Vlasta Loves to Cook

Frosted Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

2010-10-15T11:02:00.000-04:00

My husband and I got all kinds of fun kitchen gadgets for our wedding. So I thought I better put them to use by trying my hand at some cupcakes. These Frosted Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes are perfect for all the various fall dinner parties and holiday parties. They are easy to make and turn out fluffy and tasty with a hint of the pumpkin spices. All I can say is – eat your heart out Georgetown Cupcake!

Makes approximately 18

Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) Libby’s pumpkin puree (plain not pumpkin pie mix)

Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened (I actually used 1/3 less fat version and it tasted fine)
1/2 stick of butter, softened
1cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each a bit more than halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Once cupcakes have cooled completely, add frosting. Sprinkle tops with a hint of pumpkin spice.

Directions for the Frosting:

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy.

Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar.

Apply to cooled cupcakes.

Moroccan-spiced chicken

2010-07-22T11:23:00.000-04:00

This is a great summer dish that I adapted from the February 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living. It is quick and easy to prepare. I love it because it can be grilled either on a barbeque or on a grill pan, but either way has a great smoky slightly spicey flavor. I serve it with either a nice salad or a couscus.

Serves 4

4 chicken breasts or 6 boneless/skinless chicken legs*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Clove of garlic finely chopped (optional)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Mix the spices, 2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and the oil in a small bowl. Rub spice paste all over chicken. Either grill chicken on bbq or grill pan on medium high heat until done. You can also bake in the oven.

* The same spice mixture also goes great on pork - either chops or loin.

Herb and Garlic Roasted Leg of Lamb

2010-01-20T18:22:00.000-05:00

I made this leg of lamb to go with my Herbed Potato Gratin with Roasted Garlic and Swiss Cheese dish for a 12 person dinner party. The fresh herbs with the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil really brought out the flavor of the lamb. By adding the wine to the roasting pan guarantees that the lamb will not dry out -- even if it is slightly over cooked or has to rest longer than the 15 minutes due to dinner guests running late. Plus the wine mixed with all of the lamb flavors provides an excellent sauce to pour over the lamb!

Serves 10

Ingredients:

6 cloves of garlic
3 springs of fresh rosemary (approximately 1 tablespoon chopped)
6 springs of fresh thyme (approximately 1 tablespoon chopped)
3 springs of fresh sage (approximately 1 tablespoon chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 pound semi boneless leg of lamb
1/2 cup of white wine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a food processor combine all the ingredients (minus the lamb and wine) into a paste like mixture.

Take the lamb of leg and wrap twine around it perpendicular to the bone in one inch intervals so it is a shape of a football.

Place leg, fat side up, in roasting pan. Pour the wine into the pan around the lamb. Roast for about 25 to 30 minutes per pound, or until meat thermometer registers 135° for medium rare and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

Herbed Potato Gratin with Roasted Garlic and Swiss Cheese

2010-01-20T17:52:00.002-05:00

I made this dish for a dinner party celebrating my fiance and good friend's thirtieth birthday. We had 12 hungry people around the table and this dish was a crowd pleaser! It does take a while to put together but it can be made ahead of time. I used Chef Jose Garces potato gratin recipe with Swiss cheese instead of Manchego and San Simón cheeses. Mainly because for the amount of cheese this recipe calls for Swiss cheese was the more economic way to go. This version of a potato gratin combines the richness of roasted garlic and the sharpness of Swiss cheese to make one tasty dish

Serves 12

Ingredients:
3 heads of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 quart half-and-half
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and very thinly slice*
16 oz swiss cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a 9-inch cake pan, drizzle the garlic with the oil. Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes, until tender. Let cool, then squeeze out the cloves.

Mash the garlic to a paste and transfer to a saucepan. Add the half-and-half, thyme and rosemary and bring to a boil. Simmer over very low heat until reduced to 3 cups, 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Arrange one-fourth of the potatoes in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with one-fourth of the shredded cheeses and drizzle lightly with the garlic cream. Repeat the layering with the remaining potatoes, cheese and cream. Pour any remaining cream on top and press the top layer of potatoes to submerge it.

Bake the gratin for about 1 1/2 hours, until golden and bubbling. Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Make Ahead
The gratin can be prepared through Step 3; refrigerate overnight. Return to room temperature before baking.

* Invest in a mandoline to slice the potatoes, not only does it save you time but it also makes the slices uniform and cook better.

Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

2010-01-07T19:41:00.003-05:00

Here is a healthy twist on cold weather (not so healthy) classic. Replacing the ground beef with lean turkey and using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes not only cuts the calorie and fat count but also create a very tasty dish!

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pounds ground lean turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large or two medium sweet potatoes, cubed
1 small onion, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
2 medium ribs celery, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 cup defrosted frozen peas
1/2 cup of low fat shredded jack or Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place sweet potatoes in a pot, cover with water, cover pot, bring to a boil, add salt and cook 15 minutes until tender.

Spray with olive oil or cooking spray a deep oven proof cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven heat over high heat. Add meat and break up with a wooden spoon, season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Add onions, carrots and celery into the turkey when turkey is browned stir peas into meat and turn heat off.

Drain potatoes and return pot to heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, salt and mash the potatoes. Top the meat with the potatoes. Add more salt if desired and pepper. Sprinkle cheese on top of the potatoes and place in the oven to melt cheese, about 10 minutes.

Easy Slow Cooked Pulled Pork

2009-12-15T16:20:00.004-05:00

This has to be one of the easiest recipes I’ve come up with and probably one of the tastiest. I found some boneless country style pork shoulder on sale (bonus this is an economical meal!) and couldn’t resist the deal. I just served the meat with some sweet potato chips, but I’m sure any potato or vegetable side would go great with the pork.

Ingredients:

Pork Shoulder (any amounts – I used two pounds so if you use more adjust the other ingredients)

Barbeque Rub (I used a Texas style rub)

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 beer

Directions:

Massage the rub into the shoulder making sure it’s well seasoned.

Heat a pan and sear the meat on all side

Remove the meet at put into slow cooker set at high heat

Deglaze the pan with some of the beer and then pour the liquid into the slow cooker along with the rest of the beer. Add the garlic. You want to use enough beer so that the pork is almost covered.

Slow cook the pork shoulder for about 3 to 4 hours or until the meet starts falling apart. If you use more meat the cook time will be longer. Serve with some vegetables and some of the cooking liquid.

Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Corn Muffin

2009-12-01T12:32:00.003-05:00

Last week my mother called me asking me to find this recipe saying she saw it on TV and wanted to try it. The recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. When I saw the recipe I thought wow these are perfect for thanksgiving, especially when going to someone else’s house. They are easy to transport and can just be put on the table for dinner (even though I’d pop them in the microwave to heat them up for that fresh out of the oven taste). So I gave them a test run over the weekend and I have to say they taste very good. Much more flavorful than just plain corn muffins and pretty easy to make too!

Makes 16 muffins

Ingredients

2 (8 1/2-ounce) packages corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

3 garlic cloves

2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (from an 8-ounce jar)

2/3 cup buttermilk*
2/3 cup sour cream
2 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 2 muffin tins.

In the food processor combine corn, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and finely chop

In a large bowl combine the muffin mix, corn, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to combine until it looks like a paste.

In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs until well blended.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the muffin mix. Stir to just combine. Spoon the mix into the muffin tins, filling up the cups about halfway.

Bake until golden brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes.

* I used homemade buttermilk by combining one cup milk with one tablespoon lemon juice and let it sit for 15 minutes. Make sure to stir well before adding to the muffin batter

Milk-Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust

2009-11-19T10:49:00.001-05:00

I am not a huge dessert cook but inevitably there is a time when I have to make dessert, for instance being the last stop on a progressive dinner. I have made this dessert twice already and both times it has turned out great and been a big crowd pleaser. I got this recipe from Food and Wine Magazine and it was developed by pastry chef Colleen Grapes at the Harrison, but I have slightly altered the recipe for a sheet pan and to make more servings.

12 good size portions

Ingredients

CRUST

2 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 ½ cups coarsely crushed thin pretzels
1 ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

FILLING

2 cups heavy cream
2 11 oz. packages of milk chocolate chips

½ cup of crushed pretzels

Directions

Make the crust: In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with 2 cups of the pretzels and the confectioners’ sugar at low speed until creamy (since I don’t have a stand up mixer I just used a hand mixer). Beat in the flour and egg. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of pretzels, being sure to leave some pretzel pieces intact. Flatten the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line an 18 by 13 inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll out the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap to fit the sheet pan. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough over the pan. Press the dough into the corners and patch any tears. Trim the overhanging dough and refrigerate the shell for 30 minutes or until firm.

Line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights (I just put a baking dish on top of the parchment paper). Bake for about 30 minutes, until nearly set. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the tart shell is firm; cover the edge with foil if it darkens too much. Let the shell cool.

While the crust is baking, make the filling: In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Off the heat, add the milk chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes.

Pour the filling into the shell and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and crushed pretzels. Cut into squares and serve.

Asian Flair Spinach Soup

2009-11-08T13:04:00.002-05:00

This past weekend I had a few late nights and all of them ended up with my getting Chinese takeout(that happens when you live so close to Chinatown!) so I've had Asian flavors on the mind. So for dinner I decided to try my hand at some soup inspired by the food I ate over the weekend and I ended up making a relatively healthy spinach soup --- and used my leftover Chinese takeout rice to boot!

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon butter

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon flour

1 quart of chicken broth

1/2 cup of cooked rice

2 cups of Spinach

2 eggs

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Sriracha*

1 teaspoon Maggi

Directions

In a pot heat oil and butter, add onions and saute for a couple minutes then add the mushrooms and garlic. Once vegetables start to soften sprinkle with flour and stir. Add the chicken broth and and rice. Simmer for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, Sriracha, and lemon juice.

Bring soup to a boil and slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the soup.

Add the spinach and simmer until spinach cooks. Serve

*Sriracha is made from sun ripen chilies which are ground into a smooth paste along with garlic. It is excellent in soups, sauces, pastas, etc or on anything else to give it a delicious, spicy taste. I believe a must have in all kitchens and can be found in the Asian/international aisle of Safeway and Asian Speciality Grocery Stores.

Brisket with Root Vegetables

2009-11-06T10:46:00.000-05:00

I borrowed this recipe from Martha Stewart’s Living Magazine. It was my first attempt at making brisket and it turned out perfectly! The meat ends up perfectly seasoned and extremely tender. The root vegetables both provide excellent flavor to the meat but also absorbs the meat's flavor and are a perfect accompaniment to the meat. I highly recommend taking a Saturday or Sunday to make this recipe.

Ingredients:
5 lb brisket
Coarse salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves plus one head halved horizontally
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ cups dry red wine
4 ½ cups low salt chicken stock
2 bay leaves
20 baby carrots
1 lb parsnips peeled and halved (you could probably use sweet potatoes, Yukon potatoes or other root vegetables)
10 oz pearl onions, peeled (I used one bag of frozen pearl onions)
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325. Season the meat with the coarse salt and fresh pepper. Sear the meat in the olive oil in a hot pan (You can also use a roasting pan and put it on two burners). This takes 4-5 minutes. Set the meat aside.

In the same pan/roasting pan, lower the heat and gently sauté the onion and cloves of minced garlic until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook a little longer, being sure to gather all the meat scrapings into the sauce.

Add the stock and bay leaves and bring to a boil, add the brisket back to the pan and cover with foil. Cook for about 2 hours.

Flip the meat over, add the ½ garlic head and cook for 30 more minutes.

Add the remaining vegetables, cover and roast for about 1 more hour, until the vegetables are tender. Put the vegetables on a platter. Place the meat on a cutting board, tent it with foil and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes. Put the sauce on the burner to reduce it by about half, stirring regularly. Stir the vinegar in, let it stand about 15 minutes and skim the fat from the sauce.

The brisket should be sliced against the grain of the meat and arranged on the platter with the vegetables. Drizzle the sauce over the meat and the vegetables and serve immediately.

My Version of Minestrone Soup

2009-10-20T18:16:00.001-04:00

There is no set recipe for Minestrone soup, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. It can be vegetarian, contain meat, or contain a meat-based broth. This is my version of a quick, easy and very affordable Minestrone soup. Did I mention that it is also very healthy!

Ingredients:

2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped and divided
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 16 oz can of Northern white beans*
1 16 oz can of white hominy
1 to 2 sprigs of rosemary**
1 to 2 sprigs of thyme**
28 oz of low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute onion, celery, carrot, and 1/2 the chopped garlic with a dash of salt until softened.

2. Add the tomatoes, beans, hominy, rosemary, and thyme and cook for 5 or so minutes to release all of the flavors

3. Add the broth and simmer for about an hour.

4. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the rest of the garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese.

* Hominy is hulled corn kernels that have been stripped of their bran and germ. They are high in fiber. Hominy can be found in the canned vegetable aisle.
** You can replace fresh herbs with a teaspoon of each of rosemary and thyme.

Slow cooked pork loin with peppers

2009-10-20T17:00:00.002-04:00

This is another quick and easy recipe that can be pulled together quickly. While the dish is slowly developing its flavors in the oven, the cook is free to spend time with her/his guests or as I did continue to watch the food network to get ideas for tomorrow's dinner.

Ingredients:

1 2 pound pork loin

1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of Texas style BBQ seasoning*
1/2 cup of beef stock
2 cups of prepared brown rice**

Directions

1. Preheat the onion to 325F

2. Put the loin in a baking dish and rub the Texas seasoning on both sides of the loin

3. Around the loin add the sliced peppers and onions, sprinkle with the additional Texas seasoning. Cover tightly with foil.

4. Slowly cook for about an hour and a half. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

5. Serve over the cooked rice, make sure to add some of the extra pan juices to the plate.

* Texas seasoning can be replaced with a mixture of paprika, chili powder, celery powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
** To make the brown rice I actually sauteed half a small onion, some the Texas seasoning in olive oil added the beef broth and then added 10 minute brown rice.

French Onion Soup

2009-09-24T17:04:00.000-04:00

Even though it still feels like summer outside I was craving my winter favorite -- French Onion Soup so I decided to make it. Boy did the soup turn out great. I actually used Tyler Florence’s French Onion Soup Recipe and made a couple adjustments.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 large sweet onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 fresh thyme sprigs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup of white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)*
2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
32 ounces carton or quart of beef broth
1 can (10.5 oz) of Beef Consommé

1/2 baguette, sliced

2 cups of grated Gruyere (I used Swiss cheese)

Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat.

Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.

Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes.

Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Now add the beef broth and beef consume, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

When the soup is simmering, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Alternatively: Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese. (I don’t have oven proof bowls)

*Tyler’s recipe calls for red wine, I didn’t have any red wine open so I used the pinot instead. But, I though the white wine made the onions taste even sweeter!

Panzanella (Bread and Tomato Salad)

2009-09-14T17:12:00.003-04:00

Last weekend I went to the Arts on Foot festival that was taking place in Washington D.C Penn Quarter. Penn Quarter is one of the best neighborhoods in D.C. and is home to many fine restaurants such as Proof, SEI, PS7, Wolfgang Puck’s Source, Jose Andres’ Café Atlantico, Jaleo, Oyemal, and Mini bar. One of the coolest things at the festival were that the local chefs from many of these fine restaurants conducted cooking demos. After seeing Proof's Haider Karoum's Panzanella salad cooking demo, I had to give it a try that very night. Thank you Chef Karoum for this delicious recipe and I look forward to visiting your restaurant soon!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 large fresh ripened tomatoes cut into large cubes

4 cups of French bread cubed – about 2/3s of a loaf (country-style Italian bread would work as well)

½ cup of thinly sliced red onions
2 cups of cucumber, diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup of chopped fresh basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, bread, cucumber and onions and sprinkle with salt to release the tomato juices.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Pour the dressing over the bread salad and toss.

Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature so that the bread absorbs all of the juices

Add the basil and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Serve.

I served the salad with some eye of round steaks grilled with some of my homemade Mom's Soy Sauce Marinade for Flank Steak

*Trust me, go with tomatos from your local farmer's market or homegrown tomatos, they are essential to the flavor of the salad.
.

Vlasta's Chili

2009-09-04T11:36:00.008-04:00

I love a good meat chili and with football season starting (GO ILLINI) I think its time for me to post my favorite recipe. This chili recipe is modeled after Cincinnati Chili but I've left out a few ingredients and added a couple others. I also made it a bit healthier by using ground turkey instead of beef. I've made this recipe many times and the chili has always turned on great. I hardly ever have any leftovers!

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (can use lean ground beef)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 strips of chopped bacon
1/2 cup chopped celery
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14 1/2ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (8ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
*optional: You can also add beans to the chili if you'd like.

Directions
Brown ground turkey, bacon, onions, and celery in a large skillet.

Put the skillet ingredients and the rest of the ingredients into the slow-cooker and stir well.

Cover crock pot and cook for 7-9 hours on low, or 3 1/2-4 1/2 hours on high, stirring during last part of cooking if using high setting. (Since I am inpatient I usually cook on the high setting for 4 hours)

You can also use a cast-iron pot and cook the chili for about an hour on medium high heat but the flavors will not be as developed when using a slow cooker.

Have It 5 Ways

1 lb spaghetti, cooked (put chili on top)
1 medium onion, finely chopped (put on top of chili)
1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese (put on top of chili)

Zucchini Pancakes

2009-08-29T11:56:00.002-04:00

So I've been craving a Czech speciality -- potato pancakes. I decided to give them a healthier twist by using zucchini instead potatoes and whole wheat flour. They turned out delish and certainly satisfied my craving. These are great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded zucchini ( two larger zucchini)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup whole wheat flour (can use all-purpose flour)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon dried marjoram

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 to 1/3 cup of vegetable oil

Directions:

Lay out a clean dish cloth and shred the zucchini. Spread the shredded zucchini on the cloth and lightly salt. While that sits. Take a large bowl and combine the flour, baking powder, marjoram, garlic, and eggs.

Take the dish cloth and wring it with the zucchini to drain all the excess water from the zucchini until no more liquid seeps through. Then add the zucchini to the mixture and combine well.

Heat up the vegetable oil and put about a ice cream scoop worth of batter into the pan. Fry for a few minutes till brown and then flip over.

Once cooked through remove the pancake and put on a paper towel to drain the excess water. Serve

Salsa Verde

2009-08-28T17:01:00.006-04:00

For the last three weeks I have been getting this odd little green round vegetables in my community farm share. I had no idea what these things were, I couldn't figure out the taste so they just collected in my fridge. Last week I saw these little green vegetables at the grocery store -- they are green tomatillos! So I decided to whip together some salsa verde which I served with some poached tilapia.

Ingredients:

10 to 12 tomatillos
1 tablespoon (half a lime) of lime juice
1/2 cup of white onion
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup of cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon of Sriracha
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Remove the paper husks from the tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Broil for about 7 to 10 minutes or until the skins start to darken and shrivel.

Put all ingredients into a food processor until finely chopped. Season to taste.

Shrimp Boil

2009-08-19T15:37:00.000-04:00

I recently spent a week in Ocean City, MD and was inspired by all the fresh vegetables, variety of seafood and delicious crabs to make a dish that would bring me back to the Eastern Shore. Maryland is known for its Maryland Blue Crabs and every self respecting Eastern Shore Crab restaurant and shack cooks these crabs with a heavy dose of Old Bay Seasoning or a variation of it. Below is a recipe to make a shrimp boil….with an Eastern Shore twist.

Serving 4

Ingredients
2 quarts of water
1 lemon, halved
1/4 cup crab boil seasoning or more to taste such as Old Bay Seasoning
1 medium onion, quartered
Garlic from half a head of garlic (crushed and peeled)
1 pound medium new red potatoes, quartered
3 ears sweet corn, halved
1/2 (8 ounces) smoked turkey kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces*
1 ½ pound of fresh uncooked shrimp

Directions

Fill a huge stockpot, preferably fitted with a basket insert, with about 8 quarts of water. Keep in mind that when you add the solid ingredients the water level will rise, so don't fill the pot up more than halfway. Squeeze the lemons into the water, tossing in the halves too. Add the seasoning, onions, and garlic; bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. You want a very aromatic broth with plenty of salt and spices. Taste it; don't be afraid to make it strong so some of the flavor can penetrate and get absorbed by the potatoes and other ingredients.
Add the potatoes to the pot to give them a head start; simmer for 20 minutes or so.
Add the corn and sausage; cook another 10 minutes, making sure everything stays covered with the liquid.
Lastly toss in the shrimp and shut off the heat. Cover the pot and let the shrimp steep in the flavor for 15 minutes. Shrimp are done when they are pink.
Serve either over rice or drain and spread the shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, and onions out on a newspaper-covered table.

Note: Save the liquid (broth) and use it to make couscous or rice. I made the best tasting couscous using one cup broth to one cup of couscous.

* I used Hillshire Farm Turkey Polska Kielbasa, I am sure you can use regular smoked kielbasa as well I was just trying to watch the calories :-)

Squash Casserole

2009-08-10T10:53:00.000-04:00

This is a great recipe for all of that summer squash and zucchini you may have laying around. It goes well with just about any meat. I served it with my Herb Marinated BBQ Chicken recipe but I used pork instead of chicken.

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
½ a medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of any Italian herb
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ cup of shredded cheese (any kind –Parmesan is always the best but cheddar/jack will work as well)

Preparation:

Take a medium casserole dish and put a thin coat of olive oil on the bottom or if you have one of those olive oil spray bottles, spray a thin coat.
Take the squash and lay it flat on the bottom of the dish, layer w/ zucchini, onion, and garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and repeat. Ideally you should have two layers.
Roast in a preheated 400 degree oven covered with foil for about 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese on top and put back in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the vegetables are soft.

Variations: You can add to this dish one large thinly sliced red or Yukon potatoes and/or one large thinly sliced carrot.

Asparagus Soup

2009-08-04T10:35:00.001-04:00

I always felt guilty throwing away the tough ends of asparagus when I ever I make roasted asparagus. So I decided to see if could make asparagus soup out of it by adding some other ingredients to make soup. The soup actually is very tasty and great way to use up some random ingredients you may have in the refrigerator.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 cups of thinly sliced asparagus ends from 2 bunches of asparagus.

6 cups of chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Half of a medium onion minced (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)

1 medium leak sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 medium carrot sliced

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 egg

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the butter and oil. Add all the sliced vegetables and saute for a few minutes till starting to soften

2. Add the broth and marjoram

3. Boil the soup until the asparagus and leeks are very soft

4. Whip the egg and Parmesan cheese together and slowly whip into the boiling soup.

5. Salt and pepper to taste

6. Serve with croutons and some extra cheese sprinkled on top

Note: You can also add an a potato cut into small cubes.

Garlic Roast Turkey Legs and Vegetables

2009-07-30T16:18:00.002-04:00

I was watching Ina Garten yesterday afternoon as my blinds were being installed and her Garlic Roast Chicken dish looked so delicious I just had to make it for dinner. Unfortunately, I did not have a chicken; BUT I happened to have three turkey legs. I figured its poultry -- lets give it a shot! I ended up adapting Ina's recipe into something very delicious!! P.S. PLEASE DON'T FEAR THE BUTTER IT MAKES THE RECIPE!!

2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

3 turkey legs (about two pounds)
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves
1/2 large onion, sliced
2 large, 3 medium carrots sliced in about 1/4 inch pieces
3 to 4 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, cubed*
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 tablespoon of dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels. Liberally salt and pepper the legs. Place them in a roasting pan just large enough to hold them and the vegetables. Sprinkle about 1/2 the garlic and rosemary on top of the legs as well.
3. Scatter the onion slices, carrots and potatoes around the chicken. Sprinkle the rest of garlic and rosemary. Make sure to mix the veggies.
4. Brush the outside of the legs with the butter and sprinkle over the vegetables5. Add quarter cup of white wine or chicken broth.
6. Salt and pepper the whole dish
7. Cover and put in oven for about 45 minutes or take out when legs are cooked.
8. Remove the legs to a platter and cover with aluminum foil. Place the vegetables back in the oven and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
9. Serve the legs with the vegetables on the side and drizzle some pan juices over the legs and vegetables.

*I actually used whatever potatoes were in my farm share and they had a nice buttery texture so my guess is that Yukon would give that same flavor

Baked Tilapia filets with tomato and caper sauce

2009-07-29T16:15:00.004-04:00

I wanted to give my boring tilapia filets something extra so I came up with this recipe.

Servings 2

Ingredients:

4 small to medium Tilapia filets
1 cup of marinara sauce (I used Safeway's sun dried tomato and olive tomato sauce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup of water or chicken broth
1/2 cup of diced onion
1 medium zucchini cubed (1/2 inch or so cubes)
1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes (or my personal favorite 1 teaspoon Sriracha)
2 garlic cloves diced (divided)
1 tablespoon chopped capers

Directions:

1. In a saute pan heat olive oil then add onions.

2. Once onions start cooking add 1/2 tablespoon garlic and zucchini. Saute for a few minutes

3. Add marinara sauce, pepper flakes, and water bring to boil and then bring down to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 or so minutes.

4. Take a baking dish and spray the bottom with olive oil/cooking spray. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish and put in dish without overlapping too much.

5. Once sauce has simmered turn off the heat. Stir in the rest of garlic and the capers.

6. Pour the sauce over the fish covering them.

7. Cover with foil and bake at a preheated oven at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes. The fish is done with it is white and flaky.

8. Serve over whole wheat couscous and make sure to put plenty of the sauce on top of the fish

Spinach Dip with a Kick

2009-07-26T15:31:00.002-04:00

I wanted to do something different to my standby spinach dip so I decided to add a bit of Sriracha sauce and Maggi flavoring to give it something extra special. I served the dip in a sourdough bread bowl with a loaf of french bread. You could probably serve it with vegetables and/or crackers as well.

Ingredients:

1 package of frozen spinach (thawed and drained)*
1 16 oz container of low fat sour cream
2 large green onions (1/2 cup)
1 large clove of garlic
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon Sriracha(depending on how spicy you like it! I went for closer to 1 tblsn)
1 teaspoon of Maggi Seasoning Sauce** (Worcestershire or soy sauce will do instead if you don't have Maggi)
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. In a blender or food processor mince the green onions and garlic.
2. Add the spinach mince as well
3. Add the sour cream, Sriracha, Maggi and puree together.
4. Taste and add more Sriracha, Maggi, or salt as needed to your taste

*Sriracha is made from sun ripen chilies which are ground into a smooth paste along with garlic. It is excellent in soups, sauces, pastas, etc or on anything else to give it a delicious, spicy taste. I believe a must have in all kitchens and can be found in the Asian/international aisle of Safeway and Asian Speciality Grocery Stores.

**A trick for frozen spinach is to microwave/let sit out until the spinach is thawed. Take the spinach and put it into a clean dishcloth and squeeze all the access water out of it. Take care if you microwaved the spinach to let it cool before you do this as it will burn.

** Maggi is flavor enhancer when added to soups, stews, sauces, vegetables, stir fry or rice. It is a staple in European kitchens for over 100 years. Brings out the natural flavor of food -- without adding a strong taste of its own. I believe another must have in all kitchens and can be found in the Asian/international aisle of Safeway and European Grocery Stores.

Thai Shrimp and Cabbage

2009-07-21T18:43:00.002-04:00

A random way to use up that cabbage you might have laying around!

2 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white cabbage, shredded

1 cup head of red cabbage, shredded

2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided

1/2 cup slices onion

2 garlic clove, minced

16 uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 Teaspoon ginger (divided)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a skillet (or stir-fry) stir-fry the cabbage in 1 tablespoon oil for 5 minutes or until tender. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. 1/2 teaspoon of ginger to cooking cabbage.

2. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, stir-fry onion and garlic in remaining oil until tender. Add the shrimp,with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 tspn of ginger; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.

3, Stir with cabbage

Barbecue Chicken

2009-07-14T23:55:00.001-04:00

Last night I made this recipe from July's Cooking Light. I adapted it a bit because I didn't read the directions very well so instead of making a spice mixture and a sauce I actually combined all the ingredients in one bowl and made a very tasty bbq sauce!!!! So that’s how I list the recipe.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs/legs)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (I used light brown)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs or legs
Cooking spray

Preparation
1. Combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, garlic powder, teaspoons chili powder, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Reserve about 1/4 of the spice mixture.
2. Combine the rest of the spice mixture with ketchup, olive oil, vinegar, and mustard in a second small bowl; stir with a whisk.
3. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle spice mixture over chicken. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 12 minutes. Turn chicken over. Brush with half of ketchup mixture; cook 12 minutes. Turn chicken over. Brush with ketchup mixture. If any is left feel free to add more once chicken is removed from grill pan/grill.

Note: The chicken can also be made on a grill.

Chicken Vegetable Pasta

2009-07-09T17:33:00.000-04:00

I had a bunch of random vegetables in the fridge that I wanted to use up before I left for town for the weekend. So I came up with this recipe.

2 strips of bacon chopped (optional - otherwise use 2 tablespoons of olive oil)

2 large chicken breasts cubed

1 medium onion slices

3 garlic cloves minced

1 small to medium yellow squash cubed

1 small to medium zucchini cubed

3 medium tomatoes cubed

1 red, yellow, or orange pepper sliced

1 1/4 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup of beef stock

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flacks

1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

3/4 package of whole wheat spaghetti noodles

Bring water in a pot to boil with teaspoon of salt and add the pasta.

Cook the bacon until almost cooked and then add the chicken. Once chicken is brown remove from the pan and set aside.

Saute the onion for a couple minutes, add the peppers saute for another couple minutes, add all of the other vegetables including the garlic. Add the pepper flacks and Italian seasoning.

Then add back the chicken and add the marinara, and beef stock. Simmer until vegetables are soften.

To serve you can either throw the pasta in with the sauce and mix together. top with Parmesan cheese. Or make a bed of pasta and then put the sauce on top sprinkle with the cheese.

Mom's Soy Sauce Marinade for Flank Steak

2009-07-06T17:49:00.000-04:00

My mom gave me this recipe a couple years ago (I am not sure where it came from originally) and it is my favorite to use on flank steak. I have gotten lots of compliments on how the flank steak turns out.

1 1/2 to 2 pounds of flank steak

5 tablespoons of soy sauce

4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tspn thyme

1 tspn rosemary or oregano

6 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons of Ketchup

1 tspn pepper

Whisk together and marinate the flank steak in a Ziploc bag for anywhere from 4 hours to 24 hours. Either put on a grill or grill pan on the stove. I prefer to cook the steak to about medium to medium rare. Serve with a nice mixed green salad.

Pasta with Tomatoes, Asparagus & Feta

2009-06-30T21:22:00.000-04:00

I adapted this recipe from the Cooking Light July 2009 edition (Bow ties with tomatoes, feta and balsamic dressing). I decided to roast the tomatoes and asparagus instead of serving tomatoes raw in the pasta and asparagus as a side.

Yield

2 to 4 servings depending on how hungry folks are

Ingredients

1/2 a box of pasta such as penne, rotolini, or bow tie
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved (about one small package)
2 cups asparagus (7 springs cut into 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch sections)
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 teaspoons capers (roughly chopped)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 (3.5 or 4-ounce) package crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Lightly spray cooking sheet w/ olive oil or cooking spray and toss tomatoes and asparagus with salt pepper and one chopped clove of garlic. Roast for 10 mins until skin starts to wrinkle on tomatoes

2. Cook pasta according to package directions,

2. While pasta cooks, combine vinegar with shallots, capers, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and olive - whisk until well combine and looks creamy.

4. Combine cooked pasta with roasted tomatoes and asparagus, vinegar sauce, basil, feta until combined.

Two Delish Risottos

2009-06-24T21:56:00.000-04:00

I love a good risotto. Below are two very good ones that I have recently made.

Spinach Risotto with Shrimp and Goat Cheese (May 2009 Cooking Light)

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 pound large shrimp peeled and defrosted (I used defrosted precooked shrimp)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup uncooked Arborio or other medium-grain rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp from pan; set aside and keep warm.

2. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.

3. Add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in spinach with the last 1/2 cup broth. Add shrimp and cheese, stirring to combine. Serve immediately.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

Cooking spray
Package of different fresh wild mushrooms (i got the mushrooms at trader joes but you can also get different types of wild mushrooms separately. You can also use dried mushrooms but remember to reconstitute them) You want to have about 2 to 3 cups of chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup uncooked Arborio or other medium-grain rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese (also goat cheese would work in this as well :-)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook 4 minute. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.

3. Add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in parsley and cheese, stirring to combine. Serve immediately.

Potato Squash Herbed Potato Salad

2009-06-20T22:27:00.000-04:00

I adapted the recipe from the June 2009 Cooking Light Magazine.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

SALAD:
2 pounds small red potatoes
3/4 pound yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices (i used one yellow squash)
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
DRESSING:
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon (i used thyme)
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons (or another crisp pickles)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare salad, place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until tender. Drain; cut potatoes into quarters, and place in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. Lightly coat squash with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place squash on grill rack; grill 2 minutes on each side or until browned and tender. Remove squash from heat, and add to potatoes.

4. To prepare dressing, combine chives and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Pour dressing over potato mixture, tossing gently to combine. Serve salad warm or chilled.

Herb Marinated BBQ Chicken

2009-06-20T22:14:00.001-04:00

So I whipped this marinade together for an impromptu bbq a couple weekends ago. Its a great flavor. It goes great with the Potato Squash Herbed Potato Salad.

Yield

Six Servings

5 sage leaves

4 sprigs of rosemary (remove the leaves from the stem)

5 sprigs of thyme (remove the leaves from the stem)

2 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

6 chicken breasts

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Combine all the ingredients (except the chicken and dijon mustard) into a food processor until herbs are roughly chopped and marinade looks creamy.

2. Reserve about two tablespoons to quarter cup of the mixture

3. Marinate the chicken breasts in the rest of the mixture for about 3o minutes

4. Grill the chicken until done

5. While chicken is grilling add the mustard to the reserved marinade and whisk.

6. Serve chicken with a little dollop of the left over marinade.

Gazpacho

2009-06-17T08:56:00.000-04:00

Last week I decided to make a gazpacho but I needed to find a recipe so I decided to look up DC's favorite chef, Chef José Andrés. The following recipe is from his book Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America. The soup turned out great -- refreshing and surprisingly filling!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the Gazpacho
2 pounds ripe red tomatoes (about 10 plum tomatoes)
8 ounces cucumber (about 1 cucumber)
3 ounces green pepper (about 1/2 bell pepper)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar1 garlic clove, peeled
3/4 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

For the Garnish
1 tablespoon Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 slice rustic white bread
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 pearl onions, pulled apart into segments
2 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Sea salt to taste
4 chives, cut into 1-inch long pieces

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut out and discard the core at the top of the tomatoes, and chop the tomatoes roughly into quarters. Place in the blender.
2. Peel the cucumber and cut into chunks. Add to the tomatoes in the blender. Cut the pepper in half, and remove the core along with the seeds. Again, chop into large pieces and place in the blender.
3. Add the garlic and sherry vinegar to the vegetables and blend until the mixture becomes a thick liquid. At this point the red tomatoes will turn a wonderful pink color. Taste for acidity. This will vary with the sweetness of the tomatoes. If it’s not balanced enough, add a little more vinegar. Add the olive oil and season with salt to taste. Re-blend, then pour the gazpacho through a strainer into a pitcher. Place in the fridge to cool for at least half an hour.
4. While the gazpacho is chilling, prepare the garnish. In a small pan, heat the olive oil over a medium-high flame and fry the bread until golden, about 2 minutes. Break into small pieces to form croutons and set aside.
5. To serve, place in each bowl 4 croutons, 2 "fillets" of tomato seeds, 4 cherry tomato halves, 3 cucumber cubes, and 3 onion segments. Add a few drops of olive oil to each onion segment and drizzle a little more oil around the bowl. Add a few drops of vinegar to each cucumber cube and drizzle a little more around the bowl. Sprinkle sea salt on the tomatoes, and sprinkle the chives across the bowl. Serve when the gazpacho is refreshingly chilled.

José's tips: If you want to be original, buy yellow or even green tomatoes. You’ll surprise your guests. Also, if you want to save time, you can simplify the garnish immensely: just use a few cubes of cucumber, tomato, and green pepper.

Vlasta's tips: If you can't find sherry vinegar (which I couldn't find in my local Safeway), I used red wine vinegar. I used regular extra virgin olive oil as well. Also if you want to quickly chill the soup but it in the freezer for 15 minutes and just used regular croutons and the simple garnish.

Yogurt and dill dressing

2009-06-15T20:39:00.000-04:00

I was inspired by the topping for the feta turkey burgers. So I made the following dressing for the salad I served with the burgers.

4 servings

Dressing:

1/4 cup non fat plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon dried dill (or 1/2 tablespoon of fresh dill)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk together -- if you'd like a more liquid consistency add a little milk.

Salad:

4 cups mixed organic salad

1/3 cup of chopped red onion

1/2 cup of chopped cucumber

1/4 cup feta (non fat is what I used)

Mix in large bowl with dressing. Serve with whole grain croutons.

Feta Turkey Burgers

2009-06-15T20:30:00.000-04:00

I got this recipe from June 2009 issue of Cooking Light. I made these burgers tonight and they turned out very well. I'd only add some garlic to the dish. The best part is that each serving (one burger) is only 386 calories!!

4 servings

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
* 2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound ground turkey
* 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese (I used fat free feta)
* 1 clove of garlic, minced (my addition)
Cooking spray
* 1/4 cup grated English cucumber
* 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
(I added 1/4 teaspoon or so of garlic power and salt & pepper to taste)
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (I used dill instead and it was really good!)
* 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
* 4 green leaf lettuce leaves
* 4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients (plus minced garlic). Divide mixture into four portions. Indent center of each portion; place 1 1/2 tablespoons feta into each. Fold turkey mixture around cheese; shape each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Feta cheese should be in the middle of the patty.

2. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 5 minutes on each side.

3. Combine cucumber, yogurt, and mint (or dill) in a small bowl. Arrange 1 turkey patty, 1 tomato slice, 1 lettuce leaf, and 2 tablespoons yogurt mixture on bottom half of each roll. Top with top halves of rolls.

2009-06-15T11:02:00.000-04:00

Last night I made Giada De Laurentiis' Chicken Scallopine with Saffron Cream Sauce over whole wheat egg noodles. I did have a couple variations in the preparation.

Cook Time 20 min
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chicken cutlets (scallopine) (I used thinly sliced chicken breasts)
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Boil Water with salt and add half a bag of whole wheat egg noodles

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the chicken
cutlets with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden and cooked
through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to serving
plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Turn the heat to medium, add the
shallot and the garlic and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Using a wooden spoon, scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is almost evaporated.

Add the chicken broth and saffron threads, bring to a simmer and reduce for 10 minutes. Add the cream (b/c I only had 2% milk I added a tablespoon and half of flour to the milk wisking the flour into the milk and then pouring through a sieve to make sure it got any flour lumps. This helped thicken the sauce), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 1 minute to blend the flavors. Add back the cooked chicken and simmer for another 5 minutes making sure that the sauce does not boil.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately over cooked whole wheat egg noodles

Chicken and Leek Soup

2009-06-11T11:24:00.000-04:00

I happened to have Chicken and Leeks at home and decided to throw together this soup. Its got a little kick to it that is offset by the nice sour of the lemon.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 chicken breasts, cubed
2 leeks, cleaned, cut into thin slices
3 cups button mushrooms, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves
2/3 cup of rice
8 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 eggs
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Directions:
Heat olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is cooked. Season with some salt, pepper and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Remove the chicken to a bowl and return the pot to the heat.

Add the leeks and garlic to the pot and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and thyme leaves and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the chicken, rice and broth to the pot and raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil, stir and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for another 20-30 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.

Wisk together the two eggs, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Slowly pour over the boiling soup stirring frequently. The soup will turn cloudy and thicker.

Taste the soup and adjust the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and cayenne to your liking.

Add parsley at the end. Serve with croutons and sprinkle with grated fresh parmesan cheese.