More Grilled Pizzas

One of the many things I have to thank my parents for is introducing me to grilled pizzas. So, while they were here, we HAD to have grilled pizza. I know I have written about these fabulous concoctions several times, so I am just going to give a few other topping options. We, of course, had a grilled pineapple and jalapeno pizza, but we expanded our repertoire by having a Greek pizza and a mashed white bean, sauteed mushroom, and caramelized onion pizza. Each of these pizzas has a completely different taste than the others, which makes it really hard to choose a favorite.


Spinach, Artichoke Hearts, and Feta (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

We added Kalamata olives into the mix, which I think made it even better.

2 cups thinly sliced onions
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
10 oz. spinach, stemmed, rinsed, and chopped
5 artichoke hearts, quartered (14-oz. can, drained)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups crumbled feta cheese

1. In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic, dill, and salt in the oil on medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the rinsed spinach and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until mostly wilted. Add the artichoke heart quarters and pepper. Allow to cool for a few minutes before spreading onto the pizza crust. Top with the feta cheese, if using, and bake according to the pizza crust instructions [or grill it!].

Ragin' Cajun

My dad absolutely loves Cajun cooking. So, when I saw that Vegetarian Times had a "Fat Tuesday Feast" with a whole bunch of vegetarian Cajun recipes, I knew we had to make some of them while my parents were here. And what could be better after a trip to wine country than a hearty meal when you come home?


Smothered Cajun-spiced Squash (Vegetarian Times, February 2009)

This recipe is fantastic! Really flavorful and wonderful over grits. If you love Cajun food, this is definitely a recipe to try.

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
2 butternut squash, quartered and seeded, each quarter halved
2 Tbs. plus 8 tsp. Cajun seasoning, or more to taste, divided
4 large onions, halved and sliced (8 cups)
4 medium red or green bell peppers, quartered and sliced (2 cups)
8 large celery ribs, sliced on the bias (2 cups)
5 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 Tbs. cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine 1 Tbs. oil and garlic in small bowl. Brush garlic-oil mixture over butternut squash pieces, and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle each squash piece with 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until squash pieces are tender enough to easily pierce with fork.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and celery, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir flour into onion mixture, and cook 1 minute, or until flour begins to brown, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar, remaining 2 Tbs. Cajun seasoning, and 6 cups water [we only used 4 cups]. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.
4. To serve: Place 2 squash pieces on plate. "Smother" with 1 cup onion mixture.


Deep South Slaw (Vegetarian Times, February 2009)

I have to say that this was not my favorite slaw. But, I decided to give you the recipe anyway to make your own decision.

10 oz. green cabbage, thinly sliced (4 cups)
2 medium carrots, grated
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (1 cup)
3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1. Combine cabbage, carrots, and bell pepper in large bowl. Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Pour mayonnaise mixture over cabbage mixture, and toss to coat. Chill well. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Wine Country Salads

My parents came to visit directly after Alex and Dan left--literally hours later. Good thing we LOVE company! But, poor Adam had to go to wine country twice in three days. We normally bring an assortment of breads, cheese, and fruit with us for a picnic, but we decided to give Adam a bit of a break from the bread and cheese meal and make various salads. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of them (I wonder why), but trust me, these are salads you will definitely want to make for any picnic.


Greek Egg Salad (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

8 eggs
4 cups cold water
1 1/2 Tbs. pitted, chopped kalamata olives (about 6 olives)
3 Tbs. chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste

1. Bring the eggs and water to a boil in a covered 2-quart saucepan. Reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
2. While the eggs cook, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Submerge the cooked eggs in cold water and crack the shells to facilitate peeling. As soon as the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Mash the eggs well with a potato masher or fork. Add the remaining ingredients (except the salt and pepper, if you want to add them to taste). Stir everything gently to combine and serve.


Marinated Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli (The New Moosewood Cookbook)

If you have leftover salad, have no fear! Just place the salad on a baking tray, trying to leave most of the marinade in the bowl. Roast it in a 350 oven for 40 minutes or until perfectly chewy and caramelized. The roasted salad is wonderful on its own, cold or hot, or in a quesadilla with cheddar cheese.

3 medium-sized sweet potatoes or yams (1 1/2 to 2 lbs.)

Marinade
1/2 cup walnut oil (if unavailable, use olive oil)
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. raspberry vinegar (if unavailable, use red wine vinegar)
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. dry mustard [didn't have any, so used Dijon mustard]
1 Tbs. honey
freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch broccoli (1 to 1 1/2 lbs.), cut into small spears

Optional Garnishes
thin slices of green apple
chopped, toasted pecans [we only used the pecans]

1. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them in halves or quarters, then into thin slices. Put them up to cook, either in or over boiling water (in a steamer). Meanwhile, prepare the marinade.
2. Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium-large bowl. As soon as the sweet potato slices are tender, add them, still hot to the marinade. Mix gently.
3. Steam the broccoli until bright green and just tender. Rinse until cold running water and drain completely. Lay the broccoli spears carefully on top of the salad. Cover tightly and marinate for several hours.
4. Within 15 minutes of serving, mix in the broccoli from on top. Serve garnished with thin slices of green apple and chopped, toasted pecans.


Chilled Asparagus in Dilled Mustard Sauce (The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest)

My dad had the leftovers of this salad for breakfast in an eggs-florentine type way. He toasted some bread, placed the asparagus on top, and then topped that with a fried egg and the remaining sauce. Let me say, I wish there had been more leftovers so that I could have had one too!

1 lb. asparagus (as thin as possible)
1 cup firm yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional) [We didn't use, and it wasn't missed!]
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. minced fresh dill
2 Tbs. minced fresh chives
salt to taste (optional)
fresh black pepper to taste

1. Snap off and discard the tough bottom ends of your elegantly thin asparagus.
2. Steam the spears over boiling water until just tender. Remove them immediately from the heat, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. (At this point, you can leave them at room temperature or chill until serving time.)
3. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, optional mayonnaise, mustard, and herbs, and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt (or not).
4. To serve, arrange the asparagus in a shallow dish, drizzle on the dressing, and grind some fresh black pepper over the top. That's it!

Fabulously Flaky

Adam's friend Alex from college and her boyfriend came for a quick visit the other week, and I had to make them a fabulous meal after their wine country excursion. They were an easy crowd to please, but the Kale and Red Pepper Strudel I made certainly didn't hurt. The strudel had a great mixture of heartiness, creaminess, and flakiness that looks impressive and tastes even better. Adam grilled up some romaine hearts and topped them with slices strawberries, chopped almonds, and a balsamic vinaigrette for a perfect side.

Kale and Red Pepper Strudel (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

Filling
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
4 to 5 cups rinsed, stemmed, and chopped kale
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups diced red bell peppers
1 scant tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 cake firm tofu (12 oz.), crumbled
1 cup Neufchatel, at room temperature
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar, Parmesan, or provolone
1 Tbs. unbleached white flour
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
ground black pepper to taste

Filo
1/2 to 2/3 lbs. filo dough
3 to 4 Tbs. vegetable oil or melted butter, or a mixture
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 10 x 14-inch baking tray or shallow pan.
2. Cook the onions in the olive oil on low heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, kale, and salt. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until the kale wilts, adding 1 to 2 Tbs. of water to prevent sticking, if necessary. Stir in the bell peppers and rosemary. Cover and cook on low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
3. While the vegetables cook, combine the tofu, Neufchatel, grated cheese, flour, and parsley in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. When the vegetables are ready, drain them if any liquid remains, and stir in the tofu-cheese mixture. Add black pepper to taste and set aside.
4. Lay the filo on a dry surface and cover with a clean, lightly dampened towel. Place a pastry brush and a bowl of the oil or melted butter within easy reach. Arrange two sheets of filo pastry in the prepared baking tray, allowing the excess filo to drape over the sides. Lightly brush the top sheet with oil or butter. Repeat three more times for a total of eight filo sheets.
5. Spread the filling evenly over the filo in the baking tray. Fold all four sides of the filo up over the filling to make a border and brush with oil or butter. Top with the remaining filo, two sheets at a time, brushing each layer with oil or butter. Tuck under the edges to fit the baking tray. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, if desired.
6. Bake until golden and puffy, about 45 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Slow Cookin'

Wednesday night dinner was on its way, and I had a ton of chores to do. I needed something that would be hands-off, yet fabulously delicious. We decided that throwing meat in a crock pot would be the way to go. Adam found a scrumptious recipe for Zinfandel-Braised Leg of Lamb that could cook in the slow cooker all day long. I have to say that Adam did most of the work, but I put on the finishing touches of broccoli rabe sauteed with garlic, homemade foccacia, and mushrooms sauteed in garlic and wine to accompany the lamb. The recipe calls to serve the lamb over noodles, but Adam and Scott simply used the bread to sop up the juices.


Zinfandel-Braised Leg of Lamb (Cooking Light, March 2009)

My only suggestion for the recipe would be to rotate the lamb during cooking so the top of the meat doesn't dry out. I think if I had come home from work and flipped it once, the lamb would have been more moist and succulent.

1 (2 1/2-lbs.) boneless leg of lamb
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 Tbs. all-purpse flour
2 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbs. juniper berries, crushed [we couldn't find juniper berries, so we added a splash of gin, which is made from juniper berries]
1 tsp. whole allspice, crushed
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup zinfandel or other light red wine
1 tsp. dried basil
2 bay leaves
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles (about 4 3/4 cups uncooked pasta)

1. Unroll lamb; trim fat. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Reroll lamb; secure at 1-inch intervals with twine. Sprinkle evenly with flour. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Place lamb in an electric slow cooker. Add juniper berries, allspice, and garlic to pan; cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned. Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 3 minutes). Scrap wine mixture into cooker; add basil and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until lamb is tender.
2. Remove lamb from cooker; keep warm. Strain cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Add remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and remaining 1/2 tsp. pepper to cooking liquid; stir. Remove twine from lamb, and discard. Break lamb into chunks with 2 forks. Serve lamb and cooking liquid over egg noodles.

A Different Take on Quesadillas

I am dancing a few more nights a week than I previously did, so I'm trying to figure out ways to continue making new, delicious meals that are super quick and easy. Adam and I found this recipe for Goat Cheese and Roasted Corn Quesadillas in this month's Cooking Light. They were a great, different take on quesadillas, my ultimate fast food. I have to say that we didn't use corn. I thought I had some in the freezer, but when I went to prepare the meal, I found that we didn't actually have any. I can only imagine that the quesadillas would be even more fantastic with freshly roasted corn. To round out the meal a bit, we served the quesadillas with some fat-free refried beans.

Goat Cheese and Roasted Corn Quesadillas (Cooking Light, March 2009)

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear)
2/3 cup (5 oz.) goat cheese, softened
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 1 green onion)
10 Tbs. bottled salsa verde
cooking spray

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn; saute 2 minutes or until browned. Place corn in a small bowl. Add goat cheese to corn; stir until well blended. Divide corn mixture evenly among 4 tortillas; spread to within 1/4 inch of sides. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1 Tbs. green onions. Drizzle each with 1 1/2 tsp. salsa; top with remaining 4 tortillas.
2. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan clean with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cute each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve with remaining 8 Tbs. salsa.

New Age Burgers

I know I haven't updated the blog in quite a long time, but I am about to inundate you with a ton of fantastic recipes.

If you are in the mood for delicious, unusual burger, do I have the perfect recipe for you! The Sweet Potato-Pecan Burgers with Caramelized Onions from Cooking Light are sweet and hearty, with an extra punch from the caramelized onions. At first, we were a little intimidated by the burger making, but with a food processor, these burgers practically make themselves.


Sweet Potato-Pecan Burgers with Caramelized Onions (Cooking Light, January/February 2009)

Onions
1 tsp. canola oil
3 cups sliced onion
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt

Burgers
2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
cooking spray
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves
1 cup regular oats
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 Tbs. canola oil, divided
6 Boston lettuce leaves
6 (1 1/2-oz.) 100% whole wheat or whole-grain buns
6 Tbs. chili sauce

1. To prepare onions, heat 1 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion to pan; saute 12 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar, sugar, and 1/8 tsp. salt; cook 30 seconds or until vinegar is absorbed. Remove onion mixture from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dray with a paper towel.
2. To prepare burgers, place potato in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender; drain.
3. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chopped onion and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender.
4. Place potato, chopped onion mixture, oats, cumin, 3/4 tsp. salt, and pepper in a food processor; process until smooth. Place potato mixture in a large bowl; stir in nuts. Divide potato mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
5. Wipe pan dry with a paper towel. Heat 1 1/2 tsp. oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add 3 patties to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned. Carefully turn patties over; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tsp. oil and 3 patties. Place lettuce leaves and patties on bottom halves of buns; top each patty with 1 Tbs. chili sauce, about 3 Tbs. onion, and top halves of buns.

Spice and Everything Nice

After our cheese and cookie night, our bodies were craving a healthy, vegetable-heavy meal. After looking through various cookbooks, we decided to make a Vegetarian Pozole from Moosewood Restaurant's cookbook. The pozole is a flavorful, hearty stew with squash, bell peppers, hominy, and a bunch of chipotle peppers. We topped our stew off with chopped avocado, crumbled queso freso, and a sprinkle of cilantro. I am extremely glad that I had lunches of this for the rest of the week.


Vegetarian Pozole (Moosewood Restaurant's New Classics)

We added chopped chard to the pozole as well for some added green and nutrients. Feel free to add extra vegetables if you want more nutrition or just need to get rid of something in the fridge. I don't think you can go wrong with this recipe.

4 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/8 plus 1/4 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups canned tomatoes with juice, chopped (28-oz. can)
3 to 4 cups peeled, seeded, can cubed delicata squash [or butternut]
4 cups coarsely chopped red or green bell pepper
4 cups drained hominy (two 15-oz. cans)
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
2 to 3 Tbs. minced chipotles in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano, sage, or epazote

grated Monterey Jack, avocado cubes, crushed tortilla chips, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded lettuce, fresh lime wedges

1. Warm the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and saute on medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden. Stir in the garlic and 1/8 tsp. of the salt and saute for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and squash and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the bell peppers, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the squash is tender. Stir in the hominy, [greens], lime juice, chipotles in adobo sauce, the remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt, and the oregano, sage, or epazote. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Serve with your favorite garnishes.

Cookie Monsters

Saturday night was deemed Cheese and Cookie Night by our neighbors and us. We recently discovered that my and Scott's favorite food is cheese, while Adam and Jen's (Scott's fiance) is cookies. Adam and I went to Berkeley's Cheeseboard to find some fantastic cheese, including a sheep's milk and stitlon-like cheese. All I can say about that experience is that I will be returning to the Cheeseboard as frequently as possible. In addition to getting some cheese, we, of course, had to bake some cookies. We chose to be a little different and bake cookies that we don't normally make. Both the Hello Dolly Bars and White Chocolate, Strawberry, and Oatmeal Cookies were huge successes!


Hello Dolly Bars (Cooking Light, December 2007)

These were definitely the hit of the night. And, even better, they take no time at all to make!

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 cookie sheets)
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1 Tbs. water
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butterscotch morsels
2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 (15-oz.) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; cut off excess paper around top edge of pan.
3. Place crumbs in a medium bowl. Drizzle with butter and 1 Tbs. water; toss with a fork until moist. Gently pat mixture into an even layer in pan (do not press firmly). Sprinkle chips and morsles over crumb mixture. Top evenly with coconut and pecans. Drizzle milk evenly over top. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly around edges. Cool completely on wire rack.

White Chocolate, Strawberry, and Oatmeal Cookies (Cooking Light, May 2007)

We had a difficult time finding plain dried strawberries, so we ended up using a combination of dried cherries, blueberries, and strawberries in the cookies, which worked perfectly.

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 oz.)
1 cup regular oats
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried strawberries
1/3 cup premium white chocolate chips (such as Ghirardelli)
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer; beat at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Add strawberries and chips; beat at low speed just until blended.
3. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool on pan 1 minute. Remove cookies from pan; cool completely on wire racks.

Worth the Pots

I found this recipe for chipotle beans on 101cookbooks.com that looked absolutely divine. I built our entire Wednesday night dinner around these beans--and there's a good reason why--they were fabulous! I paired the beans with grilled pork chops coated with cumin, chile powder, salt and pepper for the guys and tofu for me and sauteed plaintains to round out the meal. The beans stole the show though with their complex flavor of tomato, chipotle, garlic, and cilantro along with the gooeyness of the queso fresco and crunchiness of the bread crumb topping. This meal uses ton of pots and pans, but it is worth every minute of cleaning (especially if your husband does it, thanks Adam).


Giant Chipotle White Beans (Heidi Swanson, 101cookbooks.com)

1 pound of large, dried white beans (corona, giant limas, gigantes, or any giant white beans you can find), rinsed, picked over and soaked overnight - or up to 24 hours.

Chipotle-tomato sauce:
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 big pinches of red pepper flakes
2 pinches of salt
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbs. fresh oregano leaves
1 1/2 Tbs. adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers

Cilantro Pesto:
1 medium clove of garlic
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
big pinch of salt

2/3 cup kale or chard, washed, de-stemmed, and very finely chopped
1 cup queso fresco or feta cheese

1 1/2 cup whole-grain breadcrumbs, toasted in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil

1. To prepare the beans. Drain and rinse the beans after their overnight soak. Then place them in a large saucepan and cover with an inch or two of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beans are cooked through and just tender. This can take anywhere from an hour to two hours (potentially more) depending on your beans, but do your best to avoid overcooking. Remove from heat, salt the beans (still in bean broth) with about a tablespoon of salt - enough that the bean liquid is tasty but on the salty side. Let the beans sit like this for ten minutes or so before draining and setting the beans aside.
2. In the meantime, make your tomato sauce. Place the 2 tablespoons olive oil, red pepper flakes, couple pinches of salt, and chopped garlic into a cold medium saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown. Stir in the tomatoes and the fresh oregano and heat to a gentle simmer, this takes just a couple minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the adobo sauce - carefully take a taste (you don't want to burn your tongue)...If the sauce needs more salt add it now, more chipotle flavor? Go for it. Set aside.
3. Make the cilantro pesto by combining the clove of garlic and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse while you drizzle in the olive oil - alternately, you could do this by hand. Season with a bit of salt and set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. In a 9x13 baking pan (or large oven-proof casserole/dutch oven) toss the beans with the tomato sauce and the kale. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the top-third of the oven for roughly twenty-five (if you're using queso fresco) to forty minutes, I look for the cheese to start browning and any visible beans to get a bit crusty. Remove from oven and let sit for about ten minutes. Top the beans with the breadcrumbs and just before serving drizzle with the cilantro pesto.


Sauteed Plantains (Cooking Light, June 2008)

2 plantains, yellow with some black spots (about 1 lbs.)
1 Tbs. canola oil
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1. Peel plantains; cut each crosswise into 3 pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise into 4 slices.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add plantains to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Transfer plantains to a plate; sprinkle with salt.

Amazin' Asian

During our weekend morning ritual of looking through cookbooks, we came across a delicious goat cheese spring roll recipe. This was the basis for our Wednesday night dinner. We just continued to look through the cookbooks to find a nouveau Asian complement to the recipe. And we did! The Goat Cheese Spring Rolls with Asian Pear Salad perfectly paired with the grilled whole trout (and tofu) with Citrus-Ginger Sauce. All-in-all, it was a pretty satisfying meal.

Goat Cheese Spring Rolls with Asian Pear Salad (Cooking Light, March 2005)

Dipped in the extra sweet red chile sauce, these are absolutely fantastic. Be careful that the spring rolls don't sit directly on the salad because they get a bit soggy, but the flavors meld wonderfully.

Salad:
2 cups sliced Asian pear or ripe pear
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. maple syrup

Spring Rolls:
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 1/2 cups matchstick-cut carrots
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced red onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. sweet red chile sauce
1/4 cup (2 oz.) goat cheese, crumbled
8 egg roll wrappers
cooking spray

1. To prepare salad, combine first 6 ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 425.
3. To prepare spring rolls, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and next 4 ingredients; saute 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and chile sauce. Cool 5 minutes. Stir in cheese.
4. Working with 1 egg roll wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers to prevent drying). spoon about 1/3 cup vegetable mixture into center of each wrapper. Fold lower right corner over vegetable mixture; fold lower left and top right corners over vegetable mixture. Moisten top left corner with water; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Coat spring rolls with cooking spray; place rolls, seam sides down, on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 18 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 9 minutes. Cut rolls crosswise at an angle; serve immediately with salad.

Grilled Whole Red Snapper with Citrus-Ginger Hot Sauce (Cooking Light, June 2008)

We used trout instead of red snapper because that was the only whole fish at our local grocery store. I'm sure any type of whole fish would work just fine.

Sauce:
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbs. water
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. fish sauce [soy sauce]
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp. grated garlic
1/2 tsp. minced seeded serrano chile
1/2 tsp. Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1 dried hot red chile, seeded and crushed

Fish:
2 (2-lbs.) cleaned whole red snappers
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
cooking spray

1. Prepare grill to medium heat.
2. To prepare sauce, combine first 10 ingredients; set aside.
3. To prepare fish, score each fish with 3 diagonal cuts on both sides. Brush outside of fish evenly with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff lemon and garlic slices into cuts. Place any remaining lemon slices into fish cavities. Coat outside of fish with cooking spray.
4. Place fish on grill rack; grill 40 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. (Fish does not need to be turned.) Serve fish with sauce.