Finally!

It has been ridiculously long since I've had the chance to update my blog. And, it hasn't been for not wanting to write, it's been for having literally zero time. I am hoping that I will have more time in the future to share my love of food with those who I love (and the very few who read this who I don't know). Because it has been so long since I've written, the recipes will definitely not be in the order that I made them.

One recipe Adam and I recently tried out was Sauteed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter. I, of course, used tofu instead of chicken. We decided that chicken is a great protein for Adam that we just don't feel very confident cooking. To fix this problem, we just need to experiment, which is exactly what we did. It turned out wonderfully especially since we paired it with Braised Fennel with Parmesan and a simple salad!


Sauteed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter (Cooking Light, January/February 2011)

4 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
cooking spray
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. butter
2 sage sprigs
1 Tbs. minced shallots
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbs. lemon juice
fresh sage leaves (optional)

1. Place each breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Place flourr in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to pan; saute for 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan.
2. Add butter and sage sprigs to pan; cook over medium heat until butter browns. Discard sage. Add shallots and thyme; cook for 30 seconds. Add lemon juice; cook for 30 seconds. Serve with chicken. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired.

Braised Fennel with Parmesan (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics, The Moosewood Collective)

I was skeptical about fennel before this dish, but now I want to make this side dish all the time. I actually think this was the highlight of the meal, so you should definitely try this one out.

Saute
2 fennel bulbs
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. freshly ground fennel seeds
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. water

Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Topping
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 to 2 Tbs. chopped fennel fronds

1. Slice the tops off the fennel bulbs, reserving several fronds for garnish. Remove the outer layers of the bulbs if bruised or soft. Slice the bulbs lengthwise into narrow wedges about 1/8 inch wide.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic and ground fennel for several seconds. Stir in the salt and the sliced fennel and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the water, cover, and increase the heat slightly. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender.
3. Meanwhile, make the seasoned bread crumbs. Warm the olive oil in a small heavy skillet. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds. Add the bread crumbs and stir until golden and crunchy, about 5 minutes. When the fennel is tender, transfer it to the serving dish and evenly sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
4. Serve topped with grated Parmesan, pepper, and chopped fennel fronds.

Back Again (and with burgers)

It has been forever and a day since I have last posted. This has been a ridiculously busy summer full of memories-both immensely sad and fantastically joyful. With the start of the new school year and new additions to the family (Eric, the whole Uyguanco clan, and our new pup, Evie), I look forward to sharing my love of cooking and food with my family and friends.

My friend Sarah Anne recently requested a spicy black bean burger recipe, and to fulfill that promise, it will be my first post in months. This isn't a spicy burger, but it is super fast and ridiculously delicious. We've frozen the extra burgers to defrost and eat as a quick dinner when we need a good meal but are short on time. Serve with roasted sweet potato fries or a salad for a complete meal.


Speedy Burger (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

4 slices stale or toasted bread
1/2 cup whole or slivered almonds
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped fennel bulb or celery
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro stems and leaves
1 1/2 cups (1 15-oz. can) cooked, drained, and rinsed black beans
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
2 Tbs. toasted wheat germ or untoasted rolled oats
1/2 tsp. salt, or more, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil, or more, as needed

1. Break the bread into pieces, and whirl it to crumbs in a food processor. You should have 2 cups crumbs. Transfer them to a large bowl. Put the almonds into the processor, and run the machine until they are chopped fine.
2. In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the chopped almonds with the coriander, shaking the pan constantly, for 1 minute or until the almonds taste lightly toasted. Transfer the coriander and the almonds to the bowl of bread crumbs. Add the cloves to the bowl.
3. Chop fine the onion, the fennel or celery, and the cilantro in the processor. Add the beans, and run the machine in 1-second spurts until the beans are mixed in and mostly chopped (not pureed). Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the bell pepper, wheat germ or rolled oats, salt, and pepper, and stir well (I use my hands). With well-floured hands, form six patties from this mixture.
4. Heat a large skillet or a griddle over medium-high heat, and add 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil. Cook the burgers about 3 minutes per side. (You may need to cook them in batches. If so, add a little oil to the pan before cooking the second batch.) Serve the burgers in bulky or kaiser rolls or in hamburger buns. [Top with tomato, lettuce, mustard, mayonnaise, and pickles to make them extra delicious.]

Classic Combination: Soup and Sandwich

While flipping through Jamie Oliver's cookbook, my eye caught this beautiful picture of this grilled vegetable, mozzarella, and pesto sandwich. I may have drooled on the page it looked so good. Needless to say, we made this sandwich. To accompany the sandwich, we made a really simple, yet really delicious tomato soup. The soup was creamy with a nice little twang. This soup and sandwich meal was perfect for the cold, rainy days we've been having lately.


Ciabatta Sandwich of Grilled Vegetables with Pesto and Mozzarella (Jamie's Dinners, Jamie Oliver)

[We, unfortunately, didn't have the pesto with the sandwich. We were about to make it, but as I pulled out the basil from the fridge, I realized that it was dry and bitter. So, we improvised and put some sweet jalapeno jelly on the sandwich instead.]

This sandwich is good for using up grilled veg like asparagus, zucchini, fennel and eggplant-wonderful just griddled on a griddle pan and dressed with some good olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper and fresh herbs. I keep any leftovers, stuff them into a chunk of ciabatta smeared with 1 Tbs. of pesto and add a little torn-up mozzarella. You could also add some grated Parmesan. Slices of prosciutto or grilled chicken pieces go really well too.

Wrap your sandwich up tightly in wax paper and aluminum foil before putting it i your lunchbox. Usually some juices come out of the mozzarella, so give the sandwich a good press down when you've finished making it to let the bread soak up the moisture and actually become more tasty because of it. When I eat this sandwich, I peel off the paper and foil from one side and then keep peeling back as I eat. This way I don't get juice all over myself.


Cream of Tomato Soup (Cooking Light, January-February 2007)

Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves, saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes, 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Place in a blender; process until smooth. Return tomato mixture to pan. Stir in 3/4 cup half-and-half; cook until thoroughly heated.

Try Again

This Tuesday night meal was not our hugest success, but I believe if we hadn't overcooked the meat and uncooked the veggies, it could have been delicious. I know I'm not giving this menu of polenta, stuffed chicken, and roasted vegetables a good rep, but I would definitely try it out for yourself. Thank goodness the polenta saved the night!


Buttery Polenta (Cooking Light, October 2007)

5 cups water
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup dry polenta
2 1/2 Tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine 5 cups water and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and pepper.


Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese (Cooking Light, October 2007)

To make this veggie-friendly, I stuffed a portabella mushroom with the goat cheese mixture. And, honestly, I think this could have been delicious had it not been a little dry.

1 whole garlic head
1/3 cup (3 oz.) goat cheese with herbs, softened
6 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves). [I didn't follow this direction. I find it a lot easier to peel and separate the cloves before roasting, then cover in olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil.] Wrap head in foil. Bake at 350 for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Combine garlic pulp and cheese, stirring well; set aside.
3. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 4 tsp. cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly on both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn chicken over. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165; let stand 5 minutes.


Autumn Vegetable Medley with Rosemary and Nutmeg (Cooking Light, October 2007)

I suggest watching the vegetables closely and allowing them to cook a little longer. They just weren't as soft and roasted as I had hoped they would be.

1 (9-oz.) fennel bulb with stalks
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
1 1/2 cups (1-inch-thick) slices parsnip
1 1/2 cups (1-inch-thick) slices carrot
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
dash of freshly grated nutmeg
cooking spray
1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz.) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Trim tough outer leaves from fennel. Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise; discard core. Cut each half into three wedges. Combine fennel and next 8 ingredients in a large shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with cheese, if desired.

Spring Dumplings

I love dumplings. In any shape or form, I love dumplings. And, Vegetarian Planet has an entire section on making unique dumplings. We chose one that seemed to fit the springy California weather. They were light and fluffy with a fresh fennel and tomato base. Paired with sauteed chard in garlic, the dumplings were a wonderful spring meal.


Chevre Quenelles in Fennel and Tomato Sauce (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

Quenelles
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. unbleached white flour
2 eggs
6 Tbs. crumbled chevre (goat cheese), about 2 oz.
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
2 egg whites

Fennel and Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium fennel bulb, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb.), chopped
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

1. Make the quenelles: In a heavy saucepan, hea the water with the butter. When the mixture begins to simmer, take the pan off the heat, immediately add all of the flour, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Replace the pan over medium heat, and stir constantly until the dough comes away from the side of the pan and begins to form a ball. Remove the pan from theheat again, and add the eggs one at a time, beating hard until the dough is smooth. Add the goat cheese and salt and pepper, and again beat until the dough is smooth. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
2. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks with a pinch of salt, and fold them gently into the goat-cheese mixture. Chill the dough for 1/2 hour to 24 hours, so that it will be easier to handle.
3. Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and fennel, and saute until the onion and fennel soften, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and water, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the salt and pepper, and remove the skillet from the heat.
4. Bring at least 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large saucepan or pot. Spoon the dough, about 1 Tbs. at a time, into the simmering water, fitting as many quenelles into the ot as you can without crowding them. Simmer them for 10 minutes, turning them over after 5 minutes. Remove the quenelles with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to paper towels.
5. Warm the fennel and tomato sauce, divide it among plates, then place the quenelles on top. Garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve.

Easter Brinner

Adam and I really wanted to celebrate Easter by preparing a brunch. The only issue was that our guests were unavailable for brunch. No problem--we just made the brunch for dinner (hence calling it brinner). We made an outrageous amount of food including a spinach and gruyere quiche, a roasted asparagus salad, a shrimp salad, and sticky pecan buns to top it all off. I must say it was quite a feast!


Spinach and Gruyere Quiche (Betty Crocker's Cookbook, Bridal Edition)

We made a variation on the quiche Lorraine recipe from Betty Crocker. It actually only vaguely resembles the original recipe. I will try to give you exactly what we did, but the wonderful thing about quiche is that you can add any vegetables and any cheese along with egg and milk to a pie crust, bake it, and end up with a fantastic meal.

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. shortening [butter]
2 to 3 Tbs. cold water

1. Measure 2 Tbs. water into liquid measuring cup; set aside. Place shortening, flour, and salt in food processor. Cover and process, using quick on-and-off motions, until mixture is crumbly. With food processor running, pour water all at once through feed tube just until dough leaves side of bowl (dough should not form a ball).
2. Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. If desired, wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 30 minutes to firm up the shortening slightly, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky and lets the water absorb evenly throughout the dough. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
3. Roll pastry on lightly floured surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down pie plate, 9 x 1 1/4 inches, or 3 inches larger than 10- or 11-inch tart pan. Fold pastry into fourths and place in pie plate; or roll pastry loosely around rolling pin and transfer to pie plate. Unfold or unroll pastry and ease into plate; pressing firmly against bottom and side being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked.

Filling
1 package frozen spinach, defrosted
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
4 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Make pastry. Fold pastry into fourths; place in quiche dish, 9 x 1 1/2 inches, or pie plate, 9 x 1 1/4 inches. Unfold and ease into dish, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
3. Sprinkle spinach and cheese in pastry-lined quiche dish. Beat eggs slightly in large bowl with fork or wire whisk. Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into quiche dish. Bake 15 minutes.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 300. Bake about 30 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.


Roasted Asparagus Salad with Pecorino, Lemon, and Olive Oil (Cooking Light, April 2009)

This makes a huge amount. Not to worry, because there won't be much left--it's that good.

2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
6 cups torn Boston lettuce (about 2 small heads)
2 large hard-cooked eggs, each cut into 6 slices
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (1 oz.) shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Place asparagus on a large jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 1 Tbs. oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper; toss well. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on pan. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender, tossing once. Cool slightly.
3. Arrange lettuce on a large platter. Top with asparagus and egg slices. Combine remaining 2 Tbs. oil, juice, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over asparagus and lettuce. Top with cheese. Serve immediately.


Shrimp Salad with Blood Oranges and Slivered Fennel (Cooking Light, April 2009)

We wanted to add a fresh, non-vegetarian dish to the meal. I think this shrimp salad worked in perfect harmony with the rest of our springy, clean components of our feast.

1/4 cup fresh blood orange juice (about 1 orange)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp. sea salt, divided
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
cooking spray
3 blood oranges, peeled and cut crosswise into thin slices
2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 1 small)
chopped fennel fronds (optional)

1. Combine orange juice, lemon juice, 1 1/2 Tbs. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper, stirring with with a whisk.
2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
3. Combine shrimp, remaining 1 1/2 tsp. oil, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt; toss to coat. Thread 4 shrimp onto each of 6 (12-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from skewers; keep warm.
4. Divide orange slices evenly among 4 plates; top each serving with 1/2 cup fennel and 6 shrimp. Drizzle 1 Tbs. dressing over each serving. Sprinkle with fennel fronds, if desired.


Pecan Sticky Rolls (Cooking Light, September 2008)

These take a LONG time to make. They are absolutely delicious, but they are definitely a time commitment. The sauce was a bit grainy for my taste, but if you are craving a sticky bun while trying to maintain a healthy diet, these are certainly worth the effort.

Dough
3/4 cup warm skim milk (100 to 110 degrees)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1/2 cup egg substitute [or 2 eggs]
3 Tbs. butter, melted and cooled
4 cups all-purpose flour (about 18 oz.), divided
cooking spray

Sauce
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 Tbs. butter, melted
2 Tbs. hot water
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Filling
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbs. butter, melted

1. To prepare dough, combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir yeast mixture into milk mixture. Add egg substitute and 3 Tbs. melted butter; stir until well combined.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 3 3/4 cups flour to yeast mixture; stir until smooth. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 Tbs. at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough with feel slightly soft and tacky).
4. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 45 minutes. Punch dough down and turn over in bowl; lightly coat with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 45 minutes. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
5. To prepare sauce, combine brown sugar, 3 Tbs. butter, and 2 Tbs. hot water in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Scrape brown sugar mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly with pecans, and set aside.
6. To prepare filling, combine 2/3 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; pat dough into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle. Brush surface of dough with 1 1/2 Tbs. melted butter. Sprinkle granulated sugar mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Beginning with a long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut roll into 15 slices (approximately 1 inch wide). Arrange slices, cut sides up, in prepared pan. Lightly coat rolls with cooking spray; cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
7. Preheat oven to 350.
8. Uncover rolls, and bake at 250 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; carefully invert onto serving platter.