tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48642785469039853932024-02-14T15:55:40.170-05:00Lime In The CoconutLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.comBlogger281125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-44529163280537893542012-03-12T18:16:00.005-04:002012-03-12T19:30:57.270-04:00Tagliatelle with Chicken from the Venetian GhettoI've had a <em> Nigella Lawson </em> cookbook for some years now. Ever since I first saw her cooking show back when it was on the Style network, I fell in "foodie" love. <br />Not only is she just gorgeous to watch, but she talks about food with such beauty, eloquence and passion. Her descriptions of food are so vivid and flowery, but without being over the top. She really has a gift for making great food and being able to talk about it in gorgeous descriptions. I just love her recipes!! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0231-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0231-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />This one such recipe caught my eye after seeing her make it on the show years ago. It just looked and sounded so flavorful and tasty. So after I made a dinner of <a href="http://www.limeincoconut.blogspot.com/2012/02/grand-marnier-roasted-chicken.html">Grand Marnier Roasted Chicken </a>, I planned ahead. I saved all the pan juices and used the leftover roasted chicken to make this pasta dish. It was so good. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0234-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0234-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The sauce is silky and rich with great meaty flavor. The rosemary, raisins and pine nuts give it a woodsy, hearty feel - perfect for a fall dinner or cold winter evening. It's true comfort food. And pretty simple to put together as well - especially if you've already done half the work the night before. So from one roasted chicken I got two fabulous meals. It was a good week. Enjoy!! <br /><br /><br /><strong> Tagliatelle with Chicken from the Venetian Ghetto </strong><br /><em>Nigella Lawson How to Eat: The Pleasures and Principles of Good Food </em> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0237.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0237.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />1 3-1/2 lb chicken<br />2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<br />salt and freshly ground pepper<br />leaves from 3 rosemary sprigs, minced<br />1/3 cup sultanas, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes<br />1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted<br />1 pound tagliatelle<br />2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 350. <br />Rub the chicken with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper then place it breast down in a roasting pan and roast for about 1 1/2 hours or until well browned, turning it over toward the end to brown the breast. It's done when the juices run clear, not pink, when you cut into the thigh. When the chicken's nearly ready, put abundant water on for the pasta, salting it while it boils. <br />Take the chicken out of the oven and take the meat off the bone, leaving all the skin on, and cut it into small pieces. For the sauce, pour all the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan. Add the rosemary, the drained sultanas and the pine nuts. Begin to simmer the sauce when you are ready to cook the pasta. Cook and drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce, chicken pieces and parsley in a large bowl. Serve with grated romano cheese if desired.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-17214512028000936262012-02-29T15:50:00.005-05:002012-02-29T16:11:38.735-05:00Grand Marnier Roasted ChickenI've been eyeing this recipe in my <em> Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook </em> for a while now. The name alone is what drew me in. It just sounds so elegant and flavorful. Just imagining the sweet and savory combination of orange and rosemary on tender roast chicken makes my mouth water. It's what I would call, succulent, even though I kind of have a problem with that word. I think it's the way it sounds coming out. There is something slightly off-putting about it. It just seems like an almost obscene way to describe a food. I feel like I've said a dirty word - say it slow and maybe you'll see what I mean. Suuuuuccculeeennntt. Hmmmm.<br />Anyway, I reserve it for things that are truly opulent. And I think a fall-off-the-bone roast chicken glazed in an expensive orange liquer fits that bill. Anyway, enough of me and my problems with "succulent". I'm just a food adjective prude I guess.<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0200-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0200-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <br />I have had a frozen 4-lb bird in my freezer for, well, too long to mention without being a bit embarrassed. I think it's been 2 months?? So I thawed it out and started to plan several dinners around it. The first being this roast chicken. The best part about this recipe, hands down, is the Grand Marnier glaze. If I was you, I would glaze your chicken as the recipe says, but definitely reserve a good bit of this glaze for dipping your moist chicken into while eating it. It should not be missed!! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0234-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0234-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />And don't throw away your chicken carcass. I threw mine in the fridge and plan on making some homemade chicken stock with it later in the week. In addition, I saved the pan drippings that the recipe has you pour off to make Nigella Lawson's <em>Tagliatelle with Roasted Chicken from the Venetian Ghetto</em>. It uses the pan juices to create a deliciously light sauce for pasta. It also incorporates the leftover roast chicken. I'll be blogging this shortly! <br />Meanwhile, start with this roast chicken. And don't be afraid to coo to your cooked bird and tell it in a sultry voice how succulent and saucy it looks. I'm sure your chicken will appreciate you whispering sweet nothings to it before you eat. Enjoy!! <br /><br /><strong> Grand Marnier Roasted Chicken </strong> <br /><em> Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook </em><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0221-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0221-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />1 chicken (about 4 lbs)<br />1 orange, quartered and seeds removed<br />3 large fresh rosemary sprigs<br />5 fresh thyme sprigs (this was my addition)<br />1 small onion, quartered<br />kosher salt<br />fresh ground pepper<br />1/2 cup water<br />3 tb unsalted butter<br />3 tb whole-grain mustard<br />3 tb apricot preserves<br />3 tb honey<br />3 tb Grand Marnier <br /><br />Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a small roasting pan and squeeze the juice from the orange quarters over the chicken. Place the orange quarters inside the cavity along with the rosemary, thyme and onion. Season the outside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper and if you have extra fresh herbs throw those on as well. Pour the water into the bottom of the pan. <br />Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and reduce the heat to 375. Continue to cook for 25 minutes longer. <br />While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and then stir in the mustard, preserves and honey. Cook stirring constantly until well blended, about 2-3 minutes, and then add the Grand Marnier. Stir to combine and remove from the heat. <br />Remove the chicken from the oven, pour off the juices from the pan (and reserve this for future use in another dish - simply bottle and refrigerate) and brush the chicken with the Grand Marnier glaze. Continue roasting the chicken, basting frequently with the glaze until the juices run clear when the thigh meat is pierced with a knife and the drumstick moves easily, about 15 minutes longer. If the chicken is browning too quickly, tent it with aluminium foil. <br />Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-34903898091712241112012-02-26T16:59:00.004-05:002012-02-27T12:51:13.551-05:00Honey Apricot Pork CutletsIn honor of our little porkchop, who arrived a week early on Feb. 18, I made this quick and simple, yet flavorful, pork dish. Our second daughter made her debut a little over a week ago, much to our surprise. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to deliver a baby early. I didn't miss that last week of pregnancy, that's for sure!! She is totally perfect and looks so much like our first daughter that it's uncanny. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=IMG_4442.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/IMG_4442.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />So with two little ones around, I'm on the market for easy, quick dinners but at the same time I don't want to fall into a rut - which is so easy to do when you have no time. I will admit, we indulged in a lot of carry-out this past week. It's so much easier to leave the cooking to someone else when you're functioning on 4 hours or less of sleep. The greasy, heavy, mediocre quality of the food however, gets old REALLY fast. So I'm going to try to put some homemade meals on the table as much as possible, but not beat myself up if we need to phone a carry-out friend to get us out of the weeds. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=IMG_4483-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/IMG_4483-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Stay tuned for a decadent roast chicken later in the week that turns into some awesomely comforting homemade chicken stock for a hearty ribollita soup. And along the way, I plan on using the leftover roast chicken in a savory Nigella Lawson pasta dish. I can't wait to tackle those meals! <br />Meanwhile, I present this Rachael Ray recipe. A tasty twist on traditional pork cutlets. I served it with a nice fresh salad and steamed green beans. I changed the title that is given on the Food Network website, as I didn't think "Honey Mustard Cutlets" really described what the dish consisted of. Call it creative liberties. Enjoy!!! <br />(Oh and please excuse the crudity of these photos. We didn't eat until 8:30 p.m. that night, after our toddler was tucked into bed, so I snapped a few quick pics with my point and shoot because it was handy. I'm not proud of them, but I always think when it comes to a food blog some picture is better than no picture.) <br /><br /><strong> Honey Apricot Pork Cutlets </strong> <br /><em> courtesy of Rachael Ray, www.foodnetwork.com </em> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=IMG_4485-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/IMG_4485-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />4 thin-cut boneless pork loin chops<br />Salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />1/4 cup grainy Dijon mustard<br />1/4 cup honey<br />2 tablespoons cider or wine vinegar<br />1 cup bread crumbs<br />2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves<br />1 lemon, zested (I omitted this)<br />2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<br />2 tablespoons butter<br />2 tablespoons all-purpose flour<br />2 tablespoons orange marmalade or apricot preserves<br />1 cup chicken stock<br />2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce<br />Directions<br />Line a baking sheet with a wire rack.<br /><br />Heat the oven to 275 degrees F.<br /><br />Trim the fat from the chops and sandwich each chop between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic. Pound the chops to 1/8-inch thickness and season with salt and pepper, to taste.<br /><br />In a shallow dish combine the mustard, honey and vinegar. Add the chops and turn to coat in sticky sauce. On a plate combine the bread crumbs with the thyme and zest of the lemon. Press chops in the crumbs to coat evenly. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil, a couple turns of the pan, in large skillet over medium heat. Cook the cutlets until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Arrange the chops on the baking sheet with the rack and put in the oven to keep them crisp. To the skillet, over low heat, add the butter and melt. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the preserves, then whisk in the stock. Cook for a couple of minutes to thicken and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the chops from the oven to a serving platter and douse with sweet-savory gravy before serving.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-71742047182200374132012-02-14T12:33:00.004-05:002012-02-14T15:55:54.428-05:00Happy Valentine's Day: Strawberry Pina Colada ShortcakeWhy do I do this to myself? Why do I make an entire decadent cake when the only people around to eat it are myself and my husband? My thighs and hind quarters were pleading with me throughout the whole baking process and the subsequent multiple tastings of the pineapple cream cheese frosting....WHY???????? <br />Well I'll tell you why. Because when you are 9-months pregnant you shove aside the nagging guilt and give yourself a break. I was craving strawberry shortcake and Valentine's Day was conveniently around the corner. So I surfed the interwebs and found these two delicious recipes, <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/05/strawberry-shortcakecake/"> Strawberry Shortcake Cake </a> from <em> The Pioneer Woman's </em> blog, and <a href="http://annies-eats.com/2008/11/07/pina-colada-cake/"> Pina Colada Cake</a> from <em> Annie's Eats </em> blog. I combined elements from both to satisfy my sweet tooth. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0106-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0106-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />I used Pioneer Woman's cake recipe, which includes macerated fresh strawberries, and added coconut extract and shredded coconut from Annie's <em> Pina Colada Cake </em>. I topped it with the sinfully delicious Pineapple Cream Cheese frosting from Annie's cake recipe. That stuff is a dessert within itself. It would be wonderful as a dip for fresh fruit. I seriously had to stop myself from eating spoonfuls of it while I iced the cake. My gluttony at 10 a.m. was utterly disgusting. I am pretty sure I had a cream cheese frosting mustache from trying to lick the bottom of the bowl when I was done. Shameful indeed. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0118-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0118-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />On top of the cake, my sweet sweet husband came home yesterday with a half-dozen chocolate covered strawberries from Godiva. Lord help my cellulite! At least the flowers he had sent were calorie-free and almost as enjoyable as the chocolate and this cake. Happy Valentine's Day!! Enjoy it, without feeling any guilt. Pregnant or not! <br /><br /><strong> Strawberry Pina Colada Shortcake </strong> <br /><em> adapted from Pioneer Woman and Annie's Eats </em> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0127-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0127-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />For the cake: <br />1-1/2 cup Flour<br />3 Tablespoons Cornstarch<br />1/2 teaspoon Salt<br />1 teaspoon Baking Soda<br />2/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut<br />9 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened<br />1-1/2 cup Sugar<br />3 whole Large Eggs<br />1/2 cup Sour Cream, Room Temperature<br />1 teaspoon Vanilla<br />1/2 teaspoon coconut extract <br /><br />For the strawberry filling: <br />1 pound strawberries, hulled<br />2 tablespoons sugar<br /><br />For the frosting:<br />3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained<br />12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature<br />18 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted<br /><br />Shredded sweetened coconut for decorating <br />More strawberries for decorating<br /><br />IMPORTANT: Be sure to use a cake pan that’s at least 2 inches deep! Before baking, the batter should not fill the pan more than halfway.<br />Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch.<br />Cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.<br />Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until set. Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.<br />Slice your strawberries and place into a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Mash with a fork or muddler and set aside for 30 minutes while cake cools. <br />To make the frosting, puree pineapple in the food processor until smooth. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add pureed pineapple. If frosting is too liquid, allow to chill in the refrigerator 30 minutes before using to set up. <br />Now it's time to assemble your cake. Cut your cooled cake in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Divide your strawberries in half and then top each cut side of your cake with one half of the strawberry mixture. Next frost the top of one of your halves until the strawberries are covered. Once complete, top with your other cake half and now you can begin to frost the entire cake. Once frosted generously, you can pat on your shredded coconut. <br />Refrigerate your cake to set the icing. Slice and serve.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-85297485313832388402012-02-11T20:50:00.005-05:002012-02-12T15:21:35.136-05:00Mushroom Pesto PizzaEver since I was a little girl, Friday night has been pizza night. My mom used to make batches of homemade pizza dough, freeze them and have enough for a month's worth of "pizza Fridays". When I was younger, the pizzas were pretty traditional. Cheese, pepperoni or simple veggies with tomato sauce. Nowadays though, I like to shake it up. I've made countless different varieties of pizza. Sometimes I really think I should open a gourmet pizzeria. One day perhaps.... <br />Anyway, I digress. Before I open up that pizzeria I would probably need to perfect a pizza dough recipe. Details!!<br />Currently, I buy the balls of pizza dough available in my local grocery store. All I have to do is let them rise for a few hours before baking so it makes the process of homemade pizza that much faster and easier. On top of that, the store-made dough makes a very good, crunchy tasty crust. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0098-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0098-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />I always use the same technique for my pizzas. I grill the pizza dough over the grill. I start it out on a well-oiled jelly roll pan and then once it has been stretched thin and its shape has set I transfer it directly onto the grill grates. Once my dough has baked up to a nice, golden brown with beautiful grill marks, I remove it and place all my prepared toppings on. Then I put it under the broiler to melt the cheese and bring everything to an ooey gooey finish. I find this method ensures that I'll get a crunchy, crispy crust. I hate soggy or limp pizza crust so I crisp it up first and then place my toppings on. Works every time! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0097.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0097.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />This past Friday I took my inspiration from a recent post on<a href="http://annies-eats.com/2012/02/06/fontina-mushroom-pizza/"> Annie's Eats</a> for a Fontina Mushroom Pizza. A mushroom pesto is used as a base and topped with fontina, Parmesan and sliced mushrooms. I added a few twists for our pizza and it turned out delicious. The mushroom pesto really makes this pizza combo unique. The result is a hearty and savory pie. Here is my version. Enjoy!! <br /><br /><strong> Mushroom Pesto Pizza </strong> <br /><em> Adapted from Annie's Eats </em> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0093.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0093.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />1 recipe for pizza dough, or 1 ball of pizza dough<br /><br />Bake or grill your dough in a well-oiled pan or hot oven. Once baked, set aside until your toppings are ready. <br /><br />For the Pesto: <br />I package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced and sauteed till tender <br />1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in warm water <br />1-2 tb fresh thyme<br />2 tb fresh chopped Italian parsley <br />1/2 cup toasted pine nuts <br />3 cloves garlic, minced <br />3 tb grated pecorino romano<br />1/2 cup olive oil <br /><br />Place all the ingredients, except for the olive oil, into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse to chop. Once slightly combined, stream in your olive oil to create a thick pate-like mixture. Once fully combined, remove the mixture to a bowl and set aside. <br /><br />Pizza Toppings: <br />1 sweet onion, sliced thin<br />3 tb olive oil<br />1 tb balsamic vinegar<br />1 package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced <br />1 bag of fresh baby spinach <br />2 cups fontina cheese, grated <br />6 thin slices of prosciutto<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350. Arrange your thinly sliced prosciutto on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place in your hot oven and cook until crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and when it is cool, crumble your prosciutto and set aside. <br />Over a medium flame, add your thinly sliced onion to a pan with 2 tb of your olive oil. Saute until the onions are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Once softened, add in your balsamic vinegar and cook another 3-5 minutes until the vinegar has thickened and coated the onions. Remove from the heat and set aside. Wipe our your pan, and you can add your sliced mushrooms and the rest of your olive oil. Saute until tender and remove from the pan. Be sure to drain any excess liquid that may result from sauteing the mushrooms. You don't want to add that to your pizza because it will make it soggy. <br />Finally, steam your spinach until wilted slightly. Once cooked, squeeze out the excess water over a colander and set aside. Now you are ready to top your prepared pizza crust. <br />Preheat your broiler. <br />Lay your crust on the original pan you used to cook it in (I use a jelly roll pan so my pizzas always come out rectangular). <br />First- spread a nice layer of your mushroom pesto down over your crust. <br />Next - top with your sauteed balsamic onions. <br />Then place your steamed spinach evenly over the onions. <br />Now top with your crumbled crispy prosciutto. <br />Then evenly top with your grated fontina cheese. <br />Finally, add your sauteed mushrooms to the very top of the pizza. <br />Place in your broiler to melt the cheese and bring all your toppings together - about 5 minutes, depending on how hot your broiler is. Keep an eye on it because you don't want your pizza to burn!! Remove and serve with crushed red pepper and your favorite grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-54405816009002394132012-02-09T17:37:00.006-05:002012-02-09T20:06:31.477-05:00Salmon LivorneseOver the last 9 months, I've eaten a lot of salmon. When you're pregnant, there aren't many fish that you can eat that I actually like. I love swordfish and tuna, but they are off limits. I'm not a big fan of flounder, tilapia, cod or haddock, which you can readily find in the grocery store, so I usually go for salmon. Fortunately, like chicken, salmon is quite a versatile fish that can hold up to a ton of different recipes. Most of the time, I keep it pretty simple - roasted salmon, grilled salmon, or sauteed salmon. Tonight however, I wanted something different. Something tasty. I had enjoyed Salmon Livornese at a local Italian restaurant in the past, so I googled it up and found an absolutely beautiful picture of a prepared Salmon Livornese on <a href="http://bennydoro.com/chef/recipes/salmon-livornese/"> Chef Benny Doro's </a> blog. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0098-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0098-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />It's a pretty simple preparation, very healthful and light and perfect for an easy dinner that looks fancier than it is. He doesn't give measurements for the recipe on his blog, so I've modified the recipe to include my measurements. My technique was a little different as well so while I've linked to his exact version above, I've posted my method below. I served this with steamed haricot verts (the thinner green beans) and a nice field greens salad topped with candied walnuts, gorgonzola, sliced pears and red pepper. If you're tired of the same old salmon dish, give this a try! You could also easily substitute tuna or swordfish for salmon, even fresh rockfish would probably hold up well in this dish. Enjoy! <br /><br /><strong> Salmon Livornese </strong><br /><em> adapted from Chef Benny Doro </em> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0101.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0101.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Serves 4 people <br /><br />4 6 oz portions of salmon<br />1/2 lemon <br /><br />For the Tomato Sauce: <br />1 shallot<br />3 cloves garlic<br />2 carrots<br />2 celery sticks<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />1 tb tomato paste <br />1 28-oz can diced or crushed tomatoes (depending on if you want a chunky or smooth sauce) <br />15 kalamata olives, chopped <br />2 tb capers, drained <br />1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes (or more if you like more heat)<br />salt and pepper for seasoning<br />chopped Italian parsley for garnish<br />grated parmiggiano reggiano or pecorino romano for serving <br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees. <br /><br />Prepare your salmon fillets by spritzing them with fresh lemon juice. Set aside. <br /><br />Meanwhile, in a food processor mince your shallot, garlic, carrots and celery. Add to a large skillet along with your olive oil and cook until vegetables are soft and fragrant. Once softened, add in your tomato paste. Allow to cook for another 2 minutes and combine. Now add your tomatoes with the juice and allow to cook until slightly thickened. Finally add your olives, capers and red chili flakes and let simmer another 3 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Nestle your fish portions down in the sauce and cover your skillet with lid or foil. Place in your preheated oven. Cook for 25 minutes, or until flesh is firm. Remove dish and uncover before returning to the oven to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot and top with parsley and cheese. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0088.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0088.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-46358803863511324942012-01-11T16:10:00.005-05:002012-01-12T15:20:25.541-05:00Old School Ham and Navy Bean SoupI'm back!! After an extremely long hiatus, I plan to hopefully pick up my spatula and get back to blogging. Life has been busy with a toddler in the family, and when I'm not with my daughter (mainly because she's napping or sleeping) I'm trying to finish other chores and things around the house. But I have truly missed blogging my food adventures so I'm going to try my best to get back to steady updates. However, there may be a slight wrench thrown into this plan come the end of February. We are expecting baby girl #2 on Feb. 25!! We're so blessed and excited, though I'm sure that will slow down blogging again for a little while. I may turn this blog into a family and food blog with baby updates and stories. We shall see. <br />Anyway, to the task at hand - SOUP! While it is January and officially winter here on the east coast, the temps have been pretty mild as of late. Just these past two weeks we had more than one 55-60 degree day! Quite unusual for January. But I'm not complaining!! Despite the balmy temps, I still crave wintertime comfort foods and there is nothing better than homemade soup.<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0082-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0082-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />I had catered a Christmas luncheon for 60 people before the holidays and they ordered two spiral cut brown-sugar glazed hams as part of their menu. I kept the large bones from both hams and froze them to use for future use as soup - the unknown profits of catering. <br />This recipe is truly a family recipe. My grandmother used to make this soup and my mother after here. I still remember coming home from school in January - it was something we usually had after the holiday ham had been long gone - to warm, hearty bowls of ham and bean soup. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0085-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0085-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Who knew some meaty ham bones could make such a glorious pot of soup? This soup is cheap to make and chock full of good vegetables and tender beans. It's the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold winter night...that is if you are having those where you live. Enjoy!! <br /><br /><strong><h1>Old School Ham and Navy Bean Soup</h1></strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0083-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0083-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />2 lbs of dried navy beans<br />8-10 cups of hot water<br />2 ham bones with meat on them from spiral cut hams, smoked or brown sugar glazed will work (1 ham bone would be sufficient as long as it has a good amount of meat on it. If you don't have ham bones from an actual ham, then you may be able to ask the butcher for them.) <br />4 bay leaves<br />1 12oz bag of frozen cut carrots<br />1 onion, diced<br />6 stalks of celery, sliced <br />2 tb tomato paste<br />1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with the juice<br />1 Parmesan rind, whole, for flavor (this is the hard part of the back of the block of cheese that doesn't grate well. If you don't have it, then just leave it out. You can always top the finished soup with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.) <br />1 -2 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on how much heat you want <br />freshly ground black pepper to taste <br /><br />To begin, you will need to cook and soak your beans. Rinse the beans and then put them in a large, heavy bottom stock pot and cover with the water. Bring the beans to a boil, boil for 3 minutes and then turn the heat off, cover and allow the beans to soak for one hour. <br />Once the beans have soaked, add in your ham bones with the meat and the bay leaves to the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer for 2 1/2 hours. At the end of the time, check your beans to make sure they are tender. If so, remove the ham bones and using a pair of disposable gloves (because the bones will be hot), remove the meat from the bones and shred it into the soup. Once your bones have been picked of meat, you can add the large ones back to the pot along with your vegetables, tomato paste, tomatoes and Parmesan rind. Allow the soup to simmer until the vegetables are tender, about another 1/2 hour should do it. Add in your cayenne and black pepper. Taste for seasoning (you shouldn't have to add any salt because the ham meat and bones should add enough but taste to make sure). <br />Serve soup hot. Top with grated Romano cheese if desired. <br />(Leftovers of this soup may solidify a bit because of the starch from the beans and the fat from the ham. When reheating just add a little bit of water to help liquefy the soup.)Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-84633913006769147992011-05-23T19:22:00.004-04:002011-05-24T19:31:02.771-04:00Authentic Thai Cooking with Rasamee!My mom's friend Rasamee, or Ras as we call her, is from Thailand and she makes some of the most delicious Thai food I've ever tasted. I've been to several Thai restaurants and nothing compares to her Pad Thai and her Tom Kha Gai - or Coconut Chicken Soup. So I begged her to teach me how to make these Thai favorites and much to my delight, she agreed! <br />She generously prepared each dish as I watched, asked tons of questions and scribbled down notes all while snapping photos here and there and trying to keep my 1-year-old daughter out of her cabinets! It was a lightening round cooking class, but tons of fun. Most of all it resulted in some tasty authentic Thai food. <br />Her Shrimp Pad Thai is, in a word, awesome! I could have literally eaten two plates full. The spice is just right and she has the perfect combination of fresh taste and rich flavor.<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0234.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0234.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The Coconut Chicken Soup is so good I eat it until I explode. Literally! Every time I get this soup in a restaurant it tastes like it's been loaded down with sugar. Ras doesn't use sugar at all and it makes all the difference. The coconut flavor shines through and it's savory and has a natural sweetness from the onions.<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0228.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0228.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />One word of warning though - the Thai red hot chili is HOT! I mean like FRIGGIN HOT! Like I just swallowed a flame thrower HOT! I had to walk around the house for a few minutes, panting like a dog to get my mind off the pain. So, the moral of this story is - the peppers are super hot. You have been warned! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0226.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0226.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />On the other hand, Fish Sauce is your friend! It sounds awful, it smells funny and the picture on this particular bottle of a baby holding a bottle of fish sauce is a bit disturbing, but it makes all the difference in Thai food. There is no substitute for Fish Sauce. If you can't find it....keep looking! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0221.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0221.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Anyway, despite Ras's thick accent, which is one of her many charms, and the fact that she doesn't measure anything, I think I was amazingly able to piece together a semblance of a recipe for each dish. Hopefully they do Ras's food justice!! I'm happy to be able to share them on my blog. So until Ras opens her own Thai restaurant, try out these recipes that have been in her family for years. Enjoy! <br /><br /><strong> Tom Kha Gai or Coconut Chicken Soup </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0230.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0230.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />1 package of chicken breast or tenderloins, cut until chunks<br />2 kaffir lime leaves<br />1/4 cup of thickly sliced galanga root (if you can't find this, you can substitute ginger. Galanga tastes like a cross between ginger and licorice root. You can wrap this bouquet garni style and plunge it into the soup that way, making it easy to fish out before serving. Otherwise, you will want to pick the galanga root out before serving, as it is very fibrous and hard to eat.) <br />1 whole lemongrass stalk, cut into thirds<br />1 can coconut milk<br />2 cups water<br /> 1/2 large onion sliced<br />1 tomato, cut into chunks<br />1 pint of mushrooms, sliced<br />juice of 4 limes<br />1/2 cup fish sauce<br />3 red Thai peppers, minced<br />handful of cilantro<br />handful of scallions <br /><br />In a large stockpot, add your kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galanga, 1/2 can of coconut milk and water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes. Next add your chopped chicken. Allow to cook on a simmer. Once chicken has cooked, add the onion, tomato and mushrooms. Once the vegetables have cooked down, add the rest of the coconut milk, along with your fish sauce and lime juice. Bring to a simmer and add the peppers, cilantro and scallions. Stir to combine. Taste for flavor. If it feels a bit flat, add a little more fish sauce. It will punch up the flavors. Serve warm and enjoy! You can serve it over white rice if you prefer, but I like the soup just as it is. <br /><br /><strong> Shrimp Pad Thai </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0225.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0225.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />For the Sauce: (this makes a large amount of sauce - you can keep it in the freezer for future use. You will only use about 1-2 cups of it for one batch of Pad Thai) <br />1 16 oz jar of concentrate cooking tamarind<br />1 lb jar of palm sugar<br />1/2 cup salt <br /> <a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0199-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0199-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Make the sauce first. Combine the ingredients in a large wok until well combined and saucy and until all the sugar has dissolved. Sauce will keep in the fridge for a month or up to 6 months in the freezer. <br /><br />For the Noodles: <br />1 package of Banh Pho Rice Noodles<br />6 eggs, beaten<br />1 cup vegetable oil plus 4 tablespoons<br />8 cloves garlic, minced<br />1 1/2 lbs of shrimp, peeled and deveined and soaked in cold saltwater<br />1 cup of sugar water (this is equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves)<br />1/2 to 3/4 cup fish sauce<br />1/4 to 1/2 cup white vinegar<br />1 tsp cayenne pepper<br />a handful of shredded carrots<br />1 1/2 cups chopped peanuts <br />2 cups bean sprouts<br />handful of cilantro <br />handful of scallions<br />limes for garnish and juice<br /><br />Soak the rice noodles in cold water overnight if possible. Set aside.<br />Drain your shrimp, which have been soaking in cold saltwater for about 30 minutes. Set aside.<br />Heat a large wok over high heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and using some hot pots, lift the wok and swirl the oil around so that it covers all sides of the pan as good as possible. <br />Add half of your egg mixture and continue to swirl the wok as the eggs cook. This allows the eggs to cook in a thin layer. They will cook in about a minute or so. Once cooked, remove to a cutting board, add two more tablespoons of oil to the wok and then add the rest of your egg mixture. Swirl until the egg is cooked. <br />See Ras swirl.<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0204.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0204.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0205-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0205-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0208-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0208-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Good Ras. Good swirl! <br />Remove to a cutting board. Once cool, chop egg with a knife. <br />Scrape egg bits out of the wok, wipe with a clean papertowel if necessary, and then add in about a cup of oil to your wok. Get the oil hot and then add in your minced garlic. Don't let the garlic burn, but cook until softened. Add in your shrimp and stir to coat with the oil and garlic. While the shrimp cooks, add your egg back into the pan. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0212.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0212.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />At this point you will need the sauce you made beforehand. Add about 1 1/2 cups of your tamarind sauce, your sugar water, fish sauce and vinegar. I suggest adding the smaller measurements of fish sauce and vinegar because you can always add more later as you need it but you can't take it away. Stir to combine. Once combined, add in your cayenne pepper, carrots and chopped peanuts. Add more vegetable oil if it seems dry and finally add in your bean sprouts. <br />Taste a spoonful of noodles. If the flavor is flat, add more fish sauce, sugar water and vinegar to taste. Add slowly so you don't overpower it with any flavor in particular. It's a delicate science! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0218-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0218-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Finally, once you have the flavor where you want it, top with chopped cilantro, chopped scallions and a squeeze of lime juice. Garnish with fresh lime slices and serve hot.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-83921792996306724842011-05-22T21:25:00.004-04:002011-05-22T21:42:11.945-04:00Spaghetti Birds' NestsThese adorable, elegant little appetizers made a great addition to the birthday party we threw for our daughter. Not only are they fairly inexpensive to make - one box of spaghetti yields nearly 45 little birds' nests - they have widespread appeal and keep well on a buffet. I found this recipe when <a href="http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com/2010/07/bunco.html"> Proud Italian Cook </a> posted about appetizers she served at a party. The original can be found at <a href="http://foodalogue.com/2010/05/bite-size-spaghetti-fritattas.html">, Foodalogue </a>.<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0004-15.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0004-15.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />I followed the original recipe but made a few changes. Here is my version of the recipe below. I omitted the bacon and peas in the original, and instead added chopped fresh basil and topped each nest with a roasted tomato half. I thought it just looked prettier than slopping tomato sauce on top. These were a hit at the party and I will definitely be making them again for future gatherings! Enjoy!<br /><br /><br /><strong>Tomato-Basil Spaghetti Birds' Nests </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0012-13.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0012-13.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />3 cloves garlic minced<br />1 1/2 lbs. mozzarella shredded<br />8 eggs beaten<br />1/2c parmigiano reggiano (or locatelli, whatever you use)<br />1/2c provolone <br />freshly chopped basil<br />1 large crate of grape tomatoes<br />olive oil<br />s+p<br />nonstick cooking spray<br />1 lb. spaghetti<br /><br />Saute garlic in olive oil until soft. Reserve to side.<br />Preheat oven to 350. Cut each of your grape tomatoes in half and then place in a small baking dish. Toss with olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Roast until they begin to soften and the skins blister, about 25 minutes. Remove and let cool.<br />Crack spaghetti in thirds, boil to al dente and drain.<br />Mix beaten eggs with cheeses, s+p, and fold in garlic and chopped basil.<br />Add drained spaghetti and mix.<br />Fill greased mini muffin tins with the spaghetti mixture and top each one with a tomato half. <br />Bake in 350-375 oven for 10 minutes or until egg has cooked and the cheese has melted. Remove and serve warm. These can be made a day in advance and then reheated to room temperature or warmer for serving. Makes about 45 pieces. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0016-15.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0016-15.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-78655013162327865022011-05-17T16:33:00.002-04:002011-05-17T17:01:01.544-04:00Birthday Cupcakes with Pineapple FlowersOur darling little baby turned 1 on Sunday! And what a celebration we had. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0170-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0170-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />It was a pinwheel themed party and so my mom and I made a ton of pinwheels in various sizes out of craft paper. We used them to make centerpieces for the tables. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0042-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0042-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0058-10.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0058-10.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0053-9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0053-9.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />On top of that we made a homemade birthday banner for the birthday girl, since her name is hard to find in pre-fab banners. We spray-painted doilies and used cupcake wrappers for color and then found punch-out letters at Staples that we sponge-painted. It turned out beautifully!! And then we clipped the finished product to a rope with clothes pins. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0061-9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0061-9.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0086-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0086-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Favor bags were filled with a pinwheel, customized M&Ms and a bottle of bubbles with a wrap that I designed to match the invites. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0132.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0132.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0019-13.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0019-13.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0139-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0139-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />It was a lot of DIY work, but so worth it! It was very satisfying to throw such a pretty party for such a beautiful little girl. My husband and I were so thrilled to see her enjoy the day. <br />Now...on to the food!! This is a food blog after all. Well...The menu was vast! Here's what we had: <br />Deviled Eggs<br />Honey Mustard Chicken on Skewers<br />Taco Dip<br />Smoked Salmon Dip<br />Homemade Pigs in Blankets<br />Store-bought Spanakopita (Yes I cheated here and got some help from the store) <br />Tomato and Mozzarella Birds Nests (Post to come on these cute little apps!)<br />Strawberries Stuffed with Cinnamon-Sugar Marscapone Cheese (post to come on these too - they were so yummy!)<br />Assorted Fruit Tray<br />Crudite<br />Assorted Cheese and Crackers <br />Shrimp Cocktail <br /><br />And then for dessert we made boxed chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with homemade cream cheese icing and topped them off with these beautiful pineapple flowers! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0183-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0183-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />They are time-intensive to make. Not hard to make, but they do take a long time. I couldn't get the pineapples cut extremely thin since I don't have a mandolin, so that might be why it took me twice as long as this post from <a href="http://annies-eats.net/2011/02/28/how-to-make-dried-pineapple-flowers/"> Annie's Eats </a> blog on how to make Pineapple Flowers. Her step by step instructions are great and the flowers looks so cute and make a nice organic decorative touch to the cupcakes. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0182-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0182-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Unfortunately, it was very humid the day of my daughter's party so many of them started to loose their shape after sitting out for a few hours on the cupcake stand. But people were still impressed nonetheless. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0173.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0173.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />So if you have some time, try these out! They are much more unique than jarred sprinkles :) Enjoy!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-25601112715049504392011-05-05T20:36:00.004-04:002011-05-05T21:21:52.737-04:00Happy Cinco De Mayo!!WHOA!! Long time, no blog hey??? I know I have been seriously MIA lately, but I have good reason. Once my baby girl started crawling my free time has been literally gone. The only time I can get anything done is nap time. I run around the house like a chicken without a head, trying to get work done - which can include actual office work, since I'm working from home, laundry, vacuuming, wiping down the bathrooms, cleaning, blowing my nose, brushing my hair, showering and possibly eating lunch. Time management has become my middle name!! It's an art form when you have a baby. And...lord help me...I only have one!!! WHOA again. <br />Anyway, I figured what better time to revive my long-lost blogging days than Cinco De Mayo. If you follow my blog, which I'm not really sure anyone does anymore, or ever did for that matter, you know I'm a fan of Mexican food. If I wasn't Italian, I'd be Mexican. Nuff said. I literally have a sixth sense for Mexican flavors and how to put them together (or so I think). I dream about exotic foodie vacations to Oaxaca to excavate corn fungus. Ok, not really, but wouldn't that be cool? Anyway, I digress. <br />In the past, my husband and I could be found at the local Mexican restaurant with the other revelers throwing back margaritas, bowls of salsa and pounds of refried beans in honor of this Mexican (not Independence Day I know) holiday. But this year a certain 11-month-old made going out to a crowded Mexican restaurant seem quite unappealing. And we were totally fine with that. We made our own fiesta, and enjoyed watching our little girl get her first taste of guacamole and gnaw on a tortilla. Ole!! <br />For us adults, I fixed <strong> Roasted Poblano Pepper and Pork Quesadillas </strong> with <strong>Cucumber-Tomato Salsa </strong> and a side of <strong> Smashed Black Beans </strong>. Who needs crowded Mexican restaurants? Not us! We enjoyed our little Mexican feast with some <a href="http://limeincoconut.blogspot.com/2009/02/homemade-guacamole.html"> homemade guacamole </a> and my special <a href="http://limeincoconut.blogspot.com/2010/08/homemade-cadillac-margaritas.html"> margaritas</a> and our own little pinata - she's full of sweetness :) Enjoy! <br /><br /><strong> Roasted Poblano and Pork Quesadillas </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0061-8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0061-8.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />1 poblano pepper<br />1 cup of chopped roasted pork loin <br />1/2 sweet vidalia onion, sliced thinly<br />1 tb olive oil<br />1/4 tsp cumin<br />1/4 tsp chili powder <br />1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese<br />1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese<br />2 large flour tortillas <br /><br />Preheat your oven to 350. Preheat your grill. Once the grill is hot, place your poblano pepper over the hot coals and roast until the skin is evenly charred on all sides. Remove from the grill and place in a bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes or until cool. Once cool, you should be able to peel the skin off and deseed the pepper. Once you've peeled it, slice the pepper flesh into strips. Set aside. <br />In a small skillet heat your olive oil and then add your sliced onion. Cook over medium low heat until softened. Add your cumin and chili powder and cook a while longer until the onion almost caramelizes. Once fully cooked, set aside. <br />To assemble your quesadilla, get out a pizza pan or baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and lay down one of your flour tortillas. First spread our your cooked onions to cover the tortilla surface. Top with your chopped cooked pork loin. Next top with your poblano peppers. Finally coat the entire tortilla with your cups of shredded cheese and then place your second tortilla on the top. <br />Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove and serve hot with your choice of toppings. <br /><br /><strong> Cucumber-Tomato Salsa </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0056-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0056-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />This refreshing, cool, salsa crudo was a great accompaniment to hot, spicy Mexican quesadillas and black beans. <br /><br />1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped <br />4 campari tomatoes or 2 regular tomatoes, chopped<br />1 tsp minced garlic <br />1 jalapeno, chopped <br />1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (or less if you don't want that much)<br />juice of half a lime<br />cumin (about 1/4 tsp)<br />Tabasco (five shakes)<br />salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp) <br /><br />Combine the cucumber, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro in a medium-sized bowl. Toss with the juice of half a lime and then season to taste with cumin, salt and Tabasco. You may want less or more than I've noted about. It's really just about getting it to where you want it to be flavor wise. This is great with spicy dishes. <br /><br /><strong> Smashed Black Beans </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0048-7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0048-7.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />1 can black beans, drained and rinsed<br />1 jalapeno, diced<br />2 cloves garlic, minced<br />crushed red pepper (about 1/4 tsp)<br />2 tb olive oil <br />1/4 cup chicken stock <br />juice of half a lime<br />salt and pepper to taste<br />chopped cilantro and Parmesan for serving <br /><br />Set your beans aside. In a small skillet, warm your olive oil over medium heat and then add your jalapeno and garlic. Let soften slightly and then add your crushed red pepper. Let vegetables soften some more and then add the black beans. Toss to coat with the olive oil and then once warm, smash your black beans with a fork or muddler until your beans have a chunky consistency. Add in your chicken stock to thin them out a bit. Finally add in your lime juice and season again with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle the top with cilantro and Parmesan and serve warm.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-39598505380487626162011-02-19T15:49:00.003-05:002011-02-19T15:51:41.177-05:00Palm Beach Zoo VisitAgain, I haven't been doing much cooking lately, so instead I'll post some pics of what we have been doing. We took a visit to the Palm Beach Zoo this week and saw a ton of beautiful animals. I was surprised at how many of the larger animals that you usually have trouble finding in the habitats were out to play! It was great. Enjoy! <br /><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0144-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0144-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0129-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0129-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0061-7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0061-7.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0118-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0118-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0117.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0117.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0085-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0085-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-65908240355892485162011-02-08T12:21:00.004-05:002011-02-08T15:16:16.654-05:00Colorful Delray Beach, FLSo I've been on hiatus recently. Thanks to my wonderful father, we've been able to spend the last few weeks of this frigid northern winter in sunny Delray Beach, FL!! The weather couldn't be more beautiful here. It's literally in the sweet spot for temperatures every single day - mid 70's. On top of that, the downtown Delray area is full of great shops and quaint restaurants and eateries. In addition, it's quite a colorful town with gorgeous houses and buildings all painted bright, bold colors. Here are a few shots I've taken of the city and some of the surrounding mansions (it really doesn't do them justice to call them houses!). I also snuck in a colorful shot of my beach beauty, along with some washed-up jellyfish pics. So until the food updates, I hope you enjoy the pics!<br /><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=ColonySepia-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/ColonySepia-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0109-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0109-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0082-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0082-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=ColonySepia-6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/ColonySepia-6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=ColonySepia-9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/ColonySepia-9.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0067-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0067-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0061-6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0061-6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0124.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0124.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0205-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0205-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0200-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0200-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0203.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0203.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-2347110690464855762011-01-24T15:37:00.004-05:002011-01-24T16:00:10.054-05:00Chocolate Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel SauceThis was my very first attempt at making any kind of bread pudding. We were invited to a dinner party on Saturday night and I offered to bring dessert. I settled on bread pudding because I had a loaf of homemade bread someone had given us in our freezer. It was time to either use it or lose it so I figured, what the hell! Nothing revitalizes stale bread like a good bread pudding recipe. And just because it usually pleases more people, I decided to make a chocolate bread pudding rather than the typical classic raisin version. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0013-18.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0013-18.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />I think because I had to bake this ahead of time and then transport it to the party, it wasn't able to be served at it's peak of flavor - which would have been 30 minutes after coming out of a hot oven. Despite this however, and an attempt to reheat it at the party, it was still quite a flavorful dessert. The chocolaty richness is spot on and the bread develops a nice moistness from the eggy custard. But all these things are nothing without the topping. The topping. THE TOPPING! It really deserves its own post. The beautiful <strong>Bourbon Caramel Sauce</strong> is what takes this dessert from mild to wild, ordinary to extraordinary (anyone else out there watch Jerseylicious??), alright to out of sight! Ok you catch my drift. The sauce is worth making on its own with or without the bread pudding. It would be heavenly drizzled over some vanilla ice cream or brownies. I could honestly think of 1,001 uses for the caramel sauce. If you do anything with this post, make the caramel sauce. The recipe makes a ton so no need to use it sparingly! Glob it on and enjoy! <br /><br /><strong> Chocolate Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce </strong> <br /><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chocolate-bread-pudding-with-bourbon-caramel-sauce"> Food & Wine Magazine online </a> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0010-19.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0010-19.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped<br />1 1/2 cups whole milk<br />1 cup heavy cream<br />3 large eggs<br />3 large egg yolks<br />1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar<br />1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />One 1-pound loaf challah, crusts removed, bread cut into 1-inch dice (12 cups)<br /><br />Butter an 8-by-11-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. In a medium glass bowl, microwave the chocolate at high power in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring between intervals.<br />In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over moderately high heat. In a large bowl, whisk the whole eggs and yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla and salt. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk in the melted chocolate.<br />Spread the challah cubes in the prepared baking dish and pour the chocolate custard over the top. Press the challah into the custard until evenly soaked, then let stand for 20 minutes.<br />Preheat the oven to 325°. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the bread pudding. Set the baking dish in a roasting pan and fill the pan halfway with hot water. Bake the bread pudding for 50 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the dish from the water bath and let stand for 20 minutes. Serve the bread pudding warm or at room temperature with the Bourbon Caramel Sauce and whipped cream.<br /><br /><strong> Bourbon Caramel Sauce </strong><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0011-16.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0011-16.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />2 cups sugar<br />1/2 cup water<br />1 tablespoon light corn syrup<br />1 cup heavy cream<br />1/2 cup bourbon<br /><br />n a medium saucepan, bring the sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil over high heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, washing down the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Continue cooking, without stirring, until an amber caramel forms, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the cream. Let cool for 1 minute, then stir in the bourbon. Bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Let the caramel sauce cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-2538110942396991442011-01-09T16:58:00.007-05:002011-01-10T22:22:56.870-05:00Zia's CannoliAhhh cannoli! I don't know if it's because I'm Italian, or because it reminds me of childhood trips to the Italian bakery in Baltimore or because my dad's favorite line from <strong> The Godfather</strong> is, "Leave the gun, take the cannoli", but I have a definite soft spot for these cream-filled pastry shells.<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0007-13.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0007-13.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /> I was so happy when I came upon this recipe from a friend and former co-worker of mine. There are so many great things about this recipe. Let me outline them below because I don't want to miss a thing!<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0010-18.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0010-18.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />1. It was generously passed on to me from a former co-worker,Rita, who shares my Italian-American heritage. She had posted a status update and some photos on Facebook about her weekend making her great-Aunt Zia's homemade cannolis. I was interested immediately! I messaged her and asked if she could send me the recipe. <br /><br />2. Not only did she agree to share her family's recipe that they've been making for generations, but she also offered me a sample of the cannoli shells she had just made!! What's better than being passed a tried-and-true tested recipe complete with a taste of the final product?? I was very excited! <br /><br />3. On top of passing on the recipe and a few finished shells to boot, she went over the process with me step-by-step telling me some hints that worked for her, which made the whole process that much more foolproof for me. <br /><br />4. I love that the grease spots and aged look of the original recipe came through on the photocopy. It makes me feel like I've been handed a little piece of my friend's family history. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0008-13.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0008-13.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />5. These cannoli are DELICIOUS!!! The shells turn out light, crispy and airy and the filling is perfect, not too sweet or grainy. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0021-12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0021-12.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /> My mom and I made these this past Christmas and I will say, it's a time-consuming process. I spent practically a whole day making the cannoli shells. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0002-12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0002-12.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Having a deep fryer made the process go quite smoothly - rather than frying them in a pot on the stove. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0015-13.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0015-13.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Also, you do need one essential piece of speciality equipment to make cannoli shells called cannoli forms. These hollow metal tubes are what you'll wrap your rolled cannoli dough around to hold their shape while they fry. You can buy them online in sets of 4. I suggest buying the forms that are at least 6 inches long and 1 inch wide. My friend who gave me the recipe, Rita, had a set of cannoli forms her father cut himself years ago out of heavy pipe, so if you're industrious enough these can be gotten on your own for very cheap. I found the investment in a nice set of cannoli forms worth it since I plan on making these for many Christmases to come. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0018-10.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0018-10.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The only change we made to the recipe was using butter instead of shortening in the cannoli dough. My mom and I just like the flavor that butter lends to something, whereas shortening can be kind of bland. Hopefully Rita's Aunt Zia would approve. As much as I wish I could claim this was one of my Italian family's age-old recipes, at least from this point on we can incorporate it into our family traditions to be passed on to future generations. And that is very exciting! Enjoy!! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0020-12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0020-12.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /><strong> Zia's Cannoli </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0004-14.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0004-14.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br /> FILLING: <br />3 cups (1 1/2 lbs) Ricotta cheese (drain through a cheesecloth or papertowels at least 48 hours prior to mixing - DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!! Otherwise you'll have very runny filling)<br />1 cup sugar<br />2 teaspooons vanilla extract <br />3 drops of cinnamon oil <br />1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips <br />1/2 cup finely chopped candied citron (I OMITTED THIS INGREDIENT)<br /><br />Combine and beat the drained ricotta, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon oil until smooth, about 10 min. with electric mixer on medium speed. Once combined, stir in the chocolate chips, and citron if using. Place mixture in refrigerator to chill. <br /><br />SHELLS:<br />3 cups sifted flour<br />1/4 cup sugar<br />1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br />3 tablespoons butter<br />2 eggs, beaten<br />2 tablespoons white vinegar or Sauterne wine<br />2 tablespoons cold water <br /><br />1 egg white, slightly beaten (for sealing dough around forms)<br /><br />Sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the pieces are the size of small peas and the mixture is crumbly. Next, stir in the beaten eggs. Finally blend in the vinegar and water one tablespoon at a time. Once the dough is combines, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Wrap in waxed paper and chill in the refrigerator for 30 min. <br /><br />Set out your deep fryer and fill with vegetable or canola oil and heat to 360 degrees. <br /><br />Roll the chilled dough out to 1/16 in thickness on a floured surface. Cut 4 to 5 in long ovals from the dough. I made a form out of cardboard and used that to measure and cut my ovals. <br /><br />Wrap the dough loosely around the tubes and seal at the top by brushing with some slightly beaten egg white. Press edges together to seal. Place two tubes each into a fryer basket and lower. Be sure not to overcrowd the fryer (two shells per basket at maximum). Fry until golden brown. Once done, lift and drain fat before removing WITH TONGS to absorbent paper. Do not remove with your hands because the forms will be hot. Once forms have cooled slightly you can remove the shells. The first one or two shells on each tube may stick a little, but after that they should remove pretty easily. Just wiggle the shells back and forth to loosen them from the tube. <br /><br />Fill the shells when ready to serve for best taste. Filling them too early will result in soggy shells. Dust lightly with confectioners sugar and sprinkle ends of cannoli with finely chopped pistachio nuts if desired. <br /><br />Makes 40-45 thin shells. Shells will keep for about 2-3 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0013-17.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0013-17.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-29603073692819617702011-01-07T20:27:00.007-05:002011-01-08T09:54:33.230-05:00Braciole (Italian-Style Rolled Flank Steak)Braciole, pronounced bra-shoal, is an age-old Italian meat dish. It's a very southern Italian, Italian-immigrant dish. My older relatives (think grandparents and their generation) used to make it all the time. I haven't had it in years and when I saw a post recently on <a href="http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com/"> Proud Italian Cook's </a> blog, it made my mouth water and my tastebuds yearn for that melt in your mouth tender meat. The trick to braciole is the braising process - basically you sear the meat rolls and then simmer them for hours in a rich, winey tomato sauce. The end result is the most flavorful, fork-tender meat you'll ever eat. In my family, we usually rolled the pounded out flank steak with slabs of lard, which helps tenderize the meat. I noticed <strong> Proud Italian Cook </strong> used thinly sliced prosciutto and I absolutely loved this idea. I used pancetta however, and then I followed her basic stuffing combination and the rolls were delicious. <br />My mom was in charge of wrapping up the rolls and I think she went a little overboard! Check out those sailor knots LOL! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0165-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0165-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />You don't need to use as much twine, not that it will mess with the taste but it did take quite a while to open these little packages when dinner was served. Mom was just being extra-cautious though so you can't fault her for hog-tying the rolls. She just didn't want the rolls to break up in the sauce. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that Italians are good with rope (lol little bad mob humor there, not sayin' anything of course! Just kidding!) <br />Anyway, here are some rough measurements I came up with for the recipe. In the true Italian tradition, PRC's blog doesn't provide measurements on her post, but I know not everyone can just improvise and I don't want that to be a reason why you didn't try this dish because it's out of this world. For the tomato sauce you can just use any basic tomato sauce recipe you like - one that has red wine in it might be nice, but not required. I think the wine helps tenderize the meat even more. You need kitchen twine to tie your rolls together. I prefer to cut the steak into strips in order to make individual rolls, but if you do an online search for braciole you'll find many recipes that have you rolling up the flank steak in one large piece and tying it that way. Do whatever works for you. Enjoy! We served this for Christmas dinner with some <a href="http://limeincoconut.blogspot.com/2009/12/homemade-crab-ravioli.html"> homemade crab and red pepper ravioli</a>. <br /><br /><strong> Braciole </strong> <br /><em> Source: adapted from Proud Italian Cook </em> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0167.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0167.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />4-5 lbs flank steak, pounded thin and cut into long strips about 3 inches wide<br />3/4 lb pancetta, sliced thinly (get this from your deli counter at your grocery)<br />1/2 cup minced garlic (almost one whole small bulb) <br />2/3 cup chopped parsley<br />2/3 cup grated pecorino romano cheese<br />1/4 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (use more if your mixture is looking too thick with parsley and garlic)<br />olive oil <br /><br />Mix together your garlic, parsley, cheese and breadcrumbs. Use a little olive oil, about a tablespoon or two to bind the mixture. Lay out your flank steak, make sure it's been pounded to about 1/2 inch thick, or thinner if you can without breaking the meat too much. Season lightly with salt and pepper. <br />Layer the pancetta in a single layer on top of each flank steak. Then top evenly with the stuffing mixture and pat flat. Finally, roll up your flank steak and secure with kitchen twine. <br />In a high-sided saute pan, cover the bottom with olive oil in a thin layer and heat. Once the oil is hot, add your rolls, a few at a time, and brown on all four sides. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0010-17.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0010-17.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Remove once browned and set aside. Once all your rolls are browned, add them to your simmering homemade tomato sauce and let them cook on low heat for a few hours until the meat is tender. Be careful when stirring the sauce pot so you don't break up the rolls within the pot. Once done, remove and serve with more sauce and grated romano cheese and your favorite pasta. Enjoy!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-82588718978164568322010-12-20T20:30:00.002-05:002010-12-20T21:06:56.501-05:00Pizzelles - Italian Waffle CookiesThese cookies have been a Christmas tradition in my family starting with my great-grandmother, and possibly before. My mom and I have made them every Christmas since I can remember. She nearly quadruples the basic recipe, which has been in her recipe box on this index card in a plastic sleeve for decades, and then passes them out to tons of family and friends. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0029-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0029-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Everyone has come to expect them from our family at Christmas time. In order to meet the demand, we bought two pizzelle waffle irons and make a day of it. My mom and I get out the Christmas DVDs and spend nearly a whole afternoon into the early evening pressing these beautiful cookies out two by two while watching <em> White Christmas, Miracle On 34th Street, A Christmas Carol </em> and <em> It's A Wonderful Life </em>. This year however, our antique waffle iron, the one we've been using for decades, died on us. So we were working with one machine and not the better of the two. The one that crapped out on us was an Italian model, all metal waffle iron that made the cookies extra thin. The second iron, more modern, has a non-stick surface. This makes the baking much easier but doesn't make the pizzelles quite as thin and delicate as the Italian iron. Oh well. We made the best of what we had. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=pizzelle2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/pizzelle2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Nonetheless, the season doesn't feel like it has arrived until we bake pizzelles. The house fills with the sweet smell of butter, sugar and anise. The best part of the whole process is eating the ones that bake a little too long or accidentally break when being packed up or pulled from the iron. The challenge is not to eat too many as you go along. Every year for the past 10 years we've had an eager kitchen helper, as you can see. She gladly eats up the scraps and crumbs along the way.<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0075-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0075-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />There are hundreds of recipes out there for pizzelles. They are a very simple cookie. Nothing real fancy. They almost taste like a waffle cone and can be a canvas for any flavors you prefer. In my family we have always used anise seed. My mom takes her basic recipe, pictured above, and adds in anise extract and anise seed. My grandmother used to also add lemon or orange zest, but my mom has omitted that ingredient. You can add a little cocoa powder to make chocolate pizzelles, substitute almond extract for the anise seed, or any other kind of extract really. In the end you get a light, wafer-like butter cookie that resembles a snowflake and literally melts in your mouth. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=pizzelles.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/pizzelles.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Like most Italian desserts, they go excellently with a nice, hot cup of espresso or other strong coffee. The bad thing about pizzelles is you can eat 6 of them and not even notice. They are addictive and go down like potato chips! You do need a pizzelle waffle iron to make these cookies, an investment that is worth it if, like in my family, you make hundreds of these every Christmas season. Buon Natale!! <br /><br /><strong> Pizzelles </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0057-6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0057-6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />1/2 cup shortening (my mom uses butter)<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />3 eggs<br />1 tsp vanilla<br />1 1/2 to 2 tsp anise extract<br />3 tb anise seeds<br />1 3/4 cup flour<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />pinch of salt<br /><br />In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together. Add in the eggs and incorporate. Next add in the vanilla and anise extract and mix in the anise seeds. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, powder). Stir into the eggs, butter and sugar mixture until the dry and wet ingredients are fully incorporated. Chill batter, covered, in the fridge until it's slightly firm, about an hour. Get your waffle iron hot. Once hot, put a tablespoon of batter into each side of the waffle iron. Close and bake. When you close the lid you'll hear the steam hiss and rise out of the iron. After about 15 seconds open up the iron to check your progress. Bake until they are firm but not brown. Burnt cookies will taste bitter because of the anise seed. The time may shorten up as you move along since the iron will get a little hotter. You may burn the first few trying to figure oput how long you need to bake each one for, but eventually you'll figure out how much time your particular iron needs to cook up the batter to a crisp cookie. Remove the cookies gently with a fork and place on a rack to cool. Once cool you can stack your cookies and store them in an airtight container. Cookies will stay fresh for up to two weeks. Enjoy!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-26929699386602612482010-12-19T20:48:00.002-05:002010-12-19T20:59:31.475-05:00Chocolate Cherry Almond BiscottiThis is a quick, pre-Christmas cookie post. We made these beauties to accompany the date and pistachio biscotti below. These are so good!! I switched the semisweet chocolate for white chocolate and in my opinion it really makes these cookies. It adds just the right amount of sweetness and helps bring out the cocoa flavor in the cookie. <br />One other thing I changed were the almonds. I couldn't find whole unblanched almonds so I just opted for blanched slivered almonds and used about 3/4 of a cup so as not to overwhelm the batter with almond slivers. It worked out fine. Another note to whoever takes on these cookies - they bake up HARD. These are not biscotti for the wimpy. These are the real deal. Crunchy and a small workout on the teeth. So if you have some weak molars etc. then be sure to soak your biscotti in some strong espresso first, or maybe a little cappuccino. I read that the absence of butter in biscotti recipes gives them that authentically hard, tack-biscuit consistency. If you're not a fan of the harder biscotti then find a recipe that uses butter. I found these to be just perfect though.<br />On top of that, they are just plain ole' pretty. The color contrast is nice and the little colored beady sprinkles stand out nicely against the snowy white chocolate background. They just put me in the holiday mood. How about you? I hope you get a chance to enjoy some delicious cookies this season. <br /><br /><strong>Dried Cherry and Chocolate Biscotti with Almonds </strong><br /><em> Source: Emeril Lagasse, www.foodnetwork.com </em><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0034-7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0034-7.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />2 cups flour<br />1/4 cup cocoa powder<br />2 teaspoons baking powder<br />Pinch of salt<br />1/4 teaspoon cinnamon<br />1 cup unblanched whole almonds<br />1 cup dried cherries<br />3 large eggs<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />8 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted<br />Directions<br />Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.<br /><br />In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the almonds and cherries.<br /><br />In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Mix well. Lightly dust the work surface. Turn the dough onto the surface and knead the dough a couple of times. Shape the dough into a log, about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Using a serrated knife, slice the bread diagonally into 1/4-inch slices. Place the slices on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for an additional 12 to 14 minutes or until golden and crispy.<br /><br />Remove from the oven and cool completely a second time on a wire rack. Dip half of each biscotti in the melted chocolate and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate sets.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-70543867338186418152010-12-14T20:52:00.006-05:002010-12-14T21:37:00.581-05:00Chocolate-Dipped Date and Pistachio BiscottiFor years my mom and I always made the same cookies for Christmas. Gingerbread men and sugar cutout cookies (which both involve rolling, cutting and decorating), Mexican tea cookies (also called Russian tea cookies or Pfefferneusen or something like that), chocolate chip cookies and Pizelles. This year I just didn't have the energy or the time for making that many labor-intensive cookies so I decided to keep it simple. We made Pizelles, which I will post about shortly, as well as two kinds of biscotti. I find biscotti to be a pretty simple, quick cookie to make since there is no rolling or even dropping by the tablespoon involved. You simply cut the dough in quarters or halves, form it into logs and bake it whole. Then you cut it and toast the biscotti - making them twice-baked cookies. For a special touch, we dipped these particular fruit and nut biscotti in melted semi-sweet chocolate. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0112-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0112-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0109-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0109-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />These biscotti were inspired by a recipe for <strong> Fig and Pistachio Biscotti </strong> on <a href="http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com"> Proud Italian Cook's </a> blog. I made a lot of changes and omissions however, so here is my version below. I substituted dates for figs because my mom had bought a huge bag of dried medjool dates to make an appetizer for Thanksgiving and we had plenty left over so instead of spending more money for figs, we used what we had. Also, since the Pizelles we make every year are anise flavored, I didn't want the biscotti to be as well. Plus, I'm not a huge fan of anise so I eliminated that ingredient. I just put in extra vanilla extract. Also, as I've said before on this blog, you won't catch me within 50 yards of a piece of zest. I'm not a fan, no matter how hard I try to like it, I just don't. Orange, lemon or lime, it doesn't seem to matter. I just don't like citrus zest. Sorry, not happening to my baked goods! Oh well. So, in short (ha), I left that ingredient out as well. Lastly, I dipped them in melted chocolate to add a holiday touch. I also added in a touch of cinnamon to give them a warm finish. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0116-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0116-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />They turned out nice and crumbly. Apparently, biscotti made with butter have more of a cakey texture and those without butter have more of a traditional hard, crunchy consistency. These leaned toward the cakey end, but still had a nice toothy crunch. Hopefully you have time to enjoy a little holiday baking this season! These aren't too hard to make inbetween shopping and trimming the tree. Enjoy! <br /><br /><strong> Chocolate-Dipped Date and Pistachio Biscotti </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0121.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0121.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />2 large eggs<br />2 t. vanilla extract<br />1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />1 1/2 t. baking powder<br />1/4 t. salt<br />1/2 cup shelled pistachios<br />1 cup chopped pitted dates <br />8 oz semisweet chocolate chips <br /><br /><br />Heat oven to 350 degrees.<br />With your mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until smooth, about 2 minutes.<br />Add eggs and extract beat until creamy and light.<br />Combine dry ingredients together, then add to the butter mixture, add the dates and the nuts last.<br />Mix everything on low speed until incorporated then remove dough and divide in half.<br />Form two 7×3 inch logs, place on parchment lined baking sheet apart from each other, and bake until lightly browned (25 to 30 minutes).<br />Remove from oven, and let them cool down, you can't cut them when they're hot they'll crumble. <br /> <a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0090-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0090-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Using a serrated knife, take your time and slowly cut logs into 1/2″ thick slices.<br />Arrange biscotti on their sides on the baking sheet. Return to oven, and bake until golden, about 10-15 minutes. Turn biscotti over on the other side and bake for another 10-15 minutes more, or until desired crispiness. Cool on racks.<br />Once cool, melt your chocolate over a double boiler. Once melted, dip the tops of your biscotti in and sprinkle with jimmies or cookie decorations if desired. Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets back up and then enjoy!<br />Makes around 36-40.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-63750072247411642822010-12-05T11:53:00.006-05:002010-12-05T14:11:48.489-05:00White Bean and Brussel Sprout SoupWell, it's here. Winter. Cold, blustery, bitter and raw. They are even calling for snow flurries today! I guess I shouldn't complain. It is December, after all (as I keep hearing people say). Nothing could be as crazy as last winter when we had blizzard after blizzard of unrelenting snow. I swear it didn't melt till May! <br />At least it puts you in the holiday spirit. Speaking of holidays, do you have your tree up yet? We do! I've also already watched the obligatory Christmas movies and had the required festive eggnog while tree trimming. That is required, right?? Hee. <br /><br />And in the spirit of Christmas here is a nice abstract shot of our tree from outside our house:<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0567.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0567.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />And here's a pic of our most favorite Christmas blessing of all, sleeping in "HEAVENLY" peace, as the song so beautifully says:<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0591.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0591.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Anyway, the one redeeming thing about cold weather is the host of foods it inspires me to cook. Mainly - soup. I love a hearty bowl of warm, homemade soup on a cold, winter's night. There is NOTHING better in my opinion. I have some favorites, onion soup, traditional minestrone and roasted tomato bisque. However, last night we were looking to use up some brussel sprouts in the fridge so I fashioned up a tasty soup that made these mini-cabbage heads the star. You can just rinse them, cut them in half and throw them into the soup raw. They will boil in the broth while the beans soften up, floating like little green apples while your soup simmers. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0016-14.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0016-14.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />You can easily make this with canned beans, but it's not that much harder to use dried beans and you really get your money's worth as well as a major flavor payback with dried beans. If you use canned beans however, you'll want to probably cook your brussel sprouts ahead of time since you won't have to simmer the soup as long.<br />Another tip, I like a thicker soup consistency, so, as you'll see in my recipe, I pureed two cups of beans once they were cooked, and then stirred them back into the soup to thicken up the broth. If you like a thinner, clearer type of soup then just skip that step. We topped our soup with crispy cubes of prosciutto and a generous spoonful of grated Romano cheese. <br />Finally, a word of warning. Eat this soup with ones you love. Beans and brussel sprouts can be a dangerous combination, if you know what I mean. So tread lightly but don't be afraid - the taste is worth it! Or Beano before if you must. <br />Enjoy! <br /><br /><strong> White Bean and Brussel Sprout Soup </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0008-12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0008-12.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />1 lb dried white beans<br />1/2 cup cubed prosciutto<br />1 onion, diced<br />4 cloves garlic, minced<br />2 carrots, chopped<br />1 celery stalk, chopped<br />2 tb fresh rosemary, finely chopped<br />2 tb olive oil <br />1 qt chicken stock<br />2 cups water<br />1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with juice<br />1 bay leaf<br />1 lb brussel sprouts, rinsed, trimmed and then cut in half<br />salt and pepper for seasoning <br />grated pecorino romano cheese for serving<br /><br />Soften the beans first. Rinse the beans, place in a large soup pot, and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 2 minutes, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for about 1 hour, then drain. Place aside. <br />In the bottom of that same soup pot, place your cubed prosciutto and crisp up over medium heat. Once the prosciutto has browned and crisped, remove it from the pot and set aside. You'll use this to top your soup when serving. <br />In the same pot, throw in your onion, garlic, carrots, celery, rosemary and olive oil. Saute them in the prosciutto grease and brown bits until softened. Once softened, add your drained beans to the pot along with the rest of your ingredients, stock, water, tomatoes, bay leaf and brussel sprouts. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow soup to simmer uncovered until the beans are tender and the brussel sprouts have cooked. Miraculously, these two things seem to happen at the same rate, which ends up being about 30-40 minutes, depending on your stove. <br />Once done and the beans are tender, strain out two cups of beans (these will unavoidably include celery, onion, carrots and garlic but if you can try to avoid whole brussel sprouts and leaves within these two cups). Puree the beans and miscellaneous vegetables in a food processor until smooth. Return this puree to the soup pot and stir to combine. This will help thicken your soup to a nice consistency. Ladle soup into bowls, top with crispy prosciutto and grated romano cheese and serve.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-21120444894590054002010-11-26T20:35:00.004-05:002010-11-26T20:48:19.071-05:00Almost-Famous Pumpkin CheesecakeI didn't bestow that title on this seemingly celebrity-status dessert. That's the name it came with! I was determined to make a pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving and I found several recipes in magazines and online. This particular recipe seemed special to me however. It made a large, restaurant size cheesecake with a super-buttery crumb crust and I just couldn't resist it's name. They totally reeled me in with the guarantee of "almost famous". It must be good then...right?? Well, fortunately, it was. It was more than good. It was stupendous! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0543.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0543.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Cheesecake on Thanksgiving is definitely a risk since you're asking people to eat a huge meal and then throw down a very rich dessert. Our crowd took on the challenge however, and did pretty well. And those who couldn't stuff in dessert took home slices of this spicy pumpkin dessert. I think those who took pieces home might actually enjoy it more than those who shoved it in after overloading their tastebuds on turkey and fixins. I would rather enjoy this cheesecake as a meal the day after Thanksgiving. It definitely deserves that kind of special attention. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0537.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0537.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />A few notes about the recipe. For one, I substituted <strong> gingersnap cookies </strong> for the graham crackers in the crust. Another note about the crust, the 12 tablespoons of butter is too much, in my opinion. If I was to do it again, I'd probably use half the amount of butter. I used the whole 12 tablespoons and during the pre-baking process the butter was dripping out of my springform pan onto the oven floor causing my oven to smoke horribly. The house was full of thick smoke from the burning butter on the bottom of my oven. And honestly, it was just too much damn butter (and I thought I'd never say that, too much butter? How is it possible right?). But it's true. A little less and believe me you won't notice the difference in taste. The cheesecake part itself packs enough punch. Enjoy! <br /><br /><strong> Almost-Famous Pumpkin Cheesecake </strong> <br /><em> www.foodnetwork.com </em><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0535.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0535.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br />2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs<br />2 3/4 cups sugar<br />Salt<br />2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature<br />1/4 cup sour cream<br />1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin<br />6 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten<br />1 tablespoon vanilla extract<br />2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon<br />1 teaspoon ground ginger<br />1/4 teaspoon ground cloves<br />2 cups sweetened whipped cream<br />1/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped<br />Directions<br />Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.<br /><br />Brush a 10-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter with the crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly and evenly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack, then wrap the outside of the springform pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.<br /><br />Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar and beat until just light, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the sour cream, then add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt and the spices and beat until just combined. Pour into the cooled crust.<br /><br />Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out) and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cheesecake sets but the center is still loose, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the door briefly to let out some heat. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour, then carefully remove from the roasting pan and cool on a rack. Run a knife around the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.<br /><br />Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Unlock and remove the springform ring. To finish, place a dollop of the whipped cream on each slice and sprinkle with the toasted pecans.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-86982508187099617682010-11-23T20:27:00.002-05:002010-11-23T20:37:59.187-05:00A Beautiful WeddingOk so no I'm not turning this into a photo blog! But my friend's wedding was so beautiful I just had to share some pics. Being an Indian wedding, there was a lot of great color and photo opportunities. I love my camera and recently acquired an external flash, making it that much easier to get some fabulous indoor shots at night. I'm also using a new editing software that takes all the mystery out of making good photos look professional! So here are a few pics from the big day. And, as a teaser, I just finished baking an awesome pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving dinner. We're having about 20 people at my mom's house and the menu is vast! More to come....<br /><br />The groom came in on a horse with his nephew!<br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0312.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0312.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The beautiful bride! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0347-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0347-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The groom's sister sporting some great Indian jewelry. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0291-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0291-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The cake topper - the bride wore a vibrant blue and crystal dress for the reception that matched the cake topper exactly! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0412.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0412.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />The couple during the toasts. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0479.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0479.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />Sunset shots at the gorgeous bayside venue in Chesapeake Beach! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0372.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0372.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0403.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0403.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-29300431962508316252010-11-21T21:22:00.002-05:002010-11-21T21:34:52.411-05:00Mehndi Party!One of my best friends from middle school got married this past weekend and before the wedding she held a Mehndi Party, which is a traditional ritual within the Indian wedding ceremony. The bride and her family and friends gather to see the bride get the Mehndi tattoo, painted on by hand out of red henna paint. My friend asked me to be her "unofficial" photographer for the night's event so here are my results. What a fun and beautiful event to be a part of and I really enjoyed the task of capturing it on film! I wanted to share some with everyone since I've been a little lacking on the food updates lately. Thanksgiving is coming though so more food to come. Meanwhile, here are some pretty pics to distract and entertain - and notice, I did squeeze one in of the yummy Indian foods her mom served at the party. Yum! Enjoy! <br /><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0279.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0279.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0261-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0261-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0254-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0254-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0232.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0232.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0153.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0153.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0149.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0149.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0070-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0070-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0069-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0069-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0250.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0250.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0265.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0265.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0290-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0290-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view&current=DSC_0301.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0301.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-38577319053095745902010-11-03T14:09:00.003-04:002010-11-03T15:10:58.513-04:00Manchego-Stuffed Pork SaltimboccaSo dinners at my house have been pretty boring as of late. There are two very good reasons for this. For starters, my nearly 6-month old baby makes planning elaborate dinners nearly impossible. Secondly, my husband has decided he needs to lose what he calls his baby weight and so is on a low-carb diet (the only diet that ever works for him, so he says). Because of this, our dinners lately have been simply grilled fish, chicken or steak with either steamed veggies or a green salad. Nothing much to blog about. However, last night I was sick of the same old thing and decided I could throw together something with a little more flavor and ingenuity that wouldn't take hours. <br />Enter <strong> manchego-stuffed pork saltimbocca </strong>. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view¤t=DSC_0008-11.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0008-11.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />This is my slightly, kicked-up version of the traditional saltimbocca preparation, which marries prosciutto and woodsy sage with seared chicken or pork in a simple lemon butter pan sauce. I served mine stuffed with nutty manchego cheese alongside some steamed asparagus. It satisfied all our dinner needs, quick, low-carb and delicious! Saltimbocca literally means jump in your mouth and the combination of cheese, salty prosciutto and the earthiness of the sage do just that. Your tongue will be dancing for joy when you taste this easy to prepare dish. Enjoy! <br /><br /><strong> Manchego-Stuffed Pork Saltimbocca </strong> <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view¤t=DSC_0007-12.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0007-12.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />2 boneless pork medallions, about 1 1/2 in thick each (the thicker they are the easier they are to stuff) <br />2 slices of thinly-sliced prosciutto <br />4 sage leaves<br />1/2 cup shredded manchego<br />juice of one lemon<br />1/2 cup chicken stock<br />3 tablespoons butter<br />1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard<br />salt and pepper <br />olive oil <br /><br />Season your pork with salt and pepper on each side. Cut a pocket in each pork loin, being careful not to split the medallions in half. Fill each pocket with about a 1/4 cup of your shredded cheese. On the top of each pork loin lay two sage leaves and press flat. Finally, wrap your prosciutto around the pork medallion. <br />Preheat oven to 350. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and cover the bottom with a thin layer of olive oil. Once shimmering, add your medallions, sage side down. Let sear for 3 minutes on each side and then place the pork medallions in an oven-safe dish and cook the rest of the way - 20 minutes or until center is not pink. <br />Meanwhile, add your lemon juice and chicken stock to the saute pan. Scrape up any brown bits from the pork. Whisk in the tablespoons of butter and the dijon mustard. Bring the sauce to a rapid simmer and then reduce heat. Allow to thicken and reduce while occasionally whisking. Season with salt and pepper. Once pork is done, serve over top of steamed asparagus and cover with your pan sauce.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4864278546903985393.post-59942643695324670282010-10-26T21:48:00.002-04:002010-10-26T21:52:44.089-04:00Fall at the BeachI went down to the Eastern Shore one last time for the season with my family. It was a beautiful fall weekend with the temperatures in the 70s! <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view¤t=DSC_0160-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0160-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />I forced them all onto the beach for a little amateur photo session and I'm so glad we did because the results were awesome! Between my mom and myself we got some beautiful pics and after some editing they are pure artwork to me :) Hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall weather in your neck of the woods! I should have some food updates soon, but meanwhile here is some eye candy. <br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view¤t=DSC_0103.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0103.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view¤t=DSC_0119-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0119-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view¤t=DSC_0052-4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0052-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view¤t=DSC_0043-5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0043-5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><a href="http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/?action=view¤t=DSC_0028-10.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/lisa919_photos/DSC_0028-10.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04959402258233227150noreply@blogger.com3