pots and peter pans

Bourbon-Chocolate Pecan Tart

2011-11-22T18:01:00.001-08:00

Well, I just dug up my copy of this recipe - it was in the third place I looked. It's a torn out magazine page from Southern Living, I think, that I've had since college. This recipe is always a hit, and has already been especially requested by several family members, so I figured it's a good time to immortalize it. Also I can now rest assured that if I lose my tattered copy, I can find it here on Pots! If you're looking for a little twist on pecan pie, this is a winner.

1 unbaked pie shell
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate morsels
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 c. sugar
3 Tblsp firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Tblsp flour
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1/4 c. butter, melted
3 Tblsp. bourbon
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. pecan halves
garnishes: whipped cream, pecan halves, chopped pecans

Sprinkle morsels in pie shell and chill for 30 min. Beat eggs and next 7 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Pour into tart shell until half full. Arrange pecan halves over filling. Drizzle with remaining filling. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until set.

Pork Tenderloin Two Ways

2011-06-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

This first recipe is perfect for that, "OMG - it's 5pm and I have nothing for dinner!" moment. Defrost two pork tenderloins while you have a cup of tea, or glass of wine, and then proceed as follows:

Indoor Pulled Pork

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
2 pork tenderloin (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total), cut into one inch slices. Do not forget to do this!
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Combine chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Pat pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with spice mixture.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork and cook until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer pork to large bowl, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred meat into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, add broth, barbecue sauce, and vinegar to empty skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in shredded pork and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on buns with some microwaved, canned, baked beans and sliced cucumbers with salad dressing. Looks like you slaved all day! This serves 4, more if they are small people.

This next recipe takes a little bit of forethought, but just as little work, maybe even less work. I found this recipe through the Enjoying the Small Things blog.

Slow Cooker Carnitas

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
1 jar of salsa verde (green salsa–any kind)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can chopped green chiles
1 onion, chopped in large pieces

Dump everything in slow cooker and cover. Cook on low until pork easily forks apart (about 10 hours). Serve buffet-style with flour tortillas, cheese, cilantro, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream. Serves 4.

Easy Peach-Blackberry Crisp

2011-05-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

You can use any kind of fruit you like - I had peaches and blackberries on hand. I got this recipe from my mom and it's delicious and super easy. I think my favorite thing is that the only added sugar is in the crumble topping. I love a fruit dessert that tastes like fruit and is not overly sweet.

Fruit Crisp

4+ cups fruit
2/3 - 3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup softened butter

Preheat oven to 375. In a greased 8x8 pan, arrange fruit. In a medium bowl, mix remaining 6 ingredients and then sprinkle on top of your fruit. Bake until fruit is tender and the top is golden brown...about 30 minutes.
Enjoy! I think this is especially good served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

donuts

2011-04-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

i realize i have been sadly neglecting this space.
sorry.
but you have been, too.
anyway, i made donuts last week and posted them at fanciful no.2, if you want to check them out.
they sure were fun...

Tortilla de Patatas - another meatless meal!

2011-03-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

I remember when Kristina Joyce made this in college after spending a year in Spain. She waxed poetic about going out with the Spaniards at 11 pm, partying all night, eating tortilla patata and drinking red wine...
I looked up this recipe on spain-recipe.com and made it the other day, and it was really good. Don't be scared off by the 1/2 pint of olive oil - you end up draining most of it off. And I think it might add the extra deliciousness that I miss in most frittatas. This would be great as a breakfast/brunch item too!

1/2 pint of olive oil
5 medium (40 oz each) baking potatoes, peeled, sliced and lightly sprinkled with salt
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 eggs
Salt
Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch skillet and add the potato slices carefully, because the salt will make the oil splatter. Try to keep the potato slices separated so they will not stick together. Cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain into a colander, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the skillet.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the potatoes, and stir to coat with the egg. Add the egg-coated potatoes to the very hot oil in the skillet, spreading them evenly to completely cover the base of the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, shaking the pan frequently, until mixture is half set.

Use a plate to cover the skillet and invert the omelette away from the hand holding the plate (so as not to burn your hand with any escaping oil). Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and slide the omelette back into the skillet on its uncooked side. Cook until completely set. Allow the omelette to cool, and then cut it into wedges. Season it with salt and sprinkle with lemon juice to taste (optional).

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Meatless Friday: Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

2011-03-11T13:49:00.000-08:00

I got some flak for posting all the ground beef recipes on Ash Wednesday, so I thought I'd share what we're having tonight. This is my favorite pasta dish. The sun-dried tomatoes give the sauce a smoky flavor (similar to bacon), so you won't even miss the meat. Fridays are particularly challenging around here as my spouse eats neither cheese, nor fish. "That's messed up!" I know. But I'd still love to see other meatless entree ideas, so please share.

Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion , chopped fine
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , rinsed, patted dry, and minced
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Salt
1 pound ziti or penne
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Ground black pepper

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until soft and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and cream. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, drain pasta, and return to pot. Add sauce and basil to pot and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Things I Like to Make with Ground Beef: Shepherd's Pie

2011-03-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

This will be good on St. Patrick's Day, with the Irish Soda Bread recipe I posted below. I make this with 2 lbs. of ground beef and it feeds my family of six. Note the complete lack of Cream of Mushroom Soup. How far we've come.

Skillet Shepherd's Pie
Serves 4

Be sure to purchase shredded hash brown potatoes (sometimes labeled “country style”) rather than the cubed variety. Ground lamb can be substituted for the beef.

8 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (see note)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
1 onion , chopped fine
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups frozen peas and carrots mix , thawed

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Wrap tightly with plastic and microwave until potatoes are tender, 7 to 10 minutes.

2. While potatoes are cooking, cook beef and onion in large heatproof skillet over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain beef mixture in colander.

3. Return drained beef mixture to pan. Stir in thyme and flour and cook until incorporated, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and Worcestershire and cook until sauce is thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in pea and carrot medley and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Scatter cooked potatoes over beef mixture and brush with remaining butter. Broil until potatoes are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.

Things I Like to Make with Ground Beef: Sloppy Joes

2011-03-09T09:34:00.000-08:00

Actually, this is something I like to have my children make. It's very simple, and I have a high schooler and a couple middle schoolers who are more than capable of making this. I'd like to thank French's mustard for the recipe. It doesn't look like much, but my kids said they were the best Sloppy Joes EVER!

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp. oil

2 cups chopped onion

3 lbs. lean ground beef

2 cups barbecue sauce or ketchup

1 cup yellow mustard

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 pkgs. (15 oz. each) hamburger buns

Directions:
HEAT oil in large pot. Saute onion 3 min. until tender.

ADD beef to pot. Cook until browned, stirring to separate meat. Drain well.

STIR in barbecue sauce, mustard and Worcestershire. Simmer about 5 min. until flavors are blended. Spoon on buns.

Things I Like to Make with Ground Beef: Burgers

2011-03-09T09:25:00.001-08:00

We had this last night for Fat Tuesday. Loaded with cheese and bacon, they are very decadent. You have to cook these pretty thoroughly or the incorporated cheese causes them to fall apart.

All-American Burgers (serves 4)
1.5 lbs. 85% lean ground beef
1 cup shredded cheddar
8 strips cooked bacon chopped fine (Roll your eyes, Sara, as I wax poetic about the virtues of pre-cooked bacon one more time!)
4 t. yellow mustard
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Wash your hands, take off your rings and mix beef with cheese, bacon, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.

Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, (or not, if some of your people are not adults) and lightly pack into 1 inch thick patties.

Tip from Uncle Jim: Put a depression in the center of each patty, this will give you a more uniformed shaped burger in the end, because they tend to swell in the middle.

Then, hand plate of patties to your spouse for grilling. He should be able to take it from here.
If he's not home yet, grill burgers over very hot fire WITHOUT PRESSING DOWN ON THEM, until well seared on both sides and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes.

Serve with buns and other burger accessories.

Things I Like to Make with Ground Beef: Meatloaf

2011-03-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

I bought a lot of ground beef recently, and reflected on how far I've come since my first years of marriage: Sloppy Noodle Casserole, Chuckwagon, and Shepherds' Pie with (I'm ashamed to say it) Cream of Mushroom Soup. There are some pretty amazing things to be done with ground beef, including my annual Valentines' Day Heart Shaped Meatloaf, All American Burgers, Easy yet Awesome Sloppy Joes, and Skillet Shepherds' Pie.

First, my meatloaf recipe comes from a cookbook by friend of Pioneer Woman, Pam Anderson, titled The Best Recipe. She recommends a meatloaf mix of 50% ground chuck, 25% ground veal, and 25% ground pork. I'm too lazy and cheap to do that. I use a very gourmet mix of 80% lean ground beef and 93% lean ground beef. It probably doesn't matter how lean the beef is for this, because the fat drains out of a free form loaf anyway.

Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Ketchup Glaze
Serves 6-8

Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

¼ cup ketchup or chili sauce
2 T light or dark brown sugar
2 t cider or white vinegar

Meat Loaf

2 t vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
1 t dried thyme
1 t salt
½ t ground black pepper
2 t Dijon mustard
2 t Worcestershire sauce
¼ t hot red pepper sauce
½ c milk, buttermilk, or low-fat plain yogurt
2 lbs. ground beef ( or ground pork, ground turkey, or any combination of)
2/3 c crushed saltines (about 16), or quick oatmeal or 1 1/3 c fresh bread crumbs
1/3 c minced fresh parsley leaves
6 oz bacon (8-9 slices)

1. Glaze: Mix all ingredients in a pyrex measuring cup and set aside.

2. Meat Loaf: Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until softened, about 5 min. Set aside.

3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, pepper sauce and milk or yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in a large bowl, along with crackers (or oatmeal or bread crumbs), parsley and cooked onions and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended.

4. To bake free form: Cover a wire rack with foil; prick foil in several places with a fork. Place rack on a shallow roasting pan lined with foil for easy clean up. Set formed loaf on rack. Brush loaf with all of glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise over loaf, overlapping them slightly and tucking them under loaf to prevent curling. (This is where you can get super romantic and shape your meatloaf like a heart for Valentines' Day.)

5. Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160F, about 1 hour. Cool for 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

Really GOOD Irish Soda Bread

2011-03-09T08:58:00.001-08:00

I'm not that Irish, so I never even heard of Irish soda bread until college. What I experienced then was dry, dusty, and conducive to cotton mouth. In fact, this is what "traditional Irish soda bread" is supposed to be. Let's face it, Ireland: not known for fabulous cuisine. Then I met Aunt Deb, another Kraut married into this Mick family, and she gave me the World's Best But Least Irish Soda Bread Recipe. All of Aunt Deb's recipes are World's Best, such as her Cranberry Salsa, her Margarita, but I'm getting off track. What makes her soda bread so amazing is TWO, count them, that's TWO WHOLE CUPS of Sugar and ONE ENTIRE QUART of Buttermilk. I think that if you add 2 cups of Sugar and 1 qt. of buttermilk to any baked good, it would be better. This recipe yields 3 9x5 loaves of the most cake like raisin studded deliciousness. Tastes great toasted, and buttered. Yes, butter that goodness!

Aunt Deb's Irish Soda Bread

8 c. flour
2c. sugar
3 T. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
2 t. salt
1 15 oz. box raisins
3 eggs
3/4 c. butter, melted
1 quart buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all of the dry ingredients. Add the raisins. Stir in everything else.
Pour into 3 greased 9x5 loaf pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

molten chocolate cake

2011-02-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

this is what i made for valentine's day.

super easy and super good.

my favorite combination.

Ingredients

Serves 6

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for muffin tins
3 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Whipped Cream , for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter 6 cups of a standard muffin tin. Dust with granulated sugar, and tap out excess. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour and salt until just combined. Beat in chocolate until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
Place muffin tin on a baking sheet; bake just until tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes.
To serve, turn out cakes, and place on serving plates, bottom sides up. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Molten Chocolate Cake - Martha Stewart Recipes

Buttermilk Bread

2011-01-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered this book: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes. It's amazing. The recipes are super-easy and delicious. The main theme of the book is how to quickly and easily make that kind of bakery-style artisan bread with a shiny crackly crust. However, to make that kind of bread, they tell you to use a pizza stone (which I don't have) so I tried this recipe for a buttermilk loaf instead. It was heavenly, especially warm from the oven. It is soft and airy and really flavorful, and in the book they also recommend using the dough for cinnamon-raisin bread, which would be awesome too.

They say this recipe is enough for three 1 lb loaves, but I just halved it and made one larger loaf. The book also advocates making a huge batch of dough which sits in the fridge for a week or two developing flavor and waiting for you to hack off a chunk at a time whenever you want to bake. This would be very dangerous for me and my carb-hound kids, so I just make one loaf at a time.

Here is the recipe...I've included the halved amounts in parentheses, because they're kind of awkward:

2 cups lukewarm water (1 cup)

1 cup buttermilk (1/2 cup)

1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 1/2 T salt (2 1/4 tsp)

1 1/2 T sugar (2 1/4 tsp)

6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (3 1/4 cups)

butter or neutral-tasting oil for greasing the pan

* I recommend using room-temp buttermilk, and according to the authors, using unbleached flour is kind of important, since the bleaching process alters the proteins in some way.

1. Mix everything together without kneading. ( I just use a wooden spoon)

2. Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temp for about two hours

3. At this point you can refrigerate it for up to 7 days.

4. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Dust the dough with flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go. ( they call this "gluten-cloaking" the loaf...fancy!) Elongate the ball into an oval and drop it in the pan.

* The dough is really wet and sticky so it is supposedly easier to work with when it has been refrigerated.

5. Allow the dough to rest for 40 minutes (or 1 hour and 40 minutes if the dough was refrigerated) Dust the top with flour and slash the top with a sharp knife. (they say to brush the top with melted butter, but I never did...)

6. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

7. I remove the loaf from the pan right away and cool it on a wire rack...until my family can't resist the temptation to cut into it any longer. Seriously, I finally put away the small piece that was leftover, and Kateri pushed a chair over to the counter and sneakily unwrapped it so she could keep eating it...it's so good.

I've tried the 100% whole wheat loaf, too, which is good and I am going to try to make their master recipe in my dutch oven, since I don't have a pizza stone, but here is their website if you are interested. They have videos and tips and troubleshooting...enjoy!

**** Sorry everyone...I just made this recipe and realized I had written the half-recipe conversions wrong...I fixed it! *****

Beef Stew

2011-01-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

It doesn't look like much, but trust me, it's darn tasty.

I had to post this recipe because it is one of my favorite winter meals (and I made it last night): hearty, hot, yummy, and easy! It's from my dear mother and it is delicious. I use a slow cooker, but I'm sure you could adjust it to use a dutch oven if you prefer that.

Here you go:
1 ½ to 2 lbs. boneless chuck beef – cut into 1” to 1 ½ “pieces (I've had great luck just using whatever kind of big chunk of beef is on sale at the grocery store)

4 medium sized red potatoes (I use whatever kind I have: russet, gold, etc..), peeled and cubed (12oz. small red potatoes, peeled & quartered, about 2 cups)

5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¾” pieces (2 ½ cups baby carrots cut in half)

2 yellow onions cut into chunks

5 celery stalks (2 cups approx.) Cut into ¾’ pieces

(If you have them, you can add Mushrooms, cut in half or quartered)

3 cans beef broth concentrate (Campbell’s 10 ½ oz, do not dilute)

Salt & Pepper (I like lots of pepper)

Put everything into slow cooker and cover: cook on low-heat setting 8 to 10 hours OR
high-heat setting 4 to 5 hours.

Just before serving…

Thicken stew with a roux made of …

½ cup butter
2/3 cup flour or less
3 ½ cup hot beef broth from the stew pot (if you are a little short on broth just add water
to the broth)
Kitchen Bouquet – browning & seasoning sauce
Salt & Pepper

In a 2 ½ quart sauce pan, melt butter and add flour. Cook and stir, mixing into a paste.
Slowly add hot beef stock. Stirring to mix well. Cook and stir until gravy comes to a
gentle boil. Add a little Kitchen bouquet for color. Salt & pepper to taste. Return gravy
to slow-cooker with the rest of the stew. Mix again.

Serve with crusty bread and a green tossed salad. Yum!

german oven pancakes

2010-10-15T23:10:00.000-07:00

These are a delicious alternative to regular pancakes and so much easier and less time consuming. Some people call them Dutch Babies or other various names.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

3 large eggs

dash of salt

1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

Preheat your oven to 425° F. I usually use two smaller pans and do one recipe in each or you can double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan.

Place the butter in the bottom of the pan and place it in the oven while it's preheating to melt it (Don't let it start to burn though). Mix your milk, flour, eggs and salt in a bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend, but make sure all the lumps have disappeared before moving on. (Some people blend this in a food processor but I don't) When you've got your mix ready, pour it over the melted butter in your pan, and place it back in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Edges will be puffed up. I like to server with powdered sugar or Nutella or both (that's why I like to make two).

Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares

2010-10-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

These are ridiculously good. And they go great with beer. You should make some.

Makes 24

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

If you can't find pumpkin-pie spice, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon each allspice and cloves (all ground).

1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.

From Everyday Food, November 2004

snack

2010-07-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

done.

Triple Summer Berry Pie

2010-07-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

No summer is complete without this pie. And with an abundance of berries at Costco, it's an easy dessert in under an hour. BUT and this is the part that I am sure to forget the first 2 times I make a recipe like this...it has to chill for 3 hours. I made it the night before a 4th of July party and the only problem was that there was not enough for second helpings. You could make it super-fast if you (ahem) buy a pre-made (eye roll) graham cracker crust. I mean pie crust is hard, but graham cracker crust is uber-easy, even my 7 year old can do it. Like 99.9% of my recipes, this is a tried and true favorite from the Cooks' Illustrated folks. I even took this picture myself. Of course, I had to brush away all of the crumbs, silly bandz, pixos, and old macaroni first.

Triple Summer Berry Pie

For the crust:
9 graham crackers
2 T sugar
5 T unsalted butter melted

For the filling:
2 cups raspberries
2 cups blackberries
2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/8 t salt
1 T lemon juice
2 T red currant jelly which I never have, so I used Welch's grape jelly last time. I've also used strawberry, apple, etc. whatever I have.

For the topping:
To be honest, I've never made the topping. This pie is too damn good without it. Why ruin it? But here goes for the over-acheivers in the group...
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 T sugar
1 t vanilla

For crust:
Preheat oven to 325. Process graham crackers in a food processor. Add sugar and pulse. Add butter in a stream and pulse until it looks like wet sand. Put crumbs in a 9" glass pie plate, form the crust. Dang, that's the hard part. Use a flat bottom glass. Bake 15-18 min.

For the filling:
Rinse and dry berries. Mix 'em all together, then measure out 2 1/2 cups and put them in your food processor. Yes, you should wash the butter crumbs out first. Puree 2 1/2 cups of the berries for 1 minute. Strain the puree through a mesh sieve into a saucepan. You should have about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups of thick seed-free juice. Whisk sugar and cornstarch into puree to combine. Bring puree to boil over medium heat stirring constantly. When it resembles dark purple pudding, remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and salt. Cool slightly while you heat jelly til melted (30 sec. in the microwave should do it). Toss remaining berries with jelly.
Pour puree into pie shell. Top with shiny, sticky berries and chill 3 hours.

My hand-written copy of this recipe stops here, but I'm guessing you would mix all of the topping ingredients in a pre-chilled stainless steel bowl with an electric mixer until it forms peaks. Soft or stiff...your guess is as good as mine. Enjoy!

nana's chicken and rice

2010-06-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

If you just need some good comfort food try this recipe of Zach's Grandmother Weisse (aka Nana). She had 13 kids so she learned how to cook on a low budget and make easy dishes that would feed a lot of people. This is really simple, but you can do a few things to spice it up if you want.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken (I use full Breasts)--use as much as you want

1 can Cream of Mushroom

2 can Cream of Celery

1 packet of dry Onion Soup Mix

1 can water (or 1 1/2 cans for larger meal)

1 cup rice (or 1 1/2 rice for larger meal)

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.) Mix all ingredients (except chicken)

2.) Place in a greased pan

3.) Place chicken on top and cover a little with the rest of the ingredients.

4.) Cover with Foil. Cook at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Notes: I didn't have the soup mix so I just put in about 3/4 a cup of chopped onions. I had a bunch of mushrooms that I needed to use up so I diced those and threw them in too. You can fuss with the recipe however you want and it will still turn out pretty good. I served this with asparagus, but green beans or another green veggie would be good too.

they draw and cook

2010-05-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

i love this new food blog i just found and thought i would share.

allie, christine, john..? which of you artistic chefs wants to join their efforts?

following suit...

2010-04-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

*photo from sunday suppers.

ok, so sara requested a menu call and no one answered.
come on, ladies, let's help each other out.
nothing like some simple suggestions to get you inspired...
i was hesitant to respond, as i knew this week would be a little lame for me (coming off of vacation and sickness), but i figured if i posted my "nothing special" menu, maybe others would follow suit...

monday night - we got back from california late friday night and i spent the rest of the weekend super sick and by monday i still couldn't pull it together to get to the store. plus, pete teaches catechism on monday nights, so he is never home for dinner. i made waffles. needless to say, it was a big hit. how's that to start off my menu call.

tuesday night - spaghetti (confession: i still hadn't gone to the store, so this was what we had on hand...)

wednesday night - cauliflower soup and cheese toasts with green beans on the side (random, i realize, but at the store today lucy was so excited to buy green beans and make them immediately... i am surprised i talked her out of having them for lunch). it is cloudy and possibly going to rain here tonight, so i couldn't help but jump on making soup, as it might be our last chilly evening for a very, very long time.

thursday night - gyros. not sure what i am going to make with them yet. any suggestions?

friday night - bbq pulled pork with baked potatoes. also, lucy's request. the second we hit the produce section at the grocery store, she is desperate for green beans, russet potatoes and blueberries. this is a super easy meal, as i make the pork in the crock pot and baked potatoes are about as easy as they come.

so, there you have it. nothing special.
now its your turn.
inspire me, please. as you can see, i could definitely use it.
and, i think, pete would truly appreciate it.

and, thank you, thank you, sara. your menu looks much more delicious than mine.
i will definitely be adding that pasta lagardo to my menu next week. mmmm...

Menu Call

2010-04-13T09:26:00.001-07:00

OK, I think we all need to get back to posting over here!! Here's my menu for the week, nothing fancy, but give me some new ideas!
Tues: Chicken and Dumplings

Wed: Pasta Lagardo (we named this after Tommy and Kathleen Lagarde made it for us in North Carolina 3 years ago) It's become a favorite.

Thurs: Greek Chicken Cutlets

Fri: a spring risotto, maybe with shrimp, asparagus...

Potatoes Supreme

2010-03-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

Since I remembered to take pictures this time and they don't look too disgusting, I thought it was about time I shared something again. Zach's mom gets mad at me when I make them because she says they are too fattening, but I say that I a sure sign that they are delicious! Basically, it is just mashed potatoes that you throw lots of good stuff into and then bake.

Here are the basic instructions:

Peel and Cube about 6 medium potatoes. Boil them until tender and then mash.
Then add some variation of the following: 2 cups sour cream, as much butter as you like, tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 2 cups cheese, 1/2 to 1 cup of green onions, and sprinkle with Paprika
Put in a casserole dish and then top with 2 cups crushed corn flakes and drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

My little masher.

The final product pre-oven.
Enjoyed.

a new salad

2010-03-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

i love finding new inspiration for salads and recently my mother-in-law made a delicious one. it is nothing i would have ever thought to put in a salad, but it all tasted so good together. she served it with grilled salmon and the whole meal was fabulous.

ingredients:
romaine hearts, chopped
baby arugula
corn (fresh, if you can get it, otherwise you can use what you have)
dried cranberries
pepitas
parmesan, shredded
ranch dressing (she said it actually calls for trader joe's parmesan ranch, but she didn't have any on hand, so she just added parmesan and used regular ranch).
(bev also said the actual recipe calls for some baby pasta, but i didn't get the details on that. and i kind of doubt i will be able to rope bev into posting anything... perhaps she will leave a comment?)

i definitely recommend it. i think i just might be making it this week myself.

pink meringue cupcakes with raspberry curd

2010-02-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

for valentine's day we had the speiers over for dinner. the menfolk grilled steak (which allie made a delicious italian peppercorn sauce for... perhaps she will share) and i made cauliflower soup and spinach salad. it was all delicious. and for dessert i made these tasty (and pretty... although not quite as pretty as martha's, i still thought they looked lovely) little cupcakes. thank you again, martha stewart.

ingredients:

Makes 1 dozen

Vegetable oil cooking spray, for baking cups
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
Gel-paste food coloring in Tulip Red (sugarcraft.com)
2 cups creme fraiche
1 container (6 ounces) raspberries, halved if large
Raspberry Curd

directions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line every other cup of 2 nonstick 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups; coat with cooking spray. Whisk egg whites, vinegar, vanilla, and salt with a mixer on medium-high speed until frothy. Add 1 3/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, making sure the sugar dissolves. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in 6 drops food coloring.

Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a plain coupler (no tip), and pipe into prepared baking cups, about 2 inches above rims, finishing with a peak in the centers. Bake, rotating halfway through, 3 to 3 hours and 20 minutes. (Cupcakes should be completely dry on the outside but still soft in the middle. A toothpick inserted horizontally at base of top should have moist but cooked crumbs attached.) Transfer cupcakes in baking cups to wire racks; let cool completely.

Beat creme fraiche and remaining cup sugar in a clean mixer bowl on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Carefully slice off tops of cupcakes using a serrated knife. (Run the knife just above the liner and slowly work your way to the center.) Top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons raspberry curd, a few raspberries, and 2 tablespoons creme fraiche mixture. Replace tops, and serve immediately.

raspberry curd:

ingredients:

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 container (6 ounces) raspberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt

directions:

Whisk all ingredients in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until slightly thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Strain; refrigerate until cold and thick.

Chicken stew and Focaccia.

2010-02-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

I have been a total Pots and Peter Pans slacker lately, so I'm answering Emily's query. Here's what I made for dinner last night.

Crock Pot chicken Stew:

3-4 large yukon gold potatoes chopped

2 cups of chopped carrots

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 chicken breasts

1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper (or Tony's) to taste

4 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup torn basil

1/2 cup shredded asiago

Throw everything but the last three ingredients in the crock pot and let it do its magic all day. A few minutes before you are ready to eat, add the spinach. When it is nicely wilted, garnish with basil and asiago.

I tried out the Pioneer Woman's pizza dough recipe for the focaccia (or pizza bianca: whatever you call it.) the recipe's lack of kneading struck me as odd, and I thought the flavor was great and the texture was fine for focaccia, but not chewy enough for pizza...maybe the dough would benefit from some kneading. If anyone has a good tried-and-true pizza dough recipe PLEASE post it...I have never found one I really love. Anyway, I just spread the dough out on a greased sheet pan, brushed it with olive oil and sprinkled it with chopped fresh rosemary from my backyard and sea salt.

OK...so I'm passing it on...what's on your menu this week?

cauliflower soup

2010-02-24T16:16:00.000-08:00

so, this post is kind of a cheat, as i am stealing the pictures and recipe from another site (one of the prettiest recipe sites i have found), sunday suppers. i could honestly stare at the pictures on this blog all day, they are so beautiful. they also do reviews of little markets, delis and restaurants in NY, which is always fun to see as well. i made this soup on valentine's day and it is delicious. i am already dreaming of making it again.

Cauliflower Soup
Serves 4

1 head cauliflower, separated in to medium size pieces
1 onion, diced
3 c chicken stock
¼ c heavy cream (allie speier told me she made it with milk and said it is still delicious)
3 sage leaves
salt and pepper

Boil cauliflower florets in chicken stock until soft. Sautee onions separately and add to cauliflower mixture. Add cream, sage salt and pepper and reduce by half.
Remove sage leaves and add cream mixture to blender. Puree on high until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with chive oil and parmesan crisp.

Parmesan Crisps
Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Place tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese on parchment and spread each out with a spoon into small flat circles. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-6 minutes.

Chive Oil

Blanch 2 bunches of chives, Dry on paper towels. Blend in a blender with 1 cup of good olive oil. Strain through a fine sieve.

so, what is on everyone's menu for the week?

flaky brown sugar (pop) tarts

2010-01-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

this recipe was born of christine's and my childhood love for brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts with NO frosting, my desire to bake something last thursday and my obsession with the book once upon a tart. to top it all off, my sister had left vegetable shortening in my fridge (which i never buy... this was actually my first time ever using it), thus creating one of those "meant to be" kind of mornings. if you do not own this book, i absolutely recommend it. it is full of all sorts of buttery goodness (also, delicious soups, salads and sandwiches).

*this is the flaky tart crust recipe from this book (these scones are also from there), but as far as the filling for these, you will just have to make up your own little butter, brown sugar and cinnamon combo because i have no recollection of how much we used of each. i am sure you cannot go wrong with any combination of those three things, however. now brace yourself for another recipe with massive amounts of butter (and shortening)...*

Flaky Tart Crust (makes enough for two 9-inch tart crusts)

- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon sugar

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

- 5 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

- small glass of ice water

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. dump flour, sugar and salt into bowl of a food processor and pulse.

2. add butter and shortening all at once and pulse 5 to 10 times until it resembles moist crumbs and no chunks of butter or shortening remain. (they are very strict about the fact that you "pulse" not "run" your food processor).

3. dump crumbs into a big bowl. sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the surface of the crumbs.

4. use your hands to bring the dough together. add more water if you have to, 1 tablespoon at a time. the dough should be just past crumbly and just barely coming together. you don't want it to be so wet that it sticks.

5. cut the dough in half (if you are making a regular tart with this recipe, each half is enough for a 9 inch tart pan), press each into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

6. on a floured surface, roll out disk of dough as thinly as you can. cut same-size shapes out of dough. we used a round tart cutter for some, but they looked so much like silly little raviolis, that we decided to just hand-cut our own little rectangles, to more resemble pop tarts. they would also be very cute in heart shapes for valentine's day...

7. place the first layer of each tart on a baking sheet (we lined ours with parchment paper) and plop a little of your filling (whatever it may be... it would probably also be really delicious with some sort of strawberry preserves to further the valentine's theme) in the middle of each. then place the top layer of each tart on top of the filling and use a fork to press around all sides. poke holes in the top of each with your fork. at this point, you might want to brush the edges with an egg so as to keep them completely pressed, seeing as ours oozed a little, but either way they still come out delicious. bake until brown around the edges (maybe 15 minutes? i don't really remember... just sit close by with your coffee and a good book, magazine, etc. and keep an eye on the first batch).

Jessica's Pot Roast

2010-01-19T10:51:00.000-08:00

We call this "Jessica's" because she first made it for us after I had Sam, and it was one of those amazing dinners that tastes so good you almost die. Also, I have to distinguish it from my typical/ordinary pot roast that just involves a packet of onion soup mixed with a can of mushroom soup, slathered on the meat and roasted for several hours. But that one is also delicious. Anyway, it seems like pot roast time around here... so this is what we're having for dinner tonight. And I don't even have a slow cooker/crock pot. I just throw it all in a lidded pot and cook it in the oven for 6-7 hours at 250 or so. Mmmmm... its starting to smell good already. Try it with mashed potatoes or polenta on the side.

Country-Style Pot Roast with Gravy

Adapted from “Cook’s Country”

Cook’s Country Note: If you can’t find a large 5 1/2- to 6-pound chuck roast, use two 3-pound roasts.

* 1 large boneless beef chuck roast (5 1/2-6 pounds), tied
* Salt and pepper
* 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
* 3 medium onions, chopped
* 1 large celery rib, chopped
* 4 medium carrots, chopped
* 6 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 cup red wine
* 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
* 3 bay leaves
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Liberally season roast with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown roast on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer roast to slow cooker.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to skillet, along with onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

3. Increase heat to high. Add red wine to empty skillet, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth, and bring to a boil. Add pepper flakes, bay leaves and thyme. Transfer to slow cooker.

4. Set slow cooker to high, cover, and cook until tender, 6 to 7 hours. Or, cook on low for 9 to 10 hours. (Check the temperature with a meat thermometer about 2 hours before the roast is supposed to be done to prevent overcooking. It will be well done at 160 degrees F.)

5. Transfer roast to carving board; loosely tent with foil to keep warm. Discard bay leaves. Allow liquid in pot to settle, about 5 minutes, then use wide spoon to skim fat off surface. Puree liquids and solids in batches in blender or food processor. (Or, use an immersion blender.) Stir in parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Remove strings from roast and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer meat to serving platter. Pour about 1 cup gravy over meat. Serve, passing more gravy separately.

NOTE ON REDUCING RECIPE: If you cut this recipe in half, be sure to reduce your slow-cooker time to about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

coco mint cookies

2009-12-30T19:53:00.000-08:00

So I have not tried this recepie yet, but I have tasted them. The recepie is from Urban Cookies in Phoenix....some friends of ours who have the cutest place across the street from Xavier HS. Anyhow, I just live for these cookies and dream about them. I asked for them for Christmas even. Just the other day I was thinking I should beg them to give me the recepie, but surely they wouldnt. To my surprise I went on AZ Central's website and they had local cookie recepies noted. Yippee!

I just hope mine turn out as lovely and delicious as theirs! Thanks for sharing Urban Cookies!

1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint oil or extract

1 egg

2 egg whites

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup milk

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

For coating: Granulated sugar and Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl with hand beater or a mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and peppermint extract on medium-high speed until everything is well-blended. Add egg and egg whites to bowl. Mix on medium speed until eggs are fully mixed into the sugar mixture.

Sift cocoa powder.

Warm milk in microwave for 30 seconds. Add cocoa powder to the bowl on low speed. Mix until fully incorporated. Stream the milk into the mixture on low speed. Stop and scrape the bowl.

Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl on low speed. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium for 30 seconds.

Refrigerate dough for 2 hours or until stiff. Using an ice-cream scoop, make evenly sized portions of dough, or roll dough into balls, about 3 ounces each, using hands. Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar until completely covered. Next, roll the dough ball in powdered sugar. Make sure it is completely coated with no brown showing. Place on cookie sheet with a non-stick surface or covered with parchment paper. Bake about 25 minutes, or until done. For crispier cookie, bake longer.

Makes 1 dozen.

The Best Holiday Cranberry Relish

2009-12-01T07:18:00.000-08:00

My name is Jessica and I have an addiction to cranberries. Sweet, sour, and so much vitamin C!

I found this New England Cranberry Relish recipe in the Chicago Tribune at least a decade ago.

Wonderful Fact Number One: You don't have to cook anything.

Wonderful Fact Number Two: This recipe can be made up to 3 weeks ahead! If you can keep from eating it for 3 weeks. Ideally, it's supposed to be made at least 4 days in advance. But we had it on Thanksgiving and don't tell anyone, but I only made it 3 days in advance. Actually, I didn't make it, my 12 year old did. Even better.
Wonderful Fact Number Three: My dear friend, Rose makes this every year and calls me on that day.

Terrible Fact: Cranberries aren't even sold in Chicago before October, which is too bad because soon I will post Aunt Deb's Amazing Cranberry Salsa that will knock your socks off. But you can't make it in September.

New England Cranberry Relish

Prep time: 15 minutes
Yield: 20-24 servings, 4 cups

Serve the relish with poultry, game, pork, ham and lamb. Mix with mayonnaise for a flavorful sandwich spread.

1 bag (12oz) cranberries
1 red apple, cored, cut into 1-inch wedges (We used a granny smith. Shh.)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup NOT PANCAKE SYRUP.
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup pecans

Put cranberries, apple, sugar, syrup, cinnamon, and cloves in food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse processor on/off to chop ingredients, stopping every few pulses to avoid over-chopping. The texture should not be too fine. Scatter pecans over mixture; pulse until coarsely chopped. Make at least 4 days ahead. Can be kept up to 2-3 weeks, refrigerated.

Mushroom Stuffed Pork Chops with Polenta

2009-11-21T17:52:00.000-08:00

I am actually posting something again! Emily, aren't you impressed? This is a sure sign that my play is over and my semester is coming to a close. Don't count on another one for quite sometime though because I will be moving soon and the holidays will hit us pretty fast here. Zach actually picked out this recipe because he loves to grill meat. They turned out really great, but I want to see if it would be good just doing it in the oven instead of on the grill (that way I won't need Zach's help... I really should learn how to use it I guess). Next time I may experiment with that. If anyone else decides to try them in the oven, let us all know how it goes.

Mushroom Stuffed Pork ChopsPrep: 25 Minutes, Grill: 35 MinutesMakes 4 Servings (we made it into 6)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms (button, chanterelle, or shiitake... we used portabello)1/4 cup chopped onion1 tablespoon butter or margarine1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper1 cup coarsely chopped fresh spinach1/4 cup soft bread crumbs4 pork loin chops or pork rib chops, cut 1 1/4 inches think (we got them cut by the butcher)1/4 cup ginger jelly or preserves or orange marmalade (we left this out, but it probably keeps it more tender)
1. For stuffing, in a small saucepan cook mushrooms and onion in hot better until onion is tender. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in ginger, salt, and pepper. Add spinach and bread crumbs, tossing gently until combined.2. Trim fat from chops. Make a pocket in each chop by cutting horizontally from the fat side almost to the bone. Spoon one-forth of the stuffing into each pocket. Secure openings with wooden toothpicks. Sprinkle chops with additional salt and pepper.3. For charcoal grill, arrange medium-hot coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Place chops on grill rack over pan. Cover; grill fro 35 to 40 minutes or until chops are slightly pink in center and juices run clear (160 degrees F) turning once, brushing occasionally with ginger jelly during the last 5 minutes of grilling (For gas grill, preheat. Reduce heat to medium. Adjust for indirect cooking. Grill as above)
*Compliments of Better Homes and Gardens New Grilling Cookbook

Polenta With Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients

4 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
2 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Bring the water to a boil.
Slowly whisk in the polenta.
Add the salt and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter. Mix well.
Serve immediately.

Note: These directions did not say to turn down the heat, but I did anyway after I whisked in the Polenta. Even with the heat on Medium the Polenta started spitting out of the pot at me. I took it off the heat completely and then just put it back on simmer and it turned out fine. Also, one cup of Polenta should be 4 servings.

Giardiniera

2009-11-19T15:55:00.000-08:00

This is one of those tasty treats you can get in Chicago, but it's hard to find elsewhere. A few years ago I found a recipe in the paper and we've made it a few times - the homemade version is even better than the jars you can get at the store. It is great on sandwiches or nachos.

Preparation time: 1 hour
Chilling time: 2 1/2 days
Yield: 3 cups

6 jalapenos, thinly sliced (I usually only do 3 so it's not too spicy)
2 each, diced: green and red bell peppers
1 each, diced: celery rib, carrot, yellow onion
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 cup salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped stuffed green olives (I usually omit)
2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup each: apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine the jalapenos, bell peppers, celery, carrot, onion and cauliflower florets in a large bowl; stir in the salt. Add cold water to cover vegetables; cover bowl. Refrigerate 12 hours. Drain salt water; rinse vegetables. Set aside in the bowl.
2. Combine the garlic, olives, oregano, red pepper flakes, celery seeds and black pepper to taste in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Pour the vinegar into a medium bowl; whisk in the seasonings. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour over the vegetable mixture; toss lightly. Cover;refrigerate at least 48 hours before using. The giardiniera will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Fingers

2009-11-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

This is a 2 step process.
Step 1 - find a wonderful 11 year old girl who loves to help make dinner.
Step 2 - take pictures of her while she makes this recipe:

Ingredients

* 4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (about 18)
* 3 large garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
* 3/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over each of 2 heavy large lined baking sheets. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic with the salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining 1/2 cup of oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with pepper. Transfer the vinaigrette to a small serving bowl.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a pie dish. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken tenders and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken tenders to a platter and serve the vinaigrette alongside for dipping.

afternoon snack (or lunch)

2009-11-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

good bread (this was a loaf of french bread), cream cheese, avocado and tomatoes. sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. enjoy.

tomato soup and grilled cheese

2009-11-10T11:31:00.001-08:00

i used the following recipe to make tomato soup the other night at jack's request. i altered it based on ingredients i already had, so as to avoid a trip to the store and i think it still turned out delicious (i actually prefer basil to thyme, so i might have made that substitution anyway). the kids all loved it and especially loved dipping their grilled cheese in it.

Ingredients:

3 lb. plum tomatoes, cored and halved (i used canned tomatoes and was able to completely skip roasting them, although i am sure that is the tastier way to go... i was going for quick and convenient).
8 fresh thyme sprigs (i used chopped basil instead)
4 garlic cloves
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
5 Tbs. olive oil
1⁄2 cup mascarpone cheese (optional)
1⁄2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese (optional)
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
4 slices country-style bread, toasted (we made grilled cheese instead of toast)

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 275°F.

Arrange the tomato halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Scatter the thyme sprigs and garlic on top of the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Roast until the tomatoes have dried slightly and some of the skins have burst, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, stir together the mascarpone and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pass the roasted tomatoes through a tomato press according to the manufacturers instructions. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the pureed tomatoes, stock and bread and simmer for 5 minutes.

Using a stick blender or blender, puree the soup and season with salt and pepper. Divide the soup among 6 warmed soup bowls and top each with a dollop of the cheese mixture.

Serves 6.

sorry to be kind of a cheater by not following the recipe and make it more confusing by still posting it. i figured there might be people who likes to follow recipes more exactly. otherwise, just make any tomato soup recipe you love.

mini cheese burgers

2009-11-09T07:32:00.000-08:00

that's it. we just found these teeny little buns (they were about 2 inches) and made teeny little burgers to go with them. the kids loved the novelty of it and that was that. i understand this is not exactly a recipe, but more of just a suggestion and i am fine with that.

as a side, i realize i have been a bit of a slacker on this website (don't get me started on how lame i have been with that online cooking group i joined...). and, as a result, it seems to have caused some serious family distress. thus, i am dedicating all my blogging this week (both here and on burch jerks as well as on my 23 other blogs) to my brother-in-law brian. i hope it will ease some of the pain...

Grilled Salmon Sandwiches

2009-11-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

I made these tonight and everyone except George loved them. (Weird because he is the one who eats pretty much anything!) Raph had seconds......that is REALLY saying something. We had corn on the cob and sauteed mustard greens with it. And of course, Halloween candy for dessert!

For salmon:

Good olive oil

2 lbs. salmon fillets, skin-on

salt and pepper

for the sauce:

1 C. mayonnaise

1/4 C. sour cream

3/4 tsp. white wine vinegar

basil leaves

3/4 C. chopped fresh dill

1 1/2 Tbl. chopped scallions, green and white parts

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 tsp. capers, drained

For Assembly:

6 brioche or other rolls

basil leaves or salad mix

For the salmon, Ina Garten says to grill. I put olive oil on a non-stick grill pan, sprinkled the fish with salt and pepper, and cooked it on medium-high heat, flipping when it looked about cooked half-way through.

For the sauce, put the mayo, sour cream, vinegar, basil, dill,scallions, salt, and pepper in food processor and process until combined. Add capers and process a couple more times.

To assemble the sandwiches, slice the rolls in half and spread a little butter on them. Put them face down in the hot skillet the fish was in and toast them. Spread a little of the sauce on the toasted rolls, add some of the basil or salad greens, and a piece of salmon, then top of roll.

Chocolate Pretzel Kisses

2009-10-16T18:08:00.001-07:00

I discovered this recipe in the White Family Fare Volume II, published by Isabel, but the recipe is from Aunt Deb. I must make these every October, even though I can't find Hershey Hugs, Halloween M&Ms, and pretzel rings sold at the same stores. Target is the only place I can find Hugs, Jewel Osco for the pretzels. Now, there is no Jewel in most parts of the country and my mother and sister claim that they have had much success with mini pretzels, or snaps would work too, I suppose.
Ingredients:
50 pretzel rings (who counts these? I just make 'em til the Hugs are gone.
1 package milk chocolate kisses, or hugs, or the candy corn kisses you see in the pic.
1/4 cup M&Ms plain chocolate candies (but again, whose counting? There's no such thing as too many M&Ms in the house.)

1. Have your little ones wash their hands.
2. Preheat the oven to 275F.
3. Have the little ones unwrap all of the kisses or hugs, and no sampling til we are finished!
4. Put aluminum foil (or parchment paper) over a cookie sheet.
5. Place ring shaped pretzels in rows (or not) covering the cookie sheet. Place an unwrapped chocolate kiss (or hug) in the center of each ring.
6. Bake at 275F for 2-3 minutes, no longer. Remove from oven.
7. Immediately, smush one m&m onto each kiss, pressing lightly until the chocolate fills the pretzel. I like to put my m&ms "m" side down. I can be ocd sometimes.
8. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes. At this point, we count the remaining m&ms and practice division among me and my 4 chocolate addicts. Nothing goes to waste around here.
9. Eat or store at room temperature.

Isabel uses mint kisses for Christmas, and they do sell the red and green M&Ms too. You could adapt this recipe for every major holiday!

Glorified Zucchini Casserole

2009-10-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, Julie told me about Pioneer Woman. If you don't know Pioneer Woman, wait til you have a weekend to kill and check out her awesomest blog complete with true love story.
Pioneer Woman has a few pages: Confessions, Cooking, Photography, Home & Garden, Homeschooling and Tasty Kitchen. Tasty Kitchen is actually it's own site, with members posting recipes all the time. The recipes are rated, reviewed and easy to search. Tasty Kitchen is where I found this gem.
I am now a firm believer that the only good tasting vegetables are those that have been roasted in heavy cream. I could even become a vegetarian. My kids, who never before consumed zucchini in any form other than bread, ate multiple helpings. I am making this for Major Paul tonight.

Glorified Zuchinni Casserole
Added by jlclawson on August 25, 2009 in Sides, Vegetables

Prep Time 15 Minutes
Cook Time 45 Minutes Servings 8 Difficulty Easy

Ingredients
2 cloves Garlic Chopped
1 whole Sweet Onion, Chopped
1 whole Zuchinni Sliced In 1/4 Inch Sliced
1 whole Crooknecked Squash Sliced
4 whole Medium Red Potatoes Sliced
4 whole Tomatoes (home Grown Is Best) Sliced
1 cup Cream
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 sprigs Fresh Basil, Torn
Salt And Pepper
Preparation Instructions
In a medium pan, saute the chopped onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Once the onion and garlic are soft, place them in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Top with the sliced zucchini, then the yellow crookneck squash, potatoes, and finally the tomato slices. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place uncovered in a preheated 450 F oven for 25-35 minutes. Test with a fork to make sure the potato slices are tender.

Take the casserole out of the oven and drizzle the cream on top of the veggies. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and fresh basil over the top and return to the oven for 15 more minutes. When done, the cream and cheese will bubble and melt. Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving. I serve this with any meat main dish, or my favorite is serving it for breakfast with a fried egg on top with toast. It is the best meal when your garden is bursting with fresh veggies.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix

2009-10-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

By special request from Brian, I am posting this as his contribution to the recipe blog:
Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix

Like bacon with your pancakes? How about bacon in your pancakes? Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix ($14) offers exactly that, mixing tasty buttermilk pancake mix with Vosges Chocolates' delectable Mo Bacon Bar chips. Finally, a good reason to wake up early.
Go here to order yours now!

Baked Manicotti with Meat Sauce

2009-10-09T06:17:00.001-07:00

Everyday Food is to Sara as Cook's Country is to me.

I LOVE this magazine, and I have been getting it from the charter issue.
In fact, I have been getting it for so long, that now I use all of Oct/Nov issues to plan all of my meals for October and November, and so on and so on...This allows me to try new recipes interspersed with old favorites that I forgot about.
Until I burn out, and then we have frozen pizza, and shhh...hamburger helper. I'm so ashamed right now.

But lately I have been on a roll! Every dinner we had this week was from the 2009 Oct/Nov issue, available in stores everywhere.
Last night, we had Baked Manicotti with Meat Sauce.
I even remembered that Cook's usually allows you to prep one step up to 24 hrs ahead, and made the sauce a whole one hour ahead. The sauce was gooood. Not so lean, but so good, Patrick wants to use this sauce on other pastas. Could be the highly addictive chemical additives found in pepperoni combined with the naptime inducing effects of pasta have created an unstoppable force.
My 12 year old assembled the cheese filling. I would recommend a softer, milder provolone. She complained a lot about the stinkiness of my provolone.

There are pictures of this, I will attempt to upload them, but I apologize for my technical inadequacies in advance.

Baked Manicotti with Meat Sauce
10/2009

You will need 16 no-boil lasagna noodles. The test kitchen’s preferred brand, Barilla, comes 16 to a box, but other brands contain only 12. It is important to let the dish cool for 15 minutes after baking.

serves 6 to 8
Meat Sauce

1 onion, chopped
6 ounces sliced deli pepperoni
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 garlic cloves , minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Manicotti

3 cups ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese
1 large egg , lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (see note)

1. GRIND MEAT Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse onion and pepperoni in food processor until coarsely ground. Add beef and pulse until thoroughly combined.

2. MAKE SAUCE Transfer beef mixture to large saucepan and cook over medium heat, breaking up mixture with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer 1 cup beef mixture to paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Add tomato paste, garlic, and pepper flakes to pot with remaining meat mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (At this point, sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days.)

3. PREPARE FILLING Combine ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, 1 cup provolone, egg, salt, pepper, basil, and reserved meat mixture in large bowl. Pour 2 quarts boiling water into 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Soak noodles until pliable, about 5 minutes. Drain noodles on kitchen towel. Pour off water and dry baking dish.

4. ASSEMBLE DISH Spread half of meat sauce over bottom of baking dish. Following photos below, top each soaked noodle with ¼ cup cheese filling, roll, and arrange, seam-side down, over sauce in baking dish. Spread remaining sauce over manicotti. Cover with foil and bake until bubbling around edges, about 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and provolone. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve.

STEP BY STEP: Thinking Outside the Tube

1. Soak the no-boil lasagna noodles briefly in hot water. With the short side facing you, spread the filling across the bottom of each and roll into a tube.

2. Arrange the rolled manicotti, seam-side down, over the sauce in the baking dish.

Soup Week: Spinach, White Bean and Italian Sausage Soup

2009-10-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

This is one of the tastiest soups ever. The recipe comes from my aunt Mary Dooley, who once told me that if you like to cook, you have to like to eat. So true. Kids love it, especially when you substitute some macaroni or little pasta for some of the beans!! I'm not a big bean person myself and can never bring myself to use 4 cans.

1 lb. Italian sausage
10 large garlic cloves
20 oz. spinach, (2 10 oz. bags)(or frozen)
4 cans white beans (cannelini or Great Northern)
3 cans chicken broth
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes (pass at table if desired)

Brown sausage in bite size chunks, first removing casing if link-style. Drain on paper towel. Wash spinach well and dry; chop into 2 inch pieces. In a large soup pot, saute garlic in olive oil until softened. Add spinach and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally until wilted. Drain and rinse beans. Add to pot, along with chicken broth. Bring to gentle boil. (This is where I throw in some pasta and extra water). Cook 10-15 min. Add parmesan and sausage and heat through. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serve with crusty bread and extra parmesan cheese! Serves 8

photo credit: eatshowandtell.com

online cooking group - week three: cider-glazed salmon

2009-10-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

as i am currently reading this book by molly wizenberg, i thought i would give a few of her recipes a try.

sliced spring salad with avocado and feta (i realize its not spring, but i am ok with that)...

burg's potato salad...

cider glazed salmon...

ingredients:

- 1 T unsalted butter

- 1 medium shallot, peeled and halved lengthwise

- 2 cups fresh unfiltered apple cider

- 4 salmon fillets (i only used 2 since they seemed a little big and we had plenty of sides)

- salt

- 1/2 cup heavy cream (i used half and half)

Directions:

in a large, heavy skillet, combine the butter, shallot, and cider. place over medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer. simmer for 5 minutes, then remove and discard the shallot.

Place the fillets gently in the pan. spoon a bit of the liquid over them, so that their tops begin to cook. cover and simmer very gently. the fillets will cook for 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness. transfer the cooked salmon to a platter, and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

to prepare glaze, raise the heat under the pan to medium-high, add a pinch of salt, and simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid is reduced by about two-thirds. it should be slightly thickened and should just cover the bottom of the pan. reduce the heat to medium, and add the cream. stir well to combine. boil, stirring frequently, for a few minutes, until the mixture darkens to a pale golden caramel - like those brach's milk maid caramel candies, if that helps (i think this is extremely helpful) - and is reduced by one-third to one-half.

place salmon fillets on 4 plates and top each with a spoonful of sauce. it should coat them like a thin, loose glaze. serve immediately.

note: if you'd like to make this for only 2 people, halve the amount of salmon, but not the sauce quantities.

all in all i would say this week was a half success. i got my kids to eat fish, but not necessarily to be totally excited about it. lucy was clearly downing hers with water as the entire bottom of her glass was full of salmon bits (too much detail here?). i cannot say my kids would exactly cheer if i said i were making this again. pete liked it, but definitely prefers the way we usually make it with onions, capers and lemon. he did, however think this was an excellent kid option as the sauce takes away a bit from the overly fishy taste and is somewhat sweet due to the cider. if your kids like salmon or are at least open to it, i definitely think this recipe is worth trying. i liked it, at least... as for the rest of the meal, pete, jack and i liked the potato salad, finn wouldn't touch it and lucy carefully picked out all the scallions and then enjoyed it. and, as for the salad, i really liked it. pete didn't care for the radichio, which apparently lucy didn't either because she said she liked the salad, "except for the purple stuff." i think i might try this salad next time with just some mixed greens. it might be more of a crowd pleaser that way... oh, and the boys wouldn't try the salad, so no reviews there. that pretty much does it. my long rambling review of a mildly well received meal. it could use some tweaking, but i am glad i tried it. i think less picky kids would love it just the way it is. would love to know how it goes for anyone else who tries it...

and for anyone interested in checking out the rest of the online cooking group, here is the site - raising foodies.

Still Soup Week: Tortilla Soup!

2009-09-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm a little late for Soup Week, but we are actually having our first soup weather, and I made this last week so it should qualify! It's kind of a combo of a Burch family recipe (from Aunt Cathy via one of Darrell's newsletters I think) and a Williams-Sonoma recipe.

6 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 small tomatoes, diced (or 1 can diced)
1 jalapeno, seeded, and finely choopped
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1 chicken breast
2 cans chicken broth
2 Tblsp. oregano
1 Tblsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 cup water
FOR SERVING:
tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado, grated cheese, cilantro

Saute first four ingredients in olive oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Boil for 1 hour. Remove chicken from bone and cut up into bite-size pieces. To serve, put broke up tortilla chips on bottom of individual servings. Top with cilantro, grated cheese, sour cream and avocado.

I've also made this with leftover turkey or chicken bones... cover with water and boil for a while to get your own broth. Good way to eke another meal out of a roast chicken/turkey.

photo credit: williams-sonoma.com

online cooking group - week two: butternut squash soup

2009-09-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

i used a combination of this recipe (from the barefoot contessa) and general tips from my sister-in-law christine to create this delicious butternut squash soup. my ingredients are going to be a little all over the place, so this might be a good recipe for someone who likes to wing it, not for someone who needs to follow exact directions (the ina garten recipe might be better for you). i will do my best though...

ingredients:

2 T olive oil

2 large onions

2 butternut squash

2 apples (i had gala on hand...)

1 T thyme (or seasoning of your choice)

salt and pepper, to taste

about 2-4 cups water (or chicken stock)

heavy cream or half and half (i didn't have either, so i just stirred in a little extra sour cream to each bowl when i served it to make it creamier)

optional: honey, spinach, bacon, sour cream, lemon
Directions

Warm the olive oil, onions and thyme in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks. (next time i might try baking the squash and then scooping it out, as i found it a little hard to peel it... turned out fine, though, so either way).

Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Here I also threw in a few handfuls of spinach. (I find soup is an excellent way to get vegetables in my kids). Christine usually serves it with spinach on top, but i knew my kids wouldn't go for that, so i thought i would try this out.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add enough chicken stock or water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Here i would have liked to add some half and half or heavy cream, but didn't have either. I did add a bit of honey and some lemon juice. then seasoned it with salt and lots of pepper (pete added even more pepper when it was served... it really is good if you make it peppery). then i served it with a little sour cream and bacon pieces on top.

my whole family loved it. we had a decent amount leftover, but who doesn't love something easy for lunch the next day? i made little chicken salad sandwiches to go with it, which my kids always love, thus i found it to be a relatively easy and all around pleasing meal. any time you don't have to convince your kids to take "a few more bites" i would say it is a success.

so, i am going to make this week "soup week" on pots and peter pans and encourage everyone to share a favorite soup recipe. you don't have to make it this week if you don't want to and don't feel like you can't share just because you don't have pictures. throw down the recipe and be done. that is all the inspiration the rest of us need.

Cranberry Carrot Scones

2009-09-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

Since Emily took such a lovely photo, here is the recipe I used. It is from this very fun food blog: check out her bread pudding recipes...they look amazing! I substituted orange flavored dried cranberries for the golden raisins to fit in with our "C" themed day and wheat germ for the ground walnuts so I could give them to Kateri who hasn't tried nuts yet, but the ground walnut idea sounds delicious, as does the glaze, which I left out. I just brushed the tops with milk and sprinkled them with a little raw sugar instead. I apologize for the fact that I can never seem to follow a recipe in its entirety...I hope my posts aren't too confusing!

mmmm.....delicious

2009-09-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

emily is out at "legally blonde"....the broadway version, and i am home with the kids (who are all now sleeping). i figured i would check if any new recipes had been posted, but sadly, it was still just "macaroni salad" (no offense sara, but i was hoping for "beer marinated prime rib").....which got me thinking, why don't i contribute. so, here it is.....

it is tough to get it right, so i have taken some pictures to provide some instructions (i realize my pictures aren't slanted or with a nice lens or on a rustic table, but i did my best......actually, i just took them and called them "my best" so i wouldn't have to figure out how to take nicer ones). in any event, here you go.

Step 1: get a Corona.....hopefully from the fridge unless you are my crazy CIA neighbor that doesn't wear a shirt and drinks natural light "lukewarm" all day long

Step 2: using your wedding ring, position your finger like so:

Step 3: grab hold of the bottle cap by wrapping your fingers over the top of the bottle.....like so.....

Step 4: push upwards with your knuckles while firmly gripping the bottle cap between your ring and your ring finger....don't be a pansy, it hurts a little, but if you do it 4-5 times per night, your fingers gets used to it....or it gets numb from too much alcohol, but either way, it feels fine.....like so....

Step 5: throw the bottle cap into a jar for your wife's arts and crafts project that you have no idea what she is using them for, yet you will probably think it is really creative and cool when she is done. and then enjoy a nice drink of ice cold beer. feel free to shave as well, i just didn't think it was necessary for this posting.......like so......

Step 6: go sit on the couch and think about how you should really finish the book you have been reading for the past 3 months......and then, after 15 seconds of thought, pick up the remote and turn on sportscenter.....nothing could possibly happen in sports on a tuesday night, but who knows, maybe there are some good highlights that you missed the last 3 times you watched sportscenter since last night.

Macaroni Salad

2009-09-10T11:08:00.001-07:00

I know it's strange that all I ever post on here is pasta dishes, but I guess we eat a lot of pasta. At least the kids love it. This is a great summer one, and it goes so well with any grilled meat - chicken, steak, ribs, whatevah. Once again, credit to Everyday Food.

Ingredients
Serves 4

* 1 cup (4 ounces) elbow macaroni
* 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
* 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
* 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
* Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cucumber, celery, dill, and lemon juice. Drain pasta, and rinse with cold water; add to bowl with mayonnaise mixture. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Serve, or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

2009-08-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

I've made these enchiladas a million times and everyone seems to love them. I usually saute' some zucchini and top with Mexican cheese, and make a salad to go with it. I thought this was a good one with Fall almost here!!! Yay!

Serves 4-6
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded
6 scallions, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 jalapeno chile, quartered (remove ribs and seeds for less heat, if desired)
1 teaspoon chili powder

corn tortillas (6-inch)
1 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (6 ounces)

handful of roasted pepitas (totally optional, but good addition!)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and scallions. Season generously with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. In a blender, puree pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2 1/2 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth (hold top firmly as blender will be quite full). Pour 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of an 8-inch square (or other shallow 2-quart) baking dish.
3. Lay tortillas on work surface; mound chicken mixture on half of each tortilla, dividing evenly. Roll up tortillas; place, seam side down, in baking dish. (hint: If your tortillas are cold or a little dry, just heat them up in the microwave and they will be soft and pliable.)
4. Pour remaining sauce on top; sprinkle with cheese. If using pepitas, sprinkle on top. Place dish on a baking sheet; bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

happy weekend.

2009-08-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

friday morning and griddle cakes...

Parmesan-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2009-08-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

We had this for dinner last night - another great recipe from Everyday Food. It's really easy and good. I served it with rice and gravy(made from the pan drippings) and a green salad (the picture is not mine!). If it's still too hot to use the oven, you can do these on the grill, cooked indirectly.

Ingredients

Serves 4
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Grated (about 1 tablespoon) zest of 1 lemon
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 (about 3 pounds) bone-in chicken breast halves
Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine parsley, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and zest. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Divide parsley mixture evenly into four mounds. Carefully loosen chicken skin with fingers; tuck parsley mixture under skin. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan.
Bake until skin is crispy, chicken is cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, about 30 minutes.

who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?

2009-08-13T17:23:00.001-07:00

if you are looking for something fun to do this weekend and live in the greater phoenix area, here is a suggestion... friday night (august 14th) several breakfast restaurants in the valley are participating in a "pjs and eggs" breakfast for dinner event. they will be open friday night starting at five to celebrate hickman's family farms' 65th anniversary. they ask that you show up in your jammies and bring a new pair (any size) of pajamas to donate to arizona's children association foster care program. matt's big breakfast, over easy and scramble are all participating (to name a few). for the complete list and details go here.

if you don't live in phoenix or simply don't feel like facing the crowds you could always steal some inspiration and make your own family breakfast for dinner friday night. pjs and all...

2009-08-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

Chicken Tikka Masala

We love Indian food and this recipe comes REALLY close to how good it is in our favorite restaurant. I always make it with Jasmine rice and serve it with Naan- Indian flatbread that I can find in my local grocery store in the bread section. Brush it with olive oil and grill it or heat it up on a skillet.

For the Chicken:

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon table salt

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt or at fat free plain greek yogurt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium garlic cloves , minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion , diced fine

2 medium garlic cloves , minced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 fresh serrano or jalepeno chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon garam masala

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the chicken :

Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

For the sauce:

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Dip chicken in yogurt mixture (thickly covered) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro if using, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve. Serves 4 to 6.

Whoopie Pies!

2009-08-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

Cakes

2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (Droste brand is pretty easy to find), 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 cup packed lt. brown sugar, 8 Tbl. unsalted butter-softened but still cool, 1 large egg-room temp., 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 cup buttermilk

Filling

12 Tbl. unsalted butter-softened but cool, 1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp. salt, 2 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff

1.For the cakes: Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions and heat to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets w/ parchment. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

2.With electric mixer on med., beat sugar and butter until fluffy(few minutes). Beat in egg, scrape down bowl, and add vanilla.Reduce speed to low and beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk. Repeat with half of the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the buttermilk, and finally the rest of the flour mix. Use a spatula to give batter final stir.

3.Using a 1/4-cup measure, scoop 6 mounds onto each sheet, spacing 3 inches apart. Baked until the cakes spring back when touched, 15-18 minutes. Switch and rotate pans half-way through baking. Cool completely-atleast an hour!

4.For the Filling: With mixer on med. speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt. Beat in marshmallow creme until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate filling for atleast 30 minutes!!(You can't skip this-believe me, I tried!)

5. Dollop 1/4 cup filling on flat side of 6 cakes. Top with flat side of 6 remaining cakes. Enjoy!! You will need a strong cup of coffee to counteract the sweet richness of these cakes!

I made slightly smaller ones for the kids, and though they all took a whole one, I don't think any of them finished one! But that was quite alright because we enjoyed the rest the next day. I think they might have even been better the next day!

(Chicken) Carbonara

2009-08-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty easy dinner (recipe from Giada de Laurentiis) that you usually have the ingredients on hand for (ok, I just use bacon instead of pancetta, and usually 1/2 and 1/2 instead of cream, and I don't always have the fresh herbs, so sometimes I use dried, and I never put on the walnuts and lemon zest, but maybe they're good too. Oh, and sometimes I make it without the chicken, and I use whole wheat pasta, and the other day I threw in a bag of frozen peas... so you see how I improvise, but any way you do it, it's delicious.) My dad claims Giada can't be a very good cook because she is so skinny, but hey, this is pretty good. She must just make it and not eat it.

Ingredients

* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 8 large egg yolks
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
* Salt
* 1 pound spaghetti
* 4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.
(photo credit: blogchef.net)

whoopie pies - coming soon!

2009-08-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

my fabulous sister-in-law mary made these saturday night and they are so good, i cannot even tell you. i am going to drag mary into the blogging world so she will share the recipe with you. think of this as a coming soon post...

french bread pizzas with spinach & strawberry salad

2009-08-03T07:57:00.001-07:00

This is a Rachel Ray recipe that my entire family loves (they love when i make enough for leftovers, they love it so much... pete likes to eat it cold in the morning on the way to work, a take on a ham and cheese croissant, i guess). Just the idea of french bread pizza was one i never really thought of, so it opens up the door to all kinds of combinations. so easy, so good... a kind of theme in my kitchen...

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1 baguette, split lengthwise and halved crosswise
1/2 pound deli-sliced ham, chopped
2 cups shredded gruyère cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, cook the butter and flour over medium-low heat, whisking, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, then season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon mustard.

Slather a quarter of the white sauce over each baguette quarter, then top with the ham, gruyère and thyme. Bake until the cheese is bubbly, about 12 minutes.

Rachel Ray suggests a radish and cucumber salad (recipe here) to go with it, but i made one of my favorite summer salads - spinach with strawberries, feta (i have also made it with goat cheese which is super good), red onion and chopped pecans (for decadence use trader joe's praline pecans) all tossed with brianna's blush wine vinaigrette. (did you know brianna's salad dressings have a whole website with suggestions for different dressings?)

happy kids equals a good meal...

pork tacos

2009-08-03T07:56:00.001-07:00

this is less of a recipe and more of a suggestion since i do not actually have a recipe. the good news about that is that they are super easy. i put a pork roast in my crock pot with chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and seasonings. cooked it for probably about 4 hours (until the pork pulls away with a fork). then i pulled the pork and served it with queso fresco (my favorite mexican cheese), onions, cilantro and a little squirt of lime all on a corn tortilla. yum. super easy, super good.

griddle cakes

2009-07-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

So I dont have any pics for some reason. But those of you who enjoyed these at the restaurant can work up a visual from memory. Emily asked me for this the other day so I thought I would share it. Who doesnt need a pancake recepie. These are just my style, crisp outside...soft center...thin. Im not personally a fan of big fluffy chewy pancakes; but everyone has their preference. Make these if they are for you!

Oh, and the way we served them was with warm lingonberries (can be found at ikea instead of wasting money at a specialty market like aj's) and citrus butter which we made by mixing up soft butter, orange zest and bit of orange juice, and powdered sugar.....all of which was eyeballed so i dont have a specific recepie on that one.
Enjoy!

Serves 6

1 c. whole milk
Pinch of salt
3 T cream of wheat

Batter
1 ½ c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
Pinch salt
1 c. buttermilk
½ c. whole milk
2 eggs
3 Tbl. butter melted

Cook cream of wheat. Bring milk and salt just to a boil. Whisk in cream of wheat and simmer, stirring 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl combine liquid ingredients (except butter)
Stir cream of wheat into liquids and whisk all into dry ingredients.
Stream in melted butter, stir to combine.
Cook ¼ c. of batter on warm griddle brushed with clarified butter
Top with warm lingonberries and citrus butter, or just go old fashioned and use maple syrup and butter. Whatever makes you smile.

frozen key lime pie

2009-07-24T08:41:00.001-07:00

christine made this for dessert one night in california and it was so tasty that i had to make it again back home so pete could try it (he missed most of the good food at the beach). i just made the pie and then topped it with whipped cream instead of "decorating" it like the directions suggest. less time and i like creamy whipped cream better than frozen whipped cream anyway. it is another recipe from my good friend ina garten. i was also very lucky to have three excellent helpers...

a juicer and a mixer...

and even my own dishwasher...

and lots of hungry little mouths to eat it... even though finn announced he only likes "the white stuff and the brown stuff" (whipped cream and crust). what to do with a kid that doesn't like any form of fruitiness...

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons grated lime zest
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 to 5 limes)

For the decoration:

1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Thin lime wedges

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure the sides and the bottom are an even thickness. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

For the filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes, until thick. With the mixer on medium speed, add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour into the baked pie shell and freeze.

For the decoration, beat the heavy cream on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until firm. Spoon or pipe decoratively onto the pie and decorate with lime. Freeze for several hours or overnight.

quick, easy and delicious

2009-07-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

our little fiona was baptized this past sunday, and after a week full of house-guests, we were trying to come up with delicious, yet budget- friendly meal to enjoy with our visitors and friends who celebrated the occasion with us. i must say, these were quite a success...even substituting bottom round for the strip steaks. it's all about the sauce and poblanos. unless you ask jon, who says he'd definitely like to try again with a meat upgrade...

ingredients:

1/2 cup(s) packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced
2 tablespoon(s) red-wine vinegar or cider vinegar
2 tablespoon(s) reduced-fat sour cream
1 clove(s) (small) garlic, minced
1 teaspoon(s) chile powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt, divided
8 new or baby red potatoes
1 1/4 pound(s) strip steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 poblano peppers or 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

Combine cilantro, vinegar, sour cream, garlic, chile powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Preheat grill to high. Place potatoes in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave on High until just tender when pierced with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Toss the potatoes, steak, and pepper pieces with oil and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Thread the potatoes, steak, peppers, and onion chunks onto 8 skewers. Grill, turning once or twice, until the steak reaches desired doneness, about 6 minutes for medium. Serve the kebabs with the reserved sauce.

mmmm, buttermilk scones

2009-07-15T15:06:00.001-07:00

these are hands down the best scones i have ever had. once again, i think it is the buttermilk. i have made them with blueberries or strawberries in them, with white chocolate chips (pete's favorite) and plain served with fresh berries and whipped cream (jack's favorite) and you just can't go wrong. christine made them with orange zest and blueberries while we were at the beach and they were gone before you could sneak back for seconds. the recipe is from the cookbook 'once upon a tart' which i highly recommend on a whole, but this recipe is my favorite. they are easiest if you have a large cuisinart, but i don't and they work just fine in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. if you don't have either they say you can cut in the butter with kitchen shears or two knives. your eyes may bug out a bit over the amount of butter, but, come on, its not like you're making them everyday... so, here is the recipe... now go buy some buttermilk and make them tomorrow. your family will be forever grateful.

ingredients:

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar

20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

2 large eggs

1 cup cold buttermilk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup dried currants (or any other item you decide to add, i've actually never used currants personally...)

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. dump dry ingredients into bowl of food processor with metal blade and pulse a few times to mix.

3. add the butter to the bowl all at once and run the food processor for 15 seconds. switch to pulse and continue pulsing until there are no chunks of butter left and the mixture looks like moist crumbs. careful not to overmix the ingredients (they go on and on at great length to explain the importance of the butter not melting so that it melts in the oven while baking and that this is key to perfect scones... they also have a couple paragraphs about never opening your oven door... lots of rules to live by in this particular cookbook...).

4. in another small bowl whisk the eggs to break up the yolks. whisk in the buttermilk and the vanilla. use the whisk to stir in the currants (or fruit or chocolate chips or nothing...).

5. in a large bowl mix together the dry and wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. it will be dry at first and you will think there is too much flour, but keep mixing and it will come together. stop as soon as no flour is visible. "you don't want to work the dough a moment longer than necessary." (these are the kinds of warnings this book is full of... they are very serious about scone-making).

6. use a measuring cup or your hand (i always opt for hand) to scoop the batter out in the desired size and plop it onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

7. place baking sheet on center rack in oven and bake until golden brown or a toothpick pulls out clean. (they make theirs using a 1/2 cup and bake them for 25-30 minutes, i find this is a little big and make mine smaller and bake for about 10-12 minutes, the first time you will just have to keep an eye on them... even though they don't want you opening your oven in the middle of baking...).

8. let cool, then serve and enjoy.

good summer dinner

2009-07-15T15:05:00.001-07:00

bratwurst and potato salad. there is just something summery (and easy) about this dinner. my personal opinion is that the key to potato salad is to make it as much like a baked potato as possible, thus i added bacon, cheese, sour cream and chives. mmm, mmm, good. and outdoor dining is always a plus...

beach dinners

2009-07-15T13:29:00.001-07:00

every year for the fourth of july the entire burch family goes to the beach for a week (minus a few dads that have to work and only get to come for part of the time). we create a schedule so that each family is responsible for dinner one of the nights. it works out great and we eat amazingly well the entire time we are there. i happen to be blessed to have a mother-in-law and three sisters-in-law who are all fabulous chefs. this year, for the first time, we also did a potluck beach brunch (i should have pete write a burch beach brunch poem in the style of dr. seuss...). it was delicious and i hope a tradition that continues.

for our night pete and i made bbq pulled pork sandwiches using this fabulous recipe, watermelon and brussel sprouts salad. as a couple of my sisters-in-law asked how we made the brussel sprouts salad, i thought i would share it. unfortunately i took absolutely no food related pictures this entire trip, so the recipe alone will have to do. also, allie was the person who turned me on to this salad, so i shall give her the full credit for its tastiness...

brussel sprouts salad

ingredients:

brussel sprouts

bacon

red onion

havarti cheese

craisins

olive oil

rice vinegar

salt & pepper

cook the brussel sprouts, tossed in some olive oil (i have even made them after the bacon and poured off most of the grease, but cooked them in a little of the leftover bacon grease...) on the stove until soft enough to pierce with a fork. let cool. add crumbled/chopped bacon, red onion, cubed havarti cheese and craisins. toss with rice vinegar and add salt and pepper to taste. we usually refrigerate it and serve cold, but either way would do.

so, i am now calling on all the burch ladies to share the fabulous recipes they shared with our family with all of you.

dining alfresco

2009-06-25T10:40:00.001-07:00

we had the speiers and the mchales over for swimming and some alfresco dining while the weather is still so lovely. allie made her amazing marinated eggplant and bruschetta. we made spiedini (basically this is fontina cheese wrapped in prosciutto, skewered and grilled, then served warm over arugula tossed with olive oil and pepper - so, so good...) and grilled pizzas (these deserve their own post, but i didn't take any pictures... maybe next time). for dessert we made nutella and banana calzones with vanilla ice cream. try this. it won't disappoint. decadent? yes. worth it? absolutely.

almond-plum buckle

2009-06-25T10:38:00.001-07:00

christine made this at her house one day and it was so delicious i just had to try it for my family. while mine was still good, christine's was amazing. you can even tell how very different they look... oh, well. i will just have to beg christine to make it at her house again...

and whipped cream is a must (especially if it is homemade). just look at how amazing christine's looks...

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole almonds (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/4 pounds plums (about 8 medium), halved, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round.

Finely grind almonds in processor. Transfer to medium bowl; whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add 1 cup sugar; beat until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract, then flour mixture just until incorporated.

Transfer batter to prepared pan; spread evenly and smooth top with spatula. Gently press plum slices, flesh side down, into batter in spoke pattern around outer rim and center of cake, placing close together. Mix cinnamon and 4 teaspoons sugar in small bowl. Sprinkle over plums.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Run small knife between cake and pan sides to loosen. Invert cake onto platter; remove parchment paper. Place another platter atop cake. Using both hands, hold both platters firmly together and invert cake, plum side up. Cool cake completely. Cut into wedges.

i have also seen this made with apples or strawberries instead of plums and i think basically any fruit would be delicious. i will have to try the apple version since i have apples coming out of my ears...

fun little snack...

2009-06-25T10:37:00.001-07:00

at least my kids thought it was very exciting...

you could use a melon baller to scoop out the watermelon if you want, but i actually used the watermelon to make watermelon lemonade and then just filled the inside with a random assortment of fruit. my kids (jack especially) found it thrilling.

and these little fingers devoured it quite quickly...

Vacherin with whipped cream and berries

2009-06-14T23:09:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from the Martha Stewart Living: A Taste of Summer magazine we got with Luke's useless frequent flyer points...it was delicious....perfect for summer. Here's the link:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/berry-vacherin

The version of the recipe in the magazine did not have the raspberry sauce, and I thought it was perfect without it...

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

2009-06-10T15:44:00.001-07:00

This is from Everyday Food, and although it bakes in the oven and thus is not ideal for you Arizona folks, we are having it tonight as we enjoy 70 degree weather. It's like fried chicken, only baked, and it's num. In my E.F. cookbook, they say to eat it with Carrot Cumin Slaw, which is also great - a twist on your run of the mill coleslaw. You could definitely make that in AZ!!
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

Served with slaw or potato salad, this chicken dinner will feel like an indoor picnic. Any leftover chicken will make a great school lunch.

Vegetable oil, for baking sheet
8 slices white bread
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 pounds chicken parts (preferably legs, thighs, and wings), rinsed and patted dry

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously rub a baking sheet with oil. In a food processor, pulse the bread until it turns into coarse crumbs.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the buttermilk, hot-pepper sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

3. Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, turning to coat evenly. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from liquid, letting excess drip back into bowl; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place coated chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake until chicken is golden brown, about 35 minutes.

Crisping the Chicken: Leave enough space between the chicken pieces so that they crisp evenly all the way around.

Carrot Cumin Slaw
* 1/4 to 1/2 green cabbage, cored and shredded (3 cups)
* 3 carrots, coarsely grated (1 3/4 cups)
* 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
* 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, and jalapeno. Drizzle with oil and lime juice. Add cilantro and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 hours to allow flavors to develop.

Marinated Vegetables

2009-06-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

This recipe reminds me of one of my favorite eateries in Italy. The Castelli Romani has this glorious form of fast food known as Porchetta stands. Porchetta itself is roasted pig, but the side dishes at these places are what I find myself dreaming of when the weather gets warm but not too warm for al fresco suppers on our patio. The stands always had those fist sized portions of mozzarella di bufala, fresh crusty bread, and a smorgasbord of delicious marinated vegetables: peppers, baby artichokes, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, olives, you name it. Jon, I am sure you remember some great meals off paper plates from "Da Agnese"...after one such meal I actually found a strand of prosciutto hiding in the fat roll of Lili's (then 9 months old) neck. Anyway, sorry for the long intro, but this recipe for marinated eggplant from "The Silver Spoon" really reminds me of those veggies, (I add some white wine vinegar because I think it needs some acidity to be perfect. It is a great dish to make ahead and stick in your fridge because it just gets better after a couple of days. When I make it with eggplant, I serve it on top of a bed of arugula with some feta sprinkled on top and bruschetta toasts, which makes an easy and attractive party dish. I'm roasting some peppers and zucchini to marinate right now. The view from our back yard patio (dominated by our block wall fence and our neighbor's clunking roof-mounted AC unit) may not be as picturesque as Lake Albano, but I'm looking forward to the meal nonetheless...

Here's the recipe for the marinade...I think it works well with both roasted and grilled vegetables:

3/4C olive oil

1 fresh chile, seeded and chopped (I've used crushed red pepper too)

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped

10 fresh mint leaves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

white wine vinegar, to taste

pan-seared tuna with mango and avocado salsa

2009-06-08T22:42:00.001-07:00

this is one of my absolute favorite meals. it is so very tasty. and in the summertime... well, you just can't go wrong...
for the salsa:
- mango
- avocado
- red onion
- cilantro
- a little garlic
- lime juice.
chop it all up, mix it all together and season it with salt and pepper.

coat the tuna with sesame seeds and seasoning. heat up some oil in a pan over medium-high and add the tuna, cooking for a couple minutes on each side, depending on how rare you like it in the middle. pete and i both like it rare, but not still cold and i usually end up cooking it for about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. then slice the tuna into strips and put the salsa and tuna over a bed of mixed greens and serve. enjoy.

stuffed squash

2009-06-08T22:40:00.001-07:00

so, we had this big squash from our garden...

and in my attempt to find something tasty to do with it, i asked christine. she had the wonderful suggestion to make some sort of sausage stuffed squash. i searched a few different recipes and basically just made up my own with ingredients i had on hand. i have to say, it was mighty tasty...

first, i cut the squash in half lengthwise, then drizzled a little olive oil over it and baked it in the oven at 350 until soft (about 20 minutes). meanwhile i cooked italian sausage, onions, red bell peppers, leeks and garlic on the stove and added some salt, pepper and seasoning. when it was done i took it off the stove (i poured the oil off) and mixed it with bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and pine nuts. then i took the squash and scooped out the seeds and filled them with the sausage mixture. i sprinkled a little more parmesan cheese on top and baked them for about 15-20 minutes more.

apple cake

2009-06-08T22:39:00.001-07:00

preheat oven to 350 and grease and flour a bunt pan.
ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 tblsp. vanilla
blend in bowl of electric mixer.
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
mix dry ingredients in separate bowl and then slowly blend into electric mixer.
remove from mixer and fold in:
- 3-4 apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
bake 60 minutes (i feel like mine is usually done closer to 45 or 50, so keep an eye on it the first time you make it). let cool. remove from bundt pan and (1) sprinkle with powdered sugar, (2) sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, (3) drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze OR (4) simply eat as is.

chicken with apple and leeks

2009-05-31T12:39:00.000-07:00

this is jack's all-time favorite dinner. he gets crazy excited about it. my kids think it is especially exciting when they get to go outside and pick their own apples to make it...

ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons sugar (i never use this much...)
- salt and pepper
- 3-4 green apples (cored and sliced crosswise)
- 3 tablespoons Calvados or brandy (i almost always leave this step out and not one member of my family has noticed...)
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 2 leeks (white part only)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream

(i know the picture is not the prettiest, but i promise it is tasty...)

1.) melt butter in large saute pan over medium heat. stir in the thyme and add the chicken pieces. saute, turning the pieces as they become golden, 3-4 minutes each side. add the apple slices and cook, turning once, until soft, 3-4 minutes. transfer the apples to a plate and sprinkle with sugar (i, literally, "sprinkle" them with sugar... i think 2 tablespoons is excessive).
2.) pour off the oil from the chicken. pour the calvados or brandy into a small saucepan and warm gently. using a long-handled match, ignite the liquor. when the flame dies, pour the liquor over the chicken. Add the apple juice and arrange the leeks around the chicken. cover and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is tender, 10-15 minutes.
3.) using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and leeks to a warmed platter, leaving the ends of the platter uncovered. (i find this step to be pointless, i make the cream while the chicken is cooking. when everything is ready put the chicken onto a room-temperature platter with the leeks and apples, pour the cream and serve... but if you want to warm your platter and all that, feel free...)
4.) pour the cream into the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. deglaze the pan by stirring to dislodge any browned bits. boil to thicken the sauce slightly, about 2 minutes. season to taste with salt and pepper.
5.) pour the sauce over the chicken. place the apple rings on the ends of the platter.
serves 4.

away from peaches and on to apples...

any suggestions for fabulous apple recipes?

Chicken Tetrazzini

2009-05-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

I hesitate to post this recipe since it comes from Zach's Food Network girlfriend (who will remain nameless). However, since we actually took pictures of us cooking, I guess I need to add it. We made it for our friends John and Angela Kersting who just had a baby, so they could have something easy to heat up for dinner this week since they will both be too tired to do much cooking. Zach was so excited about it, that he decided we should make it for ourselves the next night. It was delicious. It takes a little bit of time, but it is fun to make. There are a lot of easier versions that aren't exactly from scratch that we have made in the past. Zach's mom always made an easy version that just used Cream of Mushroom soup, noodles, black olives, and parmesan.

Ingredients

9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguine
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.

Jambalaya

2009-05-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

It's never quite as good as my mom's when I make it, but here goes. The original recipe calls for ham and sausage, which is a little much, so we substitute chicken for the ham and use brown rice instead of white for a slightly healthier meal. The other day I was trying to throw dinner together and made a mexican version by substituting cumin and cilantro for the herbs and leaving out the sausage. The Mexican version would be good with chorizo I bet...I garnished it with shredded cheese and it was pretty tasty.

2 T olive oil
1 C chopped onion
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes
1 10 can Ro-tel tomatoes (tomatoes and chiles...you can use regular if you want the dish to be less spicy)
1/4 C minced parsley (i usually forget to buy this and leave it out)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste (I just use Tony Chachere's)
1/4 C Worchestershire sauce
3 C water
2 lbs smoked sausage
2 C uncooked rice

In a Dutch oven (or large heavy pot) heat the oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until tender. Add the celery, green onions and cook until soft. Add the parsely, garlic, seasonings, Worchestershire suace, tomatoes (with liquids) and 2 C water. Cook this gravy for one hour. In a separate large skillet brown the sliced sausage and discard the grease. Add the sausage to the gravy and rinse out the skillet with 1 C water and add to the gravy. Add the rice and cover tightly. When the mixture starts to bubble, lower the heat and simmer until the rice is done. Several times during cooking, lift the mixture gently with a spoon to keep it from sticking. If the water is gone before the rice is cooked, add a little more hot water to the gravy. Serves 8-10.

Bruschetta - pretty and delicious

2009-05-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

We served these different kinds of bruschetta last weekend at a shower. Most of the ideas I got from Postino's, the wine bar in Phoenix. They're pretty self-explanatory, no recipes needed really:
Mascarpone, prosciutto, and fig... (I found less than 1/2 fig best...they're so rich)
Pesto and chopped tomato
Bleu cheese and pear
Brie cheese and granny smith apple

Better than P.F. Chang's...Sesame Noodles with Shrimp

2009-05-26T13:07:00.001-07:00

Ok, well at least as good. I got this recipe from my cousin Clare, who plugged it as a great summer meal - good either cold or hot. We had it on Friday and LOVED it. Therese, on her way to 3 helpings, said, "this proves McCormacks have the best food". I think the recipe originally came from Cook's Illustrated.

Sesame Noodles with Shrimp (or Chicken)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through
garlic press(about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce(such as Tabasco)
2 tablespoons lightly packed light brown sugar
hot water
1 pound cooked shrimp (or chicken)
1 tablespoon table salt
1 pound fresh Asian-style noodles or 12 ounces
dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 med. carrot, grated or chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

1. Toast sesame seeds in medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 min. Reserve 1 Tblsp. in small bowl. In blender or food processor, puree remaining sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With machine runing, add hot water 1 Tblsp. at a time until sauce has consistency of heavy cream, about 5 Tblsp; set blender jar or workbowl aside.
2. Bring 6 quarts water to boil in pot over high heat. Add salt and noodles to boiling water; boil until tender. Drain, then rinse with cold running tap water until cool to touch (if serving cold); drain again. In large bowl, toss noodles with sesame oil until evenly coated. Add shrimp, scallions, carrot, red bell pepper, cucumber, cilantro, and sauce; toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle each bowl with portion of reserved sesame seeds, and serve.

bed and breakfast eggs

2009-05-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

this weekend pat mcewen was in town and we made these for breakfast. he thought they were quite delicious. i am posting them per his request because he really wants his sister julie to make them. so, julie this is for you... (but also for everyone else, because they are really tasty and really easy to make for a crowd because you bake them and they are all ready at the same time)...

ingredients:
- 4 english muffins (toasted)
- 4 eggs
- 4 slices canadian bacon
- mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- paprika
- salt and pepper

preheat oven to 350 degrees. in four ramekins, place slice of canadian bacon in each. create a sort of "nest" with mozzarella cheese around the outer edge of each ramekin and crack an egg into the middle of it, careful not to break the yoke. pour a tablespoon of cream on top of each egg and sprinkle with paprika. add salt and pepper to your liking. place ramekins on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. (we like our yoke to still be a little runny, so you can adjust the time accordingly... note that when you pull it out of the oven it does get a little firmer as it sits...). let ramekins cool for about 5 minutes. then, using a rubber spatula, separate the cheese from around the outer edge of the ramekin and scoop your spatula up under the bacon and then slide it off the spatula onto the english muffin (so that the canadian bacon sits on the the english muffin with the egg and cheese on top... i hope this makes ok sense...). i think you are supposed to butter the ramekins, but i never have and they always seem to scoop right out just fine. it is kind of like a much simpler eggs benedict type dish. hope you make it! enjoy!

shepherd's pie

2009-05-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

Zach and I decided to make this on St. Patrick's Day. It is actually a traditionally English meal, but at least it was in the same realm and most good Irish Pubs have it on the menu. In my opinion it is one of the few meals from that region that is actually good. Zach loves it and when we make it we usually have leftovers for awhile. It is sort of one of those easy things to put together in a casserole so you don't have to make anything else for dinner. Jimmy also loves it. We have tried a couple of different recipes, but this one was the easiest I found and they all tasted about the same. I recommend just buying bags of frozen carrots, peas, and corn because you can buy them already all together (although I keep them on hand in seperate bags for Jimmy anyway). You can mess with the seasonings (when I haven't had Worcestershire sauce, I made up other things) and people can add their own salt and pepper to taste.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
1 onion chopped
1-2 cups vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas
1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)... I used 6 medium sized ones and it was just right.
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup beef broth (I used chicken though)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

METHOD

1. Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes).

2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick) in large frying pan.

3. Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 mins). If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put any carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas either at the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat has initially cooked.

4. Add ground beef and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper. Add worcesterchire sauce. Add half a cup of beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist.

5. Mash potatoes in bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste.

6. Place beef and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. You can use the fork to make some designs in the potatoes as well.

7.Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Broil for last few minutes if necessary to brown. Serves Four.

strawberry cream cake

2009-05-21T16:02:00.001-07:00

i made this cake last year for lucy's birthday and i thought it was delicious. try it the next time you need to make a dessert for something...

Ingredients

Serves 12
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1 pound strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce envelope)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan, and line with parchment paper. Butter and flour paper and sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in 3 parts and milk in 2, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Using a serrated knife, split cake in half horizontally; place bottom half, cut side up, on a serving plate.
Make topping: In a large bowl, combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside. Place 2 tablespoons cold water in a small saucepan, and sprinkle with gelatin; let soften 5 minutes. Place saucepan over very low heat, and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until very soft peaks form. Continue to beat, and gradually add gelatin mixture; beat until soft peaks form.
Arrange half of strawberries over bottom cake layer; top with half of whipped cream, leaving a 1-inch border. Cover with top half of cake, cut side down. Top cake with remaining whipped cream, leaving a 1-inch border. Refrigerate cake and remaining strawberries separately, at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day). Just before serving, spoon strawberries over cake.

watermelon lemonade

2009-05-21T15:56:00.001-07:00

we made this several times last summer and it is great because the kids love it and then you can add vodka and have a fun grown up drink. great on a hot day by the pool. (check out this link from everyday food for more great summer drinks...)

Ingredients

2 lemons, quartered
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 medium seedless watermelon (about 9 pounds), rind removed, flesh cut into chunks
1 cup vodka (optional)
Directions

Squeeze lemons into a large pitcher; add squeezed lemon quarters. Add mint and sugar; mash with a wooden spoon until mint is bruised and sugar is dissolved.
In a blender, puree watermelon in batches until smooth; pour through a fine-mesh sieve into pitcher (you should have about 8 cups of juice). Stir to combine. (Refrigerate, covered, up to 3 days.) Add vodka, if using; serve over ice.

tomato and goat cheese salad

2009-05-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

i love this salad.

Ingredients

Serves 4
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 ounces fresh goat cheese
3 medium tomatoes, cored and sliced crosswise 1 inch thick
Directions

In a blender, combine basil, oil, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon water. Blend until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
With dental floss or a warm knife (wiped clean after each slice), thinly slice cheese (i just crumble it... it is way faster and i think it more evenly distributes the goat cheese flavor... just a suggestion). Arrange tomatoes and goat cheese on a serving plate; drizzle with dressing to taste. Serve garnished with basil leaves.

here's another one that is really tasty also...

Ingredients

Serves 4
1 ear corn (husk and silk removed; tip cut off)
2 pints cherry, grape, or pear tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions

Stand ear in a large wide bowl; with a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to release the kernels. Discard cob. Add tomatoes, avocado, scallions, lime juice, and oil to bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.

mary burch made this last summer at the beach with bbq chicken and it was great summer food. i was going to make it tonight but didn't have corn, so that is why i went with the top one. both are fabulous in my opinion...