fontina on the noodles. Scatter half of the sausage on top of the cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining lasagna noodles, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Fontina and sausage, sprinkling with a little more Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Place a third layer of noodles on top, pour the remaining sauce on, and top with a sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano and any remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake the lasagna for 20 minutes, until the sauce starts to bubble. Raise the oven temperature to 450° and bake for about 7 minutes longer, until the top is richly browned. Let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes, then cut the basil with kitchen shears and scatter on top. Cut into squares and serve.

Make Ahead
The unbaked (or baked) lasagna can be refrigerated overnight.

Sunday Dinner

2010-01-10T19:33:00.003-05:00

Little did I know that this dinner would be such a hit. It wasn't the best thing I ever made (though one of my critics said so!); I think there's something about the family sitting down to a home-cooked meal on a Sunday night that makes everyone happy.

The weekend, like so many others, started out with TS asking if he could have a couple of friends over on Friday afternoon, which morphed into 5 guys hanging out until mid-day Saturday. No sooner had they left than it was time to get my DD to a friend's house to rehearse for the school talent show. That left the guys and I to figure out what to do for dinner. I was outnumbered and wings at the Chicken Bone Saloon was the decision.

We finally all sat down together tonight and enjoyed this dinner of Roasted Chicken, Risotto and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette. The roasted chicken is a tried and true recipe that I hadn't prepared in a while. The risotto came together quickly in the pressure cooker, and I made the salad in stages during the day - roasting the squash and toasting the walnuts in the morning; making the dressing and shaving the parmesan cheese while dinner was cooking. The salad was definitely the most time-consuming part of the meal, but I was dying to try the recipe (click here), ever since I saw it in the Barefoot Contessa's Back to Basics cookbook I received as a Christmas gift. A simpler option would be steamed broccoli or spinach.

Do you and your family have a Sunday Dinner you love? I'd love to hear about it. If not, try this one and see what you think.

Crispy Roasted Chicken
Serves 4 - 5

1 4- to 5-pound whole chicken -- rinsed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion -- peeled and quartered
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all spices (salt through black pepper) together in a small bowl. It's OK if you don't have one of them, or don't care for one of them. Either leave it out or substitute something else. Rub the mixture under the breast skin, then on top and sprinkle any leftover on the legs and in the cavity.

Place the quartered onion in cavity. Tie legs if desired. Place chicken in small oven-proof dish. Pour wine (or broth) around chicken. Turn chicken BREAST SIDE DOWN and roast at 400 for 30 - 40 minutes.

Turn over, baste and continue to roast for 45 - 50 min., basting occasionally, until chicken is 165 degrees in thigh. Let rest at least 10 minutes before carving.

Spice-Rubbed Lemon-Barbecue Salmon

2010-01-08T18:17:00.006-05:00

If you're unsure about cooking seafood, here's a foolproof way to make a delicious salmon dinner in a matter of minutes. Once upon a time, I wasn't sure about how to cook seafood, but after realizing it's about as easy as boiling water for a pot of pasta, I'm happy to make fish or shellfish any day of the week.

I made a sweet barbecue glaze for the salmon. You could also do something creamy, like a lemony-mayonnaise. Use this recipe as a guideline, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Tonight I served the salmon with a side dish of taboulleh, which I purchased at Whole Foods earlier in the week. Rice, steamed vegetables or even coleslaw would be great accompaniments to this dish.

Spice-Rubbed Lemon-Barbecue Salmon
Serves 2 (can be doubled)

Two 6-ounce salmon fillets, patted dry
Barbecue seasoning of your choice (I used something called Buzz Rubb, which includes brown sugar, salt and spices)
Kosher salt or sea salt
2 T. barbecue sauce
1 T. hoisin sauce
2 T. honey
1/2 lemon, zested
2 lemon wedges

Place the salmon fillets on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet. Rub the tops with the barbecue seasoning. Let sit for 10 minutes while you preheat the broiler.

Place the salmon fillets 4" - 6" from the heating element and broil for 6 - 8 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from the broiler and let sit 5 minutes.

Combine the sauce ingredients (barbecue sauce, hoisin sauce, honey and lemon zest) in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce into a small ziplock bag and squeeze down to the corner of the bag. Cut off a very small portion of the corner of the bag and squeeze the sauce generously over the salmon. Serve with a lemon wedge. (If you're not feeling all that artistic, just prepare the sauce and serve it alongside, or on top of, the salmon.)

Toasted Quinoa with Mandarin Oranges

2009-12-30T18:25:00.003-05:00

(You are about to enter my thought process. Beware.)

Tonight we're having broiled salmon, sauteed spinach and what? I've brown-riced myself to death the last few days, so maybe some quinoa. But not just plain quinoa. Something jazzier. That everyone will like. Hmmmm. Think I'll sit down with a few cookbooks for inspiration.

What? You need a ride where? Ask Dad. (sorry; thoughts were interrupted. Back to reality.)

1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes, a cookbook I received as a holiday gift from a gluten-free client, provided inspiration for tonight's side dish. I've sneaked a few tastes, and so far, so good... I think everyone will enjoy this, once my husband gets back home.

Toasted Quinoa with Mandarin Oranges
Serves 4 - 6 as a side dish

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 cup uncooked quinoa -- rinsed
1 14 ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1 11 ounce can mandarin orange -- drained
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/2 small red bell pepper -- chopped
2 tablespoons green onion -- chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, cilantro or parsley -- chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In small heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Toast quinoa for 4 minutes, stirring, until seeds are lightly toasted.

Add broth and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook covered for 15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let cool at least 10 minutes.

Combine cooled quinoa, oranges, almond, bell pepper, green onions and fresh herbs in a bowl. Toss well.

Combine dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar. Shake well. Pour most of dressing over the salad (I didn't use it all). Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Ode to Tofu

2009-12-24T07:52:00.003-05:00

I love tofu in any way shape or form, and over the years, I've made desserts, dressings, cheese-less pasta fillings and stir-fries with it. I'm always amazed at how tofu accepts all the flavors around it and becomes something new with each recipe.

Take silken tofu: in dressings and desserts, it adds a creaminess and texture that's missing from most dairy-free products. My all-time favorite use of silken tofu is this Chocolate Mousse.

Firm and extra-firm tofu are my choices for hearty dishes such as stir fries and baked tofu dishes. However, the problem is that tofu is packed in water, and water does not add flavor to anything. In fact, it just makes things, well, watery. Getting rid of the water involves a step called pressing the tofu, which can be messy and involves wads of paper towels, plates and weights and frequently results in puddles of water on the kitchen counter.

Enter the TofuXpress, which presses the water from tofu without all the mess. Fellow Blogger Ellen Allard was singing its praises, so I've decided to throw my toque into the ring in her contest to own my very own Tofu X-Press. Then making dishes like her yummy stir-fry will be even easier!

Maple-Pecan Granola

2009-12-23T19:12:00.002-05:00

Having a container of homemade granola around the house is always a good thing. Whether you like to sprinkle it on top of yogurt, put some on your Cheerios for an extra crunch, or eat it out of hand, it never lasts too long. I made a double batch today, planning to give some to the in-laws when I see them on Christmas. I hope it lasts that long!

Maple-Pecan Granola
Makes 4 cups

2 cups old-fashioned or regular (not quick) oats
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 T. canola oil
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, apricots... whatever you like)
2 T. flaked coconut (optional)
2 T. sunflower seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the oats, pecans, maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl, stirring with a rubber spatula until combined. Pour mixture out onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Keep a very close eye on this during the last few minutes; it can burn very quickly. It's done when the nuts and oats are deep brown but not burnt. Let cool completely. Stir in dried fruit, coconut and sunflower seeds.

Beef Satay Sticks

2009-12-21T18:46:00.007-05:00

All four family members were swooning over this supper, which doesn't happen every day.

I chose this recipe from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book for a few reasons:
TS (Teenage Son) loves beef; DD (Darling Daughter) will try almost anything; DH (Dear Husband) also loves beef and Asian flavors; and I'm up for anything in the name of pleasing the family and testing out a new recipe.

After bathing the beef in a simple marinade, I seared it on a very hot griddle (flat skillet without sides). I didn't have enough skewers for all the beef, but it didn't matter. DH ended up eating the skewer-less strips with his fingers, right off the serving platter. That's how good it was!

The recipe also includes a peanut dipping sauce. TS and I didn't even use it, though DH thought it added an extra layer of flavor and DD will eat anything with peanuts in it. So it's up to you; skip the sauce if you don't think it will be a big hit with the family. I served the Satay Sticks with white rice and steamed broccoli.

Beef Satay Sticks
Serves 3 - 4

1 pound top round steak, cut against the grain into thin, 1 1/2-in. wide strips
1 1/4 cups teriyaki sauce (I used Soy Veh)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 squirt Sriracha chili sauce (more if you like it spicy)
For the peanut sauce:
1/2 cup apple juice
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 cup smooth peanut butter
For the garnish:
1 lime
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 T. sesame seeds

Mix 1 cup of the teriyaki sauce with the smashed garlic cloves and chili sauce in a glass bowl. Add the steak strips and let them hang out while you make the peanut sauce.

In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce, apple juice and piece of ginger. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. Remove the ginger and discard. Whisk in the peanut butter and a squeeze of lime juice, if you have a lime on hand.

Preheat a flat grill pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Skewer the meat on wooden or bamboo skewers (or not - it will still taste great!) and sear for just a minute or two on each side. Place the meat on a platter and sprinkle the sliced scallions and sesame seeds on top. Squeeze a little lime juice on top, too, if you like. Serve.

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book, "Lean Mean Spicy Beef Satay Sticks."

Risotto

2009-12-20T11:13:00.003-05:00

I gave myself this pressure cooker as an early Christmas gift. I've been thinking about investing in one for a year or so, and now that I have a client who adores meals like pot roast, stew, hearty soups and barbecue beef sandwiches, I had a good excuse to buy one. These dishes can take hours to cook (and more time to cool before packaging), making them a major time-suck on a cookdate. With the pressure cooker, I should be able to prepare them in much less time, thus shortening my work day. I'm all for that!

I didn't realize until I read the little booklet that came with my PC that my model can also cook rice, polenta and risotto. That seemed like an easy, cheap entry into pressure cooking, so last night I christened the PC by making risotto.

Risotto is usually a time-consuming dish to prepare, with the cook standing at the stove stirring the liquids into the rice forever and a day. The PC eliminated that business and still produced a creamy, toothsome risotto.

Besides being a tasty side dish, risotto is versatile: different herbs and cheeses can be added to it to change its flavor. It can be prepared ahead of time and then molded into little patties or balls and fried. Or, with the addition of some protein, risotto can be turned into your main dish. I added some cooked shrimp and peas from the freezer and voila, dinner was ready.

Risotto
Serves 3-4

2 T. olive oil
1/4 cup finely diced shallot
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
pinch saffron threads
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. chopped parsley

Use the "Brown" setting to saute the shallots and rice in oil until tender, 4 - 5 minutes. Turn off the Brown setting. Add the broth, wine and saffron. Close the lid and turn the knob to "Pressure." Set the timer for 10 minutes at High pressure. When done, release the pressure and open the lid. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve. (I mixed in about 1/2 box of frozen peas and 1/2 lb. cooked shrimp.)

Adapted from the Fagor Electric Multi-Cooker booklet.

Feast of Two Fishes

2009-11-29T13:13:00.004-05:00

Prosciutto Roasted Cod

Moules Marinières

I love seafood and decided to double down last night by trying two new recipes.

Prosciutto Roasted Cod was a simple preparation which would be good with any white fish... sea bass and halibut come to mind. I opted for cod knowing it's a fish that the rest of the family will eat. They don't like sea bass or halibut. Their loss.

After lightly oiling the fish and the baking sheet, I seasoned the fish with salt and pepper and wrapped a thin slice of prosciutto around the middle of each fillet and roasted it all in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. To amp up the flavor, I brushed the cooked fillets with rosemary butter. Any herb or even garlic butter would do. This is very good served with roasted vegetables or even a tomato-based side dish. It's on the mild side, so definitely go nuts with your side dishes!

I decided to try my hand at Moules Marinières after reading the recipe in Garlic and Sapphires, Ruth Reichl's very funny account of her days as restaurant critic for the New York Times. It sounded easy and it was (the recipe, NOT the job of restaurant critic). To top it off, a pound of mussels is $1.79... you can't beat that!

Moules Marinières
Serves 4 (can be cut in half if necessary)

4 pounds mussels, scrubbed clean and debearded
1 onion, diced
2 shallots, diced
1 cup dry white wine
3 T. unsalted butter
salt and pepper
chopped parsley

Combine the onion, shallots and wine in a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat, shaking the pot from time to time, for about 4 minutes, or until all the mussels have opened. Discard any unopened mussels.
Add the butter, salt, pepper and chopped parsley to the pot. Serve mussels and broth in bowls, with bread to mop up the sauce.

Recipe from Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl.

Thai Chicken Soup

2009-11-09T20:03:00.005-05:00

Tonight's dinner was a quick-to-prepare soup with Thai flavors. I stumbled across the recipe this weekend and it appealed to me for several reasons.

First, I love a soup where the chicken is simmered with the rest of the ingredients, then removed, shredded and put back in the pot to mingle again for a few minutes. Not only does the flavor of the meat enrich the broth, but the chicken is always so tender when cooked this way. Second, I haven't had Thai food in a while, and the ingredient list of coconut milk, Thai curry paste, cilantro and lime called to me. Finally, it seemed like the soup would be very easy to put together after a day of work, and it was.

I wished the soup was a bit spicier (I could have added more curry paste but I didn't want to overwhelm the more delicate palates at my table). I fixed that by adding a squirt of sriracha to my bowl just before serving.

I have the feeling this soup will only get better with age, so I'm glad we didn't finish the whole pot tonight.

Thai Chicken Soup
Serves 4

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
1 15-ounce can coconut milk -- light is fine but not as flavorful as full-fat
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes -- with juice
1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skinned chicken breast
4 scallion -- sliced, white and green parts separated
1/4 cup red bell pepper -- diced
1 1/2 cups cooked rice -- white, brown, black or jasmine
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Thai fish sauce
salt and pepper
sriracha sauce
lime wedges

In a Dutch oven or large heavy soup pan, blend the chicken broth, coconut milk and curry paste. Set the pot over medium heat. Add tomatoes, chicken, scallion whites and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.

Stir in the cooked rice, cilantro, scallion greens, lime juice and a dash or two of fish sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Add a squirt of sriracha and serve with a lime wedge on the side.

Adapted from Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way by Lorna Sass

Slow Cooked Asian-Flavored Pork

2009-10-29T19:48:00.003-04:00

I was all set to write about tonight's dinner, Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Sausage, when I discovered I'd already blogged about it in April. It was really good, so I do recommend that recipe.

Moving along, this is one of the crockpot recipes I tested out over the past weekend. Having never made or eaten boneless country-style ribs before, I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm not a big fan of baby back ribs; too fatty for me. But the country-style ribs reminded me of a lean pork shoulder after they slow cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce. I think this would work equally well with pork loin or shoulder, but I'm sticking with the boneless country-style ribs.

Slow Cooked Asian-Flavored Pork
Serves 4

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
4 pounds boneless country style spare ribs -- cut into 3-4 rib sections
sesame seeds and scallions -- garnish

In large ziplock bag combine all ingredients except ribs and garnish. Place cut up ribs in bag, seal, and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 - 2 hours.

Pour the bagged mixture into a crockpot, cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until meat is tender and falling apart and registers 160 on meat thermometer. Place meat on plate/platter and garnish if desired.

Adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Family Favorites by Beth Hensperger.

Thai-Style Chicken Thighs

2009-10-23T18:31:00.005-04:00

My clients have been asking for crockpot meals, and after exhasting my small repertoire of slow-cooked favorites, it was time to test various other recipes and ideas. It's hard work, but someone's got to do it, right? Off to the grocery store I went for various cuts of meat and poultry that do well in the crockpot. That means cuts of meat with a bit of fat on them (no chicken breasts or pork tenderloin) as well as those cuts that get tender with a long, slow, moist cooking method.

Tonight's dinner featured boneless skinless chicken thighs, a close relative to boneless chicken breast except with a bit more depth of flavor, and not as dry (thanks to the fat) with a slightly meatier texture. I had my eye on this crazy-sounding combination, which I saw in Beth Hensperger's Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Family Favorites. I added some green beans to Beth's recipe, cooked some jasmine rice at the last minute, and we had a really delicious, fuss-free dinner that everyone enjoyed.

Thai-Style Chicken Thighs
Serves 4 - 6
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs -- fat removed
1 cup salsa -- I used Pace Mild Picante Sauce
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger -- I used minced jarred ginger
3/4 pound fresh green beans -- optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped peanuts -- garnish, optional
long grain jasmine rice

Coat inside of crockpot with nonstick spray and arrange chicken in crock. Stir together salsa, peanut butter, soy sauce and ginger. Pour over chicken. Top with green beans, if using. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 1/2 hours, until chicken is tender and cooked through.

Serve chicken with sauce over rice. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and peanuts, if using.

Waffles for Dinner

2009-10-15T17:59:00.004-04:00

DH turned the heat on in the house about 3 weeks ago, which was 20 days too early for me, but today, I have to admit, it's cold. In fact, I've stopped wearing shorts to cookdates, which means the temperature is hovering around freezing.

Between the weather, the darkness and the kids' exhaustion, I thought waffles for dinner would be a good idea. I found an interesting Multi-Grain Waffle recipe in a new cookbook, and it's delicious! The cinnamon and vanilla add a great flavor, and the combination of grains make the waffles substantial without being heavy (warning: do not put too much batter on the waffle iron. Otherwise, you will get a very heavy waffle. Trust me.)

Serve with fruit salad and veggie sausage (if you're a health nut like me) or bacon and sausage, if you crave that extra fat to insulate you from the cold. And don't forget the maple syrup!

Multi-Grain Waffles
Serves 4

2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pure maple syrup for topping

Mix buttermilk and oats in a bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

After 15 minutes, stir eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla into the oat mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until moistened.

Coat a waffle iron with nonstick spray and preheat. Spoon in just enough batter to cover 3/4 of the surface. Cook until waffles are crisp and golden brown. Repeat until all batter is used up.

Recipe from The Essential Eating Well Cookbook.

Oven-Fried Chicken

2009-09-21T16:28:00.002-04:00

I've tried numerous recipes for Oven-Fried Chicken, which tells you right away that I haven't found the perfect recipe. Until now. This Oven-Fried Chicken was hailed as "the best chicken you've ever made," by TS (Teenage Son). High praise indeed from the sullen teen as he helped himself to seconds.

If you know me, you know I like to put a healthy spin on the foods I make. Oven-Fried Chicken is by definition healthier than regular old "Fried Chicken" because it's not cooked in a vat of boiling fat. I make it healthier by removing the chicken skin, and then locking in the juiciness and flavor with a moist wet coating followed by a judicious layer of highly seasoned crispy ingredients. The chicken is baked on a wire rack, which lets all the surfaces crisp up evenly.

Oven Fried Chicken
Serves 4

1 1/3 cups Crispex cereal
2 1/4 cups broken Sea Salt flavor melba toast
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed (use legs, thighs or breasts, about 6 ounces each - cut large breasts in half crosswise to make two pieces)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spray the rack generously with cooking spray.

Finely grind the cereal and toasts together in a food processor. Transfer crumbs to a large gallon size plastic bag. Add the oil, salt, cayenne, paprika, and ground pepper and toss to mix thoroughly. Whisk the light mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together in a medium shallow bowl. Add chicken to mayonnaise and turn to coat all the pieces evenly. Drop the chicken into the plastic bag, seal and shake until each piece is evenly coated. Place coated pieces on the prepared rack. Spray the chicken pieces evenly with cooking spray, and bake until the coating crisps and browns and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pieces registers 160 degrees F, 35 to 40 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

Adapted from a recipe on FoodTV.com

Tofu-Pumpkin Custard - a dairy-free delight

2009-09-13T14:54:00.002-04:00

I developed this recipe for a client who asked me for flavorful, protein-packed, low-calorie breakfasts. Her ideal breakfast would be a one-dish affair she could heat up quickly before heading out the door for work. Her dietary restrictions include no dairy (except eggs), no gluten, very few (peeled and cooked) fruits, and no nuts or seeds.

Judging from the contents of her refrigerator and some things she's told me about what she likes to eat for breakfast, I thought sweet breakfast items (rather than savory) would appeal to her. This custard is one of my creations, and I have to say, it's delicious! The first time I made it, I did not include the egg or egg white, and it was a bit dense. If you cannot eat eggs, by all means, leave them out. You'll still love this custard.

Tofu-Pumpkin Custard
Yield: 4 cups

12 ounces silken tofu -- drained and pressed between paper towels
1 can pumpkin
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 large egg -- beaten
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 8-ounce oven-proof ramekins or custard cups

Press tofu to remove excess water. Place in bowl of food processor and process until smooth and creamy, using spatula to wipe down sides of bowl once. Add remaining filling ingredients and process until smooth and combined. Pour into greased 8-ounce ramekins. Place ramekins in an oven-proof 9x13 dish that has about 1" of water in in. Place dish in 350 degree oven and bake for 25 - 35 minutes, until custards are set and beginning to brown on top.

Let cool. Top with a dollop of vanilla yogurt or whipped cream if desired. May be eaten cold or hot.

Source: adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters

Per Serving: 212 Calories; 6g Fat; 10g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate

Presto Pasta Pie

2009-09-11T20:59:00.003-04:00

Boy, this was easy AND delicious: just what we needed on a very busy Friday. With just a few ingredients from the fridge, I had dinner in the oven moments after walking in the door after a very late school pickup.

I used leftover cooked pasta, which made the dish come together that much more quickly. Not too spicy, not too weird, the dish won high marks from my diners (OK, the kids), who were especially appreciative that "there's no white cheese" (ricotta), which they don't care for. I served it with a spinach salad.

Pasta Pie
Serves 4 - 6

2 cups uncooked penne pasta (or 4 cups leftover cooked pasta)
2 cups marinara sauce -- Trader Joe's is good
6 ounces shredded monterey jack cheese -- or mozzarella
salt and pepper
2 ounces grated parmesan cheese
6 eggs -- beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9" deep dish pie pan.

Cook pasta for 7-8 minutes, or until not quite cooked through. Drain and place in a large bowl. Pour scant 2 cups sauce over and mix well. Add 4 oz. of shredded monterey jack cheese and mix again. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the pasta mixture into the greased deep dish pie pan. Pour the beaten eggs on top, trying to make sure the eggs trickle down into the pasta mixture. They add flavor and serve to bind the pie together. Cover the top with the Parmesan cheese and remaining shredded jack cheese.

Bake the pie for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the top is browned and the pie is set in the middle. Let sit at least 10 minutes before slicing into 6 wedges.

Source: adapted from a recipe in the Boston Globe.

Sweet Orange Salmon and Spinach Salad

2009-09-09T19:18:00.003-04:00

School has started, and dinners (and blog posts) have suffered. I've been using the crockpot a fair amount, and while the meals have been good (did you know you can make Turkey Burgers in the crockpot?) they have been a bit unphotogenic. With the last days of summer here (must use the grill!), and the kids asking for their favorites (tacos and pasta), there hasn't been a whole lot of culinary excitement around here lately.

I knew it was time to put my "SuperMom" cape on, so tonight I prepared an old favorite (Spinach Salad with Strawberries) along with a new one (Sweet Orange Salmon). Not only did they taste great together, I'm pretty sure I gave the family more nutrition in one meal than they've had in the last week.

Sweet Orange Salmon

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and pepper
4 6 ounce salmon fillets
olive oil spray

Adjust oven rack to 5 inches below broiler.

Combine brown sugar, chili powder, orange zest, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture over salmon fillets. Place salmon on a broiler pan coated with olive oil spray. Let salmon sit in the rub for 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Broil salmon for 6-8 minutes or until cooked.

Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe.

Ten Dollar Dinners: Reality Check

2009-08-26T17:21:00.007-04:00

I'm a big fan of The Next Food Network Star, a reality series that gives ordinary people a chance to prove they have what it takes to star in their own show on the Food Network. This month, Melissa D'Arabian, a stay-at-home mom, beat out nine other contestants with her down-to-earth tips and bubbly personality to win Season 5. She's gone on to star in Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa D'Arabian, which I have watched just once. The premise of the show is that you can make a delicious meal for four people for $10.

The episode I watched featured Crispy-Skinned Chicken a l'Orange, Perfect Crispy Potatoes and Fennel and Cabbage Slaw. When the show ended, my daughter and I agreed we should make that dinner for our family. So tonight I did (see photo above; for recipes visit the "Ten Dollar Dinners" link provided). We thought it was delicious, but I do have a question for Melissa (or whoever does her shopping): Ten dollars? Are you out of your mind?

My bill today:
3 Idaho potatoes $3.34
2 bone-in chicken breasts $9.22 (recipe calls for 3 but I wasn't feeding 4 people so I only got 2)
Frozen OJ concentrate: $1.39
Total: $13.95

I am not adding in the cost of oil, butter or honey, all of which I had here, OR the cost for the slaw ingredients, because I happened to have all of them here as well (except the bacon for the slaw, so I skipped it). So I spent over $10 and didn't even buy all the ingredients for the dinner. Bottom line: Tasty meal, but over the promised price point.

Spinach Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing

2009-08-23T19:33:00.003-04:00

I couldn't believe it when I realized we hadn't eaten dinner as a family since last Saturday night, on Cape Cod. I'll spare you the crazy details, which involve a cat's hospitalization, DD's cheerleading schedule and a wacky pool party/barbecue at an old friend's house.

I guess that's what summer's all about, but I for one missed the family dinner. Tonight I was pretty sure we'd all be here, so I grilled a flank steak, made some roasted potatoes and threw together this spinach salad. DH liked the dressing so much he ended up drizzling it on his steak. 'Nuff said.

Spinach Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing
Serves 6 - 8

1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil
1 scallion -- chopped
salt and pepper
1 box baby spinach
Toppings: Choose whatever you like
2 hard boiled eggs -- chopped
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 white mushrooms, sliced
8 strip bacon -- cooked, chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seed kernels

Mix dressing ingredients together until emulsified (an immersion blender works great for this).
Place spinach on a platter or in a bowl. Arrange toppings around the edge. Let your guests choose what they like, or toss the salad together and drizzle with dressing.

Comfort Food for Gluten- and Dairy-Free Client

2009-08-19T06:53:00.006-04:00

The above picture represents the comfort food portion of yesterday's cookdate, and it's all gluten-free and dairy-free. This special-diet client loves comfort food, and requested Lasagna Rollups and Tex-Mex Tortilla Bake as two of her four entrees for yesterday's cookdate. My usual style of cooking is a little lighter and with more emphasis on fresh vegetables, but I have definitely put a healthy spin on these traditional foods.

The Lasagna Rollups are a new recipe that I knew she'd like, because they include tofu, spinach and kalamata olives, some of her favorites. I used Tinkyada rice lasagna noodles, which cooked and rolled up beautifully, as well as soy cheeses and lots of fresh basil. I prepared the rollups and divided them up between two dishes, one for her fridge and one for the freezer.

The Tex-Mex Tortilla Bake is an old family favorite which I've adapted for her, taking out a few things she can't have (black beans, corn and cheese), switching from flour tortillas to rice tortillas, and using soy cheese to replace the cheddar/jack combo I would normally use. The dish includes lean ground turkey and some great spices. After baking this dish, I cut it into 4 large pieces and package two fresh and two frozen.

Tex-Mex Tortilla Bake (gluten-free, diary-free)
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- chopped
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1 large can tomato sauce (Muir Glen is gluten-free)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 rice tortillas
1/2 package soy cheese (jack or cheddar)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Heat oil in skillet. Saute onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add turkey. Cook all until done. Drain fat from skillet.

Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder and cumin. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add salt and pepper.

Place one tortilla in a sprayed 9x9 dish. Top with a spinkling of cheese, half of the meat, a sprinkling of cilantro, and more cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese. Cover with sprayed aluminum foil and bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool for several minutes. Cut into 4 wedges.

Serve with soy sour cream and cilantro-avocado salsa (mix fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, chopped tomato with some salt, chili powder and lemon or lime juice).

Hummus for lunch

2009-08-17T11:58:00.004-04:00

Pre-Vacation Meal: Crabcakes, Swordfish Kebabs, Pasta Salad, Green Salad

Post-Vacation Meal: Hummus and Vegetables

We're just back from a few days on the Cape, where I ate exclusively vegetarian with the exception of a fantastic lobster on Wednesday night. My veggie streak continued today, as I returned home to a very empty fridge and quite sick of peanut butter (my road trip staple). So I whipped up some hummus for lunch. It's a very easy and economical dip to have around, and you can jazz it up by altering the amounts of garlic, lemon or hot sauce, or even add in some roasted red peppers, olives or fresh herbs (none of which I have in my sad post-vacation fridge).

The better looking meal was created before we left on vacation. My brother and his family stopped by on their way to Cape Cod, and I made a tasty dinner featuring seafood and salads. I also made those irresistable sliders for the kids, which they gobbled up. Time to get to the grocery store.

Hummus
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 - 2 (or more) cloves of garlic, crushed
1 lemon (or more), juiced
3 T. tahini
3 T. olive oil
3 T. water (maybe)
salt
hot sauce

Place chick peas, crushed garlic, lemon juice and tahini in bowl of food processor. Process until very finely chopped, scraping the sides of the bowl once. With motor running, pour in olive oil and continue to process. Add some water if it looks too thick. Add a pinch of salt and a few dashes of hot sauce. Turn off the motor and taste. Add more salt and/or lemon if desired. Serve with raw or blanched vegetables, pita chips or crackers.

Did someone say summer?

2009-08-07T16:52:00.003-04:00

This week I had the opportunity to check out a nearby farmers' market AND visit my favorite farmstand, so I'm swimming in local produce (not to mention the loaf of Honey Whole Wheat bread that called to me from the Great Harvest Bread Co tent).

Tonight I'm planning to grill a couple of flank steaks to serve with my locally-grown corn and Stacked Tomato-Basil-Mozzarella Salad. The tomatoes and basil were grown a few miles from here, and the mozzarella traveled from Vermont, so I consider it local in that it's not from Italy, or New Jersey. For dessert, maybe some fresh peaches and ice cream. Mmmmm.

Stacked Tomato-Basil-Mozzarella Salad
Serves 4 or so

4 - 5 locally grown tomatoes, such as beefsteak or heirloom varieties
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese (you may want more if you like thick slices of cheese)
12 - 14 fresh basil leaves
freshly ground black pepper
about 1 T. highest quality extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Using a serrated knife, slice the tomatoes and lay on a cutting board. Sprinkle with pepper. Wash the knife and use it to slice the mozzarella in thin slices. Assemble your stacks by placing a large tomato slice on the bottom, followed by a slice of mozzarella and a basil leaf. Repeat, ending with a small tomato slice. Slide a fancy toothpick through the center of the stack and place it on a plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have 6 or so stacks. Drizzle the stacks with about 1 T. of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

2009-08-02T19:03:00.004-04:00

Everyone at my house enjoys Asian flavors, and TS is on an all-out beef bender, so I thought this would make a great dinner for us tonight. Although the recipe seems very bland, it was perfect for the non-adventurous palates at the table. Think of this recipe as a starting point: feel free to add ginger, different vegetables, more red pepper flakes, orange zest or some hot chile oil to customize this to your tastes. For my group, it was perfect as is.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Serves 3 - 4

1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 pound sirloin tips, sliced against the grain very thinly
2 T. canola or peanut oil
10 ounces broccoli florets, steamed for 2 min. in microwave
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. dark sesame oil
3 T. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
pinch of red pepper flakes

In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add sliced beef and toss to coat.

Meanwhile, steam the broccoli in the microwave (Zip n Steam bags work great for this).

Heat 2 T. canola oil in large nonstick skillet or wok until very hot, but not smoking. Add beef (in batches if necessary) and stir fry until cooked through, about 2 min. Transfer to a clean bowl.

Add steamed broccoli and garlic to skillet. Drizzle with sesame oil and stir-fry over moderately high heat until broccoli is tender and garlic is pale golden, about 1 - 2 min. Add soy sauce and water to skillet and bring to a boil. Return meat to skillet and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 1 min. Scatter pinch of red pepper flakes over all and serve.