a new salad

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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