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.

Radical Ravioli

I have to admit that since I've taken so long to post these recipes, I have forgotten the exact way I made them. But, what I do remember is that they were absolutely delicious and there is no way to mess them up. This gives you the opportunity to create your own dish with a helpful guide.
When my mom was here I took her to our local farmers' market so she could experience one of my favorite things in the Bay Area. We found beautiful looking chard, baby zucchini, and tomatoes that we had to bring home with us. With these amazing items we decided to make chard and ricotta ravioli with a fresh tomato sauce and baked zucchini topped with breadcrumbs. To round out the meal, we made huge breadsticks for everyone.


Chard and Ricotta Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

1 bunch chard, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ricotta (any fat content)
salt and pepper to taste

wonton wrappers or fresh pasta sheets (we made the pasta with half whole wheat flour and half white flour)

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3-5 tomatoes (preferably heirloom, but whatever you have on hand is perfect), chopped
2 Tbs. parsley, chopped
balsamic vinegar, splash

Parmesan cheese, grated

1. To prepare the filling, saute the garlic and chard in a skillet over medium heat until the chard has wilted. Take off the heat and add to the ricotta, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
2. To fill the ravioli, take a dollop of the filling and place in the wonton wrapper or along the pasta sheet. Fold the wonton or pasta over and seal with water along the edges. Press with a fork to ensure a good seal. (The pasta water becomes quite messy if the ravioli don't have good seals.)
3. Cook the pasta in boiling water for about 2 minutes. You know when they are done because the ravioli will float to the top.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce by sauteing the garlic and onion in a skillet coated with olive oil over medium heat until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, parsley, balsamic vinegar, and some salt and pepper, tossing with the garlic and onion. Allow the tomatoes to simply get hot, then remove the pan from the burner.
5. Plate the ravioli by putting several ravioli on the dish and topping with the tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.


Baked Zucchini

This is an incredibly easy side dish that is also incredibly delicious. Don't think that because there aren't a lot of ingredients that this recipe isn't worth trying out. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

baby zucchini, halved (you will want about 1-2 zucchini per person)
Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
olive oil

1. Place the halved zucchini in a baking dish, cut side up. Cover with breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Place in a preheated 375 oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until the zucchini are tender and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Cookin with the Cuz

My cousin Diana came to visit last Friday and I knew there was only one thing we could fill the night with--cooking! And that's exactly what we did! With some damn good food too, if I may say so myself. We started the night off with an odd, but fantastic, almond-orange dip with veggies and pita chips. Then, we moved on to portobello veggie burgers and a roasted potato salad. We completed the evening with a limoncello sorbet. Cooking for and with the people you love is absolutely the best thing in the world (and it doesn't hurt if you make fantastic things either).


Almond-Orange Dip (The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen)

You could dip practically anything in this dip, because it is that good. You could even put it on sandwiches for some flair.

1 12-oz. box silken tofu
1 cup almond butter
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
2 Tbs. minced fresh chives
1/2 tsp. grated orange rind
3/4 tsp. salt
fresh black pepper, to taste
cayenne, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Season to taste, cover, and refrigerate until cold.


Portobello Burgers (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

We made the suggested variation of this burger, which is to add 3 oz. goat cheese to the mixture. Delicious!

2/3 cup dried lentils
6 oz. portobello mushrooms
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced onions
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. salt, or more, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
5 slices stale or toasted sandwich bread
1/2 cup chopped parsley

1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil, and add the lentils. Simmer the lentils for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are tender. Drain the lentils, and let them cool.
2. Cut off the dirt-laden base of each mushroom stem, then chop the remainder of the stems and the caps fine.
3. Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the onions. Cook them, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until they soften. Add the garlic, and cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Add the chopped mushrooms and the cumin to the skillet, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season well with the salt and pepper, and take the pan off the heat.
4. Break the bread into pieces, and whirl them to crumbs in a food processor. Transfer 2 cups crumbs to a large bowl. Put the lentils into the processor, and run the machine in spurts until they are coarsely chopped and somewhat pasty. Add the chopped parsley and sauteed mushrooms and onions to the bowl, and mix well with your hands or a sturdy spoon. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Add more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet to form a patty. Chill the mixture from 1 hour to a week.
5. Form the burger mixture into four 4-inch patties. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet (not non-stick) over medium heat. Pan-fry until the undersides are a deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the burgers, and cook them about 3 minutes more. Serve the burgers hot.


Roasted Potato Salad with Mint Vinaigrette (Cooking Light, May 2005)

3 cups (2-inch) cut green beans
3 cups (1-inch square) cut red bell pepper (about 2 large peppers)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup fat-free less-sodium chicken broth [or veggie broth]
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 lbs. small red potatoes, quartered
2 Vidalia or other sweet onions, trimmed and quartered
cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 to 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1. Preheat over to 400.
2. Combine first 7 ingredients; toss well. Arrange vegetable mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Uncover and stir; bake, uncovered, and additional 40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring after 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Place vegetable mixture in a large bowl.
3. Combine 1/2 cup mint, vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle vinaigrette over vegetable mixture, and toss well to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.


Limoncello-Mint Sorbet with Fresh Blackberries (Cooking Light, May 2009)

This is extremely flavorful and refreshing. I could actually only eat a few bites because it was so intense. I think that this would work really well for a palate cleanser in the middle of the meal or as a hot summer night's dessert.

2 cups water
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup limoncello [we used our own homemade limoncello]
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 large lemons)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 cups blackberries
lemon slices (optional)

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add lemon juice and mint. Cover and chill.
2. Strain juice mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm. Serve with blackberries; garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

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.

Un-Thanksgiving Meal

Up until the last minute on Thanksgiving, we had planned on making creamed spinach as another side dish. We realized that it was completely unnecessary and decided to wait (thank goodness). So, we made a healthy version of creamed spinach served with smashed potatoes (which I have posted previously). It wasn't the most filling meal ever, but it certainly was a nutritious one.


Zesty Creamed Spinach (Vegetarian Times, November/December 2008)

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 16-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed but not drained
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook shallot 5 to 7 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add spinach, and cook 5 minutes more. Remove from heat.
2. Stir yogurt, lemon zest, and rosemary into spinach mixture, and season with pepper.

Spicy Slaw

Here's a great way to use red cabbage in a not-so-ordinary slaw. We quartered and grilled the cabbage, then mixed it with a grilled jalapeno and some light mayo. Voila! A spicy, unique slaw that will have everyone asking for more. We made this the other night with grilled chicken/veggie burger and a simple tomato salad. We bought the most fantastic tomatoes at the Farmers' Market on Saturday. They were picked-from-the-garden fresh. We just quartered them and drizzled them with olive oil and salt. Absolutely delicious! The grilled jalapeno and cabbage slaw goes well with any grilled meal--burgers, chicken, tofu, whatever you want.


Grilled Jalapeno and Cabbage Slaw

1/4 head of cabbage, sliced in two
olive oil
1 jalapeno
1/4 cup mayonnaise, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper

1. Spread the a light layer of olive oil onto the cabbage sections. Grill the cabbage and jalapeno over medium heat. When the jalapeno has blackened and the cabbage has grill-marks, chop both into small pieces. Add the mayonnaise and black pepper and stir until well combined.

Eggplant Caponata

We had an extra eggplant from when we made Eggplant Parmesan Subs, and it desperately needed to be used. Adam is in no way an eggplant eater, so I tried to think of something I could make that I could easily take with me to work or rehearsals. I decided that Eggplant Caponata would be fantastically delicious--and it was! Although I wasn't able to completely sway his view of eggplant, Adam loved the flavor of the dish and ate his fair share. (Sorry, but this picture does not do the caponata justice.)


Eggplant Caponata

Last night we ate the caponata with a fork straight out of the bowl, but you could top pasta or bruschetta with it for a delicious meal or appetizer. You could turn it into a dip by scooping it up with hearty pita chips. I am even considering topping cottage cheese with the mixture for lunch.

1 large eggplant, cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 to 3/4 of a can (24 oz.) whole tomatoes, diced, reserving liquid (a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes or 2 tomatoes diced, would work perfectly as well)
1 Tbs. capers
scant 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 oz. unsweetened baker's chocolate
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and cook approximately 8 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic, sauteing until fragrant, and then the tomatoes. Allow the mixture to soften and steam slightly.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Make sure that the baker's chocolate melts and is thoroughly mixed throughout the caponata. If the mixture looks slightly dry, add some of the reserved tomato liquid until the caponata has reached the desired consistency.
3. Eat and enjoy in your preferred manner.

Wontons for Everyone

One of the hardest things about being vegetarian (in my view) is not being able to eat soups in most restaurants. Most often, chicken, beef, or fish stocks are used rather than vegetable broth. Adam, Jeremy, and I went out to a Chinese restaurant a few weeks ago, and since then I've been yearning for some Wonton Soup. Because of this broth issue, I decided I should just make it myself rather than search the Bay Area for a vegetarian version. To accompany my Vegetarian Wonton Soup, we made absolutely fantastic Scallion Pancakes. What a perfect, comforting meal! (Although I must warn you that it leaves your kitchen looking a bit like a war zone.)


Vegetarian Wonton Soup

We did not do this, but I would add 1 Tbs. of soy sauce and a splash of rice wine vinegar to the broth for a more Asian touch. We added a bit of extra heat at the end by topping our soup with some Sriracha hot sauce. Also, these dumplings would be great as potstickers, if you want to make a huge batch and freeze the rest or later. And, the wonton wrappers, since you probably won't use them all, can be frozen up to 2 months in an air-tight container and saved for a later date (I'm sure I will have something soon using the rest of the wrappers).

8 cups water
3 vegetable bullion cubes (or your preferred vegetable stock option, equal to 6 cups of water)
10 thin slices of ginger
1 package oyster mushrooms, chopped
1 stalk bok choy, chopped
1/2 cup bean sprouts

12 to 15 wonton wrappers
2 to 3 oz. tofu, crumbled
1 tsp. garlic, minced or crushed
2 tsp. ginger, grated
1 stalk bok choy, minced
1 carrot, grated
2 scallions, sliced

1. Prepare the broth by bringing the water, bullion, and ginger to a boil.
2. While the broth is boiling, begin to prepare the wontons by heating a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the crumbled tofu, garlic, and ginger. Allow the tofu to brown slightly. Add the bok choy and carrot and saute for 2 minutes. Add the scallions and mix thoroughly. Take off the heat and allow to cool while prepping the wonton wrappers.
3. Have a small bowl filled with water handy for wetting the wrappers and making the dumplings. Place a damp paper towel over the unused wrappers to keep them from drying out. Take one wrapper and place it flat on a baking sheet covered in wax paper. Put a small Tbs. of the filling mixture into the center of the wrapper. Brush water along the edges of the wrapper. Pull two opposing sides together and press so that they stick. Pull the other two sides up to meet the others; press so that there are no holes or gaps. This style of wonton is called the beggar's bundle. (It doesn't matter how beautiful they look, they will taste fantastic.)
4. Meanwhile, reduce the broth to a simmer and add the mushrooms and bok choy. (You may want to add the mushrooms before the bok choy to help add more flavor to the broth.)
5. Once the bok choy has become tender, add the dumplings and bean sprouts to the soup. Cook for 5 minutes at a strong simmer, or until the dumplings have become translucent.


Scallion Pancakes (Ming Tsai, www.foodnetwork.com)

This recipe came with a recipe for a ginger dipping sauce. We took the basics of the sauce and made our own mixture of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, scallions, and red pepper flakes.

2 cups flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil (we only used 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. chili oil)
salt and pepper

1. In a bowl, sift flour. Slowly add water in a steady stream while mixing with a wooden spoon. Keep adding water until a ball is formed. With the same procedure, one can use a food processor with a metal blade. Let ball of dough relax for about 30 minutes and cover with a damp cloth.
2. On a floured surface, roll out dough into a thin rectangle. Brush on oil mixture, cover with scallion and season with salt and pepper. Carefully roll dough like a sponge cake. Cut into 4 pieces. Take one piece and twist 3 times. Make a spiral out of this and roll again and flatten to achieve a 5 to 6 inch pancake. In a hot non-stick pan, coat with canola oil and pan sear both sides until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Roasted Broccoli

It's been a while since I've had a chance to write, but I feel obligated to share this recipe for Roasted Broccoli. It's a really simple side for any meal. We made it this time as an accompaniment for leftovers.

Roasted Broccoli

Red pepper instead of the black pepper will give the broccoli an added kick that is quite wonderful.

1 medium-sized head of broccoli per 2 people, chopped
olive oil
salt
black or red pepper
sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a baking sheet by covering it in aluminum foil.
2. Place the broccoli pieces in a bowl. Coat with olive oil. Then, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a dash of sugar. Toss to make sure that eat piece of broccoli is coated.
3. Put broccoli on the baking sheet and then into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned and crispy.

Fast, Easy, and Thanks Meliss

Last night we were a bit short on food and energy. So, I decided to mix up something quick and easy that turned out to be absolutely delicious. It really helped out that Melissa, my sister, had given us a fantastic tomato sauce that she had prepared from a Cooking Light recipe and then canned to preserve it. The multiple jars of sauce have been a great time saver and a fantastic way to make a really yummy meal. Adam added grilled sausage to his pasta for an added punch of protein, while I simply topped mine with feta cheese. The saltiness of the cheese melded perfectly with the tomato sauce. In addition to the pasta, we ate Grilled Broccoli and Onions.

Grilled Broccoli and Onions

We like our veggies to get charred in the grill for that added smoky flavor. The red pepper flakes gave a bit of an added bite to the veggies that you don't get with black pepper.

1 head of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 large Vidalia onion, sliced
olive oil
salt
red pepper flakes

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl so that the broccoli and onion are well coated with olive oil and seasonings.
2. Place on the grill in a vegetable grill basket. Grill for 15 minutes or until preferred readiness.