Fresh Corn Salad with Black Beans and Tomatoes

Here's another recipe made during our stay at the Cook's Country house in Vermont. If you're looking for a great side dish to bring to a BBQ or picnic, look no further: this salad is healthy, full of ingredients that you can buy right now at your local farm stand, and it's easy to make. I made it extra-summery by grilling the corn rather than boiling it as the original recipe called for. I also added avocado, because it just seemed to make sense with the other ingredients. Fresh corn and tomatoes are the stars here, so please don't use the canned kind. The leftovers make a great filling for quesadillas and omlettes!


Fresh Corn Salad with Black Beans and Tomatoes
adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Ingredients:
Dressing:
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced (leave a few seeds in if you want it a little spicy)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salad:
8 ears fresh corn , husks and silks removed
1 pint grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
6 scallions, sliced thin
1 avocado, diced
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Table salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

1. For the dressing: Shake all of the dressing ingredients together in a jar with a tight­fitting lid.

2. Grill corn over direct heat until a few black marks appear (about 4-5 minutes), rotating occasionally. (or: cook the corn in 6 quarts boiling water until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.) Cut the kernels from each cob into a large mixing bowl using a paring knife. Add the tomatoes, beans, scallions, cilantro, avocado, dressing and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

To Make Ahead:

This salad can be prepared, covered, and refrigerated a day in advance (do not add the avocado until ready to serve). Before serving, bring to room temperature and freshen with a squeeze of lime juice. Add avocado, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 8
 
Download a printable recipe.

Summer Tomato Pie

I can't take credit for making this delicious creation: my friend Kate made it while we were on our Vermont vacation (I can only take credit for eating it). I never get tired of fresh tomatoes (especially when they're layered with cheese), so I plan to make this myself before the summer is over. Served at room temperature, a slice of this pie with a fresh green salad makes an excellent dinner on a steamy August evening.

Tip from Kate: I used store-bought dough and it took the pie about 35-40 minutes to cook once the temperature was reduced. Also, I felt the bottom crust could have been more distinct, so next time I’m planning on baking the bottom crust briefly before adding the filling in step 3.

Summer Tomato Pie
from Cook's Country

Note: Visit Cooks Country.com for our “Double Crust Pie Dough”, or use your own recipe or store bought dough. If using store bought dough, bake the pie for 30 minutes after turning down the heat in step 4.

Ingredients:
2 (9-inch) pie dough rounds (see note)
2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes (about 4 large), cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 tsp cornstarch
1 & 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheese
4 scallions sliced thin

Directions:
1. ROLL DOUGH – On lightly floured surface, roll 1 dough round into 12-inch circle (is using store-bought dough, you do not need to roll either crust. Transfer to 9-inch pie plate, letting excess hang over edge. Cover w/ plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll second round into 12-inch circle and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. DRAIN TOMATOES – Arrange tomatoes on paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle w/ salt. Let drain 30 minutes, then press tomatoes with additional paper towels until very dry.

3. ASSEMBLE PIE – Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place empty rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix mayonnaise, cornstarch, and 1 cup cheese in bowl well combined. Sprinkle remaining cheese over bottom of dough-lined pie plate. Arrange third of tomatoes over cheese. Spread half of mayonnaise mixture over tomatoes and sprinkle with half of scallions. Layer with another third of the tomatoes, remaining mayonnaise mixture and remaining scallions, then w/ remaining tomatoes.

4. CRIMP CRUST – Arrange top crust on pie. Press crusts together, then trim, fold and crimp edges. Cut four 2-by 1- inch oval vent holes in top. Place pie on heated baking sheet, bake for 10 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until crust is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 3 hours. Serve at room temperature.
 
Yield: Serves 8

Download a printable recipe.

Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Roasted Asparagus

I had a subscription to Everyday Food several years ago, and this is the one recipe that I've saved and made over and over again. Whenever spring rolls around and I start seeing asparagus on sale at the grocery store, I immediately think of this recipe. It's a snap to make... you combine the goat cheese and a little butter with hot pasta cooking water to make a creamy, no-cook sauce. Then toss it with your pasta and roasted asparagus. Easy peasy.

I usually leave out the chive garnish, just to make this that much easier. John, however, prefers to add crumbled bacon. Do what you will, but please don't make the same mistake I did the first time I cooked this: the recipe says to reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water, but then instructs you to only put 1/2 cup in the sauce (and add the rest incrementally, if needed). Since I often fail at reading directions, I dumped in the entire cup and half of water. The sauce was a little thin, to say the least. 


Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Roasted Asparagus
from Everyday Food

Ingredients:

2 bunches asparagus (2 pounds total), tough ends removed
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta
1 small log soft goat cheese (5 ounces), crumbled
2 to 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish

Directions:
 
1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Place asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet; dot with 1 tablespoon butter, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes; cut into 2-inch lengths.

2.While asparagus is roasting, generously salt boiling water. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Set aside 1 1/2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

3.In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add goat-cheese mixture and asparagus to pasta; toss to combine, adding more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat pasta. Serve pasta garnished with chives.

Serves 4

Download a printable recipe.

Pasta with Tomato and Almond Pesto (Pesto alla Trapanese)

Can I interest you in a fresh-tasting pasta sauce that requires no more effort than throwing a bunch of stuff in your food processor? I made a double batch of the pesto and froze half of it, which I would definitely recommend doing-it doesn't require any extra work, and you'll be glad you have it sitting in your freezer for the next time you need an easy dinner.

Pasta with Tomato and Almond Pesto
adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:
1/4     cup slivered almonds, toasted
12     ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2     cup packed fresh basil leaves
1     medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2     teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4     teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3     cup extra-virgin olive oil
1     pound pasta , preferably linguine or spaghetti
1     ounce Parmesan cheese , grated (about 1/2 cup), plus extra for serving

Instructions:

1. Process almonds, tomatoes, basil, garlic, red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil, about 30 seconds.

2. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.

3. Add pesto and ½ cup Parmesan to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that pesto coats pasta. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.

Serves 4

Download a printable recipe. 
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Guacamole Salad

Avocado is one of those foods I had almost no interest in until a few years ago. Now I feel like I'm making up for all those wasted, pre-avocado years... if an entree at a restaurant comes with a mere slice of avocado, I'll probably order it. I love to find ways to sneak it into my sandwiches and salads (Ever try a bacon, avocado, and tomato sandwich? Nom.). If you swoon over avocado too, you'll want to try this guacamole salad.

This is kind of a deconstructed guacamole (yes, I have been watching a lot of Top Chef): diced tomato, avocado, jalapeno, and onion are tossed in a lime dressing. And just to make it different, the recipe also calls for some black beans and yellow pepper. If you can get local tomatoes, try out the yellow ones... they are so sweet and tasty. This is one of those recipes where you can easily play with the quantities to suit your tastes (I used less jalapeno and onion than the original, and also added some fresh cilantro).

Guacamole Salad
adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients:
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/2 inch diced
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup small-diced red onion
1 Tbs minced jalapeno peppers, seeded (about 1 pepper)
1/2 tsp freshly grated lime zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2 inch diced
chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Place tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and cayenne and pour over vegetables. Toss well.

Just before serving, fold in avocado. Check seasoning and serve at room temperature.

Serves 6


Download a printable recipe.
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Portobella Mushroom Burgers with Shoestring Fries

Tonight's blog post is a new favorite of ours, portobella burgers!  Since the farmers market opened over a month ago, I've made it a point to stop by the local mushroom guy's booth every week and buy some fungus.  Usually it's the oyster / shitake blend, sometimes its the giant portobella caps.  We made these a few weeks ago and sadly didn't take pictures (we do that a lot), and they were so good that we knew we'd be making them again.  The portobellas are nice and meaty and the combination of the dijon mustard, swiss cheese, and avocado is quite tasty!  I suggest anyone who's afraid of mushrooms, or isn't so sure they like them, to try this recipe, it's a guaranteed thumbs up.

We needed a side dish and what better side is there with a burger than french fries?  I've made these a couple times, and I'm a big fan.  They couldn't be easier to make, and are quite tasty with just salt and pepper.  You could go nuts and add all kinds of seasonings to them, but we'll stick to the tried and true recipe here.  The trick is to soak the fries in water before you bake them, it has something to do with the starches and helping them cook better, I don't know, but I know it works!  Hey, I read it in Cook's Illustrated, and I'll believe anything they tell me. ;)

Portobella Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients:
4 or 5 large portobella mushroom caps
4 slices of swiss cheese (or about 3/4 cup shredded swiss)
1/2 avocado (sliced into strips)
dijon mustard
2 kaiser or challah rolls, sliced in half and toasted
canola oil cooking spray
salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat and coat the bottom with a little bit of canola oil cooking spray.  While skillet heats, remove the stems and gills of the mushrooms using a spoon.

Place the portobellas stem side up in the skillet and spray a little cooking spray on each cap, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook for 5-8 minutes (cooking time depends on the thickness of each mushrrom cap) until bottom of mushroom starts to brown and a little liquid starts to collect inside cap of the mushroom.  Flip each cap, spraying with cooking spray, and salt and pepper each.

Cook for another 5-8 minutes until they have browned nicely and shrunk in size.  Top each cap with cheese, evenly divided, turn off the heat and cover the skillet.  Cheese should be melted nicely in 2-3 minutes.

Remove from skillet and place on toasted rolls with dijon mustard and sliced avocado.  Enjoy!  Makes 2 burgers.

Download a printable recipe here!
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Shoestring French Fries

Ingredients:
2 russet potatoes (cut into 1/4" strips using a knife or mandolin)
canola oil cooking spray
salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut potatoes into strips and place in a large bowl.  Cover the fries with cold water and let them soak for about 10 minutes.  Drain the water and dry the fries completely on sheets of paper towels.  Place the fries in a single layer on baking sheets that were sprayed with cooking spray. It is important to put them in a single layer and not piled on top of each other.  Spray a little cooking spray on the fries, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until fries are golden brown.  You can flip them after 20 minutes, but it is not necessary.  Note: You can also make sweet potato french fries, as you can see, but be careful not to overcook them.  They take less time to cook (about 15-20 minutes) and burn easily, so keep your eye on them.

Serves 2.

30 Minute Tortellini Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

I don't know about you,  but I have no desire to eat a bowl of hot pasta when it's almost 100 degrees outside. I do, however, have no issue with scarfing down a bowl of cold pasta. This tortellini salad is a great meal for those summer nights when you can't bear to eat anything hot.  This is quick and easy to throw together, and it's got two of my favorite summer foods: tomatoes and basil. You could easily play around with this recipe to suit your tastes. Don't like arugula? Use baby spinach. Can't bear to have a meal without meat? Add some grilled chicken. And may I suggest some feta in place of the Parmesan?

It's supposed to be scorching hot all week, so give this one a try.

30 Minute Tortellini Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula, and Pine Nuts
from The Best 30 Minute Recipe

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and ground black pepper
2 (9 oz) packages fresh cheese tortellini
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Directions:
1. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot.

2. Meanwhile, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, basil, shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl large enough to hold the entire pasta salad. Halve the cherry tomatoes, set aside.

3. Add the tortellini and 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, until tender. Drain, shaking off excess water.

4. Add tortellini and tomatoes to bowl with the dressing and toss. Cover and refrigerate until cooled, at least 15 minutes (15 minutes will give you lukewarm pasta; go longer if you want it cold).

5. Before serving, stir in arugula, Parmesan, and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4 to 6


Download a printable recipe.
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Bucatini with Mushrooms

If you've never tried Bucatini or Perciatelli pasta before, run out and buy some right now.  It's such a fun noodle to eat!  At first glance it looks like a thick spaghetti, but upon closer inspection, you'll notice a tiny hole running right through the center of the pasta.  I don't know what it is about that hole, but it makes the pasta have such a wonderful texture.  This is the first time I've eaten this pasta, and I can tell you for sure that this will always be stocked in the AboveAnItalianRestaurant.com pantry! 

This recipe is from Cooking Light once again, and when Bec showed it to me, I was all about it.  I've been wanting to eat more mushrooms and learn a few staple mushroom recipes, and this is definitely going to be a staple. We got the mushrooms from the farmer's market, a crimini & oyster blend, which is where I got my new love / interest in mushrooms.  We got some portobellas last weekend and made delicious portobella burgers with avocado and swiss cheese.  Recipe to come, and oh yeah, they were delicious.

Anyway, this dish was great, wonderful mushroom flavor and the pecorino-romano cheese to top it off is a perfect accent on this meal.  The recipe calls for Bucatini, but we couldn't find any, so we got Perciatelli made by DeCecco.  It's the same pasta, as far as i know, just a different name.  The hole in these pastas must allow for more sauce and deliciousness to get into the pasta itself, because each strand was so flavorful, I couldn't get enough.  So without further ado, I give you the recipe for my new favorite pasta and mushroom dish...



Bucatini w/ Mushrooms
adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1/2 cup  dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
2/3 cup  boiling water
8 oz uncooked bucatini
3 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 Tbs butter
1/4 cup  finely chopped shallots
2 (4-oz) packages exotic mushroom blend, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs dry sherry
2 oz  Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/4 cup  heavy whipping cream
1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp  cracked black pepper
1 tsp truffle oil
Sage sprigs (optional)


Directions:
1. Rinse porcini thoroughly. Combine porcini and 2/3 cup boiling water in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup soaking liquid. Chop porcini.

2. Cook pasta with 1 tablespoon salt in boiling water 10 minutes or until al dente; drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, mushroom blend, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in porcini, sherry, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates.

4. Finely grate 1 ounce cheese; crumble remaining cheese. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in pasta, 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup grated cheese, cream, chopped sage, and pepper; toss well to combine. Drizzle with truffle oil; toss. Place about 1 1/4 cups pasta mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 1 tablespoon crumbled cheese. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired.  Serves 4. (or 2 really hungry people)

Download a printable recipe here!
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Spring Vegetable Risotto

I'm happy to say that our local farmer's market opened up recently, providing fresh inspiration to cook some new dishes. There aren't a whole lot of local vegetables available in New Jersey this time of year, but we did find some asparagus that became the basis for this dish. John's parents came over last weekend for a belated mother's day dinner, and we put together this risotto, along with a rosemary and garlic pork loin (recipe to come).

Risotto is becoming one of my favorite things to cook. While it does require a lot of attention, I'm really coming to enjoy the process of adding a little stock, stirring, waiting for it to absorb, adding some more stock, sipping some wine (I had to open a bottle anyways...), stirring, etc. And this particular recipe calls for a gremolata topping, which apparently is a posh way of saying "smooshed up herbs and lemon zest". It was a nice touch, and you use the stems from the herbs to add extra flavor to your broth. I loved how this turned out, and it was a perfect excuse to cook up some spring veggies.


Spring Vegetable Risotto
adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Gremolata:
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves , stems reserved
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves , stems reserved
1/2 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 lemon

Risotto:
1 pound asparagus , tough ends snapped off and reserved, spears cut on bias into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 large onion, diced, and 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
3 cups water
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (see note)
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon

Instructions:

1. For the Gremolata: Combine ingredients in small bowl and set aside.

2. For the Risotto: Chop tough asparagus ends into rough 1/2-inch pieces. Bring asparagus ends, roughly chopped onion, reserved parsley and mint stems, broth, and water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Return strained broth to saucepan; cover and set over low heat to keep broth warm.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add asparagus spears, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add peas and continue to cook 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to plate and set aside.

4. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add diced onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups hot broth to rice. Simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 minutes.

6. Stir in about 1/2 cup hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes; repeat with additional broth 3 or 4 times until rice is al dente. Off heat, stir in remaining tablespoon butter, Parmesan, and lemon juice; gently fold in asparagus and peas. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup additional hot broth to loosen texture of risotto. Serve immediately, sprinkling each serving with gremolata and passing Parmesan separately.

Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a side dish/first course.


Download a printable recipe.
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Chipotle Bean Burritos

John and I have been enjoying a lot of recipes from my Cooking Light subscription lately (and our pants are fitting better for it, I'm happy to say). While perhaps not as exciting as, say, tiramisu, these burritos have a lot of other admirable qualities: they are tasty, healthy, and easy to make. Plus, it's hard to come by a cheaper protein source than beans (and John says he didn't miss the meat). We stuck to the recipe, but you could definitely add additional spices or toppings (I was a little disappointed that I didn't have an avocado on hand to roll up in these). We used regular tortillas, rather than the low-fat ones called for in the recipe, but I doubt it made too much of a difference in the calorie count (with the low-fat tortillas, you're looking at 360 calories per burrito). And the regular tortillas probably taste better... just sayin'.

Chipotle Bean Burritos
from Cooking Light (Jan/Feb 2010)

Ingredients:
1  tablespoon  canola oil
1  garlic clove, minced
1/2  teaspoon  chipotle chile powder (or 1/2 teaspoon regular chile powder and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/3  cup  water
1  (15-ounce) can organic black beans, drained
1  (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained
3  tablespoons  refrigerated fresh salsa
6  (10-inch) tortillas
1  cup  (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
1 1/2  cups  chopped plum tomato (about 3)
1 1/2  cups  shredded romaine lettuce
6  tablespoons  thinly sliced green onions
6  tablespoons  light sour cream

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in chile powder and salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/3 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salsa. Partially mash bean mixture with a fork.

2. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into center of each tortilla. Top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tablespoon onions, and 1 tablespoon sour cream; roll up.

Makes 6 burritos.

Download a printable recipe.
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Eggplant Rollatini

Sometime within the last year or two I realized that I actually really like eggplant.  That's as long as it's prepared and cooked properly.  I was afraid of it as a kid, as I'm sure most kids are, and never thought to try it again until recently.  I'm not sure where I saw or read how to prepare eggplant, but I thought I'd give it a try a couple weeks ago and decided on eggplant rollatini.  I didn't follow a recipe, just an idea I had of what I wanted it to be, and like most foods I love, it involves tomato sauce and ricotta cheese!  I used my tomato sauce recipe and the ravioli filling recipe for these, the rest is made up by yours truly.  Not exactly rocket science here, just a little common sense and a little suggestion from Bec to bake the eggplant instead of fry it.  Good idea my dear.  This is a great recipe to use up the leftover ravioli filling and extra tomato sauce from your last Italian feast!


Ingredients:

Tomato sauce
Ravioli filling
1 Eggplant
Italian-seasoned Bread Crumbs  (about 1 1/2 cups)
2-3 eggs
fresh mozzarella cheese
salt
fresh basil (optional)

Directions:

Cut off the two ends of the eggplant and peel with a vegetable peeler.  Next bust out your mandolin and play a tune, uhh, oh, wrong mandolin.  Set the mandolin for 3/16" setting and cut up the entire eggplant into slices.  If you don't have a mandolin, you can use a banjo instead. I mean you can just use your big knife and try to cut thin strips about 3/16" thick.  Now lay out all the slices on a wire rack and sprinkle both sides liberally with table salt.  This step is necessary to remove the bitterness and some of the moisture from the eggplant.  Let them sit for 15 minutes while you pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Now rinse the eggplant with running water removing the salt and pat dry.

Next in a couple big bowls or plates, add the bread crumbs to one and the eggs to the other and beat them well.  Now dip each strip of eggplant in the egg and then the bread crumbs, coating evenly, and lay them on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes until they just start to turn golden brown.  Check the underside to make sure they are not burning.  You can flip them after 5 minutes if they are starting to brown on the bottom.

Add enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish.  Once the strips are cooled for a couple minutes you can now work with them.  Take a big tablespoon of ricotta filling and place it on one end of the eggplant, then roll them up and add them to the baking dish.
 

 

Add tomato sauce to the top of the rollatini's, just enough to cover most of them.  Then place some mozzarella strips on top covering each one.

Bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese starts to melt quite a bit, then put under the broiler for a few minutes just until the cheese starts to brown nicely.  Keep your eye on it and don't walk away, this happens very quickly.  Sprinkle with a chiffonade of basil and let cool for a few minutes so it's not too runny, or just dig right in, your call.  Serves 4.

Download a printable recipe here!
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Roasted Garlic Hummus

This hummus contains a triple punch of garlic: there's roasted garlic, garlic-infused olive oil, and a garlic chip topping. The recipe requires two (!) whole heads of garlic. And the longer you let it sit in the refrigerator, the more garlicky it becomes. Don't be scared... this is really, really good. We didn't find the garlic flavor to be overpowering at all.

If you've never made your own hummus, you should give this a try. I think it's a lot smoother, creamier, and more flavorful than the pre-packaged stuff. Plus, squeezing the roasted garlic out of its skin is delightfully therapeutic.

Serve this with pita wedges or fresh veggies. And, um, maybe some mints.

Roasted Garlic Hummus
from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:
2 heads garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for drizzling
2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
3 tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons tahini , stirred well
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Pinch cayenne
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:
1. Remove outer papery skins from garlic; cut top quarters off heads and discard. Wrap garlic in foil and roast in 350-degree oven until browned and very tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves in small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic slices to paper towel-lined plate and set aside; reserve oil. Once roasted garlic is cool, squeeze cloves from their skins (you should have about 1/4 cup). 

2. Combine lemon juice and water in small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and garlic cooking oil in second small bowl or measuring cup. 

3. Process chickpeas, roasted garlic puree, salt, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. 

4. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle toasted garlic slices and parsley over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Makes about 2 cups.

Download a printable recipe.
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Pear, Walnut, and Feta Salad

Salad is not normally something I get too excited about... I like it, sure, but I usually throw one together as an afterthought when I realize I should have something green with my meal. This, however, is one crave-able salad. My friend Martha made this for a dinner party a few weeks ago. The original recipe called for blue cheese, but Martha made a brilliant swap-out for feta. The dressing is really bright, and all of the textures and flavors are well balanced. This has become my go-to salad for company. People actually ask for seconds of this! Even people who aren't really "salad people". Give it a try, and don't skimp on the feta...

Pear, Walnut, and Feta Salad
adapted from epicurious

Dressing:
3 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tbs. shallot, minced fine
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried thyme)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper


Salad:
1 bag mixed baby greens
1 large ripe pear, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions:
Whisk first four salad dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss greens with just enough dressing to coat, then top with pear, feta, and walnuts. Divide into bowls and serve with remaining dressing.

Makes about 4 servings.

Download a printable recipe.
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Homemade Ravioli

 
One of the things I've always wanted to do in the kitchen was to make fresh pasta.  Well for Christmas this year, Bec bought me my very own pasta machine!  Not the silly Ron Popeil machine, although we did buy one for my mom when I was a kid, but a real hand-crank Italian pasta machine.  I've been seeing chefs on PBS make their own pasta since I was a kid and they made it look so easy.  Well, guess what, it IS easy!  2 cups of flour, 3 eggs, 30 seconds in the food processor, and viola!, you have fresh pasta dough.  You have to knead it for a minute or two until it's smooth, then let it rest for at least 15 minutes before you roll it into whatever pasta you want.  This pasta machine (made by Atlas) comes with two "cutters", fettuccine and spaghetti. Of course you can just roll it into thin sheets for lasagna or ravioli or whatever other stuffed pasta you want to make.  I will be tackling tortellini at some point soon.

I've made fettuccine and spaghetti three times now, and am feeling pretty confident handling the dough so I thought I'd give ravioli a try.  It came out so well I decided to blog it instead of wait until I've perfected it, since they came out almost perfect!  You can make a big batch of these and freeze them, they'll be the best frozen ravioli's you've ever had.  I used this recipe below and had leftover pasta dough, next time I make it, I will double the filling recipe.  I think there were 22 ravioli's in this batch, I could have gotten 24 if I rolled out a little more dough though.  So next time I'll be getting close to 50!  Who wants to come over and eat some ravioli?



Pasta Dough (from Cook's Illustrated's The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles)

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, beaten

Directions:
Pulse the flour in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade to evenly distribute. Add the eggs; process until the dough forms a rough ball, about 30 seconds. (If the dough resembles small pebbles, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time; if the dough sticks to the side of the workbowl, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process until the dough forms a rough ball.)

Turn the dough ball and small bits out onto a dry work surface; knead until the dough is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap (or place in a sandwich bag) and set aside for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours to relax.
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Ravioli w/ basic Ricotta filling (also from Cook's Illustrated's The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles)

Ingredients:
1 batch of fresh pasta dough (see above)
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. (Can be covered and refrigerated overnight.)


Cut off about 1/6th of the pasta dough, flatten into a rough disc shape and feed it through the widest setting of your pasta machine. Fold dough into thirds, rotate 90 degrees, and feed through pasta machine again.  Repeat. Next roll through widest setting twice, if the dough is at all sticky, sprinkle with a little flour. Continue feeding dough through center of machine, each time closing the rollers one step.  Continue until you've rolled it through the smallest setting.  You want the sheet to be about 4 inches wide, so trim the edges with a pizza cutter or sharp knife so its a rough rectangle.  Place small balls of filling (about 1 rounded teaspoon) in line on the pasta sheet 1 inch from the bottom, leaving 1 1/4 inches between each ball of filling.

Fold over the top of the pasta and line up with the bottom edge. Seal the bottom and two open sides with your finger. Use a fluted pastry wheel to cut along the two sides and bottom of each ravioli.

Place on a floured cooking sheet until you are ready to cook them.  Use plenty of water to boil your ravioli, do not overcrowd the pot.  If used right away, they only take 2-3 minutes to cook.  You can make large batches and freeze them on cookie sheets, then transfer to freezer bags once frozen, for longer storage.  Just add a minute or two to the cooking time when cooking frozen.  Serve with your favorite tomato sauce!

Download a printable recipe here!
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Cranberry Orange Mini-Loaves

Still looking for some last-minute holiday gifts? Make your friends and family some of this cranberry bread. Everyone knows that carbs make the best gifts. Unless your friends are on the Atkins diet, in which case, they shouldn't be your friends anyways.

In a Sandra Lee-esque moment, I bought a bunch of Christmas-themed mini loaf pans for $1 each (no, I did not create a matching tablescape). If you live near a Christmas Tree Shop, you might be able to find some yourself. I had made a regular sized loaf of cranberry bread a few weeks ago just to test drive the recipe. I made it extra festive and tasty this time around by adding more cranberries and sprinkling the tops of the loaves with turbinado sugar before baking. This recipe makes one regular sized loaf, or four mini loaves.

Cranberry Orange Bread
adapted from How to Cook Everything


Ingredients:
4 Tbsp. cold butter, plus more for greasing the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1 egg
1 1/2 cups cranberries, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan(s).

2. Stir together the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into bits, then use a fork or 2 knives to cut it into the dry ingredients until there are no pieces bigger than a small pea (you can use a food processor for this step, but not for the remaining steps).

3. Beat together orange juice, zest, and egg. Pour into dry ingredients, mixing just enough to moisten; do not beat, and do not mix until the batter is smooth.

4. Fold in the cranberries and pecan, then spoon the batter into loaf pan(s). Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For one large loaf pan, bake about an hour. For mini loaves, bake about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Download a printable recipe here.

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Vegetarian Bolognese with Whole Wheat Penne

Lately I've been having a difficult time zipping up pants that fit just fine last winter. I have no idea what might have caused this unfortunate predicament, but it seemed like a good time to order a subscription to Cooking Light. I found this recipe in my first issue, under the heading "Savoring Umami." After cooking this dish, I still don't really know or care what umami is. The important thing is that I had delicious (and healthy!) leftovers for lunch this week.

I liked this recipe, and more importantly, John liked this recipe. While John might never voluntarily cook anything without meat in it (except maybe apple pie), he's been quite receptive to most of the vegetarian recipes I've thrown his way. This has lots of finely chopped mushrooms in it, which give the sauce a meaty texture. The sauce gains plenty of flavor from all of the vegetables and a splash of red wine. I didn't make too many adjustments to the recipe, but I did add some garlic... it just seemed like an obvious addition to the list of ingredients. I used a dried wild mushroom blend in place of the porcinis, and ground them up in a mini food processor since I don't own the spice grinder that they suggest using.

If you like this recipe, stay tuned... come January 1, I'll be blogging a whole week's worth of Cooking Light recipes in honor of America's favorite New Year's resolution.


Vegetarian Bolognese with Whole Wheat Penne
Adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/4 ounce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-ounce) can organic crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained
1 (2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
16 ounces uncooked whole-wheat penne (tube-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Place dried mushrooms in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes. Add wine; simmer 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add 1/4 cup warm water and next 4 ingredients (through cheese rind) to onion mixture. Stir in ground porcini. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Keep warm. Remove rind; discard.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions. Toss with sauce and serve, topping with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Download a printable version.
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Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

As mentioned in my previous post, I have a fridge full of cranberries right now. Being from Cape Cod,  I have a special love for the cranberry. When I was little, my parents sometimes took my sister and I to "Cranberry World." It was basically just a museum with dioramas of cranberry bogs and free juice samples. I know it sounds kind of lame, but it was clearly successful in its attempt to turn small children into ravenous consumers of the cranberry (it was owned by Ocean Spray, after all).

Anyways, I felt like making some muffins with my excess cranberries. I'd seen recipes for pumpkin cranberry muffins, but none were quite what I wanted, so I adapted this one to suit the muffin-vision dancing in my head. I swapped vanilla yogurt for half of the oil, and used my lovely fresh cranberries instead of the dried ones. I didn't have any of the ground ginger that it called for, so I left it out. I didn't feel like putting the pecans in either, but I might use them next time. And finally, for a sweet crunch, I sprinkled the tops of the muffins with some turbinado sugar before baking. These came out exactly like I wanted them to: soft and moist with tons of tangy cranberries.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
Adapted from Bettycrocker.com

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
2 eggs
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Stir in pumpkin, oil, yogurt, and eggs until just moistened. Fold in cranberries. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, then sprinkle each with some turbinado sugar.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan to cooling rack. Serve warm.

Makes 12 muffins.

Download a printable recipe.

Potato Latkes

Happy Chanukkah! Or however you spell it... I don't really know since I'm only half Jewish. And it's my dad that's Jewish, so it doesn't really even count (the Jewish religion tends to be passed down by the mother). My family did celebrate Chanukkah, so the rituals aren't completely foreign to me. The food, however, was never a part of my childhood since I didn't have a living Jewish grandma to cook these sorts of things. But it's never too late to learn to be a good half-Jew, so when I spotted these latkes over at Smitten Kitchen, I thought I'd cook some up for dinner tonight (check out the Smitten Kitchen post; the photos are lovely).

If you have a food processor, these are a snap to throw together. If you don't, now you know what to ask for for Christmas. Or Chanukkah. You just grate your onion and potato, mix that with some egg and flour, and then fry 'em up. We thought they benefited from a sprinkling of salt just after frying. John, being Italian and all, thought he'd sprinkle a few with grated Parmesan cheese (delicious, by the way). We just ate ours plain, but you can serve them with sour cream or applesauce.


Potato Latkes
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 lb baking potatoes, peeled
1 small onion, peeled
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. salt plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. pepper
vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:
Grate potato and onion. Transfer to a colander or wrap in cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Let stand for two minutes, then squeeze it again.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, egg, salt, and pepper. Stir the potatoes and onions into the mixure until all pieces are evenly coated.

In a medium skillet (cast iron is great for this), heat 2 Tbs. of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the skillet (you can make them any size, mine were about 3 inches across), and flatten them with the back of the spoon. Cook until the edges are golden, about 1 1/2 minutes; flip and cook the other side until golden, about a minute longer. Set on plate covered with paper towels, and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding more oil to the skillet as needed. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

Makes about 15 small latkes.

Download printable recipe.

Chocolate Chip Stuffed French Toast

I had some leftover Italian bread and some leftover cream cheese (from making pumpkin whoopie pies last weekend), so my logical solution for using up these ingredients was making stuffed french toast. We are coming up on that time of year where we stuff things, after all. But we're usually stuffing birds, so I stuffed some bread this morning. And I stuffed it with a gooey, sweet cream cheese and chocolate filling. John liked the filling so much that he spread the extra on top of his toast (I prefer maple syrup on my french toast, but whatever). I had never made stuffed french toast before, but it was much easier than I thought and I will definitely be making it again.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 Tbs sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbs mini chocolate chips

For the toast:

8 slices of white bread

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

butter

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine egg, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Whisk until combined.

3. Spread a slice of bread with the cream cheese filling. You'll use about 1-2 tablespoons, depending on how big your bread is and how much you like cream cheese filling. Place another slice of bread on top and press gently so the slices stick together.

4. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, put a pat of butter in there. Dip your stuffed bread into the egg coating. Let the coating sink in for about 20 seconds, then flip it over and let it soak into the other side. Let the excess drip off, and then cook it in your preheated pan until crispy and golden (about 2 minutes per side).

Serves 2

Download a printable recipe here!

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Tomato Basil with Orzo Soup

 

I usually find a soup recipe that sounds good, I make it once, and don't like it enough to make it again. This tomato basil soup, however, is my one exception. I found this recipe a few years ago, and always find myself wanting to make it when the weather starts to get a little cooler. In fact, I made a big pot of it today just so I could have it for lunch all week long. It's a thick, hearty soup that's great for a meal on its own (but also makes a nice accompaniment to a grilled cheese). Even though there's a little bit of cream in it (which gives it a velvety texture), it's a pretty healthy soup since it's chock full of veggies.

The recipe came from the Wegmans web site (and you can actually just buy the soup already made in the store if you're lucky enough to live near a Wegmans). If I may go off on a small tangent: I love Wegmans. A lot. I didn't grow up near one, but my grandparents used to live in upstate New York (prime Wegmans territory). I have a lot of fond memories of my grandmother taking me there and letting me pick out a cookie or cupcake to eat while she shopped. So, when I moved to Princeton a few years ago and found out that there is a Wegmans here, it was a big nostalgic thrill for me. And if you're an eagle-eyed viewer of "The Office," you may have noticed some Wegmans brand products on the show (check out the cereals on top of the fridge or the soda cans).

See, Michael Scott likes Wegmans milk and cereal!  Anyways, back to the soup. If you do live near a Wegmans, check out the original recipe on their website, as it calls for some Wegmans-specific products. I've adapted the recipe so that you can make it with ingredients purchased just about anywhere. But seriously, get thee to a Wegmans if you've never been. Ok, ok, to the soup...

Ingredients:
1 cup onion, diced fine
1/2 cup celery, diced fine
1/2 cup carrot, diced fine
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28oz. cans crushed tomatoes with Italian herbs
1 carton (32 oz) vegetable stock
salt and cracked black pepper
2 jarred roasted red peppers, 1/4-inch dice
1 cup orzo pasta
1 cup light cream
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Directions: 
Add onions, celery, and carrots and olive oil to large stockpot on medium-high. Cook, stirring, 6-7 min. Add chopped garlic. Cook 2 min, until vegetables are tender. 

Add all tomatoes; simmer about 10 min. Add stock; return to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Add red peppers and pasta. Simmer 8-10 min, stirring often, until pasta is firm but tender. Remove from heat. 

Temper cream: Pour cream into medium bowl. Add a few ladles of hot soup to cream to slowly raise cream temperature. Add cream mixture to soup; fold in basil. Ladle into warmed bowls to serve.

Makes 13 cups (about 8 servings)

Note: This makes a ton of soup, so make sure you use a big enough pot. Also, I sometimes like to freeze half of the batch. If you're going to freeze the soup, freeze it before you add the cream and basil. Follow the last step after you reheat the soup.

Download the recipe here!
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