6 ears of corn
6 zucchini
1/4 red onion (finely diced)
6 tomatoes
tiny fresh mozzarella cheese balls (la perla - i think they are called. You can get the regular small bite sized balls and cut them into 4 pieces)
Balsamic Vinaigrette - you can buy it or make it yourself
Salt and Pepper to taste
Crispy fried pancetta bits
Toss corn and zucchini in olive oil and season with salt and grill on a BBQ until caramelized and done. Cool in the fridge. Dice onion and cube tomato into small little pieces. Strip the corn off the cob and cut zucchini into small little pieces like the tomato. The largest pieces in the salad are the tomatoes and zucchini, then the cheese should be about that size too, then the onion is the smallest. Toss with the balsamic dressing, season with salt and pepper and then crumble the pancetta over the top and serve. Crunchy, veggie summer bliss!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Yogurt Cream With Berries and Orgasmic Face
This was on my best friend The Pioneer Woman's Website and let me tell ya, it is the best thing you have ever tasted. Honestly people this is so great.
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plain unflavored yogurt
2/3 to 3/4 cup brown sugar
Berries - you better have a lot on hand because you are going to eat several helpings of this stuff.
Mix cream and yogurt together. Now carefully drop little spoon fulls of the brown sugar all over the top of the cream/yogurt mixture but DO NOT STIR. Cover in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, stir it all together. Get out a fancy glass and spoon in some berries (whatever kind you like) and spoon a healthy dose of this cream over your berries. Now prepare to make an orgasmic face after you take that first bite. Yep. There it is. That face. Does it get better than this?
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plain unflavored yogurt
2/3 to 3/4 cup brown sugar
Berries - you better have a lot on hand because you are going to eat several helpings of this stuff.
Mix cream and yogurt together. Now carefully drop little spoon fulls of the brown sugar all over the top of the cream/yogurt mixture but DO NOT STIR. Cover in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, stir it all together. Get out a fancy glass and spoon in some berries (whatever kind you like) and spoon a healthy dose of this cream over your berries. Now prepare to make an orgasmic face after you take that first bite. Yep. There it is. That face. Does it get better than this?
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Crab or Shrimp Louie - Perfect for Summer
A bed of lettuce. This is the only salad I use iceberg for however, it is much better for you if you use a darker mix of green.
Top bed of lettuce with: sliced black olives, sliced hardboiled egg, cucumber and tomatoes.
Top veggie bed with a lot of crab meat or shrimp. If you do shrimp, I like the bay shrimp that are small. Don't forget to clean and shell whatever type of seafood you choose.
In a seperate container mix 1 part thousand island dressing, 1 part cocktail sauce and 1 part maynaise. Add chopped pickle and lemon juice and garlic and stir until you like the consistency and taste of the dressing.
Serve with some saltine crackers on the side. Season your salad with salt and pepper so it won't be bland.
Top bed of lettuce with: sliced black olives, sliced hardboiled egg, cucumber and tomatoes.
Top veggie bed with a lot of crab meat or shrimp. If you do shrimp, I like the bay shrimp that are small. Don't forget to clean and shell whatever type of seafood you choose.
In a seperate container mix 1 part thousand island dressing, 1 part cocktail sauce and 1 part maynaise. Add chopped pickle and lemon juice and garlic and stir until you like the consistency and taste of the dressing.
Serve with some saltine crackers on the side. Season your salad with salt and pepper so it won't be bland.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Chicken Marsala
I love Chicken Marsala. But I've had some really bad chicken Marsala in my time. There's nothing worse than bad chicken Marsala. For this reason, I usually shy away from ordering it anywhere other than Carraba's and Biba's and I've never found a recipe that I could totally trust. Then I came across this recipe from my new favorite recipe blog http://www.smittenkitchen.com/. This chick puts out fantastic food even more fantastic photos of food and even much more fantastic stories about her food. Her chicken Marsala really looked good, seemed easy and a perfect solution as to what to feed my in laws when they came for dinner Sunday night. And guess what cats and kittens? It WAS! The chicken is moist and great, the mushrooms made this great sauce and I served it with linguine with just a smidgen of light Alfredo and green beans. The Marsala mushroom sauce was perfect with the noodles and because I had used so little sauce on the noodles, the end result was perfect. The only variations I made were I used boneless skinless breasts, more mushrooms than it called for and a re hydrated some dried porcini mushrooms to give it a more earthy flavor. In my opinion, you don't need any fancy mushrooms. If you have dark meat loving people, you could do 1/2 boneless thighs and 1/2 boneless breasts. The meat does not need the skin that the recipe calls for.
Chicken and Mushroom Marsala
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, sliced thin
3/4 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 cup Marsala1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet heat oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown chicken in 2 batches, transferring with tongs to a large plate as browned.
Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and saute onion and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Marsala and cook mixture, stirring, until Marsala is almost evaporated. Add broth and chicken with any juices that have accumulated on plate and simmer, turning chicken once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken with tongs to a platter.
Simmer mushroom sauce until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until butter is just incorporated. Spoon mushroom sauce around chicken and sprinkle with parsley.
Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet heat oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown chicken in 2 batches, transferring with tongs to a large plate as browned.
Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and saute onion and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Marsala and cook mixture, stirring, until Marsala is almost evaporated. Add broth and chicken with any juices that have accumulated on plate and simmer, turning chicken once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken with tongs to a platter.
Simmer mushroom sauce until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until butter is just incorporated. Spoon mushroom sauce around chicken and sprinkle with parsley.
Friday, May 30, 2008
My Love of Goat Cheese
Goat cheese has become really popular. Cheese seems to be that way. It's like there's always some new cheese homecoming queen that is currently the popular cheese. In the 80's Pepperjack was all the rage. Then Brie...all you ever heard was Brie Brie Brie. Then, asiago which I hate. After that we learned Gorgonzola is different but similar to bleu cheese and goes great on a salad with pear. We then discovered we couldn't eat just Parmesan but HAD TO BE SURE it was Parmasano Reggiano because that was better. Buffalo Mozzarella began showing up on menus paired with ripe vine ripened tomatoes and freshly snipped basil. (my fav) Now, it seems like the newly crowned princess of cheeses is Goat. I have loved Goat for awhile but now am seeing it used in many ways that I am loving so much! Don't scared of the goat you guys. It's got the consistency of cream cheese, but is sharp and can be used on a lot of stuff. It comes in a log and is just so yummy. Here are some ways to use goat cheese and begin your very own affair.
Appetizer: take french baguette, slice it, drizzle with olive oil, salt and toast in the oven until not super crisp. Spread Goat cheese on top while it's still hot. Top with finely chopped toasted walnuts and drizzle liberally with honey.
Salad: fresh greens, roasted beets (short cut, get a can of whole beets, quarter them and roast them in the oven then cool completely), goat cheese, candied pecans and a great vinaigrette.
Entree: Fillet Mignon crusted in rosemary, thyme, kosher salt and black pepper, topped with a single slice of goat cheese as soon as it's done. Broil goat cheese under broiler to brown. Serve with spinach and sauteed mushrooms.
Dessert: In a bowl, arrange fresh Bing cherries, figs, dates, apricots and apple slices. Serve with goat cheese drizzled with honey on the side.
Appetizer: take french baguette, slice it, drizzle with olive oil, salt and toast in the oven until not super crisp. Spread Goat cheese on top while it's still hot. Top with finely chopped toasted walnuts and drizzle liberally with honey.
Salad: fresh greens, roasted beets (short cut, get a can of whole beets, quarter them and roast them in the oven then cool completely), goat cheese, candied pecans and a great vinaigrette.
Entree: Fillet Mignon crusted in rosemary, thyme, kosher salt and black pepper, topped with a single slice of goat cheese as soon as it's done. Broil goat cheese under broiler to brown. Serve with spinach and sauteed mushrooms.
Dessert: In a bowl, arrange fresh Bing cherries, figs, dates, apricots and apple slices. Serve with goat cheese drizzled with honey on the side.
The Drought Is OVER
Okay - I finally cooked last night. It's been awhile you guys. I mean, AWHILE, like in I can't remember what I made last, as in I have no more room in my fridge for take out containers, as in my husband and my kids were ready to revolt.
Last night, Mike called as usual on his way home and I said "don't stop anywhere to pick anything up because there's Lasagna in the oven. " You know it's bad when his response was "cool, from WHERE?" From my hands, our pantry and our fridge you idiot.
So I made a nice salad with a white truffle and balsamic herb dressing. Garlic bread seasoned with garlic & wine seasoning and sea salt. And my favorite Lasagna (recipe below) with extra mushrooms thrown in and some cheddar cheese mixed in. We had fresh Reineer and Bing Cherries that I picked up at the Farmers Market on Wednesday for dessert.
Mike and the kids were silent and making yummy sounds the whole time. Mike was all like "this is the BEST garlic bread I've ever HAD" and Katie was like "mommy I LOVE LASAGNA!" and Jessica was just silent, pounding down her food with gusto. As I looked at my family, so happy eating this meal I had prepared with love I thought...well that ought to hold em over for awhile, thank goodness. Cooking is exhausting.
Last night, Mike called as usual on his way home and I said "don't stop anywhere to pick anything up because there's Lasagna in the oven. " You know it's bad when his response was "cool, from WHERE?" From my hands, our pantry and our fridge you idiot.
So I made a nice salad with a white truffle and balsamic herb dressing. Garlic bread seasoned with garlic & wine seasoning and sea salt. And my favorite Lasagna (recipe below) with extra mushrooms thrown in and some cheddar cheese mixed in. We had fresh Reineer and Bing Cherries that I picked up at the Farmers Market on Wednesday for dessert.
Mike and the kids were silent and making yummy sounds the whole time. Mike was all like "this is the BEST garlic bread I've ever HAD" and Katie was like "mommy I LOVE LASAGNA!" and Jessica was just silent, pounding down her food with gusto. As I looked at my family, so happy eating this meal I had prepared with love I thought...well that ought to hold em over for awhile, thank goodness. Cooking is exhausting.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Lately...
I've been off my game. Lost my mojo. Missing the mmmmmm....in Amy. I haven't been in the mood to cook. We all I have the food. In the freezer. But there's no sizzlin, no heat, no spice in my life. Are we still talkin' bout cookin'? In any case, I just haven't been feelin it. My husband, my kids, my waistline are ready to revolt. I mean seriously, how much take out can one family live through? I realized I had hit an all time low when I opened a can of Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup...for myself. Ewww. Something has to change.
Tomorrow night I am making Chicken Marsala from my new favorite cooking website...www.smittenkitchen.com. This chick and her husband cooking amazing food in an 80 sq foot kitchen in NYC and have amazing photos and funny stories, instructions and musings on life. In the mean time, here are some of our favorite take out joints.
Pollo Loco - this is #1 by far. We all love it. Stuff that yummy chicken in those warm tortillas with those great beans inside too. And they have corn on the cob. My girls love any place that has corn on the cob.
Pizza Bell - here's the pizza I made up. It is the best pizza ever. I have some in my fridge right now. NewYork Style (surprisingly this is NOT a thin crust) with pesto sauce, salami, chicken, pineapple, olives, artichoke hearts. Trust me people, just try it. Even my pepperoni and black olive robot husband loves it.
IronWok Chinese - If you live in our town, this just opened about 4 months ago. It's a step down from PF Changs but not a big step down and some dishes are even better. The price is like maybe 1/4 of Puff Daddy Changs.
Spaghetti Factory - They have take out down to a science. Browned Butter & Mizithra Cheese...doesn't get better than that.
Raleys/Bel Air - they have a meal of the day that is 12 bucks, feeds all of us and gives leftovers and is different each day. Tonight was meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans almondine. Oh, and rolls.
Nugget - this is a grocery store that has a prepared foods section that dogs anything I have ever seen. Except maybe EatSees in DC and NYC. (way better than WholeFoods)
I must cook. I must cook. I must cook.
Tomorrow night I am making Chicken Marsala from my new favorite cooking website...www.smittenkitchen.com. This chick and her husband cooking amazing food in an 80 sq foot kitchen in NYC and have amazing photos and funny stories, instructions and musings on life. In the mean time, here are some of our favorite take out joints.
Pollo Loco - this is #1 by far. We all love it. Stuff that yummy chicken in those warm tortillas with those great beans inside too. And they have corn on the cob. My girls love any place that has corn on the cob.
Pizza Bell - here's the pizza I made up. It is the best pizza ever. I have some in my fridge right now. NewYork Style (surprisingly this is NOT a thin crust) with pesto sauce, salami, chicken, pineapple, olives, artichoke hearts. Trust me people, just try it. Even my pepperoni and black olive robot husband loves it.
IronWok Chinese - If you live in our town, this just opened about 4 months ago. It's a step down from PF Changs but not a big step down and some dishes are even better. The price is like maybe 1/4 of Puff Daddy Changs.
Spaghetti Factory - They have take out down to a science. Browned Butter & Mizithra Cheese...doesn't get better than that.
Raleys/Bel Air - they have a meal of the day that is 12 bucks, feeds all of us and gives leftovers and is different each day. Tonight was meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans almondine. Oh, and rolls.
Nugget - this is a grocery store that has a prepared foods section that dogs anything I have ever seen. Except maybe EatSees in DC and NYC. (way better than WholeFoods)
I must cook. I must cook. I must cook.
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