Burritos with a Twist

This is the perfect weeknight meal--it's fast, easy, and delicious. These Good Goat Burritos are a great way to mix up your Mexican go-to. We used Trader Joe's frozen brown rice that microwaves in 3 minutes to make this meal even easier. I think it took us about 15 minutes from start to finish. Serve these burritos with guacamole and your favorite hot sauce.

Good Goat Burritos (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped scallions, both white and green parts (about 1 bunch)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin seeds

2 tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups cooked rice

salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1 cup cooked black beans, or more, to taste

4 Tbs. soft, mild chèvre (goat cheese)

2 10- or 12-inch flour tortillas (or 4 8-inch flour tortillas)

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped scallions, garlic, and cumin. Saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rice, and heat them well, stirring. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and keep it warm.

2. In another skillet, heat the black beans with a bit of water to moisten them, stirring so they do not scorch. Keep them warm.

3. Sprinkle a bit of water on one tortilla, then place the tortilla in a large dry skillet over high heat. After a few seconds, turn the tortilla to heat the other side, again for only a few seconds. Place the hot tortilla on a work surface. Spread 2 Tbs. goat cheese across the center part of the tortilla. Place half of the rice mixture and half of the black beans over the cheese. Roll up the tortilla tightly, folding in the sides as you roll. Serve the burrito immediately, and make another just like it. (If you are using four 8-inch tortillas, use 1 Tbs. goat cheese and 1/4 of the rice and beans per tortilla.)

Super-natural Supper

I am lucky to have gotten two cookbooks for my birthday. The first was Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry in the previous post, and the second was Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson from my sister. Both of these authors/chefs are local to the Bay Area, which is pretty awesome. These recipes from Super Natural Every Day are also awesome, especially the salad. I think I could eat this salad once a week easily. The quinoa patties were also delicious, but needed a bit of hot sauce to make them fantastic (but that's easy enough). Combined into one meal, these two dishes are a perfect and healthful dinner.

Yellow Split Peas and Greens (Super Natural Every Day, Heidi Swanson)

1 1/2 cups / 10.5 oz / 300 g dried split yellow peas, rinsed and picked over

fine-grain sea salt

1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g pepitas, toasted

1 cup / .5 oz / 15 g lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems

1/3 cup / .5 oz / 15 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 small serrano chile, mostly seeded and deveined

2/3 cup / 160 ml extra-virgin olive oil

2 large handfuls mixed salad greens

1. Bring 5 cups / 1.25 liters water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the yellow split peas and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and salt to taste. Make the cilantro pesto by communing one-third of the toasted pepitas, the cilantro, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, a splash of the olive oil, and the chile and blend with an immersion blender (or in a food processor or standard blender) until smooth. Continue blending as you gradually drizzle in the olive oil, until the pesto comes together into a vibrant green sauce. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt, if needed.

2. In a large bowl, toss the yellow split peas and remaining pepitas with two-thirds of the pesto. Keep tossing until everything is coated. Add the salad greens and gently toss again. Taste and add more pesto, if needed. You'll have a bit of extra pesto, which can be used to refresh any leftovers.

Little Quinoa Patties (Super Natural Every Day, Heidi Swanson)

2 1/2 cups / 12 oz / 340 g cooked quinoa, at room temperature

4 large eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt

1/3 cup / .5 oz / 15 g finely chopped fresh chives

1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup / .5 oz / 15 g freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed

water, if needed

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter

1. Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, onion, cheese, and garlic. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a mixture you can easily form into twelve 1-inch / 2.5 cm thick patties. I err on the very moist side because it makes for a not-overly-dry patty, but you can add more bread crumbs, a bit at a time, to firm up the mixture, if need be. Conversely, a bit more beaten egg or water can be used to moisten the mixture.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add 6 patties, if they'll fit with some room between each, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and cook the second sides for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties. Alternatively, the quinoa mixture keeps nicely in the refrigerator for a few days; you can cook patties to order, if you prefer.

Heavenly Beans

Adam was quite skeptical when I mentioned that I was going to make a lima bean casserole. But, after having tasted this amazing lima bean masterpiece at NOPA, a restaurant in San Francisco, I assured him that it would be delicious. Thanks to my cuz for directing me to this recipe.

I must give a warning though: do not make this on a weekday night as I did! I don't think I ate until 9:30. At least I was in bliss when I did eat. This is a labor and pot intensive meal, but I have to say, it is absolutely worth it.

Giant Lima Beans with Stewed Tomatoes and Oregano Pesto (Food and Wine, November 2008)

Beans:
3 cups dried giant lima beans or gigantes, rinsed and picked over, then soaked for 4 hours and drained
kosher salt
5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (16-oz.) can whole tomatoes, juices reserved, tomatoes coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. chopped oregano
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese (6 1/2 oz. for sprinkling)
2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs

Pesto:
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. chopped oregano
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
1 small garlic clove, minced
kosher salt

1. PREPARE THE LIMA BEANS In a large saucepan, cover the lima beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the limas are just tender but still al dente, about 2 1/2 hours; add water as needed to keep the limas covered by 2 inches. Season the limas with salt and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Drain the limas, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano and the reserved bean cooking liquid and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 1 hour. Season the tomato sauce with salt.
3. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE PESTO In a mini food processor, combine the olive oil with the oregano, parsley and garlic and pulse to a coarse puree. Season the oregano pesto with salt.
4. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, mix the limas with the tomato sauce and sprinkle the feta on top. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 40 minutes, until the beans are bubbling and the cheese is browned. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the bread crumbs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.
6. Top the beans with the bread crumbs, dollop with the oregano pesto and serve.

Make Ahead The cooked limas, tomato sauce and pesto can be refrigerated separately overnight. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

Slow Cooker Enchiladas

Although it has been a long time since I created most of the dishes I'm about to post, and many of them are no longer seasonal, they are a few of my favs. I think it's worth posting them for reference when they are seasonal again (or perhaps just another chilly day in the Bay Area).

At Christmas time I went to one of my favorite gift stores on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, Nathan's. I meant to pick out little gifts for the Petes family grab bag, but I ended up only buying The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker cookbook for myself. Oops. It was definitely a good buy though, as there are hardly any slow cooker recipes for vegetarians. The Stacked Cauliflower Enchilada with Green Chile Sauce is absolutely delicious and really easy. I prepped everything the night before, put everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and came home in the evening to a wonderful meal.

Stacked Cauliflower Enchilada with Green Chile Sauce (The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker, Lynn Alley)

1 head cauliflower
1 white onion, cut vertically into 8 pieces
1 cup sliced pitted California olives, drained [or green olives with pimentos]
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained
6 to 9 corn tortillas
1/2 lbs. smoked or regular cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 (28-oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish

1. Trim and core the cauliflower, then wash and slice the head vertically. (You will be placing it in layers in the casserole, so you want the pieces fairly thin.) Pull the onion layers apart.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, onion, olives, tomatoes, and beans using your hands.
3. Oil the inside of the slower cooker insert. Place 2 or 3 overlapping tortillas in the bottom of the insert. Add a layer of half the mixed vegetables and top it with a generous sprinkling of cheese (about one-third of the cheese). Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the layer.
4. Add another layer of tortillas, then half of the remaining vegetables and another one-third of the cheese. Pour on another 1/2 cup of sauce. Finish with an additional layer of tortillas and the remaining 2 1/2 cups sauce. (Even though you may appear to have an excess of sauce, much of it is absorbed into the tortillas and vegetables as they cook.)
5. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the cauliflower is tender. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
6. Turn off the heat and allow the contents of the insert to sit for 10 to 15 minutes to set, then carefully scoop up generous individual servings of the enchilada into bowls. Top each serving with a sprinkle of cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

Chocolate and Zucchini

My sister gave me this wonderful cookbook of Parisian food adventures called Chocolate and Zucchini. This pasta cooked in a risotto style really intrigued me, and I decided I had to try it out. I mean, Parisians pretty much know about good cooking. This pasta was easy, delicious, and great for leftovers. I will absolutely make it again when I need a big pot of something delicious.


Pates par absorption, courgettes, et cacao /Cacao and Zucchini Absorption Pasta (Chocolate and Zucchini, Clotilde Dusoulier)

The recipe called for cacao nibs, but I just shaved a tiny bit of super dark chocolate on top of the pasta and topped it with a few pecans.

6 cups stock or filtered water
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
14 oz. dried short pasta, such as ricciole, penne, or fusilli
4 small zucchini, cut into sticks or thin slices with a mandoline or sharp knife
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. cacao nibs (not chocolate-coated), toasted in a dry skillet and coarsely crushed (substitute 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted)
aged Parmesan, coarsely grated

1. Set the stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat and keep warm.
2. As the stock is warming up , heat the oil in a wide saute pan. Add the garlic and onion and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring regularly to avoid coloring. Add the pasta and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add just enough stock to cover the pasta, and lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time and adding more stock when it is absorbed. Five minutes into the cooking, add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper.
3. Taste the pasta for doneness. If it isn't quite done and all the liquids have absorbed, add a little more stock (or water if you're out of stock), cover, and cook for a few more minutes. Repeat until you've reached and al dente consistency; the total cooking time will depend on the type of pasta you used. Adjust the seasoning, transfer into bowls or plates, sprinkle with cacao nuts and Parmesan, and serve immediately.

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.

Apple Season

Fall is definitely apple season, and I want to use them every way I can. This Apple Onion Cheese Gratin was an incredibly delicious way to eat the season's bounty. It was rich and creamy with a nice tang from the apples and onions. We paired this side dish with chicken and tofu covered in a mustard, maple syrup glaze and a simple salad. The glaze consisted of 3 parts mustard to 1 part maple syrup and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. I have to say that this is one of my favorite fall meals I have had in a while.

Apple Onion Cheese Gratin (Moosewood Restaurant New Classics, The Moosewood Collective)

1 cup milk
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of ground cloves
4 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples, such as Mutsu
1 cup chopped onions
2 cups grated Cheddar or Gruyere cheese
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.
2. In a small pot, scald the milk, bringing it almost but not quite to a boil. In another small pot, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Slowly add the scalded milk, whisking continuously until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the nutmeg, salt, and cloves and stir for about a minute, until thick. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Spread the apples and onions evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle on the grated cheese and pour the sauce over the top. Scatter on the walnuts and bread crumbs (seasoned with brown sugar, if you like).
4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp.

Fall Feast

Adam and I love hosting dinner parties for our friends. And, we love to take menus from cookbooks and recreate them. We did just that, with a few tweaks of course, a few weeks ago, and it was a great success. We started the meal with a blue cheese ball, an elegant take on the old port wine cheese ball, and poached olives with garlic. The entree consisted of shiitake mushroom risotto in acorn squash, oatmeal-molasses bread, and a simple salad. We finished this indulgent meal with pumpkin bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream. All of this fantastic fall food and fantastic company made for a wonderful fall night.


Date, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Ball (Cooking Light, November 2010)

We could not find any dates when we were making this recipe, so we substituted dried black Mission figs instead.

1 cup (4 oz.) crumbled blue cheese
1 Tbs. nonfat buttermilk
5 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
3 oz. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
3 Tbs. minced pitted Medjool dates (2 to 3 dates)
1 Tbs. minced shallots
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 1/2 Tbs. finely chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Place first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add dates, shallots, lemon rind, salt, and pepper; beat at medium speed until well blended, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
2. Spoon cheese mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a ball, using a rubber spatula. Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap; chill overnight [or freeze for an hour if you are short of time].
3. Combine parsley and walnuts in a shallow dish. Unwrap cheese ball; gently roll in nut mixture, coating well. Place on a serving plate. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.


Farro "Risotto" with Shiitakes in Roasted Acorn Squash (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

2 large acorn squashes, halved and seeded
3 Tbs. butter
1 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups minced fennel bulb or celery stalks
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups cracked farro (or cracked spelt)
1/3 cup sherry or white wine
4 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
2 cups chopped shiitake mushroom caps

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Slice a bit off the outside of each squash half so that the halves won't wobble on plates. Bake the squash flesh side down on a baking sheet for 1 hour or until the flesh is tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 Tbs. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the fennel or celery. Saute the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until they have softened.
3. Add the garlic, and saute 2 minutes more. Add the farro, and saute, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the sherry or wine, and continue stirring. When the wine is absorbed, add 1/2 cup of the water or stock and the 1 tsp. salt, and stir as the mixture simmers. Add another 1/2 cup water or stock once the first is absorbed, and stir occasionally. Continue adding liquid in this manner until it is all added and absorbed, about 30 minutes. When the farro is tender but slightly chewy, stir in the Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Take the skillet off the heat.
4. In a smaller skillet, melt the remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. butter. Saute the shiitakes over medium heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold half of the shiitakes into the farro, and reserve the rest.
5. Assemble the dish: If the squash has cooled, reheat it in the oven. Then place the squash halves cut side up on plates, and fill them with the warm risotto. Mound the risotto so that one-quarter of it fits in each half. Top the risotto with the remaining sauteed shiitake, and serve right away.


Pumpkin Bread Pudding (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

About 1/2 baguette, cut into 2-inch-thick slices
3 extra-large eggs
3 1/2 cups whole or low-fat milk
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger, or 2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup baked pumpkin flesh (you don't need to puree it) or canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cover the bottom of a 10-by-13-inch baking dish with a single layer of the sliced bread. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, white sugar, and pumpkin. (If you are using fresh pumpkin, the pumpkin will be somewhat lumpy.) Pour this mixture over the bread slices. Push down on the bread slices so they soak up the liquid. Let them soak for 10 minutes.
2. Bake the pudding in the lower third of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted into the pudding comes out clean. Let the pudding cool for 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the pudding. Place the pudding under the broiler, keeping the oven door slightly open. Keeping close watch, broil the sugar until it begins to bubble. Remove the pudding and let it cool.

Terrific Turnovers

I feel like all I see in this month's cooking magazines are articles on pears and apples. How can I resist so many fall fruit recipes? I can't! Wanting a healthy and light meal last Sunday, we decided to make Squash-Apple Turnovers with a simple side salad. Yum yum.


Squash-Apple Turnovers (Cooking Light, October 2010)

2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cups (1/4-inch) diced peeled butternut squash
1 cup (1/4-inch) diced peeled Jonagold apple (about 1/2 lbs.)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1-oz.) crumbled goat cheese
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 (11.3-oz.) can refrigerated dinner roll dough
1 Tbs. honey mustard
2 tsp. water
2 Tbs. 1% low-fat milk
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute for 3 minutes. Add squash; saute for 5 minutes. Add apple; cook 6 minutes or until squash and apple are tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Gently stir in cheese and thyme.
3. Separate dough into 8 pieces. Roll each portion into a 5-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Combine mustard and 2 tsp. water in a small bowl. Lightly brush top sides of dough circles with mustard mixture. Spoon about 2 Tbs. squash mixture onto half of each circle, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Fold dough over filling; press edges together with a fork to seal. Brush milk over dough. Place turnovers 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 19 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

The Winning Dog(s)

I have a secret (or not-so secret) love for veggie dogs. So, when I was flipping through an issue of Food and Wine Magazine and saw a recipe for gourmet hot dogs, I couldn't resist making them. This recipe for Hot Dogs with Cheddar and Sauteed Apples is fairly easy and absolutely delicious. They are worthy of serving to guests even. We added onions to the apples for a bit more savory version of this recipe and then served them with doctored baked beans and an avocado and tomato salad for a fantastic, ballpark meal.


Hot Dogs with Cheddar and Sauteed Apples (Food and Wine, September 2010)


2 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled halved, cored, and cut into scant 1/2-inch wedges
3 Tbs. light brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon
6 hot dogs [or veggie dogs]
6 long pretzel rolls or hot dog buns, split
3 oz. thinly sliced sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the apples and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until barely softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in the cinnamon and keep warm.
2. Heat a grill pan. Grill the hot dogs over high heat until lightly charred all over, about 5 minutes. On a baking sheet, set the dogs in the rolls and top with the cheddar cheese. Bake for about 3 minutes, just until the cheese is melted. Top with the apples and serve at once.

Jamie's Done It Again

Whenever we need a good, hearty meal for a Tuesday night dinner, I know I can always look to Jamie Oliver to deliver. And deliver he did. His recipe for spinach canneloni is fairly easy and definitely worth every little bit of effort it took. We made some garlic bread to sop up the extra sauce and had sausage-stuffed mushroom caps as an appetizer to round out the meal. A side salad is a nice addition as well.

Stuffed Mushrooms (Cooking Light, December 2006)

We made these with chicken sausage and veggie sausage. I was surprised to find out that everyone really liked the veggie sausage mushroom caps, although the filling didn't quite have the right consistency. I guess it just goes to show that you should feel free to substitute what you like; you never know, you might get something better.

24 large button mushrooms (about 1 3/4 lbs.)
cooking spray
3 Tbs. chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
4 oz. 50%-less-fat pork sausage (such as Jimmy Dean 50% less fat)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup (2-oz.) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
3 Tbs. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Clean mushrooms, and remove stems; finely chop stems.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onions and garlic; saute 1 minute. Add sausage; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Add reserved mushroom stems, red pepper, salt, and black pepper; saute 2 minutes or until stems are tender. Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese and breadcrumbs. Stuff 1 Tbs. sausage mixture into each mushroom cap. Arrange mushroom caps in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with Parmesan. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until lightly golden and thoroughly heated.

Awesome Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni (Jamie's Dinners, Jamie Oliver)

2 knobs of butter
olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
a large handful of fresh marjoram or oregano, roughly chopped
1/4 of a nutmeg, grated
8 large handfuls of spinach, thoroughly washed
a handful of fresh basil, stalks chopped, leaves ripped
2 14-oz. cans of good-quality plum tomatoes, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of sugar
14 oz. crumbly ricotta cheese
2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 cannelloni tubes
7 oz. mozzarella, broken up

For the White Sauce
1 pint of creme fraiche
3 anchovies, finely chopped [or capers for a veggie version]
2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Then find a metal baking pan or ovenproof dish that will fit the cannelloni in one layer so it's nice and snug. This way you'll get the right over of sauce and the right amount of crispiness on top. When I cook this at home I just use one pan to cut down on the lots of washing up! Take your metal pan or a saucepan, put it on a high heat and add your butter, a drizzle of olive oil, one of the sliced garlic cloves, a handful of fresh marjoram or oregano and the grated nutmeg. By the time the pan is hot the garlic should be soft. Put as much spinach as will fit into the pan. Keep turning it over; it will wilt quickly so you will be able to keep adding more spinach until it's all in. Moisture will cook out of the spinach, which is fine. By cooking it this way you don't lose any of the nutrients that you would if boiling it in water.
2. After 5 minutes, put the spinach into a large bowl and leave to cool. Place the pan on the heat, add a little olive oil, the other clove of sliced garlic, your basil stalks and the tomatoes, then fill one of the empty tomato cans with cold water and add this too. Bring to the boil, then turn the head down, add a pinch of salt and pepper and the sugar, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until you get a loose tomato consistency. Then take the pan off the heat and add the basil leaves.
3. By now the spinach will have cooled down, so squeeze any excess liquid out of it and pour this back into the bowl. Finely chop the spinach and put it back into the bowl. Mix it with the liquid, add the ricotta and a handful of the Parmesan, and then use a piping bag to squeeze the mixture into the cannelloni. You can make your own piping bag by getting a plastic sandwich bag and putting the spinach mix into the corner of it. Then twist the bag up and cut the corner off. Carefully squeeze the filling into the cannelloni tubes so each one is fulled right up--really easy.
4. Lay the cannelloni over the tomato sauce in the pan. Or you can pour the tomato sauce into your ovenproof dish and lay the cannelloni on top. To make the white sauce, mix together the creme fraiche, anchovies, and the 2 handfuls of Parmesan with a little salt and pepper, then loosen with a little water until you can spoon it over the cannelloni. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and the mozzarella pieces, and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Simply Scrumptious Sandwich

This is a super simple recipe, but when Adam and I ate it, we could not get enough. Perfect for a night when you just don't have the energy to cook or when you want an extra scrumptious lunch.

Grilled Smoked-Gouda Sandwich with Mustard Dipping Sauce (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
2 Tbs. plain whole, low-fat, or nonfat sour cream
3 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, sliced thin
4 slices bread (I like to use large slices of rye bread)
1 tomato, sliced thin
a small amount of thinly sliced onion
2 Tbs. olive oil

1. Make the dipping sauce: Stir together the mustard and the honey in a small bowl. Add the sour cream, and spoon the sauce into two dipping bowls.
2. Lay the cheese slices on two pieces of the bread, place the tomato slices on top of the cheese, and then top with as much onion as you'd like. Place the other two pieces of bread on top of the first two.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the two sandwiches in the skillet, and weigh down the sandwiches with either a sandwich press or another skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Pan-fry the sandwiches until they are golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes, then flip them. Continue to cook until the cheese is melting and the other side is golden. Cut the sandwiches in half, and serve them with the dipping sauce.

More Bean Burgers

I absolutely love bean burgers, which you can probably tell by now from all of the bean burgers I've posted. The cheese inside the burgers makes for a nice gooey-ness and the mango salsa adds freshness and a summery touch. Bake some sweet potato fries for a complete meal.


Black Bean Burgers with Mango Salsa (Cooking Light, April 2010)

2 (15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided
3/4 cup (3 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 medium jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 large egg whites
cooking spray
1 1/4 cups chopped peeled mango (about 1 medium)
3 Tbs. chopped shallots
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 (2-oz.) whole-wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted
6 green leaf lettuce leaves

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro and the next 7 ingredients (through egg whites). Shape bean mixture into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, carefully turning once.
3. Combine remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, mango, and the next 4 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a medium bowl. Place a patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1/3 cup salsa, and top half of bun.

Cake for Dinner!

This savory cake is absolutely wonderful. I made it so that Adam and I could have lunches this week, but I could not stop eating it for dinner. I had to put it in the fridge so that I would stop! The array of vegetables mixed with cheddar cheese and the dill-spiced cake make a perfect combination. There is a lot of butter in this recipe, which I don't really like, but I think lessening the butter used to grease the pan and the amount to saute the onions can keep the fat in check without altering the recipe too much. I will look forward to my lunch tomorrow though!


Vegetable Upside-Down Cake (The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen)

Part I: "The Vegetables"

3 Tbs. butter
1 heaping cup chopped onion
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 medium-sized carrot, diced
1 1/2 cups small cauliflower florets
1 cup minced red bell pepper
1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
5 medium cloves garlic, minced
5 scallions, minced (whites and greens)
salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
1 packed cup grated sharp cheddar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8-inch pan with 2 Tbs. of the butter. Put up a medium-sized saucepan of water to boil. Have ready a strainer and a bowl of ice water.
2. Melt the remaining Tbs. of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute until translucent and soft (8 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, when the water comes to a boil, drop in the broccoli, carrot, and cauliflower, and blanch for just 30 seconds. Drain in the strainer over a sink, then immediately drop into the ice water. After a few minutes, drain again, dry with paper towels, and transfer to a bowl.
4. Add the sauteed onion and the remaining uncooked vegetables. Mix well, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Spread the vegetables into the buttered pan, and sprinkle the cheese over the top. (Wipe out the bowl so you can use it again for Part 2.)

Part II: "The Cake"

1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour [I didn't have any so I used whole wheat flour.]
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 to 2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. each: dried oregano and thyme
2 Tbs. minced fresh dill
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
2 Tbs. melted butter

1. Sift together flours, baking powder, soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugars and herbs. Mix well, and make an indentation in the center.
2. In a separate medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk or yogurt, and melted butter.
3. Pour the liquid mixture into the well in the center for the dry ingredients. Mix by hand--minimally but thoroughly--until well combined, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
4. Carefully spread the batter over the vegetables in the pan (PART I). Use a blunt knife and/or rubber spatula to distribute it as evenly as possible.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes--until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Have ready a clean serving tray slightly larger than the baking pan. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert the cake firmly and carefully onto the tray. Bring the whole thing to the table to delight your dinner guests. Cut into squares; serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Salad Suggestions

This isn't so much of a recipe as a suggestion for salad toppings. Adam's parents had come for a visit and we ended up buying way too much food for our fondue night and picnic in wine country. We had to be creative in finding ways to use the food in new and interesting ways. The first of these was a salad. We topped salad greens with apple pieces, sliced watermelon radish, blue cheese, steamed asparagus, and homemade croutons. I had a little bit of cubed tofu on my salad for some protein while Adam had sauteed shrimp. Adam sauteed the shrimp with minced garlic, then added a splash of white wine and chopped parsley. The croutons were made in a similar way by placing cubed bread in a saute pan with olive oil and a pad of butter, a bit of garlic, a splash of white wine, and parsley. All I can say is that the options for salad are endless, and here are just a few more suggestions that you may want to add to your repertoire.

Spiffed-up Spaghetti

For an easy change from regular spaghetti with tomato sauce, spice it up with a little sausage (or veggie sausage), kalamata olives, and feta cheese. We had extra sausage in the house (of both varieties) and a jar of my mom's homemade tomato sauce. Trying to be a bit creative, I decided to combine those two ingredients into a wonderful pasta. And that we did.


Pasta with Sausage, Kalamata Olives, and Feta

1 lbs. whole wheat penne
1 Italian sausage link per person, approximately 6-8 for this amount of pasta, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 cups tomato sauce, either homemade or your favorite brand
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 feta cheese, crumbled
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
salt, to taste

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
2. Cook the sausages in a non-stick skillet until browned on all sides and cooked all the way through.
3. When the sausage is thoroughly cooked, add the tomato sauce until heated. Add the olives, feta cheese, and drained pasta. Stir to combine. Add red pepper flakes and salt to taste, tossing to coat all the pasta. Serve and enjoy!

Mediterranean Delight

Roasted vegetables and couscous. What could be better (except for the meat-eaters who got a side of grilled rack of lamb)? Not much is the answer. And, to make matters even better, it's a pretty simple meal to create. Vegetables are roasted in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes and then mixed with couscous that takes about 15 minutes beginning to end. And, the lamb is grilled to perfection until just pink inside. The only part that takes time at all is prepping the lamb with a paste and letting it sit overnight. I don't think you need to have the lamb sit with the paste overnight, so this meal could come together even faster.


Roasted Vegetable Couscous with Lemon Vinaigrette
1 crown broccoli, chopped into florets
3 medium zucchini, cut into thick matchsticks
1/2 red onion, thickly sliced
1 eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dry whole-wheat couscous
1 large tomato, chopped
10 Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Place the broccoli, zucchini, onion, and eggplant in baking dishes. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast the vegetables in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until crispy and brown. The eggplant may take a little less time than the zucchini and broccoli.
2. Prepare the couscous according to the package directions, omitting half the fat.
3. Toss together the rest of the ingredients with the couscous and roasted vegetables. Top with the feta cheese.


IPA Spice Paste (Grilling with Beer, Lucy Saunders)

1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup IPA
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 Tbs. grated orange zest
2 tsp. salt (kosher)
1 tsp. cumin

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the metal cutting blade. Pulse on HIGH until pasty. Rub on chicken or lamb chops.

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.

San Fran Worthy

I have gotten really into soyrizo--the soy version of chorizo. And, it's a soy product that Adam doesn't seem to mind at all. It's full of fantastic flavor and isn't nearly as greasy as it's meaty counterpart. We became inspired by walking around our farmers' market and decided to create a warm soyrizo, arugula, and tomato salad topped with breadcrumb encrusted goat cheese rounds and served with a side of polenta. This meal was super easy, even the goat cheese rounds! Adam and I decided that this meal was fit for a posh San Francisco brunch spot, but perhaps we're a bit biased.


Polenta with a Warm Salad and Goat Cheese Rounds

1 cup polenta
1 package soyrizo
3 cups arugula
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
4 oz. goat cheese, sliced into rounds (it works well to cut the cold cheese with a piece of dental floss)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1. Prepare polenta according to package directions.
2. Heat a bit of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add soyrizo and cook until it browns. At this point, add the arugula and grape tomatoes. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, then turn off the heat.
3. To prepare the goat cheese rounds, dip the goat cheese into the beaten egg, and then coat with the breadcrumbs. Heat some canola or olive oil in a small skillet on medium-high heat. Place the coated goat cheese rounds in the hot skillet until browned on one side. Flip the rounds and brown on the other side.
4. To plate the meal, put polenta to one side of the plate. Cover with the soyrizo and arugula mixture and then top each plate with two goat cheese rounds.

Wedding Preparations

We have dinner with Scott and Jen just about every week. The week of their wedding, we were hosting them at our house, so it had to be special. We broke out the champagne and had to have a meal that matched the classiness of our drink. Seeing recipe for Cornish game hens, we knew we had to try them for this special occasion. We paired the game hens with butternut squash and potatoes that were roasted in the oven with olive oil and bleu cheese, as well as green beans almandine. The green beans were steamed briefly in the microwave until just tender. Then, they were tossed in a pan with butter and sliced almonds. The meal was perfectly rich, but light enough to make you not feel guilty at all.


Roasted Cornish Hens with Cherry-Port Glaze (Cooking Light, December 2009)

1/2 cup cherry preserves
1/2 cup port
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 (1 1/2-lbs.) Cornish hens

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Combine preserves, port, ginger, vinegar, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 9 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard giblets and necks from hens. Rinse hens with cold water; pat dry. Remove skin; trim excess fat. Working with 1 hen at a time, tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under hen. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Set on wire rack on baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Brush hens with cherry mixture; bake 40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the meaty part of thigh registers 165, brushing with cherry mixture every 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove twine; split hens in half lengthwise.