Avec Eric June 30, 2008

I caught Eric Ripert on the TODAY show this morning. What truly caught my attention was that he was going to be on the show featuring meals made in a toaster oven. Eric Ripert? Chef of Michelin’s darling Le Bernardin. One of the “dreamiest” guest judges on Top Chef? Uh-uh! My interest was definitely piqued. So.. as it goes Mr. Ripert started cooking in the toaster oven to meet the needs of his 5 year old. son (I am sure many of you can relate!)  He proves once again that you don’t need to have a restaurant style kitchen with the world’s most exotic ingredients to be a good chef. All you need is good, wholesome food, creativity and for him, a toaster oven. The squash appetizer he made on the show looked super yummy and so easy (the recipe is on his blog along with video tutorials. Ahhhh…He is so handsome!!! ). I have attached the link to his new blog. Bon Appetit!  

http://aveceric.com

 One of my favorite quotes from his blog is so true..

“Remember that cooking at home shouldn’t feel like work; it’s an act of creation – have fun, relax with a glass of wine and appreciate the simple pleasures of good ingredients” – Eric Ripert

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs June 30, 2008

My boyfriend and I saw this recipe on Everyday Italian on the Food Network. I think the only reason he will ever watch the show with me is because he has a big crush on Giada (who doesn’t, right??). This one particular dish caught his attention and I told him that I would give it a shot. I actually followed the recipe to a tee (quite unlike me but at least this way if he didn’t like it I could say “Well, that’s the way Giada does it!”). It was a very tasty dish but with that said, I would make some changes for next time (See below). Also I should note that this recipe serves 4-6 people which means lots of leftovers when you are only cooking for two!! ;)  Final note: If you are unfamiliar with orecchiette it is a type of pasta shell that means “ear” (orecchio) in Italian. I think that it looks more like a little bowl vs. a small ear but that is just me…

Changes I would make next time:

- Add garlic powder to the meatballs. She originally made the recipe for children so she was going easy on the spices. As an adult, I say, it needed a bit more spice.

- I would cut the amount of pasta. Orecchiette is very starchy. I thought that the meat to pasta ratio was off a bit and I would reduce the amount of pasta by 1/4.

-  Add a few tsp. of crushed red pepper to the skillet along with the tomatoes

- NOTE: When making the meatballs. Size does matter! The smaller the balls, the easier they cooked! My poor Italian relatives would be so disappointed in my meatballs, they looked more like meat plops. But HEY at least they tasted good. They were very moist and flavorful. I prepared all my meatballs at once and placed them on a sheet of waxed paper then cooked them in stages in the skillet.

- Finally I would have used less fresh mozarella. Usually I am ALL for the cheese. But I think I would probably cut the fresh bocconcini in half (4 oz. vs. 8 oz.) Make sure you add it as the recipe calls otherwise you end up with big mozarella globs at the bottom of your bowl. ; )

Recipe Rating: As is 3.5 out of 5 stars. With some changes… I’m guessing 4 out of 5.   

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_182015,00.html

Autumn Panzanella in the Summer June 30, 2008

If there is something that I love more than cooking, it is cooking with friends. I stopped over my friend Alisha’s house the other night to hang out and have dinner. She had done most of the prep for the salad before I had arrived and in fact, the only thing I actually cooked was the mushrooms . The panzanella turned out super yummy and though it is labeled as an autumnal dish, it worked well in the heat of summer. She paired it with leftover Shrimp, Feta and Orzo salad (see earlier blog entry for recipe). It was a duo of salad; a great summer meal!

Like me Alisha doesn’t follow recipes exactly either. It is usually based on what she already has in the pantry or other convenience factors. That is what is so great about cooking. You may think to yourself, “Oh that sounds too fancy for me to cook”… but don’t let that stop you. Look at the recipe and make it realistic for you and your family. As always if you are vegetarian, delete the cheese or use an alternative.  

The following were revisions made to the recipe…

French baguette with the crust on in lieu of crust free bread for the croutons

White button mushrooms in lieu of wild mushrooms. I am sure that the wild mushrooms add a wonderful earthiness. I think what is more important is the technique that he suggests to cook them. They turned out so wonderful and I had never cooked mushrooms that way.

Fresh oregano instead of thyme (Convenience factor; she had fresh oregano. I am sure either taste wonderful).

Fresh lettuce instead of arugula or spinach (Convenience factor; again I think that either would work just fine)

Michael Chiarello is a wonderful chef with great entertaining ideas. Check out his show on Food Network “Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello” or just browse his recipes on foodnetwork.com 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_32361,00.html

Recipe rating: 4 (the onion dressing was so yummy!)   

Budget Boosters 35 Easy Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollars June 30, 2008

I read this article on epicurious.com and thought that it was really pertinent at this time when so many people have been forced to tighten the reigns and become more budget conscious. There are a lot of really helpful and realistic tips in the article so I thought I would share it with my little blog world.

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/everydaycooking/family/foodbudgettips

 

Printable Recipes June 24, 2008

So… WordPress does not allow a “printer friendly” tab option on their blogs. After reading about it in a few forums, it actually makes sense why they don’t.  So I thought of the next best thing… I uploaded a PDF of each recipe to the bottom of each blog entry. Click on the link, print the recipe and then press the Back button (arrow) on your web browser to return to the blog. Easy enough? I hope so. Let me know if you have any comments.

Cheers! -E

Chopped Salad w/ Gazpacho Dressing June 24, 2008

One of the restaurants that me and my amigos used to frequent regularly is the Yardhouse. They always had a great selection of beverages and they had a few salads that I just adored. I tried to recreate their chopped salad with a few additions of my own and I think I did a pretty good job. The salad itself is vegetarian, but I served it alongside some grilled chicken (simply seasoned w/ salt & pepper and grilled on my trusty George Foreman) to round out the meal. This is another dish that is perfect summertime!

Ingredients:

1/2 English cucumber

1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes

1 red or yellow bell pepper (I actually used 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow for more COLOR!) 

1/2 red onion, peeled

6 ribs of celery (especially the leafy tops)

1 1/2 cups frozen white corn kernels, defrosted and drained

1 1/2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained  

1 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1 small lemon, juiced

1 tsp. Hot Sauce (I used Tapatio) If you want more spice, you can always add it to your dressing after you taste it. 

1/2 cup V-8 juice

1 sprinkle garlic salt

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 cup Olive oil

1 avocado sliced

 

1. Cut the cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, red onion and celery into bite sized chunks and toss into a big mixing bowl. Add your drained corn and black beans to the bowl.

2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, hot sauce, V-8, garlic salt and paprika. Whisk around and slowly add the olive oil.

3. Pour the dressing over your salad and toss.

4. Serve with a few slices of avocado on top (You don’t want to toss your avo with the salad b/c then it will get all mooshy and you know how I feel about mooshy!)   

Yummy!

To Print, Click this link to a PDF of the Recipe chopped-salad-with-gazpacho-dressing

Mistress of Mish-Mash June 20, 2008

When I lived in Hillcrest a few years ago I had a tiny kitchen with a lack of counter space, an old stove top and an oven that did not work. While living there I had to master the art of what I call ‘Mish-Mash’. Now mish-mash may not be the most appetizing name but that’s really what it is.  A one pot meal that combines fresh ingredients to create a tasty, comforting plate or bowl of food. Now the following recipe is not going to win any awards. It is just a simple and healthy dish that is easy and affordable to make. Plus anyone can make a mish-mash. As long as you have a knife, a cutting board, a large skillet and some fire to cook it over, you can master the mish-mash too! It’s also quite versatile and can be made with what you have on hand or what is fresh and in season. As far as the protein is concerned, I usually use lean ground turkey but I’ve also used tofu. I wouldn’t normally think that this recipe was blog worthy but I made it for my boyfriend today and after he finished his second helping he said “You should put this up on your little bloggy thing” J  The following are my usual go to ingredients.

 

So without further ado…

 

Turkey Mish-Mash of the gods (I added “of the gods” in part to be funny, but really it just might be that good!)

 

Ingredients:

1 lb.(-ish) Ground Turkey (or tofu)

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 Garlic clove, minced  

(Note: Don’t get lazy and used the pre-minced stuff, get a garlic clove and mince it. The flavor is soooo much better even if it does make your fingers a little stinky).

2 small zucchini, chopped

2 small yellow squash, chopped

1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped

1 pkg. sliced mushrooms

Olive Oil

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp(-ish) of Thyme, dried

Brown Rice, cooked according to the directions. About 2 cups cooked.  

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (as always if you are vegetarian, delete the cheese or use an alternative. My suggestion is to use an alternative. It adds to the mishy-mashiness of the dish)

 

Directions:

1. Drizzle a little olive oil and sauté your ground turkey in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper. After the turkey is nice and cooked (but not overdone), remove your meat from the skillet and put into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add a little more olive oil to your skillet (don’t you just love the word skillet? Say it with me now. SKILLET! J) Drop in your onions and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent.
3. Next add your zucchini and yellow squash. Sauté for approx. 2 minutes.
4. Add your thyme and some salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add your yellow pepper and mushrooms. Cook for approx. 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked. But Don’t Overcook Your Veggies! Mooshy Mish Mash is not for the gods. That is why I always add my vegetables to the skillet in stages based on how long they take to cook.  
6. Add your ground turkey to the skillet and cook long enough to marry all those yummy flavors, about 2 minutes.
7. Dump the ingredients of your skillet into to the large mixing bowl. Add the cooked brown rice and parmesan cheese and give it a gentle mix.   
8. Serve in a plate or a bowl. If you are feeling advantageous sprinkle some freshly chopped Italian parsley and a touch of parmesan cheese to garnish and SERVE.

 

Rating- 3.5 out of 5 stars

Number of times I used the word skillet in this entry – 7 J 

To Print, Click this link to a PDF of the Recipe turkey-mish-mash-of-the-gods    

Shrimp, Feta & Orzo Salad June 19, 2008

Summertime is perfect for light and refreshing pasta and rice salads. They are filling without leaving you feeling heavy. I found the following recipe in a magazine that was sent to me by mistake, it’s called the Nest and it is for newlyweds. Hu? I didn’t mind though after I found this recipe.  All of the ingredients are so fresh (follow the recipe and use the fresh herbs) and I love the acidity that the lemon adds to the dish. If you are vegetarian, delete the feta cheese and this dish is vegetarian friendly. BTW, If you are not familiar with orzo it is a small rice shaped pasta that can be found in the pasta section of any grocery store (it a great pasta to add to homemade soups too!).

Ingredients, Serves 2 

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 lb. medium shrimp (about 18), shelled and deveined

3/4 cup orzo

1/3 cup crumbled feta (about 2 oz.)

1 medium tomato (as long as they are not infected w/ salmonella. Oh no!)

3 scallions, sliced

1/2 cup frshly chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley

1 cup baby greens

Dressing

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley

2 tsp. minced fresh oregano

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Add shrimp to the marinade and coat well. Marinate shrimp covered in the fridge for 1 hour. Prepare your grill or grill pan (I used my George Foreman)

2. Cook orzo according to the package instructions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl to let it cool. (Tip: Drizzle with a little olive oil and stir to keep the little noodles from sticking together).

3. For the dressing, combine all six ingredients in a blender and blend until emulsified.

4. When orzo is cool, add tomato, scallions and parsley leaves. Add the dressing to taste and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Add feta cheese and toss.

5. Remove the shrimp from the marinade; discard marinade. Grill shrimp until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.

6. Remove shrimp from the grill and toss gently with the orzo mixture.

7. Line salad bowls with baby greens and fill with your orzo salad.

YUMMY!  Super easy to make and quite tasty.

Rating: I give this recipe 3.5 out of 5 stars.   

To Print, Click this link to a PDF of the Recipe shrimp-feta-and-orzo-salad

Stuffed Red Peppers with Parmesan, Quinoa & Walnuts June 19, 2008

I found a version of this recipe in Everyday Food Magazine, I was going to paste a link but apparently Ms. Stewart made it very difficult for me to find this recipe on her site (Agh!). It called for the use provolone cheese where I opted to use freshly shredded parmesan. I had parmesan in my fridge and thought the nuttiness of the cheese would compliment the walnuts. If you are vegetarian, just delete the cheese or use a soy alternative. My favorite alternative is Veggie Cheese which you can find in a regular grocery store, click on this link to peruse their many products  http://www.galaxyfoods.com/ourbrands/usa/veggie.asp

Sometimes when I make a dish such as the following I decide to “keep it simple” when it comes to what I am serving it with. For example, if you are making a labor intensive main course, go with simple veggies and a salad. If you are making a more complicated side dish, go for a simple main course. I paired these stuffed bell peppers with marinated mahi mahi from Trader Joe’s which I grilled right on the good ol’ George Foreman. But to be honest they are filling enough to be served on their own.

 

Shopping List

4 red bell peppers (choose squatty ones that will easily stand upright when you bake them)

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. ground coriander

Coarse salt and Pepper

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

½ cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (or as the original recipe called for “grated aged provolone”)

 

1.       Preheat the oven to 450◦, with rack in upper third. Slice a very thin layer from the base of your pepper so it sits upright. Slice off the top, just below the stem and remove the ribs and seeds. “Rinse and Repeat” with the other peppers. Discard the stems, chop the tops and set aside.

2.       In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, coriander and chopped pepper tops; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.       Add quinoa and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until quinoa is tender, 11 to 13 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in parsley, walnuts and ¾ cup of cheese; season with salt and pepper.

4.       Divide evenly, stuff peppers with quinoa mixture; place in a 2-quart baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until peppers are tender, about 45 to 55 minutes . Uncover; top with remaining cheese and bake until cheese melts, 10 minutes more.

 

 

These were so good! Nutty and flavorful and so very nutritious!  Plus quinoa is such a tasty alternative if you are stuck in a rice rut.

 

 

 

 

 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

To Print, Click this link to a PDF of the Recipe stuffed-red-bell-peppers-with-quinoa-and-walnuts

Juan Healthy Taco Salad June 17, 2008

A lot of times when you think of taco salad healthy may not be a word that comes to mind. But my version of a taco salad is incredibly healthy, filling and nutritious. 

The Protein

Ground meat (beef or turkey) or soy meat

Taco seasoning*

 

The Salad

Romaine Lettuce

Red & Yellow Bell Peppers seeded and chopped

Cucumber chopped

Tomatoes chopped

Frozen corn (defrosted)

Black beans (if canned, drained)  

Fresh Cilantro chopped

 

The Toppings

Avocado

Fresh Pico De Gallo/ Salsa**
Corn tortilla chips (blue, yellow, salt free, fat free, whatevs)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional and in my opinion unnecessary but hey if you need your cheese I can’t fault you for it)

 

I cook my ground meat/ turkey/ soy meat in a pan with the taco seasoning. While the protein is cooking I get out a big bowl and I start ‘chopping and dropping’. You can add more fresh veggies to this salad to make it even more vitamin packed. Some good examples are jicama, carrots, red cabbage, etc. Add your defrosted and drained corn and black beans to the bowl and mix with all the veggies.

 

Once your protein it cooked then it is time to serve. Start with your salad mix, top with your protein and then top with your desired toppings. The chips lightly crumbled on top add that crunch to the salad that you would normally get from the fatty fried tortilla bowl that most Mexican restaurants serve their taco salads in but much healthier.

 

And that’s it! Salud!  

 

Notes…

*Prepared taco seasoning is a rip off especially when you can make your own at home with spices that you probably already have in your cabinet. Mix equal parts… Chili Powder, Paprika, Cumin, Garlic Salt and Dried Onion.*

 

** I use the pico de gallo as a salad dressing. If you are looking for a creamier dressing, mix the pico de gallo with some nonfat sour cream or nonfat plain yogurt.**

To Print, Click this link to a PDF of the Recipe juan-healthy-taco-salad1