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.

A Vegetarian's Springtime Delight

Food and Wine often has complicated recipes with expensive ingredients. But, this month there were a few recipes that caught our eye that seemed simple enough, which they were! The tofu Caesar salad and eggplant dip made for a perfect vegetarian spring-time meal.


Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons (Food and Wine, May 2010)

This salad is a healthier version than the original with the tofu-based salad dressing. The recipe calls for anchovies, but to make it vegetarian I added approximately 1 Tbs. of capers instead. I also omitted the Worcestershire sauce

6 oz. soft silken tofu, drained
1 1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus a little more for serving
1 oil-packed anchovy fillet, drained
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper
one 14-oz. package firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 romaine hearts (1 lbs.), torn into bite-size pieces

1. In a blender, puree the silken tofu with the olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 Tbs. of Parmigiano-Reggiano, the anchovy, garlic, Worcestershire and mustard; season the dressing with salt and pepper.
2. Wrap the firm tofu in paper towels and press out some of the water. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. In a bowl, toss the tofu with the cornstarch until coated. Add the cubes to the oil and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the croutons to a paper towel-lined plate; season with salt.
3. In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the dressing and two-thirds of the croutons. Transfer the salad to plates and top with the remaining croutons. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and serve.



Pot-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cumin (Food and Wine, May 2010)

This recipe takes a while because the eggplant roasts in a pot for 40 minutes. However, there isn't a lot of hands-on time, which makes this recipe pretty simple. We did decide that we would add a little bit more heat to the dip with more cayenne or a serrano pepper, but the flavor was still awesome without it.

1 large eggplant (1 1/4 lbs.)
4 garlic cloves, minced
kosher salt
1 cup drained, canned diced tomatoes
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. chipped parsley
1 Tbs. cilantro leaves
2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Using a fork, prick the eggplant in a few places. Add the eggplant to the casserole, cover and cook over moderately low heat, turning once, until charred on the outside and soft within, about 40 minutes.
2. Transfer the eggplant to a colander set in the sink. Using a sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit in the eggplant; let drain for 10 minutes. Scrape the flesh into a bowl, discarding the skin and any hard seeds; mash to a puree and transfer to a large skillet.
3. Using the side of a large knife, mash the garlic to a coarse paste with 1 tsp. of salt. Add the paste to the skillet along with the tomatoes, olive oil, parsley, cilantro, paprika, cumin and cayenne. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Middle Eastern Monday

Middle Eastern food is fresh, light, and perfect for a warm spring evening. And this meal was exactly that. The Spicy Chicken Shawarma was easy to change into a vegetarian dish by substituting the chicken with tofu. Both the chicken and tofu versions were absolutely delicious, especially for a quick and filling weeknight meal.


Spicy Chicken Shawarma (Cooking Light, April 2010)

2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. coriander
5 Tbs. plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt, divided
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. tahini
4 (6-inch) pitas, halved
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup prechopped red onion

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 1 Tbs. yogurt, 1 Tbs. juice, and 2 garlic cloves. Add chicken; toss to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; saute 6 minutes or until browned and done, stirring frequently.
2. While chicken cooks, combine remaining 1/4 cup yogurt, remaining 1 Tbs. lemon juice, remaining 1 garlic clove, and tahini, stirring well. Spread 1 1/2 tsp. tahini mixture inside each pita half; divide chicken evenly among pita halves. Fill each pita half with 1 Tbs. cucumber, 1 Tbs. tomato, and 1 1/2 tsp. onion.

Cheese or Chickpeas?

When we were cooking up the bean burgers, the other recipe on the page caught my attention and I decided that I had to make it this week. Pasta is topped with this delicious chickpea and garlic sauce that has very similar flavors and textures to a cheese sauce. It's a fantastic alternative to caloric mac n' cheese. We took their suggestion and paired the pasta with sauteed broccoli rabe and garlic. I think I told everyone I work with about this wonderful meal. The best part is that there aren't that many ingredients and it takes only about a half an hour from start to finish.


Pasta with Chickpeas and Garlic Sauce (Cooking Light, January-February 2005)


2 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 (15.5-oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (14-oz.) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth [or veggie broth]
1 1/2 cups uncooked medium seashell pasta (about 6 oz.)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add crushed garlic; saute 1 minute. Add salt, pepper, chickpeas, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. While garlic mixture simmers, cook pasta in boiling water 9 minutes, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
3. Place chickpea mixture in a food processor, and process until smooth. Combine chickpea mixture, pasta, tomatoes, minced garlic, parsley, and lemon juice; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Cooking Light Does It Right

This meal comes a complete menu suggestion in Cooking Light. I cannot take any credit for putting it together, but I will take credit for making it delicious! We had a lot of leftover herbs in the fridge, so we went on a search to find herbaceous recipes. And that we did. The main recipe calls for shrimp, but we used scallops and tofu as the proteins instead. The simple tomato bruschetta and grilled asparagus served as the perfect accompaniments. Way to go, Cooking Light!


Italian Herbed Shrimp Kebabs (Cooking Light, July 2008)

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. water
1 garlic clove
4 tsp. extravirgin olive oil, divided
24 peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 zucchini, cut into 20 (1/2-inch-thick) slices
cooking spray
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
2. Place first 6 ingredients in a blender or small food processor; add 2 tsp. oil. Process until smooth. Transfer basil mixture to a medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
3. Thread 6 shrimp and 5 zucchini slices alternately onto each of 4 (12-inch) skewers. Drizzle kebabs evenly with remaining 2 tsp. oil. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.


Tomato Bruschetta

Grill 4 (1 1/2-oz.) slices country-style sourdough bread 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Remove bread from grill; rub one side of each bread slice with cut sides of a halved garlic clove. Combine 3/4 cup chopped tomato, 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil, 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp. extravirgin olive oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Top each bread slice with about 3 Tbs. tomato mixture.

24 on the 24th!

faFor my birthday, I decided that it would be extremely fun to have a wine tasting. Everyone brought a bottle of wine to share. We created a score sheet and rated the wines on a 1 to 5 scale. At the end of the night, we chose the best red and the best white and awarded them prizes. To go along with all of the wine, we made some spectacular hors d'oeuvres. All in all, a pretty perfect birthday celebration!


With a wine tasting, you must have cheese. We created a simple cheese plate with a stilton, blue cheese, brie, and pepper jack along with crunchy crackers and crispy grapes.


We also made deviled eggs with capers and parsley. Simply boil the eggs for 15 minutes, drain, and place in ice-cold water. Peel, then scoop out the yolks. Mix the yolks with a healthy portion of mayonnaise, a bit of mustard, capers, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Once the yolk mixture is mixed together, transfer the mixture into the egg whites and sprinkle with more chopped parsley.


A bean dip with crudite is always a good idea. It's simple to make and delicious to eat (not to mention nutritious). Puree 1 can white kidney beans, with a 1/2 cup basil, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to taste. Serve with pita chips and fresh vegetables.


Creamy Mushroom Phyllo Triangles (Cooking Light, December 2007)

These are super yummy and great to make ahead of time (if only I had). They can even be frozen and baked directly from the freezer, just add 7 minutes onto baking time.

3/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 3/4 oz.)
1 lbs. button mushrooms
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 oz.)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
6 oz. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
24 (18 x 14-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
olive oil-flavored cooking spray

1. Cover porcini mushrooms with boiling water in a bowl. Let stand 1 hour. Drain well, chop.
2. Place half of button mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 8 times or until finely chopped. Remove from processor. Repeat procedure with remaining button mushrooms. Add onion to processor; pulse 8 times or until finely chopped.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan; saute 5 minutes. Add button mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates (about 10 minutes). Stir in porcini mushrooms, oregano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese; stir until cheese melts. Stir in parsley.
4. Preheat oven to 375.
5. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time (cover remaining phyllo to prevent drying), place phyllo sheet on large cutting board or work surface. Cut sheet in half lengthwise; lightly coat with cooking spray. Fold phyllo piece in half lengthwise to form a (3 1/2-inch wide) strip. Spoon a level tablespoon of mushroom mixture onto 1 short end of strip, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold 1 corner of edge with 1-inch border over mixture, forming a triangle; continue folding back and forth into a triangle to end of strip. Place triangles, seam side down, on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat tops with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.


Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta (Cooking Light, September 2008)

These were definitely the hit of the party. We were completely out of these (and most everything else) when the party ended. We are continuing to use the remaining fig preserves on toast. It is best with goat cheese though.

1 1/4 cups chopped dried Mission figs (about 9 oz.)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup coarsely chopped orange sections
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1/3 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
40 (1/2-inch-thick) slices Fresh bread baguette, toasted (about 8 oz.)
1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) crumbled goat cheese
5 tsp. finely chopped walnuts

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until figs are tender. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Top each bread slice with 1 1/2 tsp. fig mixture and 1 1/2 tsp. goat cheese. Arrange bruschetta on a baking sheet; sprinkle evenly with walnuts. Broil 2 minutes or until nuts begin to brown. Serve warm.


Vietnamese Summer Rolls (Cooking Light, August 2008)

The recipe has shrimp in the rolls, but I omitted them to make it vegetarian. You could certainly add tofu or avocado for an added punch. I think these were slightly underappreciated at the party. But that's just fine with me, because I got to eat all the leftovers!

Rolls
1 cup thinly sliced Bibb lettuce
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup cooked bean threads (cellophane noodles, about 1 oz. uncooked)
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 2)
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil
1/4 cup chopped mint
6 oz. cooked peeled and deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
8 (8-inch) round sheets rice paper

Dipping Sauce
2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. chile paste with garlic (such as sambal oelek)
1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1. To prepare rolls, combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add hot water to a large, shallow dish to a depth of 1 inch. Place 1 rice paper in dish; let stand 30 seconds or just until soft. Place sheet on a flat surface. Arrange 1/3 cup shrimp mixture over half of sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Folding sides of sheet over filling and starting with filled side, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Gently press seam to seal. Place roll, seam side down, on a serving platter (cover to keep from drying). Repeat procedure with remaining shrimp mixture and rice paper sheets.
3. To prepare dipping sauce, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients; stir with a whisk. Serve with summer rolls.