Shaved Zucchini Salad with Parmesan & Pine Nuts

Shaved Zucchini Salad with Parmesan & Pine Nuts

adapted from Bon Appétit (portions only), serves 2 as a side dish

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

dash of dried crushed red pepper

2 medium zucchini, trimmed and scrubbed

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Small wedge of Parmesan cheese

Whisk oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper in small bowl to blend. Set dressing aside.

Using vegetable peeler and working from top to bottom of each zucchini, peel zucchini into ribbons. Place ribbons in large bowl. Add basil and nuts, then dressing; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using vegetable peeler, shave strips from Parmesan wedge over salad.

Spanish Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers

adapted from Gourmet, serves 2 as main dish

3 whole red bell peppers

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 cup long-grain rice

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/2 medium sized zucchini, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 cup roughly chopped baby portabello mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Halve 2 of the whole bell peppers lengthwise, leaving the stem ends intact, core and seed them, and blanch in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes, or until just tender. Remove the peppers and invert them on paper towels to drain.

In a heavy skillet heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion, the 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper, tomato, and garlic, stirring, for 15 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the heated broth and salt and pepper to taste, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the rice is barely tender. Stir in the almonds, zucchini, mushrooms, cumin, cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce. Divide the mixture among the bell pepper shells, mounding it. Bake the stuffed peppers in an oiled baking dish, covered, in a preheated 350°F. oven for 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

*This dish would be fabulous topped with a Mexican cheese like queso fresco or a nice crema. If you use queso fresco, sprinkle over the peppers just before the final 2 minutes of baking so it melts just slightly.

Food Porn for Real

Cooking Dinner Vol. I from William Hereford on Vimeo.

Found this video via NPR's The Picture Show blog today and boy is it amazing! NPR asks, is this the future of food blogging? And you want my opinion? It's beautifully shot and has a "cooking as poetry" feel but it's not groundbreaking in the sense of changing food blogging altogether.

Sites like Chow.com have been making cooking video's and how-to's for some time. The difference between Chow videos and William Hereford's shown here is that his has more style and less chatter. William's video overlays pretty typography with what you need to know instead of telling you and I feel it's much more effective and enjoyable to watch. On William's blog he says it's just an experiment for now but with all the buzz around this one video, I'm hopeful there will be more.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Really enjoying this new series, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Jamie Oliver, who if you recall used to be called the "Naked Chef" recently won the TED prize and his plan is to revolutionize the way we eat and feed our children in America (he's British). This is a cause near and dear to my heart so when I heard he had a new TV show, I was game. So far, I'm enjoying it. I might update this post at a later date once I've had a chance to digest the series.

Below is Jamie's TED Prize Plan and if you want to sign the petition to join the food revolution in America's schools (like me!), click here.

The Plan

Set up an organization to create a popular movement that will inspire people to change the way they eat. The movement will do this by establishing a network of community kitchens; launching a travelling food theater that will teach kids practical food and cooking skills in an entertaining way and provide basic training for parents and professionals; and bringing millions of people together through an online community to drive the fight against obesity. The grassroots movement must also challenge corporate America to support meaningful programs that will change the culture of junk food.

Classic Comfort Food: Spaghetti & Meatballs

I've been making this turkey meatball recipe for the past four years. Brandon mentioned that I haven't made it in a while and I thought I'd be the perfect meal for our stormy week. I have trouble eating ground beef so I've always made these using ground turkey, not only is it healthier but I think they turn out just as moist and flavorful. Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe in Barefoot Contessa Family Style (a great cookbook with reliable comfort food recipes). The portions below are enough to serve four people, I usually freeze half in some sauce for another night.

Italian Turkey Meatballs
Serves 4 people

1 pound ground turkey
¾ cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten (only use half the beaten egg)
Olive oil

Place everything but the olive oil in a large bowl with ½ cup warm water. Stir until just combined until using a wide spoon then use your hands to finish mixing until thoroughly moist. Lightly form the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs. You will have roughly 18-20 meatballs.

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees and coat a cookie sheet with olive oil spray. Heat a skillet over medium high heat with two tablespoons of olive oil. Place half the formed meatballs in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Gently turn the meatballs over while cooking to ensure even browning and to help them keep their round shape. Spread cooked meatballs out on the cookie sheet, then cook the remaining half.

Once all the meatballs are browned, cook in the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through. When serving this with spaghetti I use a canned sauce because I'm 1. too lazy to make my own and 2. never liked any of the homemade tomato sauces I've attempted. I start heating the sauce on low when I put the meatballs in the oven.

When the meatballs are done, add them to the warmed sauce and cook for at least five minutes then serve. If freezing, reserve some sauce to freeze the meatballs in. I've found this keeps them moist when reheating.

I joined a CSA.

Photo by if time exists, on Flickr.

Last night I finally did it! I joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) group.

Joining a CSA has been on my mind since I first got my own place last year and after reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" I've been more inspired than ever to eat local, seasonal and organic produce. Not only will I be eating healthier but I'm looking forward to expanding the variety of produce I cook with. Can't wait for my first "what do I make with dandelions?" moment.

On top of all this, I was handed a promo code for $10 off my first box at REI.


I joined the Farm Fresh to You CSA for several reasons.
1. I can switch my service type or end my deliveries at any time, they also have a good account section on their website so I can postpone deliveries if I'm on vacation, etc.

2. Almost all the produce will come from Capay farm, 90 miles outside of SF. I wish it was a little closer, but it's greener than shipping produce from Mexico.

3. I can visit the farm. There are three farm tours left this year and I fully intend on checking it out for the Halloween or Winter farm tour.

I'll be sharing my weekly deliveries and corresponding recipes, can't wait for Friday!

Sunset Magazine, I'm learning to love you.

Photo by monitorpop, found on Flickr.

I didn't realize until earlier this Spring that Sunset Magazine is published in the Bay Area. I thought it was based in Seattle. Regardless, I think it's pages capture the essence of everything I love about living on the west coast. Fresh, seasonal food, outdoor adventures and travel. Sometimes it's a little thin for the price in my eyes but luckily, their website is filled with great content.

Like this great article, on how to eat from the farmer's market. Which is perfect for me. Most weekends I walk through the market looking at all the beautiful produce but stick to only what I know I will be using. I think this is a great reference for anyone to use, after they found the most beautiful, in season whatever at the market. And since I joined the Farm Fresh to You CSA last night, I'll be using it a lot myself.

Julie & Julia

I loved it. I laughed out loud. I almost cried. I caught myself drooling over the food endlessly. And if Le Creuset paid for product placement, they got their money's worth on me.

Added to my birthday list today. The beauty and perfection of their round french oven. So I can burn my own attempt at Julia's beef bourguignon!

I'm open to both flame (featured in the movie and below) and dijon. Because it looks so damn happy.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

This book is great, it's great in the way that not only makes me laugh, teaches me little tidbits more about the U.S. industrialized agriculture system that I didn't already know and inspires me to be a better cook. It's also got me thinking a lot about eating locally and spending the extra dollar for those pretty cage-free brown eggs, over the extra large premium white ones. So this is the book, I had heard about it from many before then, my Mom read it and told me I must. And she was right. I'm not quite done yet but it's already left an impression on me.

Then I saw this pretty little quote today by Michael Pollan via Eat Make Read. And it totally sums it up.

Could this be my weekend?

Thinking of making these, which I stumbled across on Chow today. It's a vanilla bean cupcake with salted caramel frosting. Of course I did just make cupcakes last night but there can never be too many cupcakes in your life!



have a great weekend!
xoxo

Chicken Verde Enchiladas

Browning the tortillas.

Today, I discovered the secret to making the perfect enchiladas. Thanks to The Tex Mex Cookbook that boyfriend and I brought back from our trip to his family's home in San Antonio. We actually bought it at a country store in Greene, Texas. I read a recipe that fries the tortillas and dips it into the echilada sauce before backing with the filling. This recipe is not completely made from scratch but it was a quick, easy, delicious meal that pleased boyfriend, the ultimate Tex Mex connoisseur. This might be the beginning of a New Year's day tradition.

Tex Mex Combo Plate.

Serves 4
• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from the bones and shredded
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 8 yellow corn tortillas
• 1 large can store-bought chile verde sauce
• 1 small can store-bought chile verde sauce *different brand

Preparation
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine shredded chicken and chopped onion, set aside. • In a medium saucepan, combine the chile verde sauces and warm over medium heat.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil in a small skillet on medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Using tongs, place one tortilla in the hot oil for about 30 seconds, or until soft and lightly browned.
• Place on a paper towel to remove excess oil then dip into the combined chile verde sauces, covering completely.
• Remove dipped tortilla and place on baking dish, fill with ¼ cup of the chicken mixture and roll tortilla, placing the seam side down on the plate.
• Continue with remaining tortillas.
• Pour ½ cup chile verde sauce over the filled enchilada. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 10 minutes.
• At the end of 10 minutes, I like to turn on the boiler in the oven and cook until the cheese has spots of golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let sit until they are cool enough to handle. If they seem dry, pour a little more of the chile verde sauce over the enchiladas before serving.
• Top with a dallop of sour cream. For the true Tex Mex combo plate, pair with cooked beans and Mexican rice.

Blackberry Stuffed French Toast

I surprised my boyfriend with a tasty treat on New Year's Day and I hit a home run with this Blackberry Stuffed French Toast. At first I doubted the amount of cinnamon in this recipe but I took a leap of faith and it turned out wonderfully. What a sweet start to 2009.

serves 2

• ½ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 eggs • ½ cup blackberry puree
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4-6 slices of French toast bread (I used Texas Toast)
• butter • confectioners sugar for dusting
• ground nutmeg, for topping

Preparation
• In a bowl, whisk milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and eggs until well blended. Set aside. • In a separate bowl, cream together blackberry puree and cream cheese until smooth.
• Slice each piece of bread in half horizontally. Make ‘sandwiches” by slathering the cream cheese mixture in the middle between each halved slice.
• Melt butter over medium heat on a griddle. Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture, then place on the griddle.
• Cook until each side is well browned.
• Dust with confectioners sugar and top with a sprinkle of nutmeg. Serve warm with maple syrup.

*Adapted from AllRecipes.com user LADYHEN76's Raspberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast

Warm Pear Salad with Parmesan Crisps

My apartment has been cold lately, this salad is the perfect accompaniment to all the soups I've been eating for lunch and dinner. It's a seasonal salad that's simple to make.

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for dressing
• 2 pears, each cored, stemmed and cut into 16 slices
• 6 to 8 cups mixed greens
• vinegar
• salt and pepper

In a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, sauté pears in batches with olive oil. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Spoon warm pears onto greens. Drizzle with vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Parmesan crisps.

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tsp. flour

Combine Parmesan with flour. Using a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, sprinkle a thin layer of the mixture into 2" to 3" circles in the pan. Cook as many as will fit, leaving some space in between. When they begin to sizzle and underside is golden, flip and cook until other side is golden. Remove from pan and let cool on plate, then add to salad.

*Courtesy of Domino Magazine, September 2008

Christmas Morning Tradition

I'm sure you have some Christmas family traditions. As expected, my Christmas tradition involves food. My Aunt Bonnie's Sticky Bun recipe is made ahead on Christmas Eve (allowing the buns to rise overnight), they are popped in the oven as soon as everyone is up and in between stockings and presents, the whole family sits down to enjoy their warm, yummy goodness.

Prepared buns, ready to start rising.


Just out of the oven.

Ready to eat.

Summer Peach Cobbler

My mom goes the the farmer's market in her town every Saturday and since my boyfriend and I just moved into our new apartment, she's been gifting us food nearly every time we see her. I've had about five peaches in my fridge since I received them and tonight I decided I need to use them before they went bad and moldy. Alas, summer peach cobbler! I did a Google search for "basic peach cobbler" and ended up at Epicurious. I used the Peach Cobbler recipe from Gourmet's September 1999 issue, see below for complete recipe (courtesy of Epicurious.com and Gourmet Magazine).

This recipe took me nearly no time at all. I had mixed the dry ingredients together a few days ago when I originally planned to make this so all I needed to do with slice the peaches and add the butter to the dry ingredients, very hands off. I took a few photos of the process and finished product. Once I find my USB reader for my memory card, I'll update this post with photos. I'm bringing the leftovers to work in the morning. I think I'm going to have some new friends come tomorrow!

peach cobbler

Gourmet | September 1999

Ingredients

Active time: 20 min. Start to finish: 45 min.

6 large peaches, cut into thin wedges
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
For biscuit topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

Preparation

Cook peaches:
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss peaches with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a 2-qt. nonreactive baking dish and bake in middle of oven 10 minutes.

Make topping while peaches bake:
Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Bake in middle of oven until topping is golden, about 25 minutes. (Topping will spread as it bakes.)