Friends Food Family

Harvest Corn Soup with Lobster, Bacon and Scallions

Summer is officially over when you buy the last fresh ears of corn. As we drove to Flint Farm, we were told that this was the last day for corn. We arrived just in time. I kept telling Jeff that I wanted to make some type of corn soup or chowder since it would be perfect for a cool autumn evening.

While we were in Maine, last month taking cooking lessons, we made a delicious corn soup with lobster. It was a completely blended soup and I was looking for something that had more corn left in the broth. The only true test of corn chowder I have is my mother adding a can of milk to a can of creamed corn and calling that corn chowder. Not a great reference point.

I found this recipe from Epicurious called Summer Corn Soup and it was written by Dorie Greenspan. When I went into her "Around My French Table" Cookbook, I realized it was one of her recipes. Just a quick plug, if you want to buy a great gift for your favorite cook, definitely consider this cookbook. Jeff and I love the book and it has amazing recipes. We took the original version and adapted it.

As we were putting the recipe together we realized that we would need to double the recipe. At our house, a recipe serving 4 will not cut it. As we shucked the corn, there definitely wasn't enough corn (for my liking) so we added more. Once we got all the vegetables cooked and added the herbs, we found the herbs fell off the sprigs as the mixture came to a boil. The flavor was great but I didn't enjoy fishing all the rosemary out of the soup. Our recommendation is to place it in cheese cloth. Easier and less messy to remove.

Lastly, when it called for you to blend and strain the soup, we decided to only blend 1/2 of the soup and not strain any portion of it. It allowed the base to thicken and left a filling in the soup. We steamed two lobster ahead of time and had lobster meat ready to go. Lobster first, soup second, bacon and scallions to garnish. Grab spoon and and say Ahhhhh.

The soup a.k.a. corn chowder was amazing. It was so fresh and the flavor was distinct with every bite. The lobster was moist and the bacon give a slight smokiness to the dish. It was perfect for a cool night in October.

As we enjoyed the corn soup for lunch, I was disappointed that I might not be able to make this soup again until next year. You need the freshness of the corn kernels and the cobs to add that additional flavor. I did say to Jeff that I will attempt this soup again with some frozen ingredient. Not sure I will get the same freshness, but I might be able to re-create the memory in the winter. It might be a faint memory but I will try!

Ingredients:

3 cups whole milk
4 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut from cobs, cobs broken in half and reserved
3 tablespoons of butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 cups water
2 large fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
Salt and white pepper to taste

Optional:
cooked lobster meat from 1 1/2 pound lobster, coarsely chopped

Garnish:
2 thick bacon slices, diced
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Bring milk and corncob halves (not kernels) just to boil in heavy medium pot. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep while sautéing vegetables.
 
2. Melt butter in dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; sprinkle with salt (about 1/4 teaspoon) and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add corn kernels, carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Place herbs and bay leaf in cheese cloth or herb bag. Add 2 cups water, herbs, and milk with corncobs.

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, partially cover with lid and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

4. Remove corncobs, herb sprigs, and bay leaf. Cool soup slightly. Working in batches, puree 1/2 of the soup mixture in a blender or food processor. This will give a thicker consistency while leaving filling within the broth. Add salt and white pepper to taste.

5. If using lobster, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of chopped lobster to the bottom of each serving bowl, spoon the soup over the lobster, garnish with chopped bacon and scallions. Enjoy!

Makes 4-6 servings.

Green Apple, Avocado and Chicken Salad with a Honey Lime Cilantro Dressing

Fall is definitely in the air as we woke this morning to temperatures of 56 degrees.

But, I love the Fall!

For me, it's a great time of year with the colorful foliage, cool days with warm breezes, and the big 3...Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

To savor the last few weeks of summer, we made a wonderfully delicious salad for dinner that have touches of summer and Fall namely, the last of our garden's cherry tomatoes and cilantro and some freshly picked granny apples from one of the local area farms.

Back a few months ago when I was traveling with my son, looking at colleges, I enjoyed a salad similar to this. When I came home, I was able to create the salad dressing and then added the original salad ingredients plus a few of my own. You could probably call this a "throw in the kitchen sink" salad as you can add some of your favorites also.

Most of the salads we enjoy have the balance of good greens, a meat or protein, vegetables, fruits, cheese, nuts and a dressing that ROCKS! That's probably why we order so many salads at restaurants and don't necessarily recreate them at home.

So to that balance, I give you a Chicken Salad with Green Apples and Avocados and a Honey Lime Cilantro Dressing. (The Honey Lime Cilantro dressing ROCKS!) This is easy to put together and allowed my family to mix and match what they liked into the salad. Rotisserie chicken, apples, avocados, dried cranberries, sugared walnuts and crumbled goat cheese, were the products of choice so I let them mix and match to their likings. Think of the endless possibilities if you added strawberries, grapes, oranges, feta cheese, sliced almonds, celery, carrots...find your flavors and mix away.

What is your favorite ingredients in a salad? And what kind of salad dressing makes it all come together?

Ingredients

Salad

1 - 2-3 lb. rotisserie chicken, chopped or torn into bite size pieces

1- 12 ounce container of baby spring mix greens

2 avocados, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 green apples, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 package of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1- 6 ounce container of crumbled goat cheese

1 package of dried cranberries (Craisins)

1 package of sugared walnuts

Dressing

4 tablespoons of honey

Juice of 2 freshly squeezed limes

1 tablespoon of lime rind

3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup of olive oil

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Place greens into individual bowls, add chicken, apples, avocado, cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, goat cheese and sugared walnuts. Add a few tablespoons of dressing to cover the mixture. This salad can feed 4-6 people.

 

Epicurious' Pork Tenderloin with Tomato - Peach Compote

When we go grocery shopping, we try and figure out what our dinner recipes will be for the week. It is the one meal that has many mouths to feed. It's also the one meal which we get the most phone calls, "Hi Mom, what's for dinner?"

Many times we look at pork recipes but some how seem to move past them. I think it's because growing up I ate pork chops or a pork loin, every other week. My fond memories were finding enough applesauce to run the pork through so I wouldn't choke on the dry meat. Saw dust best describes the taste and texture of what I ate. Back then, pork was somewhat "overcooked". Today, we have a better understanding of seasoning, cooking to a slightly lesser degree and allowing meat to rest. It enhances the flavor as well as the experience.

Jeff found this recipe from Epicurious called Pork Tenderloin with Tomato-Peach Compote. It looked pretty easy, not many ingredients and we did have a bunch of great garden tomatoes. Cooking the pork to slightly under 160 degrees (which was my mother's favorite number, plus some!) will definitely give you that juicy tasting pork. Taking the time and allowing the meat to rest for 10 minutes helps, too.

The compote was delicious. A bit of sweet and sour which was much better than traditional applesauce and pulled the entire dish together. After everyone got their first serving (6 people), we had a bit of pork left but was definitely short on the compote, then again, I still have that bad habit of drenching my pork in sauce. I enjoyed the compote!

As we eat delicious dishes like this, it makes me want to cook more pork recipes. It's hard to get past eating certain foods which bring back childhood nightmares. Whether it's under cooked chicken or overcooked pork, trying new and tasty dishes will hopefully fade those food memories.

What is your nightmare food?

Pork Tenderloin with Tomato-Peach Compote

Ingredients:

4 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of chopped peeled ginger
1 teaspoon of curry powder
2 (3/4-pound) pork tenderloins
2 tablespoons of canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 peach, chopped
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon of sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.

Mash garlic, ginger, curry powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a paste using mortar and pestle. Rub all over pork.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown pork on one side, about 5 minutes, then turn over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 145 to 150°F for juicy meat, 10 to 12 minutes. Let pork rest, uncovered, on a cutting board while making compote.

Add onion to skillet (handle will be very hot) and sauté over medium-high heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and peaches and sauté until just softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thyme and sugar.

Slice pork and serve with compote. Jasmine rice is a great complement for this dish.

Hurricane Irene's Cucumber Raspberry Mint Martini

 

Last week while I was in Chicago, I had an amazing Cucumber Mint Martini. I had promised my Facebook fans that I would have a post for the martini by Friday. With all the excitement of Hurrican Irene, I finally got to put something together and enjoyed it (last night) before the big hurricane. I'm hoping that if you have some vodka and fresh herbs and vegetables from your garden, you can still create this interestingly tasty drink either for the hurricane or maybe even Labor Day Weekend.

I started by infusing the vodka with cucmbers and raspberries, fresh from my garden. I took

3 cups of vodka (the better the grade, the smoother the martini)

1/4 cup of cucmber slices, quartered

5-6 fresh raspberries

I mixed all of these ingredients in a pitcher and allowed it to incorporate (about 2-3 hours). You don't have to do this but it definitely gives amazing taste and flavor. Before you use the vodka mix, mash the ingredients lightly and then strain the mixture. It should be a light pink color.

While the mixture was infusing, I started making a simple syrup which is one part water to one part sugar.

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup of sugar

Place into a small sauce pan and cook until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture bubbles. Take off burner and allow to cool.

Now you will need:

5-6 mint leaves, loosely chopped

1 lemon cut into quarters

To mix the martini:

Place loosely chopped mint into a cocktail shaker. For every measured shot of vodka, add 1 tablespoon of simple syrup and a squirt of lemon. I made 6 parts of the mixture and squeezed about 1/2  lemon. Add ice to the shaker. Shake and let rest for a minute. Strain into martini glasses and garnish with a cucumber and raspberry.

I'm not and overall martini drinker but I love the smoothness of this drink. (Note: I normally describe martinis like rocket fuel, they are strong, but if made right, very, very good!) I also liked the fresh smell of the cucumbers. The raspberry flavor is not strong as it provides more color than flavor. If you would like more raspberry flavor, add more fresh raspberries.

If you are looking for an interesting martini to end the summer, try this incredible drink, which mixes up the flavors of a great summer.

Overall Prep List

3 cups of vodka (use a good grade)

1 cucumber

1/2 cup of raspberries

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup of sugar

1 lemon

5-6 mint leaves

Ice

 

Oven Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce and Fresh Pasta

 
(with fresh pasta from Venda Ravioli)

After being away for a week, in Missouri and Chicago, I was tired of eating out. All I wanted was a home cooked meal. Even though I had great meals while I was away, there is nothing better than a meal made at home with vegetables picked from your garden.

When I got home, it had been a busy week for Jeff and it seemed like our garden went from choice vegetables to overgrown and over ripened. The tomatoes were starting to split, due to rain, and the eggplants and cucumbers were enormous. We spent a good two hours picking as many tomatoes and vegetables as possible. With tons of ripe and overly ripe tomatoes we started on a mission to make sauce. Jeff had a cherry tomato sauce recipe his chiropractor had given him and I had my standard fresh tomato sauce recipe.

We started with the roma tomatoes and began boiling them to remove the skins. With 60 tomatoes, we peeled them and removed the pulp and seeds. I put them away and decided to complete that project later in the week.

We washed and picked through the cherry and grape tomatoes and mixed them with the onions, garlic and fresh herbs. We placed them in the pan and put them in the oven to roast for about 30 minutes. As they started to bake, the house smelled amazing! As they appeared burst and slightly golden, we removed them from the oven, added them to the fresh pasta and grated the entire dish with fresh parmesan cheese.

The first words out of my mouth were, "Now, this is what I was waiting for...a home cooked meal!" It was light and flavorful and makes you appreciate having a backyard garden. This dish rests on fresh ingredients. The fresh pasta was perfect and the roasted tomatoes were bursting with flavor giving the dish its "made from scratch" flavor.  I can't imagine putting this recipe together in the dead of winter with store bought tomatoes and dried herbs. Get some crusty Italian bread and PERFECTO!

Before the summer ends, promise me you will make this recipe, it's easy, the ingredients are readily available and you will swear this is the best dish you have ever made. Mangia! 

Ingredients:

2 pints of cherry and/or grape tomatoes

1 large onion, diced

2 large cloves of garlic, crushed (for 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons of each, freshly chopped 1. basil 2. oregano 3. parlsey 

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

grated parmesan cheese

1 pound of fresh or boxed pasta

 
(picked fresh from our garden)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil in an oven safe pan. Cook for 25-35 minutes or until all the tomatoes have burst. (see below) Cook pasta according to directions. Toss pasta with tomato sauce and top with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

 
(after roasting in the oven)

If you want to be more creative, consider adding artichoke hearts, black olives and/or mozzarella cheese.

 

White Barn Inn Garden Fresh Summer Ratatouille

In my White Barn Basil Pesto post, I mentioned how we were completely in love with our new White Barn Inn Cookbook and that we would be posting a few of their recipes.

As some parts of our garden continue to grow and others die out, this was a great recipe for our zucchini, summer squash, eggplant and peppers. It was an easy recipe which devoted most of its time to the chopping of vegetables. Once that was completed, it takes about 15 minutes to cook and serve.

There was an interesting ingredient in this ratatouille which caught me off guard. For all the beautiful garden vegetables included in the recipe...where were the tomatoes? Instead they used V-8 juice. At first I had visions of my dad drinking it every morning for breakfast. V-8 has a distinct flavor that you either love or hate, I'll go with the latter. I couldn't figure out how this was going to taste. But then, you have to think about how some great tomato sauces are started with carrots and celery.

I poured in the V-8 and finished mixing the vegetables. The ratatouille was delicious especially using the garden fresh vegetables. You could really taste the individual flavors of the peppers, squash and eggplant. Jeff and I kept wondering if we needed to add some fresh herbs or parsley because this ratatouille is normally served with an herb roasted lamb on top, along with a pesto potato puree. All of these parts to the meal bring additional flavor to the ratatouille. Truthfully, it was delicious as it was. Sometimes simple is just plain BETTER!

It was nice to enjoy a dish, fresh from the garden with the distinct flavor of peppers, squash and eggplant grabbing every taste bud.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium eggplant, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium zucchini, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1/2 cup of V-8 juice

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until transparent but not brown, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and add the peppers, yellow squash, zucchini and eggplant at 1 minute intervals, stirring continuously. Once all the vegetables have been added, cook an additional 5 minutes.

Add the V-8 juice and cook for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This dish can be made a day ahead to better incorporate flavors.

Epicurious' Shaved Summer Squash Salad

 

Our garden is pushing out more yellow squash and zucchini than we know what to do. We have been shredding some for zucchini bread and others we have grilled or cooked on the stove with butter and fresh herbs. No matter how you slice it...fresh vegetables from the garden are delicious.

The other day, I found this recipe in Epicurious, it is called Shaved Summer Squash Salad. You serve it cold and it is easy to make and perfect on a hot summer night. Crunchy and tart. The lemon dressing with toasted almonds brings out the freshness of the squashes.

We served it as a side salad with steak and potatoes and it was perfect. Just the right balance for food off the grill.

If you have too many summer squash and zucchini and you don't know what to do with them, slice them up and serve them cold. A wonderful side dish for any meal.

Ingredients:
 
3 tablespoons of whole almonds
1 pound of summer squash (a mix of green and yellow)
2 1/2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 minced clove of garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Preparation:

Roast almonds until slightly golden and coarsely crush. Meanwhile, trim the ends off summer squash. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the squash lengthwise into strips and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, and kosher salt to taste. Pour dressing over squash. Let stand for a few minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the crushed almonds.

Mom's Zucchini Bread with Walnuts

 

Zucchini is starting to appear in our garden in dribs and drabs. One yesterday, maybe one tomorrow, but I know that within a week or two, we'll have so much zucchini that we won't know what to do with it. This is a perfect time to shred a few zucchinis and make some zucchini bread. Over the past few years, we have been covering different types of zucchini bread whether chocolate, pineapple, traditional or olive oil.

This recipe was given to us by a friend, so I looked it up on-line to make sure I could give credit and I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com. It was called Mom's Zucchini Bread. This is a very simple recipe with wonderful results. As the zucchini bread bakes, it begins to form a bit of a sugary crust. I've made it a number of different ways with walnuts, raisins and craisins. Each one tasting better than the next. The bread is moist, sweet and nutty. What I also like about this recipe is that it makes two loaves. I make them in foil pans which allows me to freeze them, share them and bring them as gifts in their pans.

I love zucchini bread recipes that make more than one loaf so that I can freeze them. I enjoy these extras on fall mornings long after our garden zucchini is gone!

Ingredients:

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup of vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups of white sugar
3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 cups of grated zucchini
1 cup of chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans, we use foil pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

 

Cook's Illustrated Modern Succotash Salad

 

Last weekend was dubbed "Cook Off Weekend". Jeff and I found a few of our favorite magazine cookbooks and decided to try a new set of recipes. Many of the next recipes that will be showcased are cold salads which can be used as side dishes for your family or the next cook-out or gathering you have to attend. One of our favorite magazines is Cook's Illustrated. Not only do we subscribe to the monthly magazine, we purchase the seasonal compilations. This recipe called Modern Succotash Salad sounded light and refreshing calling for fresh corn, green beans and basil. 

Having finished planting our garden during Memorial Day Weekend, we love trying recipes that can ultimately use many of the vegetables and herbs we have planted. We're going to need quite a few recipes for the 31 tomato plants, 16 peppers plants, 11 eggplants, rows of green beans, summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins and acorn squash we planted. We also have blackberry and raspberry bushes along with a few straggly strawberry plants. We actually picked the first strawberry today!

Other than having to cut the green beans, this recipe for succotash salad makes up very quickly. We doubled the recipe and fed 10 comfortably with leftovers. This salad was incredibly delicious with the dressing bringing all the flavors of the fresh vegetables together. It complements any meal as a side dish, especially if you are grilling. The following day, Jeff added it to salad and said it was better the second day.

Think hot day, cold salad...refreshing! Try this as a summer side, it's different, easy and will have your family (and friends) looking for more.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil
1  1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 teaspoon of honey
1/2 of a small red onion, minced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3/4 pound of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 ears of corn, kernels removed from the cob
1/2 pound of frozen lima beans
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. Stir together oil, lemon juice, honey, red onion and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.

2. Bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pan. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and green beans, cook for 1 minute. Add corn and lima beans and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain vegetables in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool.

3. Toss vegetables with dressing and coat evenly. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sid Wainer's Quinoa and Salsa Salad

 

A few weeks ago we took a ride to New Bedford to visit Sid Wainer & Son. It is a gourmet food store with a test kitchen. When you arrive, you have the opportunity to taste many different prepared foods using the ingredients which are sold at the store. Not only do they have the ingredients, but they have a produce section with every imaginable fruit and vegetable, a multiple offering cheese section as well as meats and fresh bread.

We like to purchase their gourmet sausages because of their wide selection, maple wood bacon, quinoa, arborio rice, mini-yukon fingerling potatoes, hazelnut chocolate...I could go on and on. The best part of going is when I need a gourmet ingredient, I know I can find it there. I also get to try different types of dishes and they give you a recipe card so you can make it at home.

This quinoa and salsa dish was adapted from Sid Wainer's. We added black beans to the mix because of the Mexican flare. If you like heat with these types of ingredients, I would recommend 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, chopped finely.

This is a great hot or cold side dish for any meal. We happened to be making fish that night and it was perfect because it was bursting with flavor. The sweet peppers, corn, beans and the hint of salsa made for a perfect combination. And just think, quinoa is good for you, add fresh vegetables and herbs, a little bit of olive oil...perfect!

This made about 10-12 side dish servings. After we fed eight for dinner that night, people fought over who would be taking the quinoa for lunch the next day. If you like quinoa, we have another recipe, Quinoa, Mango and Black Bean Salad, and it is equally as good.

Ingredients:

2 cups of quinoa
4 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of fresh salsa
1 large green pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red pepper, seeded and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/3 cup of chopped cilantro
1/3 cup of chopped chives
1/3 cup of chopped parsley
1 cup of white shoe peg corn (cooked)
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans
salt and black pepper

Preparation:

Cook quinoa according to directions. Instead of water, use chicken or vegetable broth. You will get 4 cups of cooked quinoa. In a large bowl, add quinoa, vegetables, beans, and herbs. Toss with the salsa and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Thomas Keller's Chicken Pot Pie

 

 

Last weekend, we spent most of Sunday preparing meals for the rest of the week. We had a turkey dinner in mind as well as using up the last of a roaster chicken we had cooked earlier that week. As we looked through books to figure out what we would make, Jeff pulled out Thomas Keller's "ad hoc at home". This is a great cookbook with delicious recipes, stories and instruction. He came across a chicken pot pie and that was as far as he needed to go. I love chicken pot pie! And so do my kids.

I used to buy Willow Tree Pies...which are delicious, but I like chicken pot pies with potatoes, onions, carrots, celery and peas. I want a meal when I have a piece of pie, not have to make the side dishes. If you do find a chicken pot pie with vegetables, I find there isn't much meat.

As I read the recipe it seemed a bit more intensive than I thought, especially since we had to make our own pie crust. As much as I don't mind making a crust, I can be lazy when it comes to pastry dough. Why can't I just use Pillsbury Ready-Made Pie Crust? It's really pretty good. Thinking I needed to take this pie crust on, I rolled up my sleeves, took out the flour and started making dough.

It really wasn't that hard and before I knew it, I had two disks of dough in the refrigerator chilling as we finished the filling for the pie. The dough chilled for an hour, I rolled it out with ease and before I knew it, the crusts were rolled the filling was in place, we covered the pie and folded the edges. Two holes for the steam and a brushing of a beaten egg across the top and we were ready to go.

As you can tell, it came out perfect (both inside and out). What I loved was the fact that the chicken pot pie wasn't swimming in sauce. As you ate the pie, you tasted the chicken, the potatoes, the onions, the carrots...and the crust was flaky, buttery...delicious. As you can tell the first sitting ate half the pie and the second sitting almost finished it. As we saved the leftovers, bickering had started as different people claimed a piece for the following days lunch.

If you have the time, consider making the crust, the time spent is well worth it. If you don't have time, purchase a ready made crust see how good this chicken pot pie is. The taste and the time spent to make the recipe are well worth it!

Ingredients:
Pie Crust
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 sticks of butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
About 5 tablespoons of ice water

Preparation:
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Then add the butter and toss to coat with flour. With your hands or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour, tossing and incorporating any pieces of butter that have settled at the bottom of the bowl, until the butter pieces are no larger than a pea. Drizzle 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of ice water over the top and, using a fork, mix the dough until it holds together when pinched: add the remaining tablespoon of water if the dough is very dry. Knead the dough until it is completely smooth and the butter is incorporated. (I used all 5 tablespoons)

Divide the dough in half, with one piece slightly larger than the other (the larger crust will be the bottom piece). Shape each half in a 1 inch thick disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for atleast one hour, or up to a day. (if the dough does not rest, it will shrink as it bakes.)

If the dough is too hard to roll, let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes or pound it a few times with a rolling pin. Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin. Lightly dust the top of the large disk with flour and roll it out to a 13 to 14 inch round about 1/8 inch thick: roll outward from the center, rotating the dough frequently and adding a little flour to the work surfaceor dough as needed to prevent sticking. Fold the dough in half and transfer to a 9 to 10 inch pie plate, gently easing the dough into the corners and up the sides.

Roll out the second piece of dough in the same manner, to a 12 inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate both doughs for 15 minutes.

Makes one 9 to 10 inch double crust pie.

Chicken Pie Filling:
1 cup of 1/2-inch pieces red-skinned potatoes
1 1/4 cups of 1/2-inch pieces carrots (cut on the diagonal)
12 white pearl onions
3 bay leaves
3 thyme sprigs
24 black peppercorns
1 1/4 cups of 1/2-inch pieces of celery (cut on the diagonal)
2 cups of shredded cooked chicken

Bechamel Sauce:
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
3 cups of whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
Pinch of cayenne

1 egg, beaten

Preparation:
Roll out the dough, place one piece in a 9 or 10 inch pie plate and the second on a baking sheet, and refrigerate.

Put the potatoes, carrots, and onions in separate small saucepans with water to cover and add 1 bay leaf, 1 thyme sprig, and 8 peppercorns to each pan.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Drain the vegetables, discard the bay, thyme, and peppercorns, and spread on a baking sheet. Cut the onions in half.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Blanch the celery until just crisp-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
Drain, transfer to the ice bath, and chill just until cold. Drain and add to the baking sheet with the other vegetables.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes; adjust the heat as needed so that the mixture does not brown. Whisk in the milk, lower the heat to keep the bechamel at a gentle simmer, and cook, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 2 cups, 30 to 40 minutes; move the whisk over the bottom and into the corners of the pan to be sure the bechamel doesn't burn.

Position the oven racks in the lower third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Strain the bechamel through a fine-mesh conical strainer into a spouted measuring cup. Season with salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, and cayenne.

Remove both doughs from the refrigerator.

Scatter the vegetables and chicken into the pie shell. Pour the bechamel over them. At this point, if the top crust is too hard to shape, let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes. Moisten the rim of pie shell with some of the beaten egg. Cover the filling with the top crust and press the edges of the dough together to seal. Trim away the excess dough that overhangs the rim. Brush the top crust with the egg. Cut a small vent in the center of the dough with a small cutter or the tip of a paring knife to allow steam to escape.

Bake on the lower oven rack until the crust is a rich golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. If necessary, move the pie to the center rack during the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the crust. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the pot pie into 6 wedges and serve warm.

 

Boston Globe's Fish Chowder with Proscuitto - The BEST!

 
 

Here is part two of our Boston Globe article, "Hake goes from trash fish to treasure". This Fish Chowder with Proscuitto is the wonderful results of last night's meal Hake Wrapped in Proscuitto.

I think I will just start by saying this is the BEST fish chowder I have ever tasted. Hands down, better than clam chowder, too.

Take out those three servings of fish and potatoes from our last blog article, Hake Wrapped in Proscuitto. Take the proscuitto off the fish and chop coarsely. Do the same for the fish and potatoes. 

Note that we did things a little differently: 

1. We used scrod as the white fish since we couldn't find hake.

2. We used seafood broth, which we found in the broth section at the supermarket.

3. Ours didn't look as golden as theirs so we added a few threads of saffron.

This recipe took us about fifteen minutes to put together. It was a nice hearty chowder with rich flavors. It wasn't thick but it was creamy and the fish and potatoes gave it body. It happened to be rainy and cold the night we served it, so it hit the spot for warming you up.

We were so impressed with the taste of the chowder, we are going to make a pot of the chowder the next time since this recipe only feeds 4. We will take the time to cook the fish and potatoes the night before and then quickly make the chowder the following day.

If you want to impress your friends and family, cook the Hake Wrapped in Proscuitto next weekend and serve this chowder as a meal or appetizer at your next gathering. You will mark this recipe as a favorite under "The BEST fish chowder...EVA!" 

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of butter

6 scallions, chopped using both green and white pieces

Proscuitto from pieces of fish, chopped coarsely

Sliced potatoes from fish, chopped coarsely

2 cups of clam or fish broth

2 cups of heavy cream

3 pieces of cooked fish, flaked into large pieces

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley

Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

1. In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

2. Add the prosciutto and continue cooking, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

3. Add the potatoes, clam or fish broth, cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 3 minutes.

4. Add the fish and cook 2 minutes or until the fish is heated through. Taste the chowder for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

5. Ladle the chowder into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley.

Boston Globe's Hake Wrapped in Proscuitto

 

This past Wednesday, the Boston Globe ran an article called "Hake goes from trash fish to treasure". The article highlighted two meals made with hake. Hake is a salt water fish or stock fish that is similar to cod. Not having had fish in a few weeks, Jeff decided to take on these recipes knowing we would make the Hake Wrapped Proscuitto the first night and the remainder would make a great chowder.

Jeff went to the store and couldn't find Hake but decided to use scrod. The recipe recommends Hake or a white flaky fish. He started the recipe by thinly slicing the yukon potatoes and layering them with olive oil, salt and pepper in a roasting pan. He placed the potatoes in the oven and prepared the fish. Jeff wrapped each of the fish pieces in two slices of proscuitto. After 30 minutes, he placed the fish on the potatoes and allowed the rest of the dish to finish cooking.

We had enough people for dinner to save the remainder for the fish chowder, which is definitely a must! The fish was very good. It was flaky and flavorful and the potatoes complemented the fish perfectly. My only suggestion would be to brush olive oil on the proscuitto before cooking the fish. My proscuitto was a little dry, but still tasty. As much as the fish was delicious, the potatoes were amazing. Between the olive oil, fish juices and proscuitto, the potatoes were what everyone fought over.

Please continue to the next blog article Boston Globe's Fish Chowder with Proscuitto where we will highlight, what we consider, the best fish chowder we have ever eaten! If you would like to make the fish chowder, save three servings of fish and potatoes from this meal.

Ingredients:

4 large yukon golden or Yellow Finn potatoes

2 1/2 pounds of skinless, boneless hake or other white fish (pollock, scrod), cut into 8 pieces

16 slices of proscuitto

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

1. Set the oven at 450 degrees. Oil a 13- to 14-inch baking dish large enough to hold the fish in one layer.

2. Using a mandoline or another hand-held slicing tool, cut the potatoes into very thin slices. Arrange them in the baking dish, sprinkling the layers with oil, salt, and pepper.

3. Roast the potatoes for 35 minutes or until they are tender and browning at the edges.

4. Meanwhile, sprinkle each piece of fish lightly with oil. Wrap each one with 2 overlapping pieces of prosciutto, tucking them under the fish. Set the fish on the potatoes in one layer. Sprinkle the prosciutto with oil.

5. Roast the fish for 15 to 20 minutes or until it is firm to the touch and cooked through. Set aside 3 pieces of fish and 1/4 of the potatoes for the chowder.

6. Use a wide metal spatula to serve each person fish and potatoes. Sprinkle with scallions and parsley.

 

Proscuitto wrapped scrod with layered potatoes and yellow summer squash.

Cook's Illustrated - Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts

Having fresh vegetables in the garden makes it very easy to prepare meals at our house. We were laughing tonight about how we have been eating meals with cherry tomatoes all week. When they are coming out of the garden faster than we can consume them, you get to eat cherry tomatoes at every meal.

The other night we pulled out the Cook's Illustrated "Summer Entertaining" Magazine. It had some great recipes for garden vegetables. We made this recipe of Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts and served it with a Grilled Lemon Chicken which was amazing. (I will be blogging about that recipe next...). The grilled zucchini along with the tomatoes and basil had a deliciously refreshing taste especially when paired with the tanginess of the lemon chicken. We loved the basil and pine nuts, giving it a bit of that "pesto" flavor. Of all the pasta salad recipes we have highlighted this summer, this has definitely been one of our favorites. Probably something we should probably add to our cook-out checklist.

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini and/or summer squash (2 pounds) halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces

3 tablespoons of kosher salt

1 pound of farfalle pasta

5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about one tablespoon)

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1 pint of grape (or cherry) tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted in a small dry skillet over medium low heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes

Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Toss zucchini and/or summer squash with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt in a medium bowl, transfer to a colander and set the colander over bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. Spread squash evenly over a double layer of paper towels, pat dry with an additional towel and wipe off residual salt.

2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil, covered in a stockpot. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and pasta, stir to separate and cook to al dente. Drain and return to pot.

3. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over high heat until just smoking, swirl to coat skillet. Add half of squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly charred 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to baking sheet or large plate. Repeat with remaining squash.

4. Return empty skillet to medium high heat; add 1 tablespoon of oil to coat skillet. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add squash mixture, remaining two tablespoons of oil, tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar and pine nuts to pasta in pot, toss to combine. Adjust seasonings (salt and pepper), if necessary and serve, passing cheese separately.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Cucumber-Peach Salsa

 

Since my daughter, Danielle, graduated in May, she has been making some of our evening meals. This is an added benefit when Jeff and I are running late from work. Danielle has been searching the internet for new and interesting recipes which can be made with some of the ingredients from our garden. Being a food and nutrition major, she is always looking for a healthy component to every dish. She found this recipe on Eat Better America. With many of the ingredients in our garden, Danielle picked up some white peaches at the market and began to make dinner.

There were only 4 ingredients to chop and the smell of mint was in the air. Jeff grilled the chicken breasts and brushed them with the apricot preserves as they cooked. Within fifteen minutes dinner was complete, outside of waiting for a bag of white rice to finish cooking.

The chicken was very flavorful but the salsa was incredible. We were fighting over tasting the salsa because people were going back for seconds. The crunchy cucumbers with the peaches and mint were very refreshing. The red onion and little bit of salt balanced out the salsa's sweetness.

This cucumber- peach salsa would be a great addition to any chicken, pork or fish dish. Given the fact that we had nothing left, I can bet we could make the salsa without meat and get the same results. My only recommendation would be to chill it for at least an hour before serving.

Ingredients:

1 cup of chopped cucumber

2/3 cup of apricot or peach preserves

2 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup of chopped red onion

2 peaches or nectarines, peeled and chopped, about 1-1/2 cups (we used white peaches)

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Preparation:

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In a small bowl mix cucumber, 4 tablespoons of the preserves, the mint, salt, onion and peach; set aside.

Carefully spray grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill. Cover grill; cook over medium heat 10-15 minutes, turning and brushing 2 or 3 times with the remaining preserves, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is 170 degrees. Discard any remaining preserves. Serve chicken with salsa.

Greek Pasta Salad

 

With all the fresh vegetables coming from our garden, I love putting together healthy, delicious meals. For the past few years, I have been making a Greek pasta salad that has been a hit at a few of our summer cookouts. Based on the concept of a Greek Salad, I try to incorporate the ingredients with pasta rather than lettuce greens.

I was able to use fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and oregano right from the garden. It gives the salad an amazing flavor and freshness. I also love the fact that I can add this to any type of pasta and always get the same results...no leftovers!

Try this as your next side dish whether for a cook-out or dinner, people will come back for seconds...and thirds, providing there is any left.

Ingredients:

1 pound of cooked pasta (according to directions), we used large rigatoni

1 pint of cherry tomatoes (cut in half)

1 large cucumber, remove seeds and cut into one inch cubes

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1 large red or green pepper, remove seeds and cut into one inch cubes

1 small can (4 ounces) of sliced olives, drained

1 container (6-8 ounces) of crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped

1 bottle of Greek salad dressing, your choice

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and place into a large bowl. Add chopped vegetables, olives, feta and oregano. Add about one cup of Greek salad dressing. Add more if necessary to incorporate the pasta with the vegetables. Serve immediately or chill for 2 hours before serving (for best flavor). This will feed 4-6 people as a side dish, double the recipe for bigger crowds.

Zucchini and Tomato Frittata

  
When I got out of college, and lived on my own, making meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner was always a challenge. If my roommate was home and we were both tired, a box of Triscuits and some cheddar cheese did the trick for an "any" night dinner. One day, I read an article about frittatas and started making them. They were easy and you could basically put anything you want into them.

I had a few cups of shredded zucchini left from making all our zucchini bread (check out the Chocolate Zucchini Cake and the Pineapple Zucchini Bread) and decided I needed to do something so it wouldn't go bad. With one starving son in the kitchen looking for breakfast, I knew what I could make...a zucchini frittata. As I was putting it together, I went out to the garden to see what else I could "throw" in. I found ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and lemon thyme. I had everything I needed to create a healthy breakfast.

My son, Michael, was impressed. This was a little different from his standard omelette. Since he only ate half of it, it gave my mother and I the opportunity to taste what was left. The fritatta was nice and firm and bursting with flavor. The zucchini and tomato, fresh from the garden, is amazing in anything. Add fresh herbs and a little cheese and it was perfect. I love that quiche consistency without the crust.

A frittata is one of those wonderful dishes that can get your vegetables and proteins in one quick, easy, and delicious meal!

Start with:

6 eggs

1/2 cup of half and half cream

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Blend together with a fork or whisk until well incorporated, set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to broil.

In a medium sized frying pan over medium heat, add

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Add to the pan:

1 chopped scallion, sauteed for 2 - 3 minutes, until translucent.

Stir in:

1 cup of shredded zucchini

6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

6 basil leaves, torn

1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme

Cook for about 3 - 5 minutes, the tomatoes will begin to soften.

Add the egg mixture:

Stir the egg mixture and move the mixture around until it begins to set and there is a bit of wetness to the top. Take the frying pan off the burner and sprinkle with

1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

Place the pan under the broiler (SEE NOTE) and cook until the top is light to golden brown (2-3 minutes). The eggs will now be firm. Remove from the broiler and let cool slightly. The frittata should slide out of the frying pan. Cut into wedges. Feeds 2-3 people.

NOTE: Read manufacturer's instructions for placing frying pans under the broiler. I place foil around my handle to protect the rubber.

Rigatoni with Sausage and Parsley - Easy and Light Summer Meals

 
Back about 10 years ago, I went on a kick of buying Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. I saved the recipes I liked but never really got around to making many of them.

About 5 years ago, as I was cleaning out all my cooking magazines and recipes, I came across this simple recipe. What started out as an experimental dinner has become a family favorite. Our family goes back and forth between Rigatoni with Sausage and Parsley and Epicurious' Penne with Sausage and Tomato Sauce. They are both great recipes that start with a sausage base. I find we eat the rigatoni with sausage and parley during the warmer months as it is a lighter meal and wonderful with freshly cut parsley from the garden.

When we talked about what people liked best about this recipe, it was the taste of sweet onions with the sausage. The parsley brings a clean taste to the palette with the light broth and parmesan cheese. The meal is quick and easy and never yield leftovers. It's too good to put away.

It paid off, gathering all the recipes from Everyday Food. I just wished I had experimented sooner.

Ingredients:

1 pound of bulk spicy Italian sausage, remove from casings and crumbled

2 medium red onions, halved and slices 1/4 inch thick

1 can (14.5 ounce) chicken broth

1 pound of rigatoni, cook according to package instructions

3 cups of packed fresh Italian parsley leaves

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

Coarse salt and ground pepper for seasoning

Preparation:

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned, breaking apart large pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions; cook stirring occasionally until onions are caramelized and sausage is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Add broth; cook until heated through, 3-5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook 1 pound of rigatoni (or other short tubular pasta) until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain; return to pot.

3. Add sausage mixture, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to the pasta, toss to combine. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

This dish serves 4-6 people.

My Favorite Pineapple Zucchini Bread

 

July may be Blueberry Month, but zucchini is abundant in our garden. Having picked the first five zucchini, we were eager to some make zucchini bread. During the season, we will make three of our favorite zucchini bread recipes and then look for new ones. We will also make everything from stuffed zucchini to zucchini cookies and muffins. The excitement of fresh products from the garden makes creating zucchini based recipes more fun.

I have been making pineapple zucchini bread for many years. I can't remember where it came from but if they are on my 5 x 7 index cards that means they are at least 20 years old. (Am I dating myself again?)

This zucchini bread recipe is sweet and very moist, it's great with raisins as well as nuts. At our house, raisins rule. It's great when you can combine your ingredients to get both a fruit and vegetable into one product. We love serving this to company as everyone enjoys their first slice and then proceed to fight over the remaining pieces. When you bake as much as we do, having a product that everyone enjoys is rewarding.

As we blog three to four zucchini bread recipes this month, we would love to hear from you! Which is your favorite bread? And why?

Ingredients:

3 eggs

3 teaspoons of vanilla

1 cup of vegetable oil

2 cups of white sugar

3 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

2 cups of shredded zucchini

1 small can (8 ounces) of crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup of raisins or nuts

Preparation:

Beat the eggs, vanilla, sugar and oil until well blended (2-3 minutes). Add the dry ingredients of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until well incorporated. Add the zucchini, pineapple and raisins or nuts. Place into 3 loaf pans (or two if you like large loaves, I find three cooks faster and more evenly). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour. Bread is done when slightly golden and a toothpick tests clean.

NOTE: I use disposable aluminum foil loaf pans, I find they are easier to freeze and travel as a gift. 

Bon Appetit's Fettuccine with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta

 

When our cooking magazines come, it's like Christmas. Both Jeff and I send time reading them from cover to cover looking for our next cooking project. This dish of fettuccine with peas, asparagus and pancetta was on the cover of the May 2010 edition of Bon Appetit. It looked light and refreshing with the peas and asparagus, along with the lemon juice and lemon rind.

It was easy as well as quick to make. In the time it took us to boil and cook the pasta, the rest of the mealwas ready to go. The dish was very good. It had a light cream sauce that complimented the fresh herbs and vegetables. Lots of seconds with no leftovers, that's always a good sign.

My only suggestion would be to add a bit of salt and pepper (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of each) and Jeff would say to add some red pepper flakes.  

Ingredients

12 ounces fettuccine or penne

3 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped

1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces

2 cups shelled fresh green peas, blanched 1 minute in boiling water, drained, or frozen peas (do not thaw)

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts separated from dark green parts

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

Preparation

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, cook pancetta in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add asparagus to drippings in skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add peas, white and pale green parts of green onions, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add vegetable mixture, 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, dark green parts of green onions, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, half of parsley, and half of basil to pasta. Toss, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle pancetta, remaining parsley, and basil over. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

Wilson Farm's Red Skinned Potato Salad

  
I am not a potato salad fan. As I have mentioned, I'm not a big fan of mayonnaise. Anytime there is a dish with mayonnaise on it, I tend to stay away from it. Maybe because the taste always comes to the forefront. Chicken salad becomes mayonnaise with chicken...get my point? Last summer while thumbing through cookbooks, we came across this potato salad recipe. It was from our Wilson Farm Country Cookbook. This potato salad recipe was different from most because it had a vinaigrette dressing to start and then mayonnaise was added at the end to basically hold the salad together.

We served it last night with steaks (marinated in Jeff's Sizzling Sirloin Steaks) and my girlfriend, Anne's, corn and bean salad. (Hopefully we will be able to report on that recipe, too!) It was excellent. I love the balsamic vinegar with just a hint of mayonnaise. The onion and green scallions give it a little crunch. I doubled the recipe and fed eight hungry adults and a few additional children. I get the same compliments all the time. "I don't really like potato salad but this was great!"

Isn't that what you want to hear! Put this on your summer list of recipe staples. It will be the hit of your next cook-out...or maybe someone else's!

Ingredients:

2 pounds of red skinned potatoes (not over 2 inch diameter)

3 tablespoons of salad oil

1 1/2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon finely minced white onion

1/3 cup of chopped scallions

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

3/4 cup of mayonnaise (or enough to moisten)

Preparation:

Boil the unpeeled potatoes until fork tender (20-25 minutes). Drain and while they are still hot, slice them into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the oil and vinegar over the potatoes. Add the onions, scallions, salt, pepper and parsley. (Note: I mix all the ingredients (oil, vinegar, onion, scallion, salt, pepper, and parsley) in a small dish and then add them all together.) Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover and let marinade at least one hour. Stir in the mayonnaise and correct the seasoning. Chill before serving.

Note: Add a small amount of chopped fresh basil, dill or tarragon to make the salad even tastier.

William-Sonoma's Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas

 

Friday was quesadilla and mojito night. Nothing better than a minty refreshing drink with some great finger food. Jeff found this recipe in a cookbook I purchased a while back called William-Sonoma Weekend - Food Made Fast. The recipe was called Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas. Hands down, the easiest meal to make and HEALTHY! I know many of my recipes don't give nutritional value, but look at the ingredients...fresh and basic.

Our household loves any type of Mexican food and as much as they love our chicken enchiladas, we have a new recipe to add to our list of "regulars." We made it with our Killer Guacamole and added some warmed black beans. With all the other compliments, salsa, sour cream and shredded Monterey Jack cheese, everyone continued to build their quesadillas to their liking.

The flavor was great with the moist roasted chicken, wilted fresh spinach and mushrooms. The Monterey Jack cheese was a perfect blend to these fresh ingredients. Crunchy tortillas, fresh veggies...they were delicious.

If you have had a long week (or a short one because it is only Monday!) and are looking for a quick and easy meal for dinner, pick up these ingredients and presto! Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons corn oil

6 ounces fresh button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

2 cups packed baby spinach

2 cups shredded roast chicken, homemade or purchased

8 flour tortillas, each 10 inches in diameter

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup salsa, homemade or purchased

PREPARE THE FILLING: In a large, heave fry pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and chicken and saute just until the spinach is wilted, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl.

ASSEMBLE THE QUESADILLAS: Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas, spooning it onto half of each tortilla and leaving a 3/4-inch border uncovered. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Fold the tortillas in half over the chicken mixture to enclose loosely.

COOK THE QUESADILLAS: Wipe out the fry pan with a paper towel and return to medium heat. Brush lightly with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Working in batches, add the quesadillas to the pan and cook until golden brown on one side, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a large spatula, carefully turn the quesadillas and cook until golden on the other side and the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Divide the quesadillas among 4 plates and serve. Pass the sour cream and salsa at the table.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Bacon and Balsamic Vinaigrette

The other night, we were looking for a quick and easy salad to serve with our Herb Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce. (Recipe will follow this week.) We did a quick google search and came up with this wilted spinach salad recipe. It was offered through the What's Cooking America website.

We liked it because it had few ingredients, we were able to cook the bacon ahead of time, and the vinaigrette cook minutes to complete. Because we eat cold salads on a regular basis, we forget how good a warm salad tastes. With a little bit of red onion and chopped bacon, it was delicious. I wish the picture of the salad was better. Sometimes the kitchen lights at night are not conducive for picture taking.

If we were going to make this more of a meal, we could add chopped eggs, craisins and a few walnuts. Grilled chicken would be good, too. This recipe is a great base and you can dress it up with your favorite likes. 

Ingredients 

6 cups (5-ounces) fresh spinach leaves, washed, dried, and chilled
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/4 teaspoon coarse or sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon good-quality aged balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

Remove stems and veins from spinach and tear into bite-sized pieces; place spinach in a large bowl.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, fry bacon approximately 5 minutes or until crisp; transfer with slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in pan. Return frying pan to medium heat; add oil, onion, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is slightly softened. Add balsamic vinegar; swirl to incorporate.

Pour warm dressing over spinach and toss gently to wilt (when properly wilted, the leaf edges soften slightly, but the spinach retains some crunch). Sprinkle bacon over spinach and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Sausages, Peppers, Onions and Potatoes

 
With the warmer weather coming, outdoor entertaining is just around the corner. Two weeks ago we were invited to our first cookout of the season. Trying to figure out what I would bring, I figured I'd make a family favorite, sausages, peppers, onions and potatoes. I originally started making this mixture because my family loved sausages, peppers and onions. Instead of having to cook the ingredients separately, I would put them in one large roasting pan and was able to create the same meal with less effort.

I was never a fan of sausages, peppers and onions but I find I can't stop eating this dish when I make it. The potatoes pick up all the flavor of the peppers and onions and the red peppers bring a little bit of sweetness to the dish, complimenting the sweet and hot sausage. Deliciously perfect...and a great cook-out dish!

I apologize for not having a better picture. In all the commotion of leaving for the party, I forgot to take a picture. If you make the dish, take a picture, I'll post the results. 

Ingredients:

3 pounds of red potatoes, diced into 1 inch cubes

2 pounds of Italian sausages (1 pound sweet sausage, 1 pound hot sausage), cut each link into 3 pieces

1 green pepper and 1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 medium white onions, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1/4 to 1/3 cup of olive oil

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 tablespoon of freshly chopped rosemary

Preparation:

Take chopped vegetables and sausage and toss in a large roasting pan. Pour olive oil over the mixture and coat generously. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 1 hour. After one hour, remove the foil and allow the vegetables and sausages to begin to roast, turning slightly golden brown. Bake for another hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove and serve.

Cinco de Mayo Throwndown - Killer Guacamole VS Tequila-Lime Guacamole

 
Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo and what better way to celebrate than an ice cold margarita with some killer guacamole and chips. For the past few years, Jeff and I have been using this guacamole recipe at most of our gatherings. The other night we decided to have a "GuacamoleThrowdown"...Friends Food Family style.

This weekend in the Boston Globe Magazine, there was a section called Tequila and Lime. There was a guacamole recipe called Tequila-Lime Guacamole. It was a little different from our traditional recipe as it used red onions and included tequila. I mixed up a batchand we began our taste test. The guacamole was creamy with chunks and had a nice lime and cilantro flavor. I liked the crunchiness of the red onions and the jalapenos brought some nice heat.

Next was our Killer Guacamole. It comes from a margarita book I purchased from Williams-Sonoma. This recipe is made with tomatoes which gives it some additional flavor. I have always like this recipe because you taste everything from the garlic to onions and cilantro. I love serving it with black bean chips.

After the Throwndown it was decided...quite unanimously...it's the Killer Guacamole. Everyone liked both guacamole but there was a little more flavor with the "killer".

I've given you both recipes, so I'll let you decide. Also, I apologize for only one picture which is the Killer Guacamole. The tequila-Lime Guacamole picture came out extremely blurry.

Killer Guacamole Makes about 3 cups

4 ripe Haas avocados

1/2 cup of finely chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup of finely chopped white onions

2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

1 small jalapeno pepper, minced (we use half)

1/4 -1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Pepper to taste

Scoop the flesh from the avocados and place into a bowl. Mash the avocados leaving some chunks. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and lime juice. Once blended add cilantro and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortilla chips (and margaritas). Enjoy!

Tequila-Lime Guacamole Makes 2½ cups

3 ripe Haas avocados, halved

¼ cup very finely chopped red onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small jalapeno pepper, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup tequila, or to taste

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Scoop the flesh from one avocado into a medium bowl, add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, tequila, ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, and mash well with a fork. Working with the remaining avocado halves 1 at a time, use a dinner knife to make ½-inch crosshatch incisions in flesh, cutting down to but not through the skin. With a soup spoon, scoop the avocado chunks into the bowl with the avocado-onion mixture. Sprinkle the lime juice over the mixture and stir gently. Taste the guacamole and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, and tequila, if desired. Serve at once.

Giada's Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

  

As promised, here is the last of the recipes from Giada DeLaurentiis' Giada's Kitchen, New Italian Favorites...this week. The best part of Giada's recipes is that they are easy to prepare and many of the ingredients can be found in your cabinets or pantry.

We love salmon and when I came across this recipe I figured it would be another variation to try. Peas, mint and salmon always compliment each other, and adding it to a lemony broth sounded delicious.

We started by mixing the brodetto together and allowing that to simmer as we got the pea puree ingredients into the food processor. Cooking the salmon was quick and before we knew it, dinner was served.

We are still trying to figure out if we put too much broth in the dish because as you begin to eat it, you'll find that the pea puree and lemon brodetto become mixed like a thick soup. I found myself running the salmon pieces through the broth. It really was a delicious dish, just a little odd to figure it out. We finished it with a side dish of pearl couscous, which ended up in the broth, too.

Overall, a great dish, just a little different in presentation and consumption! 

Ingredients:

Lemon Brodetto:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Pea Puree:

• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed (about 10 ounces)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Salmon:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

To make the Lemon Brodetto, warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth. Bring to a simmer, and keep warm, covered, over low heat.

To make the Pea Puree, combine the peas, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady drizzle. Transfer the pea puree to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.

To make the Salmon, warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish.

To assemble the dish, add the tablespoon chopped mint to the Lemon Brodetto and divide between 4 shallow dishes. Place a large spoonful of Pea Puree into the center of each bowl. Place a salmon piece atop each mound of Pea Puree. Serve immediately.

Giada's Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns

 

As I began Monday, this week is made up of a few recipes from Giada DeLaurentiis' Giada's Kitchen, New Italian Favorites. Last night we made Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns. I had remembered this recipe from one of her shows. I had been meaning to look for the recipe but just forgot.

The recipe worked in three parts, cutting the butternut squash, boiling the water and preparing the shrimp. We found each process worked into each other and at the end of 45 minutes, we had a great meal.

The butternut squash mixture had a smooth, almost creamy consistency. I loved the mild flavor which had a hint of cheese. The shrimp was juicy and complimented the pasta and butternut squash. When we started making the dish, my son kept saying he didn't really like butternut squash. At the end of the meal, his plate was empty and he said, "That was pretty good." We'll take that as a big compliment from a 15 year old.

If you are looking for a meal that is out of the ordinary, try this rigatoni dish. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon

1 cup vegetable stock

1 pound rigatoni

1 pound prawns, peeled and de-veined

3/4 to 1 cup whole milk 

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation:

Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Saute until the squash is golden and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the squash is very soft, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the squash mixture to a blender or food processor and puree.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the prawns with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Add the prawns to the pan and cook until just pink, about 3 minutes.

In a large pot over low heat combine the cooked pasta, pureed squash mixture, and 3/4 cup milk. Stir to combine. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk if the sauce needs to be moistened. Add the cooked prawns, basil, and cheese. Stir until warm and serve. 
 

Mini Golden Yukon Potatoes with Dill

These are probably the best potatoes we have had in a long time.

We were at Sid Wainer & Sons in New Bedford and came across mini golden Yukon potatoes. They were about the size of grape tomatoes. We bought two pounds and figured we could find a new recipe to use them in. As we looked for recipes to jazz up these potatoes, we realized that maybe just a pan saute would be fine. We boiled the potatoes first and then I threw them into the frying pan with a little butter. We had some fresh dill from the weekend before and figured we'd add it to the dish.

They were great. Browning them in the frying pan gave them a crunchy skin and soft centers. The dill was perfect and didn't overpower the potatoes. We enjoyed our potatoes with a porter house steak. Nothing better than steak and potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of mini golden Yukon potatoes

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoon of fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Place potatoes in a pot of water (generously salted) and bring to a boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes.

2. Remove from pan and cool slightly.

3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and melt the butter, place potatoes and dill in the pan and saute until sides of the potatoes are slightly golden brown (approximately 10 minutes).

4. Salt and pepper to taste.

Easy and Delicious - Asparagus and Proscuitto

 
There is nothing better than asparagus wrapped in prosciutto. It's one of the best and easiest appetizers you can serve to a group of people. For me, it's like candy. When the prosciutto is grilled, it caramelizes and gives you that sweet taste. Combine that flavor with the asparagus and it is to die for. We have served this on numerous occasions and it always seems to be a favorite.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh asparagus, remove lower 1/4 of asparagus stem

1/2 pound of imported prosciutto, thinly sliced

Olive oil, salt and pepper

Preparation:

After removing the lower stems, place the asparagus in a bowl. Toss with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap 1 slice of  prosciutto around each asparagus spear. Place on grill over medium heat. Turn until all sides of the prosciutto are golden. About 5-7 minutes. Remove from grill and serve.

It doesn't get any easier than this!

Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart

 

Another great appetizer to add to your list. We made this cornmeal-crusted roasted ratatouille tart from our Appetizers booklet by Fine Cooking on Saturday night. This booklet has become our new favorite. Four recipes which we marked as keepers and there were many others we would have liked to have tried.

This tart was very different tasting. It had a great cornmeal crust which balanced the freshly roasted eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes. The layers of mozzarella cheese and chopped basil pulled everything together. It was an appetizer which you might serve in late summer after you picked your vegetables fresh from the garden...absolutely amazing. The tart slices disappeared as quickly as we put them on the plate.

 Crust:

• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup whole-grain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 tablespoons water

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced eggplant rounds (about 1/3 medium eggplant)
• 1 zucchini, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds (about 8 ounces)
• 3 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 
• 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cornmeal, pastry flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to incorporate. Add butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until mixture resembles small pebbles. Add water and pulse until mixture forms a loose dough. Remove dough from processor and press into bottom and about 1/8-inch up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim. Press aluminum foil into the bottom and sides of the pan on top of the dough and weigh down with uncooked rice or pie weights. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and remove rice and foil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until no longer shiny and wet. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the filling: Increase the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat; saute shallots until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spray 2 baking trays with cooking spray. Arrange the eggplant, zucchini and tomato slices on the trays in a single layer and brush with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast the vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from oven and cool.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lay the eggplant slices in 2 layers on the bottom of tart; cover with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and some of the shredded basil. Add the zucchini and shallots, top with another 1/3 of the mozzarella and basil, then the tomatoes. Top with rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables have further wilted. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into 8 slices. Serve warm.

Maryana Vollstedt's Spaghetti Squash with Vegetables

 
Every Sunday before we go grocery shopping, we try and map out what our dinner menu will look like for the week. I find that with a hectic work schedule, knowing what will we be making for dinner makes things a little easier.

Back a few years ago, while visiting some small country stores in central Massachusetts, Jeff and I came across the cookbook, The Big Book of Casseroles by Maryana Vollstedt. This was one of our first staple recipe books and if you have children, this is a must have. We have made at least 20 recipes from the book. The recipes are easy, tasty and enjoyed by the whole family.

While I was flipping through the book looking for Victory Casserole, which we will highlight, I came across this recipe, Spaghetti Squash with Vegetables. I hadn't made spaghetti squash in years and I loved the combination of mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes. This recipe tasted so fresh and was extremely light (except for the few pats of butter). Our family devoured the entire dish, I wished I had doubled it.

If you are looking for a light, healthy meal or side dish for dinner, consider this recipe. It's a great alternative to pasta.

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)

1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil

6 green onions including some tender green tops, sliced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 small zucchini, unpeeled, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tomato, seeded, diced and drained

1/2 cup of chicken broth

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and loose strings. On an aluminum foil lined baking sheet, place squash, cut side down. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. (See Note) Remove from baking sheet and cool. With a fork, scrape out flesh and place in a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish, lightly coated with Pam.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm one tablespoon of the olive oil. Add onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic and saute until tender, 6-7 minutes. Add more oil if needed. Stir in tomato, broth and seasonings, simmer 5 minutes longer.

Transfer to casserole dish containing squash and mix well. (I added a few pats of butter as I thought it might dry out) Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Bake uncovered until heated through and flavors are blended, about 40 minutes. Serves 6.

Note: Spaghetti squash may also be cooked in the microwave oven. Cut squash as directed. Place cut side down in a shallow glass dish with 1/4 cup of water. Cover with plastic wrap. Cook 7-8 minutes on high and then proceed as directed.

 

Sweet Potato Fries - Hot and Sweet

  
We love sweet potatoes, whether baked, mashed or roasted they always taste great. Last night we were making steak for dinner and I was craving french fries. Having found a few sweet potatoes in the pantry, I figured I could make Sweet Potato Fries.

I went to the Food Network website and started looking through recipes. Some were a little bland, others calling for frying in oil. I didn't have much time so it became a combination of recipes, a little bit of Emeril, a little bit of Giada.

I decided to peel and cut two sweet potatoes into slices a little bit thinner than steak fries. I drizzled two tablespoons of canola oil onto the slices and tossed them well. I placed them on cookie sheets and salt and peppered one side. I placed them into a 400 degree oven and let them cook for 20 minutes. I turned the potatoes and allowed them to cook for an additional 20 minutes. I took them out when they started getting golden brown around the edges.

While they were baking I mixed together:

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

When I took them out, I sprinkled them with the sugar mixture. They were delicious, a little bit of sweetness with cayenne heat. Everyone enjoyed them, picking at them before the steak was ready. I decided that the next time I bake, roast or fry sweet potatoes, I'm going to sprinkle them with this mixture...hot and sweet, just the way we like them!