Guinea Pig Dinners

Eating Well's Fettuccine Alfredo

2010-09-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

I loved this pasta from Eating Well. It was really yummy and reheated well for lunch the next day. But, it didn't really taste anything like Fettuccine Alfredo, in my opinion. It was just a nice Parmesan-y sauce.

I doubled this recipe so I would have leftovers. I substituted summer squash for zucchini, whole wheat spaghetti for fettuccine, and dried spices for fresh. I also just put chopped garlic in the broth and heated it up; I didn't bother with the whole blender step. Still tasted great.

Ingredients
3/4 cup vegetable broth
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
4 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
1 small zucchini, cut into matchsticks
2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Combine broth and garlic cloves in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the garlic cloves are soft, about 15 minutes.
After the garlic has simmered about 10 minutes, cook fettuccine in the boiling water, stirring often, for 8 minutes. Drop in zucchini and cook until the fettuccine is just tender, about 1 minute more.

Meanwhile, transfer the garlic and broth to a blender. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Return the mixture to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add cornstarch mixture; whisk it until slightly thickened, about 15 seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk in sour cream, nutmeg and pepper. Return the pot to very low heat to keep the sauce warm. (Do not boil.)

Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan; toss to coat well. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately, passing the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan separately.

Sheetal Bhagat's Thai Peanut Pasta

2010-09-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

I brought this recipe to a picnic potluck, and everyone went back for seconds! Using what I had on hand, I substituted yellow onion for shallots, vegetable stock for chicken stock, and regular sesame seeds for black sesame seeds. I also omitted the zucchini. Very tasty, and a good amount of spice-- had a nice kick, but not overly hot. The recipe says it feeds four; I think it makes a lot more than that.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup minced shallot
½ tsp minced garlic
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock (I used vegetable stock)
½ cup smooth natural peanut butter
1 tsp chili paste
1 tbsp vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar)
½ cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb linguini noodles, boiled
1 cup zucchini, small dice
¼ cup shredded carrot
¼ cup green onion, bias cut, garnish
2 tbsp black sesame, garnish

Directions:
Heat sauté pan on medium heat. Add butter, melt. Add shallot, sauté. Add garlic, cook for a minute. Add wine, let simmer and reduce by ½. Add stock, cook for 1 minute. Add peanut butter and smooth out the lumps. Add chili paste and vinegar. Cook off some of the liquid to thicken the sauce. Add cream, reduce heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sauté zucchini in 1 tbsp oil. Do not overcook; retain the crunch of the zucchini. Remove from heat, add carrots. Mix. Toss linguini with sauce and vegetables. Top with green onion and sesame seeds.

Ina Garten's Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Pasta Salad

2010-07-04T18:31:00.000-07:00

I was alerted to this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa via the "20 Paws 4 Feet" blog. I had some orzo in my cupboard that I didn't know what to do with (it was leftover from a recipe I tried that I wasn't too keen about) so I decided to give this one a try. It says it serves 6-- that would be 6 very hungry people! This makes a ton. You could easily half this recipe and still have plenty. I took this to a party and it was well received.

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used a one pound bag and it was plenty)
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped fresh dill (seemed like too much to me)
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used dried; couldn't find fresh at the store)
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Directions

1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.) Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

3.) Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

4.) Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Giada De Laurentiis's Pasta with Eggplant, Butternut Squash, and Shrimp

2010-06-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

I had planned to make a different eggplant dish this week, but I had some squash left over from making butternut squash risotto. So, I googled my ingredients and came up with this recipe from Giada. I reposted her original recipe below, but I basically used the amounts that I had leftover in my fridge, which is to say I used the recipe as a basic outline and kind of winged it from there. In general I used a good deal less than is called for in the recipe-- it serves 6, so it's quite a bit if you follow the recipe exactly). The only substitutions I made was dried thyme instead of fresh, regular eggplant instead of Japanese, and whole wheat farfalle instead of the orange (??) spaghetti.

Looking at the comments section of the recipe, it seemed like people either loved or hated this dish. Personally, I thought it was good, but it didn't knock my socks off or anything. I would make it again. Some red pepper flakes or something with a little more kick would probably be a good addition to this dish. Overall, a nice healthy meal that was pretty easy to make.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 5 cups) (You can get precut squash in the grocery store-- makes this step a lot easier!)
2 Japanese eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
2 cups fish broth, fresh or frozen, or canned vegetable broth (I used vegetable broth)
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper
17.5 ounces orange-colored fresh spaghetti or linguine
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Directions

1) Heat the oil in a heavy large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for just a minute.

2) Add the squash, eggplant, rosemary and thyme and saute for 8 to 10 minutes.

3) Add the wine and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the squash is tender and the liquid is reduced by about half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. (At this step, I used enough liquid to just cover the vegetables. I found that I needed about 20 minutes to let this simmer. I also covered it for part of the time so the veggies would get soft.)

4) Add the shrimp and simmer gently until almost cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

5) Meanwhile, 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 often, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta. (Alternatively, you can use dried pasta, which will take 8 to 10 minutes to cook.)

6) Toss the pasta, squash mixture, and butter in a large bowl until the liquid thickens slightly and coats the pasta. Transfer the pasta mixture to a wide shallow bowl and serve. I garnished the pasta with some parmesan cheese.

Almond Crusted Tilapia from Cooking Light

2010-05-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

If you have a food processor, this recipe from Cooking Light is quick and easy. I followed the directions exactly, except I used a bit more oil. I found it to be a little bland-- next time I would probably double the spices. I also added a squeeze of lemon at the end. I didn't have parsley so I omitted, but it would be a nice addition.

Ingredients

1/4 cup whole natural almonds
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Place first 4 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process 45 seconds or until finely ground. Transfer crumb mixture to a shallow dish.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush mustard over both sides of fillets; dredge in crumb mixture. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Eggplant Roll-Ups

2010-05-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

These were quite tasty, and very easy to make. I am always on the lookout for a good eggplant recipe! I got this from the vegetarian blog, fresh365. I cut the original recipe in half. Serves 2 as an entree.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
1 T olive oil
1/4 large onion, chopped
1 T minced garlic
1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes (I used sundried tomato pesto)
1 c ricotta cheese
salt and pepper
small handful basil, chopped (I used dried)
1 1/2 c prepared red sauce (I used tomato-basil spaghetti sauce)
1/2 c shredded mozzarella or parmesan (or a combination)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the stems off eggplant, and discard. Slice eggplant lengthwise into 1/4” strips.

2) Arrange slices on a non-stick baking sheet, and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. The original recipe says to cook for 12-15 minutes until the eggplant is just tender. This didn't seem to be enough; I cooked for 15 minutes, flipped the slices over, and cooked for an additional 5 minutes. Allow eggplant to cool at room temperature. Leave oven on at 350F.

3) In a small pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes, until onion begins to turn golden brown. If you wish, you can add a little water, white wine, or broth to help loosen and scrape up all the yummy brown bits in the pan. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, and cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta, salt, pepper, and basil. Stir until well combined.

4) In a 8x8 glass dish, spread enough red sauce along the bottom to cover it. Remove eggplant from baking sheet, and place on a flat work surface. Scoop a few tablespoons of ricotta-spread in the middle of each eggplant. Roll up, and place, seam side down, side by side in the dish (they will fit snugly, in two rows). Pour remaining red sauce over the top, and sprinkle with mozzarella or parmesan.

5) Bake 15-18 minutes, until heated through. Finish under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and golden brown.

Georgetown Cupcake - Chocolate Ganche

2010-05-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here's the recipe for the famous Georgotown Cupake chocolate ganche cupcakes! They turned out amazing and really looked just like the ones from Georgetown Cupcake (I was just there this past weekend)! Moist, chocolately, and yummy!! I used a cocoa powder that was purchased from Whole Foods and used Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate instead. The recipe made exactly 18 cupcakes.
Valrhona cocoa powder and Callebaut chocolate are sold at Sur La Table stores; call for availability.
The cupcakes are best when served on the same day they are made. If the cupcakes are dipped once, you'll have about 1/2 cup of ganache left over.
Makes 18 cupcakes
Ingredients:For the cupcakes
1 1/4 cups flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) European-style unsalted butter, such as Plugra brand, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, preferably Madagascar bourbon
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup Valrhona cocoa powder, sifted (see headnote; may substitute another good-quality cocoa powder)For the ganache frosting
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup Callebaut semisweet chocolate chips (6.4 ounces; see headnote; may substitute other good-quality semisweet chocolate chips)
Directions:
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard cupcake pan with 12 baking cups, and a second pan with 6 baking cups.Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
Combine the vanilla extract and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.
Add the cocoa powder, beating (on low speed) just until incorporated.
Use a standard-size ice cream scoop to fill each cupcake paper with batter, so that the wells are two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the ganache frosting: Lay a large piece of wax paper on the work surface.
Combine the heavy cream and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with an inch or two of water and place over medium-low heat. Place the bowl over the saucepan and let the mixture melt, stirring until it is shiny and smooth.
Remove the bowl of chocolate ganache from the saucepan; let it cool slightly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Working with 1 cupcake at a time, carefully dip each cupcake top in the warm ganache, twisting your wrist as needed to make sure the cupcake top gets completely coated. To prevent drips, quickly turn the cupcake right side up and place on the wax paper. Allow the ganache to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cupcakes

2010-05-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

I got together with Steph and Jenn to do some cupcake baking. This was my contribution, courtesy of Martha Stewart. The cupcakes were pretty labor-intensive due to the meringue in both the cupcake batter and the frosting, but they came out quite delicious. The frosting was particularly yummy! The cupcakes themselves were very good, but came out a bit crumbly. That may be because I used all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, because I couldn't find any at the store.

Instead of reposting the recipe here, I'll direct you to the links for the white cupcakes and the strawberry meringue buttercream frosting. If you're not familiar with making meringue, I would watch the videos of Martha making these cupcakes with Jennifer Garner!

Rachael Ray's Lemon Chive Spaghetti with Veggies

2010-04-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe on the Rachael Ray show so I thought I'd give it a try. I thought it was okay, but to me the sauce was too lemon-y. I might try it again but I would only use one lemon.

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound egg tagliatelle, such as Delverde brand or other thin, wide pasta or egg pasta (I used fettuccine)

1/2 pound thin asparagus, trimmed of tough ends

1/4 to 1/3 pound of thin green beans, a couple of handfuls

1 cup frozen green peas (I used canned)

1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 tablespoons sweet butter

1/2 cup finely chopped chives

2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 Meyer lemons or 2 ripe organic lemons

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to taste, plus some to pass at table

Pepper

2 cups mache or other baby lettuce (I omitted)

Directions

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Cook pasta to al dente according to package, about 7-8 minutes.

2)Slice asparagus in 1-inch pieces on an angle. Cut beans into thirds, also on an angle. Midway through cooking the pasta, add asparagus and beans to water so they cook 3-4 minutes in boiling water with the pasta.

3) Add peas to the pot 1 minute before draining. Reserve about 1/2 cup starchy cooking water just before you drain the pasta.

4) Meanwhile, heat EVOO in pan and melt butter into it over low to medium-low heat. Add chives and garlic and stir a minute or two. Then add wine and gently reduce a couple of minutes more. Juice the lemons, stir in Dijon and lemon juice and turn off heat.

5) Add pasta and remaining starchy water and toss to coat evenly 1-2 minutes. Add some cheese and pepper to taste. Fold in baby lettuce and serve with extra cheese on top.

Commander's Palace Pain Perdu

2010-04-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

Gary and I went to New Orleans last year and loved it. A highlight of the trip was our dinner at Commander's Palace. Gary bought me their cookbook, and a few weeks ago made this French toast, or "pain perdu" from the book. Delicious!

Ingredients

6 medium eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 slices day-old French bread, cut 3/4 inch thick on the bias
2 TB butter
1/8 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cane syrup, molasses, or honey butter
salt and pepper

Directions

1) Whisk eggs with the milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add to egg mixture and whisk until well blended.

2) Place 4 slices of bread into the egg mixture, soaking for 5 seconds on each side. Melt 1 TB butter in a nonstick skillet over high heat. When butter starts to brown (about 2 minutes), put the soaked bread slices in the pan and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 1-1.5 minutes on each side until done.

3) Remove slices from pan and keep warm. Wipe pan with a paper towel, melt another TB of butter, and repeat until all the bread has been cooked.

4) Finish the slices with powdered sugar and serve with syrup, molasses, or honey butter.

Asparagus Quiche with Fried Onions

2010-04-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

Another easy quiche recipe. I got this from my sister Leanne.

Ingredients
One nine-inch frozen premade pie shell
3 medium eggs
1 green onion, chopped (I omitted)
3 ounces (1 can) of french-fried onion rings
1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese (I used asagio cheese)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of asparagus, cooked, chopped
½ cup of milk
½ cup of cream (I used fat free half-and-half)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Let frozen pie shell defrost for about 10 minutes.

2)Mix together all of the ingredients and pour into the pie shell.

3)Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.

4)Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

2010-04-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Shannon made this once and I loved it, so she shared the recipe. I've made it several times now. I have also used pureed sweet potato instead of pumpkin, which is also very good. I have simplified it from the original recipe. Quick and easy.

Ingredients
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and well rinsed
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (or pureed sweet potatoes)
1 32 oz. box of vegetable stock
3 TB rice vinegar (can substitute sherry vinegar or cider vinegar)
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
approx 3 TB minced garlic
1 TB butter
salt and pepper

Directions
1)Melt butter in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat. Season the onions and garlic with salt and pepper and saute them in the butter until the onions are carmelized, about 15 minutes.

2)Add all the remaining ingredients-- vegetable stock, beans, tomatoes, vinegar, and pumpkin. Stir all ingredients together and reduce heat to medium low.

3)Cook the soup for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens. Remove from heat and serve.

Butternut Squash Risotto

2010-04-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

Gary said this is one of the best things I ever made!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 TB minced garlic
3-4 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
A big handful of fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
3-4 TB of toasted pine nuts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Add the butternut squash, mushrooms, and sage. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the vegetables. Roast the veggies in the oven until soft, approximately 30-40 minutes.

To cook the risotto, heat a few TB of olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic and onions, and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. While you are cooking the onions, warm the broth in a separate pot over medium low heat (do not boil). Risotto cooks best when the broth is warm.

Stir in the rice. Cook for about 2 minutes until rice is covered with oil and lightly toasted. Pour in the white wine. Stir the rice constantly until the wine is almost completely absorbed, and the rice starts getting plump and creamy. Begin adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time. Each time you add broth, continue to stir the risotto until the broth is almost absorbed, and then add more. Continue until all your broth is used up. The whole process will take about 20-25 minutes. The rice should be soft and creamy by the time you are done.

Stir in the parmesan cheese until it is melted. Finally, stir in the roasted vegetables and toasted pine nuts. (To toast pine nuts, place in the toaster oven or regular oven at 400 degrees on a cookie sheet for about 3 minutes.) Sprinkle some more parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately. Serves 2 with leftovers.

To rewarm leftover risotto, add a little milk to moisten before reheating in the microwave or the stovetop.

Easy Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche

2010-04-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

This is an easy and forgiving quiche recipe that is very flexible. Instead of broccoli, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese, substitute your favorite veggies, meat, or cheese. This is a quick and easy weeknight dinner, or make ahead for brunch-- it reheats beautifully. The measurements below are approximate.

Ingredients

1 frozen deep dish pie shell
1 1/2 cup chopped broccoli, steamed until soft
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
4 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup half and half
2 TB flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take pie shell out of the freezer and allow to thaw for about 10 minutes.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in half and half, cheddar cheese, flour, salt, and pepper.

Place broccoli and mushrooms in the pie shell. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables, and top with parmesan cheese.

Put the pie shell on a cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick placed in the quiche comes out clean.

Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serves 4+.

Veggie Stuffed Cannelloni

2010-01-25T18:30:00.001-08:00

This recipe is originally from allrecipes.com but I modified it slightly and they are listed below:

Ingredients

8 cannelloni noodles - used one box of manicotti noodles
5 cloves garlic, minced
5 shallots, chopped - forgot to pick up at grocery store, but I would think that it would be good to add in the next time that I make it
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry sherry
2 cups heavy whipping cream - used whipping cream instead of heavy, which probably made the sauce thinner, but not quite as fatty
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 zucchini, chopped
1 small eggplant, diced
2 roasted red bell peppers, diced - was not added this time
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup ricotta cheese - used the whole small container
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large pot of salted water, parboil cannelloni. (Parboiling is partially cooking the noodles in boiling water; they will finish cooking when baked.)
Meanwhile, cook 2 cloves garlic and 2 shallots in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Pour in sherry, raise heat to high, and reduce liquid by half. Stir in cream, and reduce until there is about 1 1/2 cups liquid. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set cream sauce aside.
In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion, 3 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, and eggplant in olive oil until all vegetables are tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in red peppers, basil, oregano, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set filling aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch baking dish. Stuff vegetable/cheese filling into cannelloni. Place in prepared baking dish, and cover with cream sauce.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2010-01-23T13:35:00.000-08:00

Guinea Pig Dinners has been resurrected! My contribution was stuffed acorn squash from Cate's World Kitchen. It had a nice sweet taste, and folks seemed to enjoy it. I made a few modifications to the recipe.

Recipe:
(Originally from Martha Stewart, October 2009)

3 small to medium acorn squashes halved and seeded (I used one large)
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I added more)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp. course salt, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup bulgur wheat (I used plain couscous)
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped (I omitted)
3 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
1 1/4 cups cooked or canned garbanzo beans
butter and brown sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the squash halves cut-sides down in a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish or roasting pan. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. I added an additional step here-- after baking, I turned the squash cut-side-up and added butter and brown sugar. I broiled the squash for an additional five minutes.

While the squash is in the oven, heat the oil in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onions, cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and fragrant (5 to 7 minutes) adding 2-3 tbsp of water after the first two or three minutes to keep the onions from drying out or burning.

Add garlic, and cook for an additional minute.

Add remaining teaspoon salt and the bulgur, and stir to combine. (If using couscous, cook the couscous separately according to package directions, and disregard the rest of this paragraph!) Add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for 5 minutes.

Fluff the bulgar (or couscous) with a fork, and add the raisins, parsley, pine nuts and garbanzo beans. (Add the onion/garlic mixture here if you didn't cook them together.) Stir together to combine and adjust seasonings if necessary

When the squash is soft, take it out of the oven. Let it cool a little and scrape out enough of the flesh to form 1/4 inch thick bowls.

Mix the squash flesh into the bulgur mixture. Divide among squash halves, and return them to the oven. Bake until warmed through and tops are browned, about 12 to 14 minutes. (I didn't stuff the squash-- I mixed all ingredients in a casserole dish and put in the oven until warm.)

Serves 6-8.

Butter and Sage Sauce

2009-06-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

I have sage growing like gangbusters in my front yard, so tonight I made this simple pasta sauce recipe from Mario Batali. I paired it with pumpkin ravioli, and it was delicious! Very quick and simple, and the lemon juice gave it a bright, fresh flavor.

Ingredients

Pasta, of choice (I used pumpkin ravioli)
4 tablespoons butter
8 sage leaves
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

While your pasta cooks, melt butter in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan and continue cooking until golden brown color ("noisette") appears in the thinnest liquid of the butter. Add sage leaves and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and set aside. Drain the pasta, but leaving some cooking water, and gently pour into saute pan and return to heat. Add the cheese, toss to coat and serve immediately.

Blueberry Banana Bread

2009-06-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

I had some overripe fruit that needed to be used up, so I decided to make some bread. I started with this basic banana bread recipe and tweaked it from there. Gary gives this the thumbs up... very tasty!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (alternatively, omit and use a total of 1/2 cup butter)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup blueberries
3 mashed overripe bananas
1 TB vanilla extract
1 TB cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
nonstick cooking spray

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2) In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.

3) In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs, applesauce, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract until well blended.

4) Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Fold in blueberries.

5) Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

PW's Easy Apple Tart

2009-06-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

Staying on the tart kick, I decided to make this recipe from the Pioneer Woman. I made this for a potluck breakfast and it was a hit... it was elegant but VERY simple!

Ingredients

1 sheet puffed pastry, cut into half OR thirds
3 apples, cored, halved, and sliced thinly (but not peeled)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Squeeze of lemon juice
Powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 415 degrees.

Place puffed pastry rectangles onto a baking pan that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Drizzle some lemon juice on the apples and toss. Add sugar and salt to apples. Stir to combine. Allow to sit for a few minutes.

Arrange apple slices on the pastry rectangles in a straight line, overlapping as you go.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown.

Remove from pan immediately and place on a serving platter. Serve plain, with caramel topping, whipped cream, or a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

2009-05-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

I'm back after an unintentional hiatus... I've been falling back on old standbys recently. I decided tonight that I'd bust out a new recipe. I saw these tomato and goat cheese tarts on another blog, and decided to give them a try. This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe. She's never steered me wrong, and this recipe was no exception. Definitely a keeper. The only change I might make is to use regular goat cheese. I love goat cheese, but wasn't a huge fan of the garlic and basil flavored cheese.

Ingredients

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions- I used one and it was plenty)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves
Flour
Parchment paper

Directions

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. (I made two large tarts instead-- one tart from each sheet of pastry.) Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Divide the onion mixture between each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a few slices of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Serves 2.

Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Tofu

2009-04-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

About four years ago, I visited Japan on an education exchange program. I spent about two weeks in Murayama province, in the northern part of Japan. This is the province where soba noodles were born. So, I ate a lot of soba! I didn't mind it one bit, though. If you have never had these noodles, give them a try. They are made with buckwheat flour and are delicious and filling.

This recipe is from Prevention Magazine. It says it's a "Flat Belly Diet" recipe-- can't beat that! I thought this was tasty, and was pretty quick for a weeknight evening.

My camera is dead, so I wasn't able to take a photo... the one above is from Prevention.

Ingredients
4 oz soba noodles
1/2 c creamy reduced-sodium natural peanut butter
3 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp chile paste with garlic (optional), see note
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
4 oz light firm tofu, drained, patted dry, and cut in 1/2" cubes
2 c shredded or grated carrots (about 2 lg)
3 scallions, thinly sliced (1/4 c)
Cooking spray or peanut oil

Directions
1. Cook noodles per package directions. Place peanut butter in small microwaveable bowl and microwave on high 25 seconds to soften.

2. Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, chile paste (if using), and sesame seeds in large bowl while noodles cook. Set aside.

3. Heat medium skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. (I used peanut oil.) Add tofu and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

4. Drain noodles and add to peanut sauce along with all but 1/2 cup of the carrots. Mix until well combined. Top with tofu and remaining carrots and sprinkle with scallions. Serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

Pioneer Woman's Pasta with Eggplant

2009-04-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

The Pioneer Woman makes this dish when her husband is out of town. Happily, my husband loves eggplant. We had some eggplant in the fridge we needed to use up, so we decided to make this recipe.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 small eggplants
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used pasta sauce from a jar)
Fresh basil (I used dried)
1/2 package fusilli, about 1/2 lb. (I used whole wheat penne)
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Slice eggplant into round slices. Sprinkle one side with salt and allow to stand or 15 minutes. Turn over and repeat. Rinse eggplant and pat dry.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and cook onion and garlic until starting to turn color, about 5 minutes.

Add eggplant, stirring gently. Cook for 8 minutes, or until somewhat tender.

Dump in canned tomatoes (or pasta sauce) and reduce heat to simmer. Add salt and pepper and simmer until eggplant is tender. Toss in cooked pasta and chopped basil. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Mushroom Pizza

2009-03-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

This pizza was inspired by a Tyler Florence recipe. The video demo is here. I subbed a lot of ingredients to use up what I had on hand. I used a pizza stone for this and it gave the pizza a nice crispy crust.

Ingredients
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F.)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 slices prosciutto, cut into strips (I used onion and green pepper instead)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
needles from 1 fresh rosemary sprig, plus 1 sprig for garnish
1 pound assorted wild mushrooms, such as crimini, portabello, shiitake, oyster, and morel, cleaned and coarsely chopped (I used white mushrooms)
8 ounces goat cheese (fresh or aged) (I used neufchatel cheese)
1 bunch fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried, coarsely chopped (I omitted)
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese (I used mozzarella)
1 lemon, juiced (I omitted)

extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
all-purpose flour, for rolling
cornmeal, for dusting

Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. and put a big pizza stone in the oven to heat. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook (or a regular mixing bowl), combine 1 package active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F.) and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

If using mixer, apply lowest setting and add 1 tablespoon salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 3 cups flour, a little at a time until the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium until dough gathers into a ball. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook.

If you're making dough by hand, stir in salt and olive oil, and then begin stirring in flour. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon, knead the rest of the flour in by hand, a little at a time. Adjust as necessary -- if the dough feels crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times, kneading until smooth and elastic.

Form the dough into a round and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (like over a gas pilot light or a on a windowsill) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

While the dough is rising, coat a saute pan with a 2-count of olive oil and put it over medium heat until it gets hot. Add 2 slices of prosciutto, cut into strips, and stir for a minute or so to release the fat and flavor. Toss in 2 garlic cloves (chopped), and needles from 1 fresh rosemary spring and cook for about 30 seconds. Drizzle in some more olive oil, add 1 pound assorted wild mushrooms (such as crimini, portabello, shiitake, oyster and morel) and season with salt and pepper. Stir, and continue to cook until the mushrooms have released their moisture and are nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and take the pan off the heat.

Check the dough. Once it's domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough out to a large circle, about 1/2-inch thick. If you prefer a thinner crust, cut the dough in half and make two smaller pizzas. Dust a pizza paddle with some cornmeal and slide the paddle under the pizza dough. Spread 8 ounces of fresh goat cheese evenly over the dough with the back of a spoon (or crumble on, if using aged). Scatter the sauteed mushrooms on top of the pizza, drizzle on some olive oil, and top with 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese.

Reduce oven heat to 475 degrees F. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp and the cheese is bubbly.

In a large mixing bowl, toss 1 bunch fresh baby spinach, rinsed, dried, and coarsely chopped, with fresh lemon juice, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. When the pizza comes out of the oven, top it with the dressed spinach, slice and serve.

Crash Hot Potatoes

2009-03-09T16:10:00.001-07:00

Another recipe from the Pioneer Woman. Don't these look delicious? Crispy potatoes... what can beat that?

Lower Fat Fettuccine Alfredo

2009-03-03T16:48:00.000-08:00

Remember a few years back when some watchdog group dubbed fettuccine alfredo "heart attack on a plate"? That was a sad, sad day. I love alfredo sauce, but calorie- wise it's a killer. So when I saw this video on the Cooking Light site, I was all over it. This version of fettuccine alfredo has half the fat and calories than the typical recipe, which doesn't exactly make it diet food, but is definitely a healthier option than the original.

The sauce was rich and creamy, and was just as good as the original in my opinion. The only drawback is that the sauce gets thick/lumpy quickly, so you should be sure to serve it very hot. Also, you need to constantly stir the sauce or it will quickly get lumpy. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk (I used skim milk)
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons neufchatel cheese (or lowfat cream cheese)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (8 ounces uncooked pasta)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cracked black pepper

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. When you drain the pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water; you may need it later.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in flour.

Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, neufchatel cheese, and salt, stirring constantly with a whisk until cheeses melt. If sauce gets too thick, thin it out with some of the reserved pasta water.

Toss sauce with hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Challah Bread

2009-02-28T13:48:00.000-08:00

I'm not Jewish, but when I was in grad school, my two Jewish housemates made challah every Friday. Thus, a love affair with this delicious bread was born. I lost their original recipe, so this is one I've made over the years, culled from several different sources. This uses more sugar and honey than usual, but I like it sweet. You can decrease the amount if you prefer.

Ingredients
3-4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup warm water
3 TB vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tsp yeast
pinch of salt
4 TB sugar
4 TB honey
1 egg plus water for egg wash
sesame seeds or poppyseeds (optional)

Directions
1) Put water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let yeast dissolve. Add 1/2 cup flour and stir to combine. Let mixture set for 15 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly.

2) Mix in oil, 2 eggs, salt, and honey. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix until the dough is no longer sticky-- the amount of flour varies, but you will use 3-4 cups. I do this in a Kitchenaid mixer, but you can do this by hand as well. If you are mixing by hand, turn out the dough on a floured surface and knead until elastic and smooth.

3) Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise until dough is doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough and briefly knead out the bubbles.

4) Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each section between your hands until you get ropes of equal size and shape. They should be about 12 inches long.

5) Lay the ropes side by side on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and then pinch the tops together. Braid the loaf, and then tuck under the end pieces. Cover with a towel and let rise for about 45 minutes.

6) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat one egg and add a little water to make a thin egg wash. Brush the bread with the egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired. Bake bread for 30 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Roasted Corn and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

2009-02-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

This past summer I got a subscription to Cooking Light. LOVE it. They always have great vegetarian ideas and a section on quick and easy dinners. As soon as I saw this recipe for roasted corn and goat cheese quesadillas in the March 2009 issue, I knew I had to make it. It was easy to make and tasty. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it did not hold together as well as a regular quesadilla, because goat cheese doesn't melt the same way as mozzarella or cheddar does. So, these were pretty messy. Next time I might add a little parmesan or pecorino to the mix.

Ingredients
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear-- I used unsalted canned corn)
2/3 cup (5 ounces) goat cheese, softened
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 1 green onion-- I used 3)
10 tablespoon bottled salsa verde, divided (I used regular salsa
Cooking spray
Olive oil (optional)

Directions
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn; sauté 2 minutes or until browned. (I also cooked the green onions with the corn.) Place corn in a small bowl. Add goat cheese to corn; stir until well blended. Divide corn mixture evenly among 4 tortillas; spread to within 1/4 inch of sides. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1 tablespoon green onions. Drizzle each with 1 1/2teaspoons salsa; top with remaining 4 tortillas.

2. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. (I used olive oil here instead of cooking spray.) Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan clean with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve with remaining 8 tablespoons salsa.

Use-Up-Your-Leftovers Pasta Sauce

2009-02-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

This week I went to one of my old college standby recipes-- pasta sauce that uses up all the fridge leftovers. I always have a can of diced tomatoes on hand for just this purpose. Quick, easy, and healthy.

Ingredients
1 14 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 package of refrigerated cheese tortellini (or whatever pasta you have on hand)
1 cup of wine (I used some leftover red zin)
2 TB olive oil
And whatever veggies you want to use up. I used:
2 cups bagged spinach
1/2 green pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 medium yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 medium summer squash
Handful of basil
Dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Chop all vegetables into bite size pieces. Cook tortellini according to package directions.

While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; saute about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the veggies (excluding spinach and basil) and saute until they start to get soft, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and allow mixture to simmer for several minutes until it starts to reduce. Add the can of tomatoes; simmer and stir occasionally until water evaporates, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in basil and spinach; cook until spinach wilts. Finally, add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and then stir in the cooked tortellini. Serve hot with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake

2009-02-15T18:15:00.000-08:00

Okay, I came across this recipe and thought it was the goofiest thing I ever heard. Microwave cake? Really? Well, I gave it a try and it was... meh. I've had better cake out of an Easy Bake Oven, frankly. If you're looking for rich, gooey, chocolatey cake, you will be sorely disappointed. But if you want a quick snack, I guess it's not so bad.

I will note that the day after I made this, Gary asked if I could make him that "rubbery chocolate stuff" again tonight... so I did. Apparently he's a fan. I topped this with ice cream and strawberries. Let's face it, anything topped with ice cream is gonna be good.

I dunno. Give it a try and see what you think... it's only 5 minutes out of your life, right?

Ingredients
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Directions
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Asparagus Risotto with Sea Scallops

2009-02-15T17:47:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day, we decided to stay in, make dinner, and watch a movie. I decided to attempt a risotto dish. Risotto is high maintenance, so it's not something I would make every day, but it's soooooo good. I looked a whole bunch of risotto recipes, and came up with this one. It ended up being pretty tasty!

Ingredients
1 cup arborio rice
1 1/4 cup white wine (divided)
2-3 cups vegetable broth (or reserve the water from cooking asparagus)
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 TB minced garlic
1 lb (?) asparagus stalks
6 sea scallops
1/2 - 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
heavy cream (optional)

Directions
1) First, prepare the asparagus. Cut off the bottom of the stalks, and then cut them into 1 inch pieces. Blanch the asparagus in boiling, salted water for about 2 minutes, until they turn bright green. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl of ice water so they stop cooking. If you don't have vegetable broth, reserve the cooking water for the risotto.

2) Put a large pan on medium heat. Add about a TB of butter and TB of olive oil. Cook the onion and garlic for a few minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the rice. Stir the rice to coat with olive oil and let cook for about a minute, until rice starts becoming translucent.

3) Add about a cup of white wine, a half a cup at a time, stirring constantly. When the liquid is absorbed, add more. Then begin adding the vegetable broth (or cooking water) a half cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. You will end up adding about 3 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of rice. The whole process takes about 20 minutes. Taste the rice as you go; it is done when it is mostly soft but still has a little bite in the middle.

4) While the risotto is cooking, start on the scallops. Make sure they are dry and add some salt and pepper to taste. Melt butter in a pan over medium high heat. Place the scallops in a pan using tongs. Allow them to cook so you get a nice carmelized sear on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn over with the tongs. Add about 1/4 cup of white wine and let the scallops cook for about another 2-3 minutes on the other side; remove from the pan.

4) When the risotto is nearly done, add the asparagus and let cook until it is warm. Add in parmesan cheese (1/2 to 1 cup, to your taste) and stir until the mixture becomes creamy. You can also add a 1/2 cup or so of cream a the end (optional). Salt and pepper to taste.

5) Plate by putting the risotto on the dish and surround with 3 scallops. Serves 2.

Penne a la Betsy with Gem!

2009-02-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

I've been promising Jenn (aka Gem, because she's truly outrageous) that I'd have her over for dinner for ages, but every time we made plans I had to cancel for one reason or another. So we finally got together tonight, and I decided I'd try a recipe from The Pioneer Woman. She calls this Penne a la Betsy... you'll have to click for the recipe, because I'm too lazy to type it all in right now. So sue me. It's worth the click though, because this was really good! The penne is topped with a white wine-tomato-cream sauce with shrimp that was simple and delicious. Enjoy!

Warm Butternut Squash Salad; Mexican Sushi

2009-02-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

We had a "guinea pig Super Bowl" with lots of great new recipes. I'm still waiting on the recipes from the other people at the party (hint hint), but here are the recipes that Gary and I made.

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

I got this from the Smitten Kitchen blog. A nice healthy alternative to greasy Super Bowl food, and so delicious! Photo from Smitten Kitchen.

Yield: 4 servings (I think it's more than this, personally)

Ingredients
For salad:
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (I found precut squash at Harris Teeter... it was not very expensive and made life so much easier!)
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (I used parsley)

For dressing:
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini (I used almond butter)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft (It took me closer to 40 minutes). Optional step-- I threw in the chickpeas for the last ten minutes to let them soften a bit. Remove from the oven and cool.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the tahini (or almond butter), and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty flavor, but also a little kick of lemon.

To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Either add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss carefully, or you could serve the salad with the dressing on the side. Serve warm.

Mexican Sushi

Gary made this dish. They are basically bite-sized wraps, but "sushi" sounds better! These were really tasty-- I might make these as a larger wrap sandwich for lunch one day. Photo and recipe from familyfun.com.

Ingredients

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup salsa, plus more for dipping
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lime juice
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, chili powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, lightly sprinkle the avocado with the lime juice to prevent browning.

Trim each tortilla to make a roughly 6-1/2-inch square. Spread 3 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture on a tortilla. Arrange 2 rows of spinach in the center of the tortilla, then top them with a row each of red pepper, yellow pepper, and avocado. Roll the tortilla up tightly and wrap it in plastic wrap. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Refrigerate the rolls for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

Right before serving, slice the rolls crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces and spoon extra salsa into a bowl for dipping.
Serves 10 to 12.

Wheat Bread with Flax Seeds

2009-01-29T18:18:00.000-08:00

Another recent random grocery store purchase-- flax seeds. Gary was all, "What are flax seeds and why are you buying them?" I dunno. I heard they were healthy for you and stuff? Of course, I had no idea what to do with them until I came across this recipe. I had everything on hand except the sunflower seeds, which I omitted, so I thought I would give it a try. This made a very dense, but tasty, bread. It has a nutty flavor, so we paired it with something sweet-- apple butter-- and it was delicious. The original version was for a bread machine. I used my Kitchenaid mixer... this is how I did it.

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup flax seeds
cooking spray, or oil

Directions
Set oven at the lowest setting.

In a small bowl, mix warm water and honey. Add yeast; let sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture is bubbly.

Using the mixer with the dough hook, mix the dry ingredients together. Add the yeast mixture slowly. Mixer should be on the "stir" setting. When the dough starts forming together, add the oil, one tablespoon at a time. Turn the mixer up to #2 setting and let the dough knead for several minutes until it forms a smooth ball. If the dough is too dry, add water; if it is too sticky, add more flour.

Spray a mixing bowl with cooking spray. Put the dough in the bowl and cover with a towel. Turn off the oven, place the covered bowl inside, and leave the oven door open slightly. Let the dough rise for 1-1.5 hours.

Spray a bread pan with cooking spray. Punch down the risen dough, and place in the bread pan. Cover and allow to rise for another 20-30 minutes while oven preheats.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, remove from pan, and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Crepes with Mandarin Orange Sauce

2009-01-25T08:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday while I was at the mall with Gary, I dragged him into Williams Sonoma. I love that place-- all those pretty dishes and shiny kitchen gadgets. It's a dangerous place though. I start thinking, "Oh, I need that $400 espresso machine... or maybe that $200 panini press..."

Luckily I left with only a $10 can of "Voila la Crepe" mix. I just loved the name--"Voila!" What could be easier, right?

So on this fine Sunday morning, I decided to make some crepes. I won't go into the details of the crepe recipe. After all, it's a mix, right? How hard can it be? The one tip I would give you is to not let your pan get too hot. If the butter gets brown right away, you need to turn down the heat, because the batter won't spread on the pan. I learned this the hard way.

I wanted to make some kind of sauce for the crepes but didn't feel like going to the grocery store, so I used what I had on hand... so if the ingredients seem kind of random, that's why. It actually came out pretty good, if I do say so myself!

Mandarin Orange Sauce a la Liza

Ingredients

1 15 oz. can of "no sugar added" mandarin orange slices
2 TB corn syrup
2 TB rum (Grand Marnier would be better, I think)
1 TB vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for topping

Mix the can of oranges (including liquid), corn syrup, rum, and vanilla in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. When the mixture starts boiling, turn down to medium. Stir frequently and let mixture simmer until most of the water has boiled off and the mixture becomes syrupy-- about 10 minutes.

Pour mixture over crepes. Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top and serve warm. Makes two servings.

Red Lentil Soup

2009-01-24T17:12:00.000-08:00

I love eating soup in the wintertime. I bought some red lentils on a whim a LONG time ago, and I figured it was time to use them up. This soup was really tasty, but next time I would add more spice. I adapted this recipe from the New York Times.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
1/2 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste
1 quart vegetable broth (or chicken broth if you prefer)
3 cups red lentils
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 green pepper, diced
3 Tbsp lemon juice, more to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I used dried)

Directions
In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Add tumeric and stir until onions are coated.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

Add broth, 3 cups water, lentils, carrot, celery, and green pepper. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Using an immersion blender, regular blender, or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky. (I used an immersion blender, and I gotta say, that is one nifty little gadget! I think the soup would be fine without pureeing it though.)

Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Drizzle with good olive oil and dust lightly with chili powder if desired.

Serves 4 with leftovers.

Healthy Shrimp Scampi-esque Pasta

2009-01-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

When I saw this recipe on the Love Deliciousness blog, I knew I had to try it. I used Butter Buds all the time in college, but I sort of forgot about them until I saw this recipe. I found "Molly McButter" at the local Safeway (in the spice aisle), which I assume is pretty much the same thing, so I gave the recipe a whirl. I call it shrimp scampi-esque because I threw in some extra stuff that was in the fridge and I wanted to use up. This was so delicious, and easy! I definitely will make this again. My version is below. Note-- Molly McButter has a lot of salt in it, so you won't need to add extra salt.

Ingredients

8 oz uncooked whole wheat rotini pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
Approx 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
10 oz. precooked frozen shrimp, tails off, thawed
3 Tbsp Butter Buds (or Molly McButter), divided
4 Tbsp white wine (I used Riesling)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese & parsley for topping

Directions

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.

Saute the garlic and shallot in the olive oil until is starts softening; about one minute. Add a few dashes of black pepper to taste. Add the halved cherry tomatoes. Let the tomatoes cook, stirring frequently, until they release their juices; about two minutes.

Add shrimp to the skillet and cook until heated through; 1-2 minutes.

Add 1 Tbsp of Butter Buds & and the white wine to the shrimp. Simmer about 2-3 more minutes, until the sauce thickens and is reduced by about half.

Drain pasta. Stir in pepper and remaining Butter Buds. Add the shrimp mixture to the pasta and toss gently.

Top generously with grated parmesan and parsley. Serves 2 with leftovers.

Happy Inauguration! Bay Scallop Gratin

2009-01-20T16:02:00.001-08:00

I saw this recipe on The Horgans-To-Be cooking blog and have wanted to try it ever since. This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe. It was a warm and satisfying meal to eat after a long day walking around DC, being a part of this historic day. I made a few changes to use what I had, or didn't have, on hand. One change I made that didn't work out-- I used frozen bay scallops instead of fresh. When I thawed out the scallops, I must not have gotten enough water out of them, because the dish came out watery. The flavor was great though.

Ingredients
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (very important)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma, minced (I omitted)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish (I used dried parsley)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Pernod (I didn't have this on hand, so I used more white wine)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons dry white wine (I didn't have a dry white, so I used a Riesling)
1 pound bay scallops

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place 3 6" round gratin dishes on a sheet pan.

To make the topping, place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). With the mixer on low speed, add the garlic, the shallot, prosciutto, parsley, lemon juice, Pernod, salt and pepper until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the olive oil slowly, as though making a mayonnaise, until combined. Fold the panko in with a rubber spatula and set aside.

Preheat broiler if its separate from your oven.

Place 1 Tablespoon of wine in the bottom of each gratin dish.

Pat the scallops down with a paper towel so they are dry and distribute them among the 3 dishes. If you could only find sea scallops (which are larger than bay scallops), cut them into quarters before placing them in the dish.

Spoon the garlic butter evenly over the top of the scallops. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the top is golden and sizzling and the scallops are barely done. If you want the top crustier, place under the broiler for 2 minutes until browned. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and chopped parsley.

Pasta with Creamy Egg and Butternut Squash Sauce

2009-01-17T06:47:00.000-08:00

I thought I would try another recipe from Salty Girl Cooks. If you like butternut squash, I think you will enjoy this dish. I forgot to take a pic, sorry!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb pasta (after cooking pasta, reserve 1 cup pasta water)
2 eggs
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 TB water
1 lb butternut squash, roasted, peeled and cut into roughly 1 inch chunks
1/2 cup grated cheese (I used parmesan)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
To roast the squash, peel it and cut into one inch chunks. Boiling the squash for 5 minutes or so will make this process easier.

Toss the squash with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until squash is tender.

While you're roasting the squash, cook pasta according to directions in salted water. Time it so the pasta finishes when the squash is done.

Combine next 5 ingredients (eggs through water) in a bowl using a fork. Set aside.

When pasta is done cooking, use tongs to transfer it to a large bowl. Reserve 1 c cooking water. Slowly pour egg mixture over pasta, using tongs to thoroughly combine mixture and pasta. You should do this while the pasta is very hot in order to cook the egg.

In another bowl, gently mash 1/2 of the roasted squash using the back of a wooden spoon.

Add mashed squash to pasta, and combine. Use pasta water to achieve desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top each portion with chunks of squash. Serve with grated cheese. Serves 3-4.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

2009-01-10T14:56:00.000-08:00

Update to my last disaster-- Kitchenaid sent me a new mixer, that arrived yesterday! Yay.

I am happy to report that I have followed up the pasta disaster with a new dish that Gary said was one of the best meals I ever cooked. Wooohoo! I used this recipe with a few slight variations. My version is below. I liked that this was a baked recipe... it made the dish a little lighter. I also tried to take it easy on the cheese, so you might want to add more than I did. It takes a while to prepare from start to finish, but it's quite easy. Please note that my measurments are all approximate.

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1.5 jars of spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella (or more, according to your taste)
1 cup parmesan (or more)
cooking spray
salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, dried basil

Directions
Peel the eggplant and slice into thin rounds. Salt the eggplant and let sit for about 20-30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. This will make the eggplant less bitter.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Put flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. I added pepper and Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs, as well. Dip each eggplant slice into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs so it is coated on each side, and place on the baking sheet.

Bake the breaded eggplant for 10 minutes on each side(20 minutes total) until it is cooked through and slightly crispy, and remove from oven.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Coat the bottom with spaghetti sauce, and add a layer of eggplant slices. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Add another thin layer of sauce, then add eggplant and cheese. Top with sauce and a little parmesan and dried basil. If you have some leftover breadcrumbs, toss them in, too. Just be sure not to overdo it with the sauce, or your eggplant will come out mushy.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes until it is hot, bubbly, and crispy on top.

Serves 4 generously.

Pasta Disaster-- Don't Try This at Home!

2009-01-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

So today was pretty much my worst housewife moment thus far. It was such a comedy of errors that I felt like I was in an I Love Lucy episode. I was expecting a giant loaf of bread to come busting out of the oven at any moment.

I had some BBB gift cards left over from the wedding, so among other things I bought a nifty little pasta maker attachment for my Kitchenaid stand mixer. Since I had the day off today, I thought it would be a good day to try it. I was intrigued by this recipe for "almost vegan alfredo" that I saw on Salty Girl Cooks, my favorite vegetarian food blog. Why not give it a go?

I had picked up some whole wheat pasta flour from Ecco La Pasta at Hill's Kitchen. I never made homemade pasta before, so I didn't know quite what to expect. I followed the directions, but it didn't seem right. It was sort of dense and sticky. But, I figured, maybe that's how it was supposed to be?

So I put it in the stand mixer. It's sort of working. The pasta comes out, but it all sticks together. Then... the motor stops running. It's stuck. I clean it but it still doesn't turn on. I've killed my mixer!

In the mean time, I am boiling the homemade pasta that did get made. I forget about it. It turns into a big, soggly, goopily mess. Could anything get worse?

Oh yes.

The sauce calls for a mixture of cream cheese, tofu, mushrooms, and garlic. I heat up a pan to cook the mushrooms and garlic. Too hurriedly, I grab a jar of chopped garlic out of the fridge, and....

... it smashes all over the floor.

So, no garlic. I make what's left of the rest of the sauce, taste it, and it's... blah. I mean, it's mostly tofu. If there's nothing in there, it's gonna taste like... nothing.

I ended up cooking up some whole wheat spaghetti (NOT homemade), tossed it with the sauce, and added a bunch of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese (which kind of defeats the purpose of a "healthy" alfredo, but whatevs... I was improvising at this point).

You know, it came out... okay. Gary said he liked it. I thought he was just being kind, but then he went back for seconds, so who knows?

Here's the finished product:

So, I can't necessarily recommend the recipe, but I might try it again. It was definitely filling, I'll give it that. With some garlic and more seasoning, it might not be half bad.

And now my kitchen reeks of garlic, and I can't even eat any! How sad.

PS-- if anyone knows how to fix my$300 mixer I'm all ears.

Thanksgiving Dinner

2008-11-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

We decided to have a pre-Thanksgiving feast and try out some new recipes. In addition to turkey, mashed potatoes, and biscuits, we had...

On the menu:
Cranberry apple stuffing
Cheddar cheese mushroom caps
Cranberry sauce
Cranberry sweet potatoes
Apple pie
Festive dessert pizza

Cranberry Apple Stuffing

Shannon made this yummy stuffing, and also the tasty mushroom appetizers.
Adapted from McCormick, Inc.

½ C butter
2 cups chopped celery
½ C chopped onion
1 tsp Thyme Leaves
1 tsp Rosemary Leaves
1 tsp Parsley Flakes
2 Granny Smith apples – cored and chopped
1 ¼ C dried cranberries
1 tsp grated orange peel (optional)
4 C unseasoned dry bread cubes
1 C chicken broth
In a skillet, melt the butter. Add celery and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in next 5 ingredients and orange peel, if desired.
Place bread cubes in a large bowl; stir in fruit mixture. Add broth; toss to combine. Place in 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover and bake in a 325°F oven 35-40 minutes.

Cheddar Cheese Mushroom Caps

From http://www.easy-appetizer-recipes.com/cheddar-cheese-mushrooms.html
1 pound mushrooms
6 TBLS butter (unsalted)
½ C walnuts
½ C parsley leaves (fresh)
1 onion
1 cup sharp Cheddar* (coarsely grated)
½ C fine fresh bread crumbs
¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
*about 4 ounces
Preheat you oven to 350 degrees F. Next, cut off and chop up the stems from the mushrooms and set aside.
Then, melt the butter and with a pastry brush, gently brush the butter over the tops of the mushroom caps. You can then arrange the caps, with the cut stemmed sides up, on a large baking sheet.
Next you need to lightly toast the walnuts. When they have cooled, finely chop the nuts and then chop up the parsley and onion.
In a large skillet, sauté the chopped stems in the remaining butter over a moderately high heat until the stems have softened.
Next, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Once the mixture has been thoroughly stirred, divide it among all the mushroom caps, making a small mound in each cap.
The best part of this recipe is it can all be done ahead of time. You can have all the ingredients ready to go and then once the caps have been stuffed, you can store them for up to 4 hours before you serve them.
Before serving, take out the Cheddar Cheese Mushrooms if you have chilled them in advance, and bake them in the middle of the oven for approximately 20 minutes. Serve these delicious tidbits warm.

Pear Honey Cranberry Sauce

Warren made the cranberry sauce. It was delish! The link to the recipe is here.

Cranberry Sweet Potatoes

This was Elaine's contribution. I had never had these together in a combo before, but it turned out very well! She got the recipe from Cooking Light.

6 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces) 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons of margarine/butter (melted) 2 tablespoons of orange juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce

Place the cut up potatoes in a 2-quart casserole dish, cover and microwave on high for 10 minutes or until tender. In a separate dish/bowl, combine brown sugar, margarine/butter (melted), orange juice, and salt. Mix mixture into potatoes. "Toss lightly" the cranberry sauce into potatoes. Microwave potatoes on high for 10 minutes or until heated throughly. Baste twice during cooking. (If refrigerating potatoes and reheating later, follow this last step to reheat.)

Apple Pie

I made the apple pie. I used the pie crust recipe that came with my Kitchenaid mixer, but I didn't like how it turned out very much. I'll try a different one next time. The pie filling was very tasty though. I'll type in the recipe soon... I got it from the Good Housekeeping Cookbook.

Festive Dessert Pizza
This was also a Shannon dish. She was busy!

Adapted from Dole.com
1 package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 package cream cheese softened
¼ C sugar
1 can (15oz) mandarin oranges – drained
2 kiwi – peeled and sliced
1 C sliced strawberries
Press cookie dough on bottom of 12-inch pizza pan or 13 x 9-inch baking pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Bake at 350ºF., 10 to 14 minutes or until light brown. Cool to room temperature.
Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl until smooth and blended. Stir in 1/2 cup mandarin oranges. Spread over crust. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.
Arrange remaining mandarin oranges, kiwi and strawberries, over cream cheese. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.
Tip for easy serving: Before placing fruit over cream cheese cut pizza unto 12 wedges or rectangles then arrange fruit on each slice.
Notes: Used raspberries instead of strawberries

One-Pot-Wonder Baked Ziti

2008-10-27T18:17:00.001-07:00

My friend Jodi sent me this recipe. She called it a "one pot wonder" veg ziti. It's a twist on a baked ziti recipe that is absolutely delicious! It's quick and easy, and I think a little lighter than a regular baked ziti because it doesn't use ricotta or a premade spaghetti sauce. We will definitely be making this again and again. The red pepper and garlic give this a nice little zing. It's also a nice flexible dish to use up leftovers... I tossed in some mushrooms, green onion, pecorino cheese, and parsley.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt & fresh ground pepper
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 ounces ziti pasta (3 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh basil leaf, minced
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

1) Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475.

2) Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. (If your skillet is not ovensafe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking). I then sauteed some mushrooms and green onions here, about 2 minutes.

3) Add crushed tomatoes, water, ziti and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

4) Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until ziti is almost tender, 15-18 minutes.

5) Stir in cream, Parmesan, and basil. I also added chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6) Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over ziti. I also added some shredded Pecorino cheese here. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Scallops Provencal with Herbed Couscous and Mushrooms

2008-10-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

I love watching Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network, but never made one of the recipes I saw on her show until today. I have been wanting to make this scallop dish for a while, and since I am now taking the city bus to work (blah) which takes me right by Eastern Market, I figured today would be a good day to try it out. It turned out SOOOOOOOOOO yummy. In addition to the scallops, she made an herbed basmati rice. Instead, I made a box of pinenut couscous (takes about 8 minutes), and added some dill and scallions. After making the scallops, I used the pan to quickly cook up some baby bella mushrooms and spinach for a side dish. All said and done, this took me about 25 minutes. Definitely a keeper!

Here's the recipe, from the Food Network website:

Ingredients
1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops (I used sea scallops)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in 1/2

Directions
If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Healthy-ish Banana Muffins

2008-10-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

I had a bunch of overripe bananas to use up, and now I love baking because of my snazzy new Kitchenaid stand mixer. Honestly I am in love with this thing. So here's a recipe I tried tonight-- I thought it came out pretty well. I found this online and I'm adding in my additions / substitutions.

Ingredients:
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. applesauce
1/2 c. eggbeaters
3 overripe bananas
2/3 c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
In mixing bowl combine honey, eggbeaters, oil, applesauce, and banana. Mix on #2 setting if you're using a Kitchenaid mixer. Turn to #1 setting and add dry ingredients until just combined, being careful not to over mix. Pour mixture into greased muffin pans or paper muffin cups. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Remove pan to rack, and let stand for 10 minutes. Invert pan and let finish cooling on rack. Best served warm. Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Variation: Banana bread... bake mini-loaves 40-45 minutes and for 1 regular loaf bake 1 hour.

Shannon inspired dish

2008-09-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

So, Liza says I should start putting up stuff Neil and I make. So... here we go! This dish turned out awesome and was inspired by a some food facts that Shannon sent out about BEANS!!! I may start cooking with beans at least 4 times a week! ;) Neil's going to love it! Justin, you are more than welcome to come over for beans anytime!

The recipe called for fennel seeds but go figure, we didn't have any, so we skipped that part. And we added a little less than the mustard amount, just a little. We had a bad experience in the past with another dish and too much mustard! We did not skin the salmon, just flaked it! As for the wine, we cooked with the required amount and drank the rest!!!! So here's the recipe....

Ingredients
5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 bulb fennel, halved, cored and thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
2 15-ounce cans white beans, rinsed
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed (see Tip), cut into 2 portions

Directions

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced fennel; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes and wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in chopped fennel fronds, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine fennel seeds and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly on both sides of salmon.
Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons oil to the pan and heat over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the salmon, skinned-side up, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the salmon over, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand until the salmon finishes cooking off the heat, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer the salmon to a cutting board and flake with a fork. Serve salmon on top of the warm bean mixture.

To skin a salmon fillet: Place it on a clean cutting board, skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding the skin down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30 degree angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.

Flavors of Fall Dinner Party

2008-09-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

Since summer is now officially behind us, it seemed like a good time to start experimenting with the flavors of fall. Once the weather starts to turn cold, it makes me think of comfort foods-- warm gooey pastas, casseroles, and hearty, savory dishes.

On the menu:

Spinach, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Lasagna

Mary's Hot Clam Dip

Apple Butterscotch Bars

Lebanese Chicken Pitas

Easy Bake Chicken Casserole

Gary and I hosted this guinea pig dinner. I decided to try a recipe from the Hayday Country Market Cookbook that I got last Christmas from my in-laws. I love goat cheese, so this lasagna sounded perfect! The recipe in the book is a bit different, so I've written the recipe the way I did it.

Spinach, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Lasagna

This is your basic layered lasagna, with a twist. I used:

1 lb. whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked

For the spinach layer:

20 oz. frozen cut spinach, thawed and drained
6 oz. of goat cheese (buy a 10 oz container of goat cheese; you will use the rest at the end)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. nutmeg
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients; set aside.

For the mushroom layer:

About 2 lbs. mushrooms, cleaned and chopped (I used baby bellas and white)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine (I used a riesling that I had on hand)
2 TB fresh chopped basil
1 TB fresh thyme
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onions and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat with the oil. Cook until reduced by half; about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer until the liquid is gone. Remove from heat and stir in the basil, thyme, cheeses, and salt and pepper.

Putting together the lasagna:

Grease an 11 x 7 pan. Start with a layer of the mushroom mixture, then pasta, then spinach. Repeat with pasta, mushroom, pasta, spinach, pasta... top with the last 4 oz. of goat cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. Uncover and cook under the broiler for about 5 minutes.

The verdict: I liked this a lot... good flavor. However, it came out a little dry. It needs some kind of sauce... maybe some alfredo?

The next two recipes were from Shannon...

Mary’s Hot Clam Dip
From Mary Cooper in the Gooseberry Patch Autumn in the Country 2007 p.49

½ C butter
1 onion – chopped
½ green pepper – chopped
1 tsp garlic – minced
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
2 – 6 ½ oz cans minced clams
¼ tsp lemon juice
½ C bread crumbs
Grated Parmesan cheese
Assorted crackers

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions, green pepper, garlic, and seasonings (oregano, parsley, and hot sauce) until tender; set aside. Combine clams and clam liquid with lemon juice in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes; stir in bread crumbs. Add clam mixture to butter mixture and stir well. Pour into lightly greased 8"x8" baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve with crackers. Serves 6.

The verdict: Very tasty. Great appetizer for a party.

Apple Butterscotch Bars
From Karen Hughes in the Gooseberry Patch Autumn in the Country 2007 p.209

2 C sugar
1 C oil
3 eggs – beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 C apples – cored, peeled, and chopped
1 C chopped nuts
1 C butterscotch chips
Combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix in flower, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix well. Stir in apples, nuts, and butterscotch chips. Spread in lighted greased 13"x9" baking pang. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes.

The verdict: I am a sucker for any apple dessert-- this one was no exception. Great! Did not have a real strong butterscotch flavor though... I might add more to the recipe.

Here's one from Steph...
Lebanese Chicken Pitas

1 tbsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper
1 lb chicken (I used the thin sliced chicken)

Mix above ingredients together. Check taste before rubbing on chicken and adjust to your preference. Rub mixture on chicken and marinate chicken for 1-2 hours.
Cook chicken in skillet with olive oil, until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly, in order to cut. Cut chicken into small strips. Cut 1 onion and 1 green pepper into blunt strips. Sautee but keep crunchy the onion and green pepper. Mix together cooked chicken, onions and peppers. This can be made a day ahead and reheated.

SAUCE
4 tbsp greek yogurt
1 tbsp minced onion
1 heaping tbsp chopped mint
½ minced garlic clove
½ fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt

Combine ingredients. Adjust taste to your preference. This can also be made a day ahead.
Serve chicken mixture on lavash bread (or pita-like bread) with lettuce, tomatoes, and sauce.

The verdict: Very nice! The flavors were unusual, but yummy.

Easy Bake Chicken Casserole

1 pkg (6 oz) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup Breakstone’s or Knudsen Sour Cream
1 bag (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with the stuffing.
Bake 30 min or until chicken is cooked through.

The verdict: I'm a vegetarian so didn't partake, but it was gone by the end of the night!

Monday Night Football Spinach - Artichoke Dip

2008-09-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

It wasn't a "guinea pig dinners" night, but Gary was so psyched about Monday Night Football tonight that I had to make some good game-watching grub. I tried to cull together a bunch of recipes for spinach - artichoke dip that I found online using the stuff I had on hand, and it turned out quite tastily, if I do say so myself. I used many non-fat or reduced fat items to lighten it up a bit, and it still was really good.

Ingredients:

15 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
7 oz. marinated artichoke hearts
1 pkg. fat free cream cheese, softened
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (reduced fat)
4 oz. shredded Pecorino-Romano cheese, divided (could substitute parmesan here)
3 cloves garlic, minced (can be increased or lowered according to your taste)
8 oz. light sour cream
Salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste

Fresh oregano to taste

Directions
1) Drain and coarsely chop artichoke hearts.
2) Set aside 2 oz. (about 1/2 cup) of shredded Pecorino cheese.
3) Combine all the rest of the ingredients (excluding seasoning) and mix well.
4) Add salt, pepper, red pepper, and oregano to your taste.
5) Transfer to a baking dish-- I used an 8 x 8 glass dish.
6) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 20 minutes, until mixture is hot and bubbly.
7) Sprinkle the top with the last 2 oz. of Pecorino cheese and put under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is brown and crispy on top-- watch it carefully!
8) I served it with tortilla chips.

Enjoy with a Dock Street, a fine Philadelphia beer.

A Mexican-Themed Guinea Pig Dinner

2008-08-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our Guinea Pig Dinners blog!

For each dinner, we'll list each dish, the recipe (or link to the recipe), and the outcome: what was the verdict-- hit or miss? Would we make it again? If so, what might we do differently?

Steph and the Chef (aka Neil) hosted a Mexican themed fiesta with lots of yummy new recipes to try. On the menu:

Raspberry margaritas
Spinach and corn quesadillas
Mango and cucumber salsa
Mexican pizzas

Raspberry Margaritas

You have to have margaritas at a Mexican dinner, right? Gary and I (Liza) made these, following this recipe from allrecipes.com. Adult beverages are always a hit, and for the most part these were pretty tasty. If I were to make them again, I'd add some more sugar (they were a little sour) and strain it. The raspberries made these drinks very seedy.

Spinach and Corn Quesadillas

These were very tasty! The Chef made these. Definitely a keeper. I might add a little more cheese next time, so they stick together a little better.

Cucumber-Mango Salsa

I made this salsa from allrecipes (are you detecting a theme here? Allrecipes is my go-to recipe site). I added a green pepper and used red onion (the recipe doesn't specify). I also only used one jalepeno pepper and found it plenty spicy. This dish was well received... it was good with tortilla chips, and would also be nice with fish or scallops. We used regular old tortilla chips, but I think this salsa would be great with those Tostido multigrain chips, which I am totally in love with.

Grilled Mexican Potato and Chorizo Pizza on Tortillas

The whole idea of "Mexican"and "pizza" was weird to me. Salsa? Tortillas? That's a whole different food family than pizza! I must say, I am a convert. These little pizzas were SO good. An Emeril recipe comes through again... BAM!

These were great as a main dish, but they would also work well as a party snack or appetizer. They would be fantastic for Superbowl Sunday! They made one of the pizzas vegetarian by omitting the chorizo. Steph and the Chef describe how they made them here:

All in all, the Mexican dinner was a big success! We hope you got some good recipe ideas. We'll be back here after the next dinner-- same guinea pig time, same guinea pig channel.