Foodiemom

Baked Eggs

2011-12-03T16:07:00.001-06:00

Here is a delicious, inexpensive, quick to prepare meal that I adapted from Bon Appetit. Serve with a crusty loaf of French bread for dipping.

Baked Eggs with Tomato-Chickpea Sauce and Feta

1 onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon borracho bean seasoning
1 26-ounce box Pomi tomatoes
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup feta cheese, cut into small cubes
six eggs
parsley
cilantro

In a large saucepan, sweat the onion and the jalapeno in the oil until the onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the paprik and the borracho bean seasoning and cook for 1 minute until the spices become fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and the chickpeas and cook over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens slightly. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Set three oven-proof dishes on a large cookie sheet. After the sauce has cooked down a bit, turn off the heat and stir the feta cheese into the sauce. Divide the sauce between the oven-proof dishes. Crack two eggs into each dish. Cook in the oven until the whites of the eggs are just set, but the yolks are still runny. You may want to turn the broiler off for a few minutes to finish the cooking. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the top with chopped cilantro and parsley. Serve with warm bread for dipping.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T20:32:00.001-06:00

Arugula salad with pears, goat cheese, and pomegranate molasses dressing
Dry-brined, herb-buttered, grilled turkey
Stuffing
Green beans with hoisin and shoyu
Mashed potatoes
Apple pie
Blueberry pie
Sweet potato pie

Turkey Meatball Sandwiches

2011-11-15T19:41:00.000-06:00

I pulled some ground turkey from the freezer this morning and imagined what to do with it during the work day. My family usually complains about dinners made with ground turkey, so I sought to surprise them with a hearty, comforting meal. Inspired by Smitten Kitchen's recipe for meatball subs, I picked up some Gruyere cheese and hoagie rolls at Trader Joe's on the way home and got to work. My guys were charmed, and I was once again a hero at the dinner table.

Turkey Meatball Sandwiches

1 lb. ground turkey

1/4 cup parsley, minced

1 large shallot, minced

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

1 jar your favorite spaghetti sauce

1 large onion, sliced

1 cup baby bell peppers, halved

Hoagie rolls

More cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the turkey, parsley, shallot, egg, milk, hot red pepper flakes, milk, bread crumbs and cheese. Form into 1.5-inch meatballs; place on a piece of parchment paper on a large cookie sheet. On another cookie sheet, toss the sliced onions and peppers with a generous amount of olive oil; salt and pepper. Roast the meatballs and the peppers in the oven until the meatballs are cooked and the peppers and onions begin to caramelize. Meanwhile, heat the spaghetti sauce in a large saucepan. Remove the meatballs from the cookie sheet and simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes or until the flavors meld. While the meatballs heat up in the sauce, open up the hoagie rolls and pull some of the excess bread out of the middle of the rolls. Place three meatballs on each roll, nap with some of the sauce, and top with the roasted peppers and onions. Garnish with a bit more cheese. Serve with salad.

Dinner on Martha

2011-11-14T20:14:00.001-06:00

Leafing through Martha Stewart's latest Living last night, the "What's for Dinner" section caught my eye. An easy, curry soup and some delicious shrimp toasts. I already had a half baguette and some basil in the pantry; I added some fresh chicken to the soup to make it a little heartier.

Even better, Maddy helped me make dinner tonight, toasting the bread for the shrimp toasts. Which made the meal that much more enjoyable.

Goat cheese souffle and artichokes

2011-11-07T20:55:00.001-06:00

I learned how to cook souffle from my friend Alice. Actually, Alice taught me that I shouldn't be afraid of souffle, because it is a lot more forgiving that it sounds, and it is delicious. A dollop of butter and a few tablespoons of flour, a scant cup of milk to make a bechamel, a handful of cheese and a few eggs, and you are set.

I learned how to cook artichokes from my husband, whose mother used to serve them when he was a kid. Artichokes are the ultimate "involvement" food, demanding that the diner pick and dip, working down to the prized heart, buried beneath layers and layers of leaves and the forbidding "choke." We especially enjoyed my husband's ritual retelling of his famous artichoke joke, as we nibbled on leaves and savored rich spoonfuls of cheesy souffle.

Salmon with pea puree

2011-11-03T20:36:00.000-05:00

I love the fresh "English" peas that are sometimes available at Costco, and I buy them whenever I can. I had some in the cooler that were going to turn soon, so I invented this delicious, light pea puree to serve as a lovely green bed for some fresh salmon that I picked up on the way home from work.

Salmon with Pea Puree

1 1/2 lbs salmon
2 lbs new potatoes
2 lbs fresh peas (or two bags frozen peas)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 shallot, sliced
1 lemon
1 tbsp tarragon, minced
1 cup chicken stock

In a large saute pan, heat the oil and the 1 tablespoon of the butter. Saute the shallots for a minute until fragrant. Add the fresh peas and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, and cook until the peas are done. (If using frozen peas, cook until just warmed through.). Add the juice of one lemon, the remaining butter, and the tarragon. Puree the pea mixture until smooth in a blender; loosen with more stock if necessary.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve the new potatoes and toss with some olive oil on a large sheet pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and push the potatoes to one side. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place on the pan. Return to the oven and cook for 15-20 more minutes or until salmon is done and potatoes are cooked through. Serve skinned salmon on top of a large dollop of pea puree with roasted potatoes on the side.

Chicken paillards

2011-10-27T15:45:00.001-05:00

Weeknight Sausage and Pasta

2011-10-20T19:48:00.000-05:00

Cheff Davies was sampling their chicken sausage at Costco a couple of weeks ago, and I was quickly sold. The three-cheese sausage is flavored with Two Brothers beer, and is delightfully spiced. I had some leftover broccolini in the fridge, and the butternut squash was looking especially enticing at Trader Joe's, so I cobbled together this vegetable-rich pasta dish for dinner tonight. The sweetness of the squash and the bitterness of the broccolini pair nicely with the richness of the sausages.

1 package Cheff Davies three-cheese chicken sausage

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced

1/2 pound broccolini, chopped

1 pound orechiette

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the butternut squash with some olive oil on a cookie sheet, and salt and pepper it. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes until it is tender and beginning to caramelize. Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water to boil. Slice the sausage, and brown it in another pan. Boil the pasta for about six minutes, then add the broccolini to the water and boil it together with the pasta for another six minutes. Dump the pasta, broccolini, squash, and sausage into one large serving bowl. Top with the cheese and a couple of ladles of the pasta water. Toss to combine. Serve.

Huevos Rancheros

2011-10-19T20:18:00.000-05:00

Corn tortillas, Cuban beans from Trader Joe's, frozen corn, fried egg, cheese, quick trip under the broiler, tomatillo salsa on top.

Memories of the Berghoff

2011-10-17T21:16:00.001-05:00

Huervos Rancheros

2011-08-09T19:48:00.004-05:00

A quick and easy weeknight meal that has the extra advantage of being inexpensive.

Huervos Rancheros

vegetable oil
corn tortillas
refried beans
eggs
shredded Mexican cheese
salsa

Heat about 3/4 inch of oil in a shallow saute pan over medium high heat until it begins to wisp smoke. One by one, fry the corn tortillas in the oil until they are crisp; drain on paper towels. Heat the broiler. Slather a generous amount of refried beans over each cooled tortilla. Heat a large fry pan, and drizzle with some of the reserved oil from the tortilla frying. Fry one egg for each tortilla until the bottom of the egg is set and crispy; the top of the egg need not be fully cooked. Place one egg atop the beans on each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and the top of the egg is cooked, making sure not to overcook the egg (you want it runny in the middle). Top each egg with salsa and serve immediately.

Butter-Poached Asparagus

2011-05-27T12:58:00.004-05:00

Last night, I tried a new way to prepare asparagus, as seen on the new site Gilt Taste. I peeled the asparagus, marinated them in a mixture of sugar and salt, and then poached them in a shallow pan full of butter and olive oil, with a few cloves of garlic thrown in for good measure.

Husband was not impressed, but my children lapped them up. Saved the butter/oil mixture for saute goodness later this weekend.

Christmas Dinner Disaster

2010-12-30T11:45:00.010-06:00

I like to experiment in the kitchen. Trying new ingredients and new techniques keeps the daily grind of meal preparation fresh. And, once and awhile, a new discovery will work it's way into my repertoire of regularly prepared meals.

This Christmas, we decided to do something different. We have a longstanding family tradition of Christmas Eve dinner at Lawry's, which is famous for its hand-carved prime rib. So, beef is usually not on the menu on Christmas day. No one wanted ham, turkey is kind of boring. My husband suggested duck. Beside the fact that he loves duck, he recalled a particularly delicious specimen that we enjoyed at our country house last fall. So, we procured two frozen ducks at our local grocer and began to plan.

One of the challenges to cooking duck at home is the prodigious amount of fat on the bird. On more than on occasion, we have nearly been smoked out of the kitchen when attempting to roast duck in the oven. So, I looked for a different preparation method. Alton Brown's Mighty Duck recipe looked promising. He suggests brining the bird (always a good idea), and then steaming the quartered pieces until most of the fat has rendered off. The duck is then cooked in a hot oven on a preheated "NASA hot" skillet, which crisps the skin and finishes the meat.

My sous chef/husband and I followed the recipe carefully, excited at the prospect of tender, moist duck meat combined with crispy, crackling skin. The result? Abject failure. The meat was too salty and either tough (legs and thighs) or undercooked (breast) and the skin was scorched, unpleasant, and unevenly browned.

A Christmas dinner disaster? Heavens, no! It was loads of fun to try a new method and to work with a meat that rarely graces my kitchen. The whole experiment got everyone into the kitchen, poking and prodding and prognosticating on what looked good and how long to leave that piece in the pan and what might work better next time.

I look forward to more failures in the kitchen, and more good times cooking and sharing meals with people I love.

Memories of the Berghoff

2010-11-21T11:03:00.005-06:00

It was a very busy weekend, and I was in need of comfort food and the distinct pleasures of cooking. The lovely veal cutlets at Costco immediately made me think of wiener schnitzel. Wiener schnitzel always makes me think of the Berghoff, one of my favorite restaurants growing up in Chicago. This is my homage to their weiner schnitzel plate, complete with creamed spinach and a baked potato.

Weiner Schnitzel

1 1/2 pounds veal cutlets
1 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
3 eggs, beaten with 3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 lemons

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly pound the veal cutlets until they are a uniform thickness. Dredge in the seasoned flour; pat off excess. Dredge in the egg mixture; let excess drip off. Dredge in the panko and coat well. Place prepared cutlets on parchment-lined baking sheets in one layer; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one-half hour. Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan with over medium high heat. The oil should be about 1/2-inch up from the bottom of the pan. When the oil begins to smoke, cook the cutlets in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and crisp. Place cooked cutlets on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, and keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve. Serve with lemon wedges.

Creamed Spinach

8 cups spinach
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Pack the spinach in a glass bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 3-4 minutes until spinach has wilted. Leave in covered bowl until cooled. Remove spinach from bowl and squeeze in a clean dishtowel to remove as much water as possible. Lightly chop the spinach and set aside. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and saute the chopped garlic until fragrant. Add the flour and cook and stir for one minute. Add the milk, and whisk until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Add the chopped spinach and stir thoroughly to coat with the sauce. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Weeknight Fondue

2010-11-03T19:58:00.010-05:00

I called my little hipster kids from work late this afternoon to ask them what they wanted for dinner, and the answer was "fondue." I deflect this most of the time, but, after yesterday's disaster at the polls, tonight felt like a night to do some ironic "celebration."

Fondue always makes me think of my favorite scene from Heidi, when her grandfather skewers a hunk of raclette cheese on a stick, toasts it in the fire like a marshmallow, and scrapes the melted cheese off of the hunk and onto a slice of fresh bread. Swiss comfort food. In lieu of a fireplace in the kitchen, this is my best, quick fondue, suitable for a weeknight dinner.

Weeknight "Celebration" Fondue

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced
1/2 bottle Goose Island India Pale Ale
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces Gruyere cheese
8 ounces raclette cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Saute the shallots in the olive oil. Add the beer and bring to a simmer. Add the cheeses, one at a time, and melt. Add the Worcestershire sauce and taste for seasoning. Serve with cubed bread, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and sliced sausage.

Milk-Braised Pork Shoulder

2010-10-03T19:02:00.006-05:00

Inspired by a fabulous dinner at the Purple Pig, we decided to try to braise the pork shoulder that my dear husband procured at Costco this weekend in milk. There are many fine recipes for milk-braised pork online, so we cribbed from a few of the best looking ones, and then did our own thing.

What a fabulous, easy way to cook an inexpensive cut of pork! Our pork shoulder was boneless; would be interesting to try a bone-in cut to see what that added to the sauce. We served ours with lightly buttered egg noodles and steamed sugar snap peas. It would have been equally at home with polenta or potatoes.

Milk-Braised Pork Shoulder

3-4 lbs. boneless pork shoulder
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 shallots, minced
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup white wine
5 springs thyme
2 bay leaves

Liberally season the pork with salt and pepper. Put a large dutch oven on the stovetop to heat; add a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Brown the pork on all sides; remove to a pan. Saute the onion, garlic, and shallots in the pot; cook until translucent. Add the pork and any accumulated juices back to the pan, along with the milk, wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and cook in a low oven (300 degrees) for 3-4 hours until the pork is very tender and beginning to fall apart. Remove the pork from the pot and cover with foil to keep warm; strain the liquid from the pot, pressing down to extract all of the juices. Place the liquid into a gravy strainer and allow the fat to rise to the top. Pour all of the gravy back into the pot, and add 1/2-3/4 cup of cream. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Return the pork to the sauce and heat through. Serve with noodles and a green vegetable.

Can-O-Rama

2010-09-11T17:13:00.009-05:00

Last week, I awoke to a story on NPR about canning featuring a blogger new to me, Mrs. Wheelbarrow. It was a great piece, full of enthusiasm about the serendipity of the farmers' market and the simple joy of preserving fresh fruits and vegetables for another day. I've already made pickles this summer, but Mrs. Wheelbarrow inspired me to want to do more. I was particularly intrigued by her simple, but beguiling recipe for fig confiture. As luck would have it, I found some beautiful figs on sale at Whole Foods this week, and so I made a batch.

The figs are soaked in boiling water to soften, quartered, and married with some thinly sliced lemon, honey, and a bunch of thyme. The resulting loose jam is divine with a good cheese. A lovely gift for your favorite lover of food.

I had so much fun with the confiture, that I followed up with a variation on Mrs. Wheelbarrow's cardamom peach pie filling. The peaches, which have been particularly fragrant this year, are just ending here in the midwest. I did not have any clear gel on hand, so my peaches loosely swimming in syrup, but I figure I can thicken them when I use them, or not depending on the recipe. Wonderful stuff! Thanks for the inspiration, Mrs. Wheelbarrow!

Late Summer Dinner Party

2010-09-05T13:52:00.002-05:00

Nick and I got up early and headed to the Green City Market to see what looked good. It was only 7:30 a.m., but the market was already quite crowded, and we spent an enjoyable hour wandering, tasting, talking with purveyors, and filling our market bags. We were having guests for dinner; here was the menu:

Appetizers

Marcona almonds
Manchego cheese
Crocodile tears from Capriole Goat Cheese
Assorted grapes from Mick Klug Farm

Dinner

Smoked turkey
Marshall grilled for five hours on the rotisserie over hardwood. It was moist, smoky, and delicious.

Watermelon, feta, tomato salad with basil vinaigrette
A nice, late summer salad. Used heirloom tomatoes from the market and basil from my garden.

Zucchini and summer squash with chili, mint and toasted almonds
Found some beautiful yellow squash at the market. OK recipe, could have skipped the almonds.

Sweet potato gratin with creme fraiche, bacon, and onions
A fantastic recipe, sweet and savory, and perfect with the turkey. Beautiful fresh sweet potatoes from the market.

Dessert

Peaches poached with basil, served with vanilla ice cream
Absolutely delicious, prepared ahead, light and fresh dessert. Would use more basil next time. Would be outstanding with some creme fraiche or lightly sweetened marscapone cheese.

Stuffed Pattypan Squash

2010-08-09T20:26:00.011-05:00

On the way home from dropping my son at camp this weekend, we stopped at a farm stand at the side of the road and found these beautiful pattypan squash for only 50 cents/apiece. I usually find much smaller versions of pattypan squash at the market; these bigger specimens were begging to be stuffed.

Inspired by a recipe of Laura Calder's that I saw on TV over the weekend, I thought it would be nice to combine the smokiness of bacon, the bitterness of swiss chard, the saltiness of almonds, and the sweetness of raisins in a soft, custardy filling. An (almost) meatless Monday. With a warm baguette, a full, delicious meal.

Stuffed Pattypan Squash
4 large pattypan squash
5 slices bacon, chopped
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 bunch swiss chard, leaves cut away from stems and chopped, stems chopped
1/2 cup raisins
3 eggs
1/2 cup crème fraiche
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the tops off of the squash and use a melon baller to scrap out the inside, creating a space for the stuffing. Rub the insides and the tops of the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper the squash, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel to drain; in the reserved bacon fat, saute the shallots until translucent; add the chopped swiss chard stems and cook until partially softened. Add the chopped leaves of chard and cook until wilted. In a small saucepan, toast the almonds until lightly browned. Combine the cooked chard/shallots, bacon, almonds, and raisins. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and add the crème fraiche; salt and pepper to taste.

Now for the excitement. Stuff the parbaked squash with the chard/bacon/almond mixture. Pour the custard/egg mixture into each squash, dividing among each. Top each squash with the shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until squash is cooked through, custard is set, and cheese is melted and beginning to brown on top. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.

Beautiful Blossoms

2010-07-29T21:35:00.004-05:00

I found some zucchini blossoms at the grocery earlier this week and bought them just because they were so beautiful. Not sure what to do with them, I asked my Twitter followers for suggests, and got some good ideas. Ultimately decided to stuff them with cheese and herbs, dredge them in a light batter, and quickly fry them. I don't often fry, but this seemed like it would be relatively simple and tasty treat for the family.

Squash Blossom Treats

12 squash blossoms
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
1/3 cup Parmesan
2 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped
vegetable oil
1 cup water
3/4 cup seltzer

Mix the ricotta, Parmesan, and basil; salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Carefully open the blossoms and remove the stamens. Stuff each blossom with a spoonful of cheese mixture; twirl the top of the petals to seal. Refrigerate the stuffed blossoms for half an hour to firm them up a bit. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, mix the flour and the seltzer water into a batter. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Heat about 3/4-inch of vegetable oil in a shallow pan until hot enough to fry. Test the oil by dropping a few drips of batter into it; the batter should immediately float and begin to brown up. Dredge each stuffed blossom in the batter, making sure to cover it completely, and then fry, one or two at a time, until the batter is crisp and golden. Remove to a surface lined with newspaper; lightly sprinkle with salt while still hot from the pan. Serve immediately.

Rhubarb Chutney

2010-06-06T13:41:00.004-05:00

I stopped by the Chicago Farmstand on Friday afternoon to buy a cookie, and ended up with over $30 worth of fresh produce and cheese. The last of the spring rhubarb was irresistible, and I bought two bunches not sure what I was going to do with them. This weekend is my dear husband's birthday, so I decided to make a rhubarb chutney to top the thick-cut pork chops we grilled for dinner. A tasty, savory way to use rhubarb.

Rhubarb Chutney

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
5 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar

Saute the onion in a scant amount of vegetable oil until translucent but not brown. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and ginger, and stir over the heat until just fragrant. Add the rhubarb, brown sugar, and vinegar, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb falls apart and the chutney takes on the consistency of a chunky applesauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Kumquat Vinaigrette

2010-06-06T13:15:00.005-05:00

Nick and I recently had a wonderful afternoon in the kitchen at Custom House Tavern, part of a package I had gotten at a charity auction at the school's annual benefit. Four children (and their parents) were invited to cook lunch with the staff, which we later all enjoyed at a lovely table in the restaurant. Knowing how much Nick enjoys cooking, I thought that we would have fun, and we did.

Chef Aaron Deal, a wonderful young chef, worked with Nick on the salad course. He taught Nick how to make a deliciously piquant and citrusy kumquat vinaigrette, which they used to dress a salad composed of greens, shelled pistachios, Prairie Fruits Farm fresh chevre, and edible flowers. Easily the best dish of a fine luncheon.

Happily, there was quite a bit of leftover dressing, which the chef kindly shared with us. So Nick recreated the salad on Memorial day at a party with friends. In lieu of edible flowers, he used some chive flowers snipped fresh from our balcony garden. Delicious!

Thanks again to the wonderful staff at Custom House Tavern. Looking forward to a date night here soon!

Why I Cook

2010-02-21T13:01:00.007-06:00

Having just returned to full-time work, I have not been cooking as elaborately as I had been, although I am still preparing meals for my family almost daily. Although I miss that relaxed hour or two preparing a delicious meal, and I am confident I will find my way to a new weekday cooking style that may not be gourmet but will be a cut above 30-Minute Meals.

As I struggle to find a new normal, and inspired by Michael Ruhlman's recent blog post, here are some of the reasons that I cook.

I love to eat. It is one of life's greatest pleasures.
I enjoy sharing good food with other people. Especially family and good friends. Meals are an important social activity and build bonds between us. My cooking is an expression of my love from those I care most about. And I am making memories at the table every day with my husband and my children.
It is relaxing. At the end of a day working with my head, I enjoy an hour spent working with my hands and my other senses (smell, taste) to create something savory.
It is fun. There is always a new challenge available--a new cuisine, a new dish, a new ingredient.
It is a great way to teach your kids about culture--their own and others. One day, we try an Asian spring roll or an Indian curry and imagine faraway lands; the next day. we enjoy the apple pie recipe handed down from grandma and remember where we came from.
It is important to sustaining my family's health and well-being. I know that the food I prepare is (usually!) healthy and fresh. My children are learning to eat a variety of foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables. And I am saving money by cooking at home more and eating out less.

Weeknight Pozole

2010-02-15T16:38:00.007-06:00

Here is a comforting, quick, and healthy weeknight meal that can be thrown together from pantry staples. Although not traditional, I like a mix of hominy and fresh corn in my pozole. This time of year, avocados are plentiful and inexpensive, and they make a lovely garnish on this soup. You can also crumble a few tortilla chips in the bottom of the bowl to fortify the soup.

Weeknight Pozole

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 white onions, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 box chicken stock
4 cups water
1 can tomato paste
4 chicken breasts
1 30-ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn

garnishes: thinly sliced radishes, chopped ripe avocado, crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro

In a large soup pot, saute the onions in the oil until they have softened. Add the garlic, chili powder, and oregano, and stir over heat until the spices become fragant. Add the chicken stock, water, tomato paste and the chicken breasts. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let cool for a few minutes until it can be handled. Using two forks, shred the chicken; return it to the pot. Add the hominy and the corn, and heat the whole thing through. Serve, garnished with chopped avocado, queso fresco, thinly sliced radishes, and chopped cilantro as garnishes.

Roasted Cauliflower-Spinach Risotto

2010-01-26T19:41:00.006-06:00

It's been a tough winter (emotionally, not meteorlogically), and I craved comfort food tonight. Nothing is more satisfying to me on a sad, cold night than a bowl of risotto. It's like savory hot cereal for dinner.

I had a cauliflower cooling its heels in the crisper, which I had planned to roast. Roasting brings out the sweetness in most vegetables, and cauliflower, which is abundant in January, will surprise you. Why not toss it into the risotto? I added a bunch of spinach for some color and green goodness, and tossed in a generous handful of cheese and some cream to balance that goodness with some evil. Delicious.

Roasted Cauliflower-Spinach Risotto

1 cauliflower, cut into florets
1 yellow onion, sliced thickly
1 bunch spinach, washed and chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
6 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss cauliflower and onion on a large cookie sheet with a little olive oil. Salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, tossing occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter and saute the shallot until softened. Add the rice and saute until translucent. Add a cup of the stock, and stir over low heat until most of the stock is absorbed. Continue adding the stock a cup or so at a time. With the last addition, toss in the spinach and cook and stir until the spinach begins to wilt. Add the cauliflower and the onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When most of the last bit of stock has been absorbed, toss in the cheese and stir to combine. Add just enough cream to loosen the risotto to desired consistency. Serve.

Dishes Men Like

2010-01-17T13:01:00.006-06:00

Cleaning out my father's kitchen yesterday, I found this cookbook. "Dishes Men Like: New and Old Favorites, Easy to Prepare...Sure to Please," looks to have been prepared by Lea & Perrins, because every one of the 168 recipes in the book features Worcestershire sauce.

The introduction sets the stage:

If you have husband who likes to cook, pamper him! You are lucky indeed, even though you find yourself only a fetch-and-carry handmaiden while his genius glows. But men are wise, not one in a thousand really wants to take over the job. They usually have a few specialties to produce on occasion and leave the rest of the cooking to us.

So, what to do? It goes without saying that most women choose dishes men like.

So, what do men like? According to this book, during the "Cocktail Hour," men like Sardine Stuffed Eggs and Mystery Cheese Ball Spread. For dinner, men like Jellied Chicken Loaf and Rink Tum Diddy Rabbit. Steaks on the barbecue are always good; What Men Like recommends 2-inch thick steaks, cooked 18 minutes on each side for medium, 20 for well done. (I'm thinking that, after 40 minutes on the grill, you can use your steak as fuel for your next barbecue.)

And if your man had a few too many cocktails last night, try the Pick-Me-Up:

Note for husbands! Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce if taken on "the morning after" will immediately set you right for a good day's work. Here are two suggestions:

Add 2 teaspoons Lea & Perrins to a raw egg, stir and swallow.
Add 2 teaspoons Lea & Perrins to an 8-ounce glass of tomato or sauerkraut juice and drink contents as quickly as possible.

Double-Ginger Spice Cookies

2009-12-31T08:35:00.003-06:00

I baked all of my usual treats over the holidays this year--sugar cookies, walnut-cardamom balls, snickerdoodles, chocolate-walnut bars. But my favorite was this little ginger snap.

I found a recipe for a spicy little cookie on Epicurious. The recipe called for vegetable shortening, but I was shopping at Whole Foods, and all I could find that might suit was coconut oil, which is solid at temperatures below 76 degrees. I crossed my fingers and tried it. Delicious! The cookies were crisp on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside. And the coconut oil added a wonderful, exotic fragrance and flavor to the cookie. One small substitution that had a big impact on the finished product, and a cookie that I will bake again.

Ginger Spice Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsulphered molasses

Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a bowl. Add the chopped crystallized ginger, and stir to coat with the flour mixture. In a mixing bowl, beat the brown sugar, coconut oil, and butter until fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until just blended. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll spoonfuls of dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll the balls lightly in granulated sugar to coat, and place on the cookie sheets. Bake 12 minutes until the cookies begin to crackle on top but are still soft.

Lefse

2009-12-06T12:04:00.005-06:00

I had never heard of lefse until I went to college in Minnesota. Every year at St. Olaf during Christmas Festival, we were treated to a seasonal Norwegian meal that included lefse, gjetost, pickled herring, a warm fruit soup called sotsuppe, a creamy porridge called rommegrot, and the dreaded lutefisk, a dried cod prepared with lye that has the consistency of Jello. Of all these, the lefse was a favorite. A thin flatbread made with boiled potatoes, we ate it slathered with butter, sprinkled with brown sugar, and rolled up like a cigar.

Making lefse requires some special equipment, including a potato ricer, a lefse griddle, a special rolling pin, and a stick for moving the lefse to and from the grill. The trick is to keep as little flour in the dough as possible, while rolling the lefse as thinly as you can. The dough is very tender and tears easily.

With some help from a Minnesotan friend (thank you, Kate!), I found a good recipe for lefse dough and gave it a whirl this morning. My first few pieces were a little raggedy, but I quickly got the hang of it, and the last batch turned out actually quite good. In addition to the butter and sugar version, I think these would be lovely with a bit of cream cheese and smoked salmon. Looking forward to sharing this unique seasonal food with friends and family.

Lefse

Prepare dough a day ahead.

5 cups of boiled Idaho potatoes, riced
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt

Mix together and chill overnight.

To prepare lefse, preheat griddle to 500 degrees.

Take 2 cups of the potato mixture and mix in a scant 1/2 cup flour. (Put the rest of the dough back in the refrigerator, it needs to stay cold)

Sprinkle your workspace with a generous amount of flour. Make fist-sized balls of dough - or smaller - and roll each ball out thinly. Slide the lefse stick under the rolled-out dough, and gently slide it back and forth to ensure that it is not stuck to your work surface. Slide the stick down the middle of the dough, and transfer it to the the preheated griddle. It's best to slide one side down onto the griddle, and then rotate the stick to drop the other side onto the griddle.

Cook until slightly browned; flip to the other side and cook until done.

Place between clean kitchen towels to cool. When all are cooled, fold and package in Ziploc bags. Lefse freezes well.

Dreams Come True

2009-11-18T21:19:00.005-06:00

I had a dream on Monday night that we had onion soup for dinner. I had bought a beautiful bag of yellow onions at Costco this weekend, and had most of the other ingredients on hand, so I decided that's what we would eat on Tuesday for dinner.

This is a simple, but time-consuming recipe. Instead of cooking the onions on the stovetop, most of the cooking is done in the oven. I cheated a little and shortened the oven cooking time, but the final soup was still quite flavorful.

I served this with some roasted delicata squash, simply dressed with butter, salt and pepper. The sweet, creamy squash was a lovely foil to the salty, cheesy soup. Altogether satisfying.

French Onion Soup

6 large yellow onions, halved, peeled, and sliced
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup red wine
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups beef stock
5 springs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 baguette
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the sliced onions in a heavy soup pot; top with the butter and the salt. While the onions are cooking, make toasts. Slice the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. Paint each slice with olive oil and place on a cookie sheet. Bake until the toasts are just beginning to brown on one side; turn, and bake again until the other side is lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and reserve. After the onions have been cooking for 1 hour, remove them from the oven and stir; the onions will have wilted and given off much of their moisture. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on the stovetop over a medium flame. Cook and stir the onions until all of the moisture has evaporated and the onions begin to darken and caramelize. Add the wine. Cook and stir until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Remove the thyme and the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into oven-proof bowls. Top with toasts and shredded Gruyere cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Turkey Meatball Soup

2009-11-11T20:52:00.004-06:00

Here's another cheap dinner largely from the pantry. My son pronounced this a winner after slurping down two bowls!

I've been working a lot with ground turkey lately; it is an affordable, healthy, and versatile protein. I would have liked to add some chopped fresh parsley to the meatballs, but I didn't have any on hand. You could use any combination of vegetables for this soup--celery, spinach, zucchini would all be good.

Turkey Meatball Soup

1 slice bread
1/2 cup milk
1 lb ground turkey
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 leek
1 onion
2 carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups chicken stock
2 cups uncooked macaroni
1 1/2 cups green beans

Cut the bread into small cubes and place in a saucer with the milk. In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Squeeze most of the milk out of the soaked bread, and crumble the bread into the meat mixute. Combine well. Form into 3/4-inch meatballs and set aside. Prepare the vegetables. Slice the white part of the leek in half lengthwise and clean well under running water. Quarter and dice the leek. Peel the carrot and cut into small dice. Chop the onion and cut the green beans into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot, and saute the leek, onion, and carrots for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the meatballs to the soup; simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the pasta and the green beans and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is done. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese for a garnish.

Homemade Gnocchi

2009-11-08T10:20:00.005-06:00

I've been afraid to make gnocchi. I'm really a novice pasta maker, and I was fearful my first effort would culminate with chewy little bullets of starch. But recently purchased a potato ricer in anticipation of making lefse over the holidays, and I had a free afternoon and a bag of potatoes, so I decided to give homemade gnocchi a try.

I followed Heidi Swanson's recipe, except that I used a potato ricer instead of a fork to break up the boiled potatoes. I just about burned my fingertips off peeling the hot potatoes. In addition, I had some trouble scoring the nuggets with a fork; my final gnocchi were a little misshapen and lumpy looking.

Appearance aside, the gnocchi were delicious! Light little pillows of goodness, velvety in texture, with a delicate potato flavor. Much better than any store-bought product and surprisingly good for my first effort.

I dressed my gnocchi with a rich tomato-vodka-cream sauce, accessorized by a sprinkling of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. My family lapped it up.

Tomato-Vodka-Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup vodka
3/4 cup heavy cream

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over a medium flame. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Don't let the garlic burn! Add the tomatoes; smash the whole tomatoes up with the back of a spoon in the pot. Add the basil leaves. Reduce the heat to a simmer; cover and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover; add the vodka. Cook for an additonal 5 minutes until most of the alcohol has burned off. Add the cream and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Autumnal Chicken Soup

2009-11-07T11:32:00.004-06:00

This week I've been challenged to cook from my pantry as much as possible in an effort to cut my grocery bill. I'm reaching the end of the line with proteins from the freezer, and I'm limited to the few root vegetables left in my crisper drawer. I invented this light but satisfying soup from what remained in my refrigerator. Roasting the sweet potato before adding it to the soup adds a lovely, burnt-sugar complexity to the dish. Barley is more toothsome than pasta and a nice textural contrast to the soft sweet potato. The orange zest brightens the soup and subtly reminds diners of summer as fall begins to wane.

Autumnal Chicken Soup

4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
2 chicken breasts
3 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup barley
1 orange

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large soup pot, combine the chicken stock, water, and chicken breasts. Heat over a medium flame until the liquid begins to boil; reduce to a low simmer. Cook until the chicken is done, approximately 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, in another pot, combine the barley with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the barley is tender, about 30 minutes. While the barley and the chicken are cooking, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss them on a sheetpan with some olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until the sweet potatoes begin to brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve. Drain the cooked barley and reserve. Remove the chicken breasts from the broth and let cool on a cutting board for a few minutes. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off of the bones and shred into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken, barley, and roasted sweet potatoes back to the stock. Zest the orange and add that to the soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Variation: Add a bunch of chopped spinach or swiss chard at the finish and cook until wilted.

White Chili

2009-11-01T10:56:00.005-06:00

I'm not a big fan of traditional chili. It can be pretty heavy, heartburn-inducing, and sometimes greasy. Years ago, when my mother lived in Park City, Utah, I was introduced to a delicious white chili made with turkey by the Deer Valley Ski Resort. Although I haven't made it in years, I thought it might be a good dish for Halloween, because it would hold well and could be personalized by each of our guests with toppings of their choice. Previously, I made this with the mix sold by the resort; this time, I thought I'd try making it from scratch. Instead of turkey meat, I used ground turkey, which is readily available and affordable. I also packed as many vegetables in as I could, for a lighter, more healthful chili. With a side of fresh-baked corn muffins, this is an easy, crowd-pleasing meal.

Deer Valley Turkey Chili

2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 medium Anaheim chilies, seeded, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 leeks (white part only), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoons salt
1/8 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 29-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup corn flour

Brown the turkey in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Drain and reserve. Melt the remainder of the butter and saute the chiles, onion, red bell pepper, leeks, and garlic until softened, about 7 minutes. Return the turkey to the pan. Add the spices (oregano, cayenne, cumin, coriander, and salt), and stir over the heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes at a low simmer. Add the corn and the black beans and heat through. Add the corn flour to thicken the chili. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped cilantro.

Comfort from the Pantry

2009-10-28T08:55:00.004-05:00

Early this week, I woke up with a sore throat and, as the day went on, I began to feel worse and worse. Sickness calls for soup. But I was snuggled up under a duvet on the sofa and in no shape to trudge to the market. The solution: a comforting, hearty tomato soup made entirely from ingredients on hand and in the pantry. This is a simple recipe that can easily be made grand with the addition of a fancy garnish. It is a very happy dinner served with open face cheese toasts and a glass of milk. I'm feeling better already.

Pantry Tomato Soup

1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 springs fresh thyme
4 14-ounce cans chopped tomatoes
1 32-ounce box chicken stock
1/2 cup cream or half and half

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter in the olive oil. Saute the onion over medium heat until translucent. Add the tomato paste and the garlic, and saute for one minute until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, and herbs, and heat to a slow simmer. Cook, uncovered, for half an hour. With an immersion blender, whiz the soup until velvety smooth. Add the cream and heat through. Serve.

Lovely garnishes (choose one): chunks of feta cheese, homemade croutons, a drizzle of basil oil....

Autumn Delight

2009-10-05T19:42:00.007-05:00

The weather is turning cool, and I am turning to stews and soups and other warming comfort foods for dinner. I stopped at the Chicago Farmstand on the way home from work this afternoon for inspiration, and found a nice butternut squash and a pretty bunch of rainbow Swiss chard. Pulled some arborio rice and a box of chicken stock from the pantry, and I whipped up this soothing (and inexpensive!) meal. The sweetness of the roasted squash pairs nicely with the slight bitterness of the greens. The kids scraped their bowls clean and pronounced it a winner.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Swiss Chard

1 butternut squash
1 bunch Swiss chard
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups arborio rice
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and core the squash and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread in a single layer on a large sheetpan. Sprinkle with olive oil and mix until the pieces are well coated. Salt and pepper. Roast until the edges of the squash cubes begin to brown, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, trim the stems off of the chard and chop them into small pieces. Chop the leaves and keep separate.

When the squash is finished roasting, remove from the oven to cool. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and the chopped chard stems until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the rice and cook until the rice begins to absorb some of the oil. Add the stock, about 1 cup at a time; stir while the rice cooks; when most of the liquid has been absorbed, add another cup of stock. When the stock has been fully absorbed, add 1 cup of the water and cook down. Just before adding the last cup of water, add the chopped chard leaves; cook and stir. When the water has been mostly absorbed, add the roasted squash and heat through. Add the Parmesan and stir until well incorporated. Taste for seasoning and serve, passing additional Parmesan at the table.

Serve six; less if your children are voracious eaters like mine.

Beets Can't Be Beat

2009-09-23T19:59:00.005-05:00

I stopped at the Chicago Farmstand on my way home from work this afternoon, and they had some lovely beets from a local farmer on sale. I can't resist beets; they can be prepared sweet or savory and marry well with so many other flavors. I knew I had a small chunk of feta at home in the fridge, the rest of this salad I threw together with found ingredients. A little chopped parsley would be a nice addition to this salad.

Impromptu Beet Salad

3-4 medium beets
1/2 English cucumber
1/2 yellow onion
4 oz feta cheese
juice of 1/2 lemon
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim the root and greens from each of the beets. Place one beet on a piece of foil; drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Fold the foil around the beet to seal in a hobo pack. Repeat with remaining beets. Place the hobo packs on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven for an hour; beets are done when you can easily pierce them with the tip of a knife, like a baked potato. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, halve the cucumber and thinly slice it. Thinly slice the onion as well. When beets are cool enough to handle, remove them from the foil and peel the skins off. This will turn your fingertips a lovely shade of pink. Quarter the beets and slice. Combine the beets, cucumber, and onion in a bowl; toss with the lemon juice and olive oil to taste. Crumble the feta over the salad, toss again, and salt and pepper to taste. May be served chilled or at room temperature.

In a Pickle

2009-09-12T12:11:00.006-05:00

For the last several years, I've spent at least part of annual vacation in East Otto canning the best the summer has to offer. This year, inspired by the fantastic products offered by Rick's Picks, I thought I'd try some pickles.

I was able to source some locally grown cucumbers at the market in Springville. I wanted my pickles to be sweet and spicy, so I added some ginger and some sliced jalapeno peppers to the brine. I made two brines for my pickles; one with tumeric, and one without. I also used a mix of white and apple cider vinegars, to add a depth of flavor and sweetness to the brine.

The process is pretty simple if you have ever canned before. The only difference is you must salt the sliced cukes and onions down for a couple of hours before you jar them. This draws quite a bit of water out of the vegetables, and allows them to absorb the flavorful brine.

Spicy Pickles Two Ways

6 cucumbers
3 onions
½ cup pickling salt
large knob ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch slices
3 jalapenos, sliced into rounds
1 tablespoon cloves
2 tablespoons allspice berries
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
4 cups white vinegar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons turmeric

Wash the cucumbers and slice them ¼ inch thick. Cover with about 2/3 of the salt; gently mix with your hands to ensure that the slices are evenly salted. Peel and slice the onion and cover with the remainder of the salt. Let the cucumbers and the onion sit for up to 4 hours.
Once the vegetables have rendered much of their liquid, rinse them well under cold water.

Prepare the pickling brine. In a large saucepan, combine 2 cups of sugar, 2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, 2 cups of white vinegar, and 1 cup apple cider vinegar. Heat until the sugar has dissolved. In a second large saucepan, combine the same ingredients, omitting the turmeric.

Prepare eight pint jars for canning. Into each jar, place 4 cloves, 8 allspice berries, and a few slices of jalapeno and ginger. Pack the jars with the onions and the pickle slices, adding more jalapeno and ginger about halfway up the jars.

Fill four jars with the turmeric-spiced pickling brine, and four jars with the other brine. Seal the jars, and process them for 15 minutes.

Yield: 8 pint jars of pickles

Western Spaghetti

2009-09-11T18:09:00.002-05:00

This is awesome, and I may have to make some right now.

Tortilla Soup

2009-08-18T12:39:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite lunch spots when I go downtown is Frontera Fresco at Macy's, which serves the most fantastic, flavorful tortilla soup. I've been rooting for Rick Bayless on Top Chef Masters; he has brought terrific food to Chicago, as well as a lot of good works.

Last night, I thought I'd try my hand at my own version of tortilla soup. My daughter has a nasty summer head cold, and I thought a hot bowl of spicy soup might comfort her. Plus, my husband was returning from out of town in the early evening, and I figured the soup could wait on the stove to welcome him home.

It was not as good as Rick's, but still pretty tasty. Served with a side salad of chopped romaine, sliced purple onions, grated cotija cheese, and roasted yellow bell and serrano pepper dressing.

Tortilla Soup

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, minced
2 small onions, chopped
2 boxes chicken stock (8 cups)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 boneless chicken breasts
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 lime
2 ears corn, cut off the cob (or 1 cup frozen corn)
1/2 bunch cilantro

avocados, cut into bite-sized chunks
chihuahua cheese, grated
tortilla chips, broken into pieces
lime wedges

In a large soup or stock pot, saute the garlic, jalapeno pepper, and onion in a little corn oil until the onion is translucent. Add the cumin and the cayenne, and saute until the spices become fragrant. Add the chicken stock and the chicken breasts. Heat to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let cool. Meanwhile, add the canned tomatoes, corn, and cilantro to the soup. When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, shred it and return it to the soup. Check for seasoning and keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve, place a small amount of grated chihuahua cheese, some avocado chunks, and some broken tortilla chips in the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle soup over and enjoy.

Summer Salad and Souffle

2009-08-16T10:44:00.008-05:00

Last week, Nick wanted to try his hand at souffle. A dish that I didn't attempt until I was over 30, here he is making it at age 12. Souffle is kind of magic; taking a simple egg and transforming it into an ethereal bearer of whatever flavor (cheese, chocolate, herbs) you choose.

Making souffle gave Nick a chance to practice separating eggs, whipping egg whites, and folding. Actually, I think his favorite part was buttering the ramekins with his bare hands.

This is an excellent light summer dinner with a raspberry salad and miniature, open-face ham sandwiches.

Goat Cheese Souffle

5 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for buttering ramekins
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups milk
5 ounces goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Separate the eggs, being very careful to not let any yolk break into the whites. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and cook the flour for a minute. Add the milk and cook and stir with a whisk until it thickens into a nice bechamel or white sauce. Remove from the heat and whisk in half of the cheese until it melts. Set the sauce aside to cool for a few minutes. While you are waiting, butter six ramekins generously. Drop a tablespoon or so of bread crumbs into each, and swirl the ramekins on their sides over the sink to coat the bottoms and the sides with crumb. Place on a cookie sheet. When the reserved sauce has cooled to lukewarm, whisk in the egg yolks and pinch the reminder of the goat cheese in to the pan in small bits. Salt and pepper to taste. In a mixer, whip the egg whites and the tartar sauce until stiff peaks form. Fold the yolk/cheese sauce mixture gently into the whipped egg whites. Divide the mixture between the ramekins. Bake for 25-30 minutes until they begin to brown on top. Serve immediately.

Raspberry Salad

1 pint very good quality raspberries
1 head Boston lettuce
1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil

Tear the lettuce into a salad bowl and toss with the raspberries and the onion. Mix the vinegar and oil in small bowl; add salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving.

George's Tomato Pie

2009-07-14T13:28:00.006-05:00

Nick's friend George came over for the day, and he taught us to make tomato pie. George likes to put bacon in his, but we didn't have any, so ours was vegetarian. It was so good, it disappeared almost as soon as it came out of the oven!

George's Tomato Pie

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
pinch salt
3 large plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced very thin
pinch oregano
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
4 tablespoons mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, milk, flour, and salt and mix until it is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If the mixture is too sticky, add small amounts of flour until it forms a ball. Grease the bottom of an 8" x 8" brownie pan with a little oil. Push the dough into the bottom of the pan to cover. Bake the dough for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, combine the chopped tomatoes, basil, garlic, onion, and oregano in a small bowl. Combine the cheese and the mayonnaise in a separate bowl. Dump the tomato mixture on top of the crust and spread to cover. Plop spoonfuls of the cheese mixture on top of that, and spread with the back of the spoon to cover the tomatoes. Cover loosely with tin foil. Cook for 1/2 hour. Remove tin foil, and cook for an additional 1/2 hour. Serve.

Crepe Madness

2009-07-09T20:54:00.007-05:00

Here's why you should make some crepes:

You have all of the ingredients already on hand. Two cups of milk, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 stick of butter, melted, and a pinch of salt. Couldn't be simpler. Whiz the batter in a blender, and let it rest for 30 minutes before cooking.
They are fun to make. Heat a medium saute pan over high heat, brush with a little melted butter, and pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Swirl it around to make a thin, even layer. Cook until the edges begin to brown and look dry. Flip with a spatula and cook on the second side for a few seconds. Slide onto a waiting plate. You can stack them like pancakes.
They can be used in so many ways. Stuff them with cottage cheese and fresh fruit for breakfast. Spread them with Nutella and line them with banana slices for lunch. Dress them with sauteed vegetables and ricotta cheese for dinner. Fold them up and nap them with some cheese sauce for a snack.

Last nigh, Nick and I made Tyler Florence's recipe for crepes suzette with orange-butter sauce. I was surprised at how easy it was--although our first crepe tore into several pieces, the subsequent efforts came out of the pan flawlessly. Nick learned how to handle a hot pan, swirling and flipping and sliding the finished cakes onto a waiting plate. He also had his first taste of Grand Marnier, which he pronounced "strong" but "tasty."

The final dish was delicious, sweet and rich, bright and citrusy. Next time, I'd use less butter in the orange-butter sauce and maybe cook it down a bit longer. I'd also add a sprig of mint to the ice cream for fun.

The next morning, this is what Nick made himself for breakfast: crepe stuffed with scrambled eggs and garnished with fresh chives from the garden. You know you've got a budding cook in the house when he starts to garnish his breakfast!

Nick Cooks Indian

2009-06-30T19:59:00.011-05:00

Just when I think that this Nick-cooks-dinner-on-Monday-nights thing is getting old for him, he comes to me and wants to know what we should cook together. Tonight he was back in the kitchen, making curry. We were inspired by a recipe for vegetable curry that we saw on America's Test Kitchen, which I have adapted below. Nick has been a lover of Indian food since he was a baby, when we took him to Devon Avenue and fed him dal and rice while we feasted on tandoori and murgh masala.

Vegetable Curry

2 tablespoons curry powder (we used hot curry powder from the Spice House)
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
2 onions, chopped
3 potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic
1 Serrano chili, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 14-0z can chopped tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup half and half

Toast the spices in a dry skillet until fragrant and beginning to smoke. Remove the spices to a cool plate or bowl. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and potatoes, and cook until they are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add an additional tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic, chili, tomato paste, and spices, and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the cauliflower and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Add the tomatoes and the garbanzo beans and a teaspoon of salt. Add enough water to make the mixture loose but not soupy. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is crisp-tender. Add the peas and the half and half, and stir to combine. Serve with hot basmati rice.

This is a fairly simple recipe, and it gave Nick a chance to practice his knife skills, chopping onions, potatoes, garlic, chilies, and cauliflower. He also learned how to peel ginger root with a spoon and grate it with the ginger grater. I am learning how to stay on the "other side" of the kitchen island and let him do his thing.

The final dish was quite spicy. We agreed we might cut back on the chilies next time, or perhaps use a sweet curry powder instead of the hot one.

Finds at the Chicago Farmstand

2009-06-29T20:38:00.008-05:00

I came downtown today for a meeting that was canceled while I was in transit. Drat. Frustrated at the dent this knocked in my afternoon's productivity, I decided to stop at the Chicago Farmstand on the way home to see what I could find.

Turns out, it was my lucky day. I found delicious end-of-season strawberries, hearty rhubarb, and fresh, green garlic scapes. I've only cooked with garlic scapes once before. I worked them into an impromptu stir fry with a bunch of other vegetables, and their subtle, green garlic flavor was lost in the melange. This time, I wanted a recipe that would feature their garlicky goodness.

At the suggestion of a friend on Twitter, I decided to try a pesto.

Garlic Scape Pesto

1 bunch garlic scapes
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
juice of one lemon
pepper

Cut the garlic scapes into 1-inch pieces. Drop into a food processor and process until well chopped. Add the Parmesan and the lemon juice. With the processor running, slowly add the oil until well incorporated. Pepper to taste.

I tossed this with some spaghetti and four chopped heirloom tomatoes. The pesto was delicious, but a bit too sharp for the delicately sweet tomatoes. Next time, I would use a can of good-quality chopped tomatoes (maybe Muir Glen), and perhaps add a pound of cooked shrimp.

Foodiedad's Adventure in the Woods

2009-06-28T11:46:00.012-05:00

My dear husband had been away at our cabin with our son and his best friend for the past week. He spent the week hiking, fishing, playing games, and rebuilding our deck. Amazingly, despite these distractions, he also found time to do a little cooking.

Last year, he built a grill and pizza oven in the outdoor kitchen. One tool we lacked was a functioning rotisserie--the old one broke about halfway through a chicken last year, and we all took turns for the next hour rotating the bird. Before this trip, he ordered a new rotisserie, shown above in action.

I am told that the roast was delicious, a fitting way to cap off their time in the woods. Even more impressive, it made a repeat appearance the next day, reconfigured as hash, crowned with a poached egg.

Hats off to Foodiedad for taking the time to cook while on vacation and making memories around the table with the boys!

Cooking for One?

2009-06-23T18:11:00.009-05:00

My boys are out of town this week, and I am home with my teenage daughter, which basically means that I am home alone. This has actually been quite enjoyable thus far, as I have had more time and attention to pay to my vocation by day and my avocations by night. Since I am invariably home alone for dinner, I have not bothered to cook much, choosing to pick up a container of soup or a salad at the grocery instead. But I find I miss getting my pots and pans dirty after a few days. Plus, the teenager eventually comes home, usually hungry, and complains about the lack of "anything to eat."

So, tonight I am back in the kitchen cooking for one, plus another who will raid the fridge later. I had an eggplant in the crisper, which I had planned to curry, but I felt more Meditteranean than Asian tonight. Here is a simple play on eggplant Parmesan, featuring a few other veggies, that does not involve frying.

Roasted Vegetable Parmesan

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 lb mushrooms, stemmed
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
olive oil
1 jar good-quality marinara sauce (I used Club Lucky marinara)
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
4 bobbolini fresh mozzarella
small bunch of fresh basil and thyme, from the garden
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the eggplant rounds, the mushrooms, and the onion on baking sheets. Brush liberally with olive oil, and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the veggies are soft and beginning to brown. Keep an eye on them; you may want to flip them halfway through cooking. Remove the vegetables from the oven, and turn down the temperature to 350 degrees. Rough chop the onion after it cools a bit; halve the mushrooms. In a glass baking dish, pour a little of the marinara and spread it out across the bottom. Line the pan with a layer of eggplant and dot it with the mushrooms and the onion. Sprinkle with a bit of the herbs and a layer of mozzarella. If you are feeling particularly evil, chop up some fresh mozzarella and add it here. Repeat the layers (sauce, veggies, herbs, mozzarella/fresh mozzarella). Finish with the remainder of the sauce, mozzarella, and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan. Bake until bubbly and golden on top. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes after you take it out of the oven. The slices will hold together much better if you let it cool some before you cut it (plus you will be less likely to burn the roof of your mouth off when you eat it). Warm a fresh baguette in the residual heat in the oven while you wait. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a couple of days, and heat well in a microwave (the only oven teenagers know how to use).

Easy Peasey

2009-06-19T21:46:00.000-05:00

When fresh peas are in season, how can I not cook with them? They are sugar sweet but have a firm but creamy texture like no frozen or canned pea. And they are fun to shell, unzipping their little containers and plucking them from their pods. It's good work to share with a friend, over conversation and delicious anticipation of a good meal.

Here is a quick pasta dish featuring peas. The other ingredients are mostly staples around my house; this can be thrown together in less than an hour.

Angel Hair with Shellfish, Bacon, and Peas

1 pound angel hair pasta
8 strips bacon
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb scallops, halved bilaterally if large
1 1/2 lb English peas
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

Chop the bacon and fry in a large, heavy-bottomed pan until crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Cover with another paper towel and hide from pilfering children. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Get the children to help you shell the peas, thereby distracting them from the bacon. Pour most of the bacon grease out of the pan you used to cook the bacon, and put the pan back on medium-high heat. Dry the scallops and the shrimp on paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Cook the scallops and shrimp in the hot pan, in batches. Remove to a plate and reserve. Salt the boiling water. Add the peas and cook for two minutes. Add the angel hair and cook for three minutes. Drain the pasta and peas and place in a large bowl. Add the cooked shellfish and the bacon, and sprinkle the Parmesan on top. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water to moisten the dish and make a little "sauce." Serve immediately; garnish with additional Parmesan if desired.

Chicken meatballs

2009-06-15T20:31:00.000-05:00

Week two of Nick makes dinner:
We decided to tackle the chicken meatballs we read about in the New York Times magazine last Sunday, which are flavored with fresh chives, mint, and basil. We have lots of herbs in the kitchen garden, and Nick was intrigued by the possibility of using the food processor to grind meat. After work, we went to Whole Foods for some chicken thighs, along with a few other necessities. In the produce department, we found fresh English peas, and I thought it might be fun to change the recipe up a big. So, we turned it into a pasta dish, tossing the fried meatballs with the raita sauce along with some fresh corn and peas. Garnished with home-grown chive blossoms, the dish was declared a winner.

Skills Nick learned:
How to work the food processor
How to fry meatballs
How to shell fresh peas (mostly how to eat fresh peas out of the pod)
How to mince chives
How to cut corn kernels off the cob

New Chef in the House

2009-06-09T16:59:00.000-05:00

It's summer vacation, and my youngest is looking for fun things to do. This is a kid who professes that he wants to be a chef someday. Right now, the dream restaurant he plans to own serves only eggs. So, how encourage him to expand his repertoire of recipes while having a little fun? Monday night dinner.

We've made a deal that Nick will cook dinner on Monday nights during the summer. The menu is up to him. If he plans, I will help him with provisions; if not, he is limited to what he can find in the fridge and in the pantry. I figure this is a good way for him to start learning some basic cooking skills and for us both to have a little fun together.

Yesterday, we found a bunch of broccoli in the crisper and he decided to make an easy soup with some cheese crispies.

Broccoli Soup

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 small onions, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups broccoli florets
3 cups chicken stock
4 oz cheddar cheese

In a large soup pot, saute the garlic, shallot, and onion in a little olive oil until it becomes translucent. Add the potatoes and the broccoli. Add the stock. Salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are tender. Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Return to a low simmer. Shred or finely dice the cheese and add it to the soup. Stir until the cheese melts. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Cheese Crispies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut a baguette into slices and place the slices on a large cookie sheet. Paint each slice with a little olive oil. Toast the bread in the oven until it is beginning to crisp on top. Remove from the oven and let cool a little. Peel a clove of garlic and rub the toasts with the raw garlic. Flip the toasts over, paint with a little more oil, and toast the flip side. Remove from the oven again, and top the toasts with a small slice of really good cheddar or Parmesan. Return to the oven just until the cheese melts. Serve.

Kitchen Garden

2009-05-31T10:35:00.000-05:00

Does the fact that I have no yard dissuade me from having a kitchen garden? Hell, no. My postage-stamp balcony is replete with containers. This year, we again have tomatoes, basil, rosemary, and chives. Plus, I've added a bell pepper, two types of thyme, mint, and sage.

OK, I will never have enough basil to make a batch of pesto, but I do have enough to dress a salad. And the rosemary and thyme flavors marinades all summer long. Best of all, my children can connect some small measure of the food we eat with the growing process, and the patient work that entails.

How to Make Lemonade

2009-05-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

Fun with Bivalves

2009-04-21T20:51:00.001-05:00

Mussels are a great weeknight go-to meal for the family. Kids love them because of the "eww" factor, and they are one of your less-expensive seafood options. Make sure that the grocer packs them on ice but leaves the bag open to the air so that they don't suffocate on the way home. (My bagger at Whole Foods tried to tie the plastic bag containing my mussels shut.) When you get home, decant your mussels to a colander set in a large bowl and store in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. Here's one of my favorite ways to prepare them.

Weeknight Mussels for Four

1 stick butter
6-8 cloves garlic or a couple of shallots, minced
1/2 bottle decent white wine
2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 lb spaghetti

Clean the mussels under fresh water and pull any "beards" off of them. (Fun fact: Saavy fishermen have historically knit gloves from the fibers that comprise mussels' beards.) Make sure that the mussels are all closed; enlist children to help you bang the open ones gently on the counter; if they don't close within a couple of minutes, throw them away (they are dead). Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the garlic or shallots (or both) and saute until fragrant. Add the wine and the mussels. Cover the pot and cook over medium high heat until the mussels open and are cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti and the chopped parsley to the pot and stir to combine. Serve immediately. Teach kids how to use an empty mussel shell as a tool extract mussels from their shells and eat them. If you are feeling really decadent, heat up a baguette and serve with the mussels and pasta (good for soaking up the yummy sauce).

Frugal Chicken Dinner

2009-04-21T20:27:00.000-05:00

Here's something I threw together tonight with some chicken from the freezer and pantry staples. Pretty easy to cook, and family pronounced it yummy.

Glazed Chicken Thighs

8 chicken thighs
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon siracha
2 oranges
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, sliced

Salt and pepper the chicken. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Brown the chicken in batches. Meanwhile, supreme the orange segments and squeeze the juice into a medium bowl. Add the soy sauce, stock, honey, and siracha; stir to combine.. Remove the chicken to a plate. Pour off most of the rendered fat from the pan and return to the heat. Add the onions to the pot and saute, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook the onions until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Return the chicken to the pot; layer on top o f the onions. Pour any reserved juices from the chicken into the pot. Add the orange/sauce mix and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the lid, and cook until the sauce thickens and begins to glaze the chicken, another 10 minute or so. Serve with rice.

Pad Thai

2009-04-08T19:02:00.000-05:00

Last time I was on Devon Ave., I picked up some tamarind paste, thinking it would be the magic bullet for some homemade pad thai. I was right. This is a pretty simple dish, suitable for a weeknight. It's also pretty inexpensive if you use tofu for the protein. Of course, when I mentioned at breakfast that we were having tofu for dinner, I got moans of disapproval, so I supplemented the pad thai with a quick chicken satay on the side.

Pad Thai

1 package rice noodles

1 package extra-firm tofu
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp brown sugar
3 tsp siracha

3 eggs
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup snow peas
1 package bean sprouts
1 bunch coriander, chopped

lime wedges

In a large bowl, soak the rice noodles in very hot tap water. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the tamarind paste, soy sauce, brown sugar and siracha. Set aside. Combine the soy sauce and corn starch. Cube the tofu and marinate in this sauce. Heat a wok over a high flame. Mix the eggs in a small bowl. Add a little vegetable oil to the wok and pour the eggs down the sides of the pan. Scramble. Remove from pan and reserve. Add a little more oil to the pan, and saute the garlic and the tofu until lightly toasted. Drain the rice noodles and add to the pan along with the sauce. Stir fry until the noodles are well coated. Add the green onions and the snow peas and continue cooking until the noodles become sticky and the vegetables are crisp-tender. Turn off the heat. Add the bean sprouts and the coriander. Serve with lime wedges.

Lemony Chicken Thighs

2009-03-14T11:14:00.000-05:00

This is adapted from a recipe that I got from my grandfather many years ago. Gramps was an old skool foodie--ingredients like soy sauce and rice wine vinegar were exotic in his day. (Wonder what my kids will be cooking with in 20 years?) Chicken thighs are an inexpensive yet satisfying protein. Serve this with steamed rice and a green vegetable.

Lemony Braised Chicken Thighs

6-8 chicken thighs
2 onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
2 lemons, sliced

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy saucepan and brown the chicken on both sides. It's important to do this in batches of no more than 3-4 thighs at a time; if you overcrowd the pan, the meat will not brown. Remove the chicken to a plate and reserve. Pour off most of the oil and rendered chicken fat from the pan and return to the heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for a minute until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and stock, and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cover the onion mixture with a layer of lemon slices. Lay the reserved chicken thighs on top. Top the chicken with a layer of lemon slices. Cover tightly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Easter Island Carrots Playing Chess

2009-03-14T11:11:00.000-05:00

Not Your Usual Side Dish

2009-02-17T17:40:00.000-06:00

Potatoes and rice, potatoes and rice, sometimes bread. These are side dish staples in my household, and I am bored. A couple of weeks ago, I had a lovely bulgur wheat salad with my sea bass at Farmerie 58, so I decided to try my own take on bulgur tonight for dinner. We are having balsamic glazed pork chops for a main dish, so I thought it would be nice to flavor the grain with apples and raisins. Next time, I might add a little apple juice to the cooking liquid for the grains, or use a little olive oil instead of all butter (ran out of olive oil making the glaze for the chops!).

Bulgur Salad

1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup bulgur
2 cups water
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Heat the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur and raisins and stir. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, saute the onion, celery, and apple in 1 tablespoon of butter until softened. Add the last 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and melt with the sauteed vegetables. Add the bulgur/raisin mixture and the cider vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Comfort Food, Veggie Style

2009-02-02T18:07:00.000-06:00

I'm tired tonight, still recovering from all of the bar food served at our Super Bowl soiree (chicken wings, sliders, guacamole, and white bean dip), and craving comfort food that's good for you. So, I stopped at the market on the way home, picked up some oranges and some asparagus and a butternut squash, and I'm cobbling together a vegetarian risotto with a fresh winter salad. Risotto is a simple and satisfying main dish; make sure to get real Parmesan, not the canned wood shavings that they sell in the grocery aisle. The peppery arugula salad is a nice counterpoint to the creamy, unctuous risotto. And the whole thing can be prepared and served in an hour.

Vegetarian Risotto with Butternut Squash and Asparagus

Peel a medium butternut squash and core out the seeds. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces; toss with a little olive oil and spread out on a sheet pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 425-degree oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, clean a bunch of asparagus and chop into bite-sized pieces. Toss with a little olive oil. Chop a large shallot and set aside. When the squash looks hot and is beginning to brown on the bottom, pull it from the oven and toss with a spatula. Add the asparagus to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and return to the oven for another 15 minutes or so until the asparagus is tender.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat a little olive oil. Add the shallots and saute for a couple of minutes until tender. Add two cups of arborio rice and saute until the rice becomes translucent and shiny. Slowly add chicken stock, about a cup at a time, stirring with each addition and bringing the risotto to a low simmer. The rice will take 5-6 cups of stock. When it looks as though the rice may be done, start tasting; keep adding stock until the rice is cooked but al dente. With the last addition of stock, add the roasted vegetables, and stir and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add a couple handfuls of Parmesan; taste and season with salt and pepper.

Winter Arugula Salad

Supreme two oranges, squeezing the pulp to extract as much juice as possible. Separate the orange sections from the juice. Toss the sections with three generous handfuls of baby arugula and some thinly sliced purple onion. For the dressing, whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 tablespoons reserved orange juice, 1 minced clove garlic, 6 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing is too sweet, add a dash of rice vinegar. Toss over the salad and serve.

Ramune

2009-01-30T10:18:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, Nick and I found these strange Japanese sodas called "ramune" at World Market. The soda bottle is "capped" with a marble that is held in place by the carbonation of the soda. Ever a sucker for a gimmick, I bought one and brought it home to see how they work. Fun! And tasty--the lychee flavor is delicious.

Good for What Ails You

2009-01-29T17:06:00.000-06:00

Why do people open cans for soup, when homemade soup is so easy to make and so much more delicious? Here's a simple chicken noodle soup that is rich and satisfying for dinner. Serve with a warm loaf of ciabatta bread and a glass of wine.

Hearty Chicken Noodle Chowder

1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
3-4 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 14-0unce can chopped tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 bag egg noodles
1/2 cup cream

In a large soup pot, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. Saute the onion, carrots, and celery of medium flame until they are softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and thyme and heat for a minute until fragrant. Add the chicken, the canned tomatoes, and the broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Add the egg noodles and cook until the noodles are tender. Add the cream. Serve.

Spicy Thai Chicken

2009-01-24T09:38:00.001-06:00

Spicy Thai Chicken
Originally uploaded by mickeynick

Another recipe from Martha, this time she is a good influence with this light, tasty dinner. Dear husband was a bit put off by the prep work (I made him pick cilantro leaves off of their stems, grind toasted rice with a mortar and pestle, and grate carrots), but he was happy with the result. I mixed ground chicken breast and thigh, thinking that the breast only would be too dry and flavorless. Next time, I would increase the amount of lemongrass in the rice.

Gingerbread "Men"

2008-12-19T11:49:00.000-06:00

Eleven-year-old boys are a lot of fun to decorate cookies with. This year, we made the usual assortment of little and big gingerbread men. Inevitably, some lost appendages due to hazardous conditions (hungry little boys); here, an amputee gingerbread boy is getting a bloody stump. Other cookies became cyclops, got strange diseases that resulted in multicolored spots all over, etc. Another happy, holiday, family experience.

Tangerines on Fire

2008-12-08T18:13:00.000-06:00

Tangerines are in season (and quite inexpensive at Costco!), and I was inspired by Alex Guarnaschelli this weekend to turn them into a fancy, yet simple, dessert. Peel as many tangerines (or clementines) as you have guest, plus one for good measure, and separate the sections into a bowl. Heat a saute pan over a medium-high
flame until it is good and hot, and melt a tablespoon or two of butter in the pan. Toss the citrus sections into the pan, and pour a couple of tablespoons of honey over the top. Saute over high heat until the citrus is warmed through and beginning to caramelize. Take the pan off of the heat, pour a glug of Grand Marnier into the pan, and then tip the side of the pan into the flame to set the whole thing on fire. Bask in the adulation of your guests as they witness the pyrotechnics! After the flame burns down, remove the pan from the heat. Pour dollops of flambeed tangerines over scoops of vanilla ice cream and enjoy.

Late-Summer Green Tomato Pizza

2008-11-26T08:43:00.000-06:00

Last week, my friend Alice had us over for a casual night of pizza and movies. Earlier in the day, she had gone to Bari and loaded up on antipasti--the green olives stuffed with anchovies were a revelation! We noshed on prosciutto and Asiago cheese and sipped sherry and dreamed up toppings for pizza. I suggested we try a green tomato and manchego cheese pizza I had seen on Mark Bittmann's blog. Luckily, Alice had a few tomatoes left from her garden. What a simple, but delicious pie! We left out the sage, but didn't miss it. The tomatoes were soft and sweet, with just enough acid to bite through the fat in the cheese. Lovely.

Pretty in Pork

2008-11-25T16:43:00.000-06:00

Costco has begun selling pretty little racks of pork, and my family is loving them. Last week, I roasted one according to Tyler Florence's recommendations, and it was delicious. This week, I freelanced a recipe with what was on hand. I chopped some rosemary and sage and made it into a loose paste with some olive oil. I massaged the herb/oil mixture all over the pork and seasoned it with salt and pepper. Then, I threw some sliced onions and garlic in a roasting pan and gently laid the pork on top of the sliced vegetables. Preheated the oven to 375 degrees and poured a generous glug of apple cider below the pork before throwing the whole mess into the heat. Roast for a hour and a half or so until the internal temperature of the roast is 150-155 degrees--this is key to getting a moist, flavorful roast. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

You can even make a quick gravy with the pan drippings and a little chicken stock and flour. Serve with mashed potatoes and braised cabbage and apples for a satisfying Sunday supper.

What's for Dinner

2008-11-12T10:07:00.000-06:00

I pulled some chicken thighs from the freezer this morning and brought this together in half an hour for dinner tonight. Trying to work fennel into the menu more often--it is a lovely vegetable that brings an unusual flavor to the table.

When I asked Nick what he thought "orechiette" meant, he said that the pasta looked like turtle shells, so that's what he thought the translation might be. I kind of like his answer, but the truth is that it is Italian for "little ears."

Braised Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Fennel over Pasta

8 chicken thighs
2 onions, sliced
2 bulbs fennel, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 can whole tomatoes
1 1/2 cups (or so) chicken stock
1 lb orechiette pasta

Season the thighs with salt and pepper and saute them in a heavy dutch oven until browned on both sides. Make sure to do this in two batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan. Reserve the browned chicken on a plate, and pour the excess rendered fat out of the pan, leaving 1-2 tablespoons. Saute the onion and fennel in the pan for 6-8 minutes until it is wilting and fragrant. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Add the can of tomatoes--break them up with your hands or the tongs and stir in with the sauteed onions and fennel. Add enough stock to almost cover the veg. Return the chicken thighs to the pot, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 or more minutes until the chicken is done--it gets better the longer it cooks. Meanwhile, put a large pot of water on to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Remove the thighs from the dutch oven, and pour the pasta into the sauce. Toss to coat. Serve pasta with the chicken.

Chicago Farmstand Dinner

2008-11-11T17:44:00.000-06:00

I wandered over to the new Chicago Farmstand late last week when I was downtown for a day of meetings. What a treat! An indoor farmstand full of organic and locally grown produce, baked goods, and canned products. I met the beekeeper for the garden on top of City Hall and sampled their "Rooftop Honey." There were lovely squash for sale, little potatoes, late summer lettuces and tomatoes, and even some fresh cheeses. I left with a bagful of produce and an idea for dinner.

Autumn Risotto

1 butternut squash*
3 leeks, halved and thinly sliced*
2 cloves garlic, minced*
2 cups arborio rice
6 cups chicken stock
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked off of the stems and lightly chopped*
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cream or half and half

*Available at the Chicago Farmstand

Peel the squash and dice into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss on a sheet pan with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a 400-degree oven for 35 minute or until beginning to brown.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, saute the leeks in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic and saute until it becomes fragrant. Add the rice and saute until it is translucent. Add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring and slowing cooking after each addition until most of the broth has been absorbed. When the rice is cooked but still al dente, add the roasted squash and the thyme. Add the cheese and stir until melted; add the cream until the risotto loosens up a little and is creamy and luscious. Serve immediately.

Homemade Sliders

2008-11-11T17:36:00.001-06:00

Sliders ready to cook
Originally uploaded by mickeynick

We've been on a mini-burger craze lately. I've perfected a method of making them, based on a technique I think I learned from Alton Brown. Basically, take your meat (I like ground turkey, family likes beef), add finely chopped onions and your favorite seasonings, and smush it into a quarter sheet pan that is lined with plastic wrap. Lay another piece of plastic wrap on top, and roll over the whole thing with a rolling pin. The meat layer should be as even as possible. Lift the top layer of plastic wrap off, and lightly score the meat, dividing it into 12 square burgers. Top with the plastic wrap again and put the sheet pan in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice your buns (I like potato rolls) and prep your condiments. When you are ready to cook, remove the burgers from the freezer and break apart. Place on a preheated griddle and cook for a minute or two on each side. Serve with oven-fried potato wedges.

Yummy Yogurt

2008-09-18T20:44:00.001-05:00

Ever since I ready about them in Bon Appetit, I've been anxious to taste the wares of White Cow Dairy in East Otto, New York. So, when we made the annual pilgrimage to the family homestead, I made plans to procure some of their fabled yogurt. We made a trip to Alice Arlow's general store, met Alice, and bought two jars of yogurt. The maple cream, sweetened with a touch of maple syrup, was delicious: creamy, tart, and milky milky milky, with just an overtone of sweet. Here, I served it with a freshly sliced peach from a farmer's market in East Otto. The plain was also wonderful, although a bit tart for my palate. Alice also sold a rhubarb-flavored yogurt, which we did not try. I apologise for not taking the jars back to the store; we will return them next summer!

Outdoor Paella

2008-09-03T20:05:00.000-05:00

Decided to inaugurate the new outdoor grill that DH built in June with a yummy paella for a crowd. Inspired by Mark Bittmann, we set forth with some simple ingredients and a handful of wood from the backyard.

Yummy andouille sausage from Paulina Market goes into the pan for a light saute.

Alice browns the chicken thighs.

Frying the sofrito. We had leftover grilled red bell pepper from the night before, which I chopped and added to the pan.

Everyone back in the pan! The chicken and sausage are nestled in with the rice and bubbling stock turned crimson with saffron.

The final dish, just about done, with the addition of mussels, shrimp, and scallops. Oops, I forgot the peas!

Omelet in a Bag

2008-08-02T12:16:00.001-05:00

Inspired by his auntie, Nick decided to try to make an omelet in a plastic bag for lunch this morning. He mixed together 3 eggs, 1 tsp. melted butter, an handful of chopped chives, some chopped romaine lettuce leaves (!?), and several chopped kalamata olives. We carefully poured them into a small zipper topped plastic bag, forced all of the air out, and sealed it. Then, we dropped it into a pot of boiling water and let it cook for 14 minutes. We had to keep the top of the bag away from the edges of the pot to keep the bag from melting.

After 14 minutes, Nick took a pair of tongs and attempted to remove the bag from the boiling water. Surprise! The omelet slid out of the bag, which had somehow breached during the cooking, and into the water. I grabbed a spatula and saved the omelet from drowning. It was a little undercooked in the middle, so we had to microwave it for an additional 2 minutes. Nick's verdict: It was good. He said the romaine tasted like spinach.

Last-Minute Summer Cake

2008-08-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

Late yesterday afternoon, I got an email fro Ruth Reichl linking to several blueberry recipes, including one for a simple peach/blueberry cake. I had just bought a pint of blueberries at the market, and it looked awfully good, so I stopped at the grocery on the way home from camp to pick up some peaches and a lemon. Threw the cake into the oven at 5:15 pm, took it out at 7:20 pm, let it cool for 40 minutes, and served it for dessert with vanilla ice cream. Less than 18 hours later there is only one slice left!

Paletas

2008-06-21T11:57:00.000-05:00

Again inspired by Mark Bittman, Nick and I decided to try making paletas this week. We got a new blender for the task (thanks, Mom!) and scoured the produce department for ideas. Nick decided to try jicama; I went more traditional with strawberries and fresh basil from the patio garden.

Here they are in the freezer in our new rocket-shaped popsicle molds.

And here is Nick enjoying his first jicama-flavored paleta.

Next time, I'd like to try cantelope or pineapple.

Parmesan Chicken

2008-06-17T10:51:00.001-05:00

Nick enjoyed the Parmesan chicken that I made last month. I saw this on America's Test Kitchen; needed more seasoning, but it was pretty good.

Snapper

2008-06-17T10:40:00.000-05:00

Whole Foods had some lovely whole yellowtail snapper last week.

We rubbed it down with olive oil, seasoned it with lemon pepper and salt, and grilled it.

Snapper is such a mild, sweet fish. Next time, I will marinate it in a spicy Thai sauce--it needed some kick.

Wiener schnitzel

2007-12-30T12:00:00.001-06:00

I got a copy of the Berghoff Family Cookbook for Christmas, and leafing through it inspired me to make my favorite Berghoff meal, weiner schitzel. It's pretty easy, actually. Probably the most difficult part is finding nice veal cutlets. I did not use their recipe for creamed spinach, preferring my own, which uses fresh spinach and garlic, not frozen and granulated.

Lamb Curry

2007-11-28T10:38:00.001-06:00

Lamb Curry

1 lb lamb stew meat
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 sweet potatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
2 cups chicken stock
1 bunch spinach, washed and stemmed

Saute the lamb in a heavy casserole until it is browned on all sides. Remove to a plate. Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and saute until the onion softens and begins to caramelize. Add the curry powder and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and chicken stock, and return the lamb to the stew. Cover and cook on low heat for an hour until the lamb is tender. Add the spinach and cook until the greens are wilted. If the sauce needs thickening, add a slurry of cornstarch and water at the finish.

Sweet Sides

2007-11-12T10:43:00.001-06:00

We've become quite fond of the lamb sausage at Whole Foods. It's an inexpensive, quick protein for a weeknight dinner. Inspired by the middle eastern spiceway of the sausage, I came up with the following sides.

Fancy Weeknight Couscous

1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
pinch saffron
pinch cloves
pinch coriander
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Saute the vegetables in a little olive oil until the onions are translucent. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the spices and stir over the heat for a minute to release the essential oils. Add the couscous, raisins, and the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the couscous is tender. Toss with the pecans and serve.

Carrots and Leeks

An inexpensive side dish using winter vegetables that's just yummy.

Slice a couple of leeks in half and wash them carefully. Chop the leeks into 1/2 inch pieces. Saute in a little olive oil in a large pan until they begin to wilt. Meanwhile, peel 3-4 large carrots and chop them into 1/2 inch coins. Add the carrots to the pan. Add a little water or chicken stock (1/2 cup or so) and bring to a boil. Cook down until most of the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are tender. If you have some fresh thyme, toss a few leaves in. Salt and pepper to taste. Just at the finish, add a couple tablespoons of butter and stir in until it has melted.

Seasonal Soup

2007-10-08T19:21:00.001-05:00

Mark Bittmann's "Minimalist" column in the New York Times is one of my favorite "what's for dinner" resources. Last week, he offered a seasonal soup made with zucchini and pears. It can be served cold or warm, and is terrific with open-faced melted cheese sandwiches. Here is my version, topped with a little chopped mint. I might also indulge in a bit of creme fraiche or sour cream next time, to enrich the soup and balance out the sweetness.

Apple Pie Imitation

2007-10-08T19:11:00.000-05:00

This being fall, and apples being on sale at Whole Foods, I was moved to bake an apple pie. Earlier this summer, we had the best pie ever from a little farmers' market in Wisconsin near Nick's camp. Their signature pie is baked in a paper bag; I sought to try this method. I found the farmers' market's recipe and gave it a whirl. Sadly, my pie dough rolling skills are less than passable, so it wasn't the prettiest pie around, but it sure tasted good.

Spinach Salad Variation No. 906

2007-09-07T16:29:00.000-05:00

Chicken sausages were on sale at the new Whole Foods this week, so I picked up some of the my favorites, the ones with spinach, garlic, and feta. For an accompaniment, I cobbled together this spinach salad, and it was pretty tasty.

Spinach Salad with Winter Fruits

1 bag baby spinach leaves
2 navel oranges
1/2 purple onion, sliced thinly
seeds from 1 pomegranate
2 oz goat cheese
raspberry vinaigrette

Peel the orange with a knife and supreme the wedges into a salad bowl. Add the spinach leaves and the onion slices. Toss with the vinaigrette. Salt and pepper to taste. Plate. Top each salad with a few dollops of goat cheese and a spoonful of pomegranate seeds.

Sour Cherry Spritzer

2007-07-06T22:02:00.000-05:00

Last week, the New York Times ran a story about summer drinks that included a wonderful remembrance by Elaine Scolino of an afternoon in Shiraz drinking a "ruby-colored iced drink that came in a tall glass set on a painted tray." It caught my imagination; food as memory, shared experience with people you care about. When I spotted sour cherries for sale at the Printer's Row farmer's market on Saturday, I had to try them. I had never tasted sour cherries before; they are soft-skinned and tart, more complex than bing cherries. I boiled them in sugar water, strained them well, and chilled the syrup. Pour a little over plenty of ice, top with sparkling water, and serve with a wedge of lime--a wonderful, refreshing summer drink. The kids have been making these nonstop all week; I hope I can find more cherries at the market this week.

Sour Cherry Spritzer

2 pints sour cherries
5 cups sugar
2 cups water
juice of 2 limes

Combine the sugar, water, and lime juice in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Tie the cherries in a double-layer of cheesecloth, and drop into the saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes. Pull off the heat and allow to cool. Lift the cherries out of the syrup and squeeze to get all of the juice out. Pour into a small pitcher and chill well.

Fill a glass with ice. Fill the bottom third of the glass with sour cherry syrup. Top with cold seltzer water. Serve with a lime wedge.

First Day of Summer Vacation

2007-06-11T19:35:00.001-05:00

Nick and his dad went to the Printer's Row Book Fair yesterday and picked up a kid's cookbook that is part of the marketing juggernaut for the new Pixar film, Ratatouille. He pretty quickly found a few recipes that he wanted to try, so we have spent the first day of summer vacation shopping and cooking. For breakfast, he made crepes. Actually, we prepared the batter last night before bed; a quick whisk this morning, a hot pan and some butter, and we were in production.

Lacking any really tasty fillings (Nutella, bananas, chocolate chips, fresh berries, whipped cream), we had to make do with peanut butter and jelly, with a dusting of powdered sugar on top.

Dinner was a much more elaborate affair. Nick wanted to try vichyssoises, which sounded perfect to me on a warm summer day. He was also intrigued by a recipe for "faux escargots," essentially pinwheel sandwiches with a gherkin dressed up with chives tucked underneath. Actually, they were kind of cute.

(Of course Nick's dad had to add the tongue to his.) The soup was wonderful, rich and velvety, with a great fresh green edge from the leeks. Simple to make, too--just boiled potatoes, leeks, chicken stock, salt and pepper, with a little (OK, a lot) of cream added at the finish. Definitely a keeper.

Lobster Fest

2007-06-06T20:21:00.000-05:00

Today is dear hubby's birthday, so I decided to try a new recipe I saw in this month's Gourmet Magazine. Lobster, parboiled, split, and then grilled, served on arugula, with boiled new potatoes and a basil vinaigrette.

Nick and I procured four fresh crustaceans after school at Dirk's Seafood. Fairly outrageously priced at $20/pound (thanks, Mom!), they were lively fellows upon arrival in the refrigerator.

Nick helped with the gory part. We had to slaughter them two at a time.

The lobsters were parboiled in about four minutes. We took them out to cool a bit, and then pulled the claws off and split them down the middle.

We grilled them for about three minutes a side.

Here is the birthday boy, beaming over his "catch."

Voila! The finished product. Dressed with a basil vinaigrette and served atop arugula and boiled new potatoes.

Nick's Nicoise Salad

2007-06-02T14:15:00.001-05:00

I had an evening meeting last week and no time to make dinner, so I asked Nick to step in. I had all of the ingredients for nicoise salad on hand, so I quickly wrote out a recipe and left him with a cutting board and a mixing bowl. This plate was waiting for me when I returned from my meeting, hungry and tired. What a delight!

Better Burger

2007-05-27T17:49:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Mark Bittman's recent article in the New York Times, we decided to try to grind our own beef last night for better burgers. Hubby stopped at his new favorite butcher and picked up a five-pound chuck roast. Following Bittman's suggestion, we pulled out the food processor, chopped the roast into one-inch cubes, and pulsed it in batches to the desired consistency. Hubby then formed a few burgers, seasoned them liberally, and blessed them on the grill. The verdict: definitely better than store-bought ground beef. The taste was meatier, and the burger was juicier. Next time, I would use the meat grinder attachment we have for the mixer to do the dirty deed. I'd also season the meat mixture, rather than just the burger exterior, and perhaps sneak a pat of butter into the heart of the burger (a trick I recently learned from Ina Garten).

What Nick Made for Dinner

2007-05-19T11:19:00.000-05:00

Nick made dinner on Thursday night. He wrote the recipe up for a homework project. This is his essay.

On May 17, 2007 I made tilapia fish cakes. first I made tarter sauce. I took 3 scoops of Mayo. Then I put 2 scoops of relish in. then I put in 10 drops of hot sauce. Then I taste tested it. Next I got out the tilapia and got oil on it then I put on salt and pepper on the Tilapia. Then flipped the tilapia over and put salt and pepper on the other side. then we Then we put it in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Then we made mixture for the Tilapia we put in 2 eggs mayo lime juice and lime shavings all in a bowl and mixed it up. Then crumbled up the tilapia in the bowl the other stuff and mixed it up.

Then we crushed some Ritz crackers and rolled the fishcakes in them and fried them. Here is Nick with the finished product:

Salmon with Angel Hair in Vodka Sauce

2007-05-15T19:48:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to cook from the pantry and the freezer as much as possible this week. I found a piece of salmon buried under the ice cream, a few lemons in the fridge, and a can of tomatoes in the pantry, so I cobbled this together, inspired by a fancier recipe I found on Epicurious. The kids devoured it, and hubby smiled, so I think it's a keeper.

Salmon with Angel Hair Pasta in Vodka Sauce

3 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup vodka
1 lemon
1 bag baby spinach
1 onion, chopped
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 pound salmon filet

In a small saucepan, mix the chicken stock, cream, and vodka and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by 1/3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil and heat the broiler. In a large skillet, saute the chopped onion until it begins to caramelize. Add the spinach and saute until it wilts. Add the chopped tomatoes, and cook down a bit. Pour the stock/cream/vodka mixture into the sauteed vegetables, and continue to cook down. Season the fish and pop it in the broiler; cook until done. After you take the fish out of the oven, cook the pasta. Dump the cooked pasta into the sauce. Serve the pasta, topped with a piece of the salmon.

Easy Macaroni Salad

2007-05-12T16:58:00.000-05:00

It feels like summer, and that puts me in the mood for macaroni salad. My Aunt Cal used to make the best macaroni salad ever--cool and creamy, with just enough crunch and bite to be interesting. I put this weeknight salad together last week with the help of some store-bought shortcuts--not my usual method, but pretty tasty nonetheless.

Weeknight Macaroni Salad

1 pound macaroni
1 jar Marzetti slaw dressing
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bag broccoli slaw
2 tsp curry powder

Cook the macaroni. Rinse in cold water. Toss with the red bell pepper, onion, and broccoli slaw. Add the curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. Chill.

Spring Treats

2007-04-21T17:23:00.000-05:00

The produce section of the market is getting more fun as the spring fruits and vegetables appear. Last week, I invited foodie friends for brunch and decided to try a spring theme. At Nick's behest, I made two kinds of souffle: a big asparagus one and six, individual goat cheese ones in ramekins. On the side, we served twisty bacon strips and the most delicious strawberry rhubarb crisp with whipped cream. The rhubarb was glorious--tart and sweet and new.

Later in the week, I found these lovely red artichokes at Stanley's Produce and had to bring them home. Kind of disappointing, they lose their color when steamed, but they were delicious nonetheless. Nick took one in to school for lunch the next day. Artichokes are such "involvement" food--I don't know why people don't serve them to children more often. What could be better than tearing your vegetable apart piece by piece and dipping it in lemon butter as you go.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

4 cups strawberries, halved
4 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
10 tablespoons cold butter

Combine the strawberries, rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, orange zest, cornstarch, and orange juice. Grease a glass casserole dish and dump the fruit in. In a clean bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Cut the butter into the flour/sugar mix until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle on top of the fruit mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until fruit is bubbly and topping is beginning to brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with creme fraiche or whipped cream.

Spring Pasta

2007-04-10T18:18:00.000-05:00

I saw Giada deLaurentis make some simple pasta dishes on the Today show a couple of days ago, and got inspired. She made one with penne, slices of strip steak, and arugula. Here is my riff on that recipe, using the fancy olive oil I brought back from San Francisco.

Penne with Tuna and Spring Vegetables

1 pound penne
1 pound tuna steak
1 pound asparagus
1 box cherry tomatoes
2 handfuls arugula
Stonehouse Persian Lime Olive Oil

Trim woody ends off of asparagus and chop into pieces about an inch long. Place the arugula in a large serving bowl. Generously oil and pepper the tuna steak. Saute or cook on the grill until done. Set aside. Throw the pasta in some boiling water. While the pasta cooks, in a medium saute pan, saute the asparagus in a generous among of Persian lime olive oil until it begins to soften. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to burst. Dump the cooked pasta onto the arugula in the serving bowl and top with the sauteed asparagus and tomatoes. Toss well. Slice the tuna steak. Serve the pasta topped with a few slices of tuna.

Oysters!

2007-04-10T18:01:00.000-05:00

We had many wonderful meals in San Francisco, including scallops with coconut-pineapple sauce at the Slanted Door, fried shrimp balls in Chinatown, and grilled fava beans at Zuni Cafe. But the standout was the fresh oysters at Hog Island Oyster Co. We stopped there in the late afternoon and sat outside, on the waterfront, with a view of the Bay Bridge and the ferries moving in and out. Ordered a mixture of the waitress's favorite varieties, sweetwaters and two others that I can't remember. The combination of the setting, the pristine shellfish, and a crisp savignon blanc was sublime.

Last-Minute Cake

2007-03-20T17:22:00.000-05:00

Dinner prep was easy tonight (grilled chicken, rice, and salad), so I thought I'd throw something special together for dessert. Here is my adaptation of a recipe I found in this month's Oprah magazine. It's nice, because the cake is made from staples, and I usually have some fruit around to top it. I'm sure it would be good with plums or peaches, any kind of berry--even pineapple would be tasty.

Last-Minute Cake

1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1 stick butter
10 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 egg
2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
handful of blackberries
juice of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add 6 tablespoons of the sugar and stir. Take the saucepan off of the heat and set it aside for a few minutes to cool. Meanwhile, butter a springform cake pan. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. Slice the apples about 1/4-inch thick and toss with the lemon juice.

Add the egg to the butter/sugar mixture and stir well to combine. Add the dry ingredients and stir together. Turn the cake batter out into the greased pan. Top with the apples and blackberries, arranging prettily. Sprinkle remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar on top of the fruit. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is done. Serve warm with ice cream for maximum deliciousness.

Nick Tries Sardines

2007-03-17T18:28:00.001-05:00

Nick Tries Sardines
Originally uploaded by mickeynick.

We shopped at August Grocery again Friday after school, and Nick found this tin of sardines while I was in the back buying halibut. He wanted to try them, so they came home with us. Turns out Marshall likes them, too. Nick took particular delight in eating the bones. I just really dig the box.

Fun with Mini Marshmallows

2007-03-17T17:30:00.000-05:00

Ribs!

2007-03-16T17:49:00.000-05:00

It's the first warm Sunday this spring, so it's time to pretend it's summer and throw some ribs on the barbeque. I would have preferred starting these with a good spice rub and slow roasting them in the oven before taking them to the grill for a smoky finish. But, I figure we have all summer to experiment with spices and methods. And yes, those are Christmas lights still up on my balcony railing.

Lentils for Lent

2007-03-09T17:43:00.000-06:00

Here's another recipe from Everyday Food; curried lentils with tomato sauce. Served over a hot bed of basmati rice, with a warm piece of naan on the side. Inexpensive, easy, and delicious. I used a new curry powder I got from the Spice House--it was wonderfully piquant.

Homemade Potstickers

2007-03-06T19:56:00.000-06:00

Here's an easy weeknight recipe for homemade potstickers. I served these tonight with whole-wheat pasta with snow peas, carrots, red bell peppers and peanut sauce, a riff on a recipe from this month's Everyday Food.

Pretty Good Potstickers

1 package gyoza wrappers
1 lb ground pork
5 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons Whole Foods soy ginger sauce
chicken stock

Mix the pork, green onions, and soy ginger sauce until well combined. Lay two gyoza wrappers on top of one another. Dip your finger in water and "paint" the edges of the wrapper. Fill the wrapper with a scant tablespoon full of the filling, and fold it into a triangle. Lay the potstickers on a parchment lined sheet pan. Refrigerate until ready to cook. Heat a large, nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Fill the pan with potstickers, making sure not to overlap. Let them fry for a couple of minutes until lightly browned on one side. Turn. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook until most of the stock evaporates and potstickers are brown and crunchy on one side. Serve.

Marvelous Mussels

2007-02-22T19:36:00.000-06:00

Nick and I stopped at a new place on the way home from school, August Grocery on Division. A wonderful little market, with lots of fresh fish, quality ingredients, and a friendly staff. We picked up a couple of pounds of mussels, some parsley, shallots, and pasta, and I made moules mariniere for dinner. Yum. Nick has almost finished his plate. Next time, I want to try the skatewing.

Crabcakes

2007-02-19T19:31:00.001-06:00

Crabcakes
Originally uploaded by mickeynick.

Skip and Barb recently visited from Buffalo, which occasioned the making of Skip's famous crabcakes. Originally from Maryland, Skip knows a thing or two about shellfish. His recipe features crab, a little Old Bay seasoning, crab, some fresh breadcrumbs, crab, a dollop of mayo, crab, some beaten egg, and crab.

We added a homemade remoulade sauce, some crisp cole slaw, and a green salad, and a delicious dinner was enjoyed by all.