CSA 5.19.11: spring mixed with a little summer

We missed two weeks of our CSA produce deliveries since we were in Italy, but we came back to yummy goodness that was delivered on our anniversary. Here is a recap of the summer preview we enjoyed.

Blackberries
I had no idea that blackberries could taste this good! There is definitely something to be said for eating blackberries right away when they are picked at their peak ripeness. I’m still kicking myself for not actually making anything with these blackberries,we just snacked on them. But I guess they could be counted as an easy weeknight dessert because they did satisfy my sweet tooth after dinner a few nights.

Squash & Zucchini
I can’t get enough squash and zucchini during the summer, usually by the time August rolls around I’ve had enough. Most of the time I just slice it and throw it in the baking dish with salt, pepper, EVOO, and some truffle oil alongside a pork tenderloin or chicken. This time we had so much that we enjoyed it a variety of ways.

1. Grilled: We sliced and cooked some squash on our grill pan with some steaks and made a foil boat and cooked some on our outdoor gas grill as well.

2. Pasta: I subscribe to Health magazine and saw a recipe for farfalle with zucchini and white beans earlier this spring. I’ve been saving it to enjoy with fresh zucchini. The recipe was okay, if I were to make it again I’d maybe some sort of light sauce with lemon juice, lemon zest, and EVOO.


3. Pizza: I found this recipe for zucchini and basil pizza several years ago in a Williams-Sonoma catalog and its one of my favorites tasting so light and fresh. It’s easy to make and I took a shortcut with some fresh pizza dough from Central Market.


Cabbage
I used the cabbage for one of my favorite Bon Appétit fast easy fresh recipes, black bean tacos. I substituted the cabbage for the cole slaw mix, added two small diced mangos, and also substituted peppered goat cheese for feta since I already had some for the pizza. I also purchased the southwest flour tortillas from Central Market because their tortillas are just so yummy!

Collard Greens
I haven’t branched out on the collard green recipes like I should; instead I went with a “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” philiopshy since Ellie Kreiger’s short cut collard greens recipe has been a success every time, especially when made with applewood smoked bacon.

Onions
I use these as an ingredient as needed. The best part is that the delivery is now dry onions so I don’t have to worry about using them so quickly.

Patio Date Night with Italian Souvenirs

Scott and I had a fabulous patio date night last Saturday as part 3 of our anniversary celebration. Since the weather was great we decided to take full advantage of the patio before the heat and mosquitoes invade for the summer.

Appetizer: crostini with black truffle salsa

We purchased this gem in Assisi. I really hope I can find more of this locally because it is amazing. I used half the tiny jar for our appetizer. This was very simple to make. I sliced and toasted some French bread and then topped it with the black truffle salsa.

Entrée: NY Strip Steaks with a southwest rub
This steak recipe is one our favorites from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill cookbook. I keep a container of “southwest rub” on standby to use on various meats. The steaks were coated in EVOO and then seasoned with salt and pepper and then I put the southwest rub on one side of the steak. They were grilled on a grill pan over medium-high heat for 4 minutes on one side and then 6 on the other.

Sides: Stuffed squash blossoms and grilled squash
The stuffed squash blossoms were my favorite item from the cooking class we took in Rome. I had my first farmer’s market experience the morning of to locate the squash blossoms. There were about 20 in the container so I made 8 for us and the remaining 12 as appetizers for our Sunday night dinner. The filling for the squash blossoms was a mixture of approximately ¾ cup ricotta cheese, zest of 2 small lemons, juice of one lemon, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg. Once the blossoms were stuffed I twisted the tops and put them in a baking dish and drizzled a little EVOO on top and then baked for about 7 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

For the grilled squash I sliced a squash and then drizzled some EVOO and truffle oil on top and seasoned with pepper. Then I grilled them on the grill pan for about 2 minutes on each side.

Wine: Unity
Our buddy Jason at The Tasting Room—Uptown Park had recommended this wine to us last fall. After sampling it we purchased a bottle and have been saving it for the perfect meal. I thought the symbolism of the name was very fitting in honor of our anniversary.

Dessert: BlueBell’s Fudge Brownie Nut ice cream with chocolate and caramel sauce

CSA: Home Sweet Farm

I’ve got a new project for some blogging material. This year I am participating in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) with the Home Sweet Farm in Brenham, Texas. The farm makes produce deliveries to various drop locations around the Houston area for 30 weeks throughout the year.

This is a very exciting and challenging opportunity for me. Usually my weekly grocery store purchases have quite a bit of produce. So I thought this would be a great way to support a local farmer and have some super fresh produce to eat. Although this also means trying some new produce that I haven’t cooked at home before. Some new items so far have been radishes, collard greens, swiss chard, and bok choy. My weekly pickup is on Thursdays at the JCC, so my goal each week is to use everything before the next delivery. This is forcing us to eat more meals at home and also to eat more veggies than we might normally.

I’m on the 3rd week and have started to get the hang of all this. I always plan a weekly menu in advance but it’s usually based off of some new recipes I want to try, some weeknight staples, and my freezer, fridge, and pantry inventory. So now once I pickup my delivery I go to the internet and search Food Network, My Recipes (Southern Living), Epicurious, and Google to find out what recipes I can find that sound yummy to me. Not to mention Farmer Brad & Jenny also send a weekly update on Mondays with what’s coming available, the status of the crops, and some recipes to try for produce that might be delivered that week.

So here is what I have to work with this week…

Head Lettuce
Every week has included head lettuce and/or spring mix and after two weeks of having salads for lunch, I needed a break and this week Scott gets to enjoy some lunch salads. He usually takes sandwiches to work, and we spend ~$14/week on deli meat + ~$3 on a loaf of bread, so instead this week I purchased a colossal rotisserie chicken for $7 and shredded it to be added to the salad with the addition of some nuts, dried fruit, and Brianna’s blush wine vinaigrette.

Turnips
The Southern Living 2009 Christmas Book has a great recipe for a creamy turnip soup with bacon, caramelized pears, and onions. I had made this during the winter and it was delicious. Although I think the fact that this recipe allows me to use one of my favorite gadgets, the immersion blender, coupled with bacon might be part of why I like it so much.

Swiss Chard
Tonight I made Giada’s wheat spaghetti with chard and pecorino for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner. I made a few tweaks to the recipe. I only had one bunch of chard, used Italian style diced tomatoes, skipped the white wine since I didn’t have any open and substituted with pasta water, I also skipped the olives because I do not like olives, and used parmesan instead of pecorino since that is what I usually have in my fridge. Oh and I also had some leftover mushrooms so I added those as well.

Collard Greens
I’m planning to make Ellie Krieger’s short-cut collard greens as a side for my pork tenderloin tomorrow night. Scott is a huge fan of collard greens. I made these the first week with bacon instead of Canadian bacon and he really enjoyed them.

Radishes
I’ve had radishes every week and have tried them two different ways. The preferred method is to slice the radishes and add them to the baking dish/roasting pan with a pork tenderloin or chicken thighs and season them w/ salt & pepper, add a little EVOO, and a tiny bit of truffle oil. Also the radish tops can be roasted as well. For the radish tops toss w/ a little EVOO and sprinkle with salt, place on a sheet pan and bake at 400 for about 10 minutes or so until crispy.

Arugula
Arugula is another item I’ve had each week and have included it in pastas but have also made the Barefoot Contessa’s white pizzas with arugula. This is a delicious pizza, but I short cut with the fresh pre-made pizza dough from Central Market which is half the recipe and I make it as one pizza. Since I still have half of the cheeses left we are making this again on Thursday for a date night on the patio.

Onions
I just use these as an ingredient as needed. See swiss chard and collard greens.

Easy & Elegant Sunday Supper

Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter and French Apple Tart
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

I have wanted to make the tagliarelle with truffle butter ever since I first saw Ina make it on the Food Network and it was just as delicious as I had anticipated it would be. This past weekend Scott and I went to New Braunfels to visit my Grandpa (he is 99 and has an iphone and ipad), so I knew we’d need to have something quick and easy planned for dinner on Sunday night when we returned and these recipes were perfect.

The Tagliarelle with truffle butter had a few challenges and adjustments. The recommended cipriani tagliarelle pasta is not available at Central Market, so instead I purchased some fresh tagliatelle. I love fresh pasta so I’m sure this was every bit as good as the original if not better. However I almost had a heart attack when I discovered that the truffle butter was not in its usual spot and fortunately the cheese lady found some hidden in the deli. The recipe calls for 3 oz of shaved parmesan, but I think 1.5 oz would be plenty and only 2 Tbsp of fresh chives as well. This made 3 servings, but I wish my dad hadn’t been there with us so I could have eaten more of it. So let’s say it make 2 generous servings, if you are serving it alone.

The French apple tart was very simple to make and tasted very light. I took a shortcut and used a puff pastry. I had made Ina’s apple and dried cherry turnovers for Valentine’s Day and only made half the recipe so I had a sheet leftover to use for the tart. The recipe calls for 4 granny smith apples but I only used 2.5 apples and less than ¼ cup of sugar and about 3 Tbsp of butter. For the glaze I used 1 Tbsp dark rum and finished off a jar of apricot preserves (so ~1/4 cup). I didn’t even strain it, just dipped the brush in the mixture and then onto the tart. Also the tart only took 45 minutes to bake.

Lazy Lasagna

Turkey Lasagna
adapted from Barefoot Contessa

I was not a lasagna fan until I tasted this recipe. Everything Ina Garten makes is delicious and when I first saw this episode on the Food Network for Turkey lasagna I knew it was going to be fabulous. The first time or two I made this recipe I actually used turkey sausage, a combination of mild and hot. One day I was at Central Market and instead chose half hot pork sausage and half mild pork sausage and it really took this recipe to the next level. But go ahead and use the turkey so you can pretend likes it healthy. I also do use lower fat cheeses in the recipe when available.

This is a great make ahead dish that can be stored in the freezer. I’m sure you noticed the crude presentation of a foil baking dish in the photo. I make two of these every year for our annual Labor Day trip. I use the foil pans for the trip so we don’t have to wash dishes and I don’t have to worry about anything breaking during transport. This year we were expecting more people so I had made 3 but some people had to drop out at the last minute so I left the third lasagna in the freezer to be enjoyed at some unknown date in the future. Well that date has arrived. See it’s my birthday and December is always a busy time of year, and we are leaving to vacation in Belize. So in addition to being out of town every weekend this month I just don’t have the time for a proper b-day celebration. But since several friends have inquired and insisted I do something to mark the occasion my compromise was to have a causal low-key girls dinner and thaw out that lasagna. Everyone else was responsible for vino, salad, and dessert (and my wonderful husband washed the dishes). One friend said it wasn't right hat I was making my own dinner, but the work was done back in August, I just threw it in the oven.

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie with Marshmallow Meringue
Southern Living: November 2010

This delicious pie is on the cover of the Southern Living Thanksgiving issue and has the look of perfection. Mine of course does not look as fabulous since I don’t have a food stager or professional photographer on standby. Many years ago at a Thanksgiving buffet I grabbed a slice of sweet potato pie by mistake thinking it was pumpkin—they are both orange. I was disappointed when I was told it was sweet potato, but reluctantly tasted it anyway and was pleasantly surprised. This pie was absolutely delicious and exceeded the pie in my memory.

Also last night while eating Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner I realized this pie can double a side or dessert since its sweet potato!

I started off this year’s holiday season with our new tradition of a broken oven (it has broken 3 years in a row during the holidays). Fortunately the part was available and it was repaired on Tuesday allowing me plenty of time to bake my dessert to take to Scott’s family Thanksgiving.

There were several great things about this pie recipe. I was able to bake the sweet potatoes for the filling on Tuesday night, use a Pillsbury pie crust and assemble and bake the pie on Wednesday, and then prepare the meringue on Thursday morning. For the sweet potatoes, I poked them with a fork, wrapped them in foil and baked them in a 400 degree oven for about an hour and half and then scooped out the filling. I absolutely detest making a pie crust from scratch--I feel like it’s a lot of unnecessary work for something that is in the background, and yet at the same time it’s so essential. I once cut my finger on the food processor blade while making a pie crust for a less than stellar pie, so maybe I am scarred for life. But there are some shortcuts I take to deviate from my scratch method, and for me the Pillsbury pie crust is one of those rare exceptions.

This pie also had several baking firsts for me. I don’t bake a lot of pies since my favorite desserts are cookies and I will occasionally bake a tart but tart crust is entirely different. Anyway this pie called for prebaking the pie crust using pie weights. I didn’t read over the directions until the last minute, so instead of braving the Thanksgiving shopper insanity at the grocery store to pick up some dried beans, I was already planning to stop by Williams-Sonoma for some pre-black Friday holiday shopping and purchased pie weights there. Scott made the mistake of biting into one thinking it was candy…good thing he didn’t bite too hard or he would have lost a tooth. Also this was my first time to ever make a meringue which sounds intimidating, but it was actually very easy thanks to my Kitchen Aid mixer. However I discovered in the car on the way to our Thanksgiving meal that meringue can melt so it needs to stay in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
By Paula Dean

I’m in love with these cookies and also very sad since this is the last time I will ever bake them. Hershey’s has discontinued the main ingredient. I used to be able to find the chocolate raspberry baking pieces at my local grocery store and then one day they were gone. I immediately went to the Hershey’s website only to discover they were no longer listed. I sent an email to Hershey’s urging them to bring them back and to let me know if there were anymore packages available in the Houston area. As luck would have it, I received a reply and headed over to the River Oaks Randall’s where I bought the last bag! This was over a year ago and I have been holding on this piece of heaven ever since, waiting for the perfect occasion.

That day has finally come. When I bake cookies I usually have enough for 2 occasions, so I try to be strategic about splitting up the cookies…I don’t want to end up with too many on my waistline. The two lucky recipients of this chocolate goodness are my Grandpa and my old boss Anita.

My Grandpa is 99 and recently broke his hip, had hip replacement surgery, and is temporarily living in a rehabilitation facility so he can undergo physical therapy everyday for several weeks to learn how to walk again. He has a serious sweet tooth and those genes were passed onto me. At his age I hope he is around long enough for this pain and suffering to be worth it. So I thought I’d cheer him up with a package of cookies and some cross word puzzles to keep him occupied.

Also Anita’s birthday was on Halloween, so I owed her some goodies. She was my boss for several years when I first started working and she is responsible for molding me into the employee that I am today.

Fall Flank Steak Salad

This recipe was inspired by the November 2010 issue of Southern Living. It is filled with fabulous fall and Thanksgiving recipes, including a sweet potato pie that I have been dying to bake. I was looking for a quick and easy weeknight recipe and when I saw the Leafy Green Salad with Pears recipe I thought, “Add a protein and it’s a meal.”

Fall Flank Steak Salad
Serves 3-4

1 lb flank steak
1 Bartlett pear
¼ cup candied pecans
1 bag butter greens
Salt & pepper
Salad dressing (optional)

1. Heat skillet over medium heat
2. Season flank steak with salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes per side for medium rare. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Slice pear.
4. Add lettuce to plates and top with steak, pear slices, and candied pecans. Add salad dressing if desired.

Blue cheese would be a great addition to the salad. I have a chunk in the freezer but was too distracted with all the leftover Halloween candy to think about it. I opted for no salad dressing; however Scott added some Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette. A honey vinaigrette or balsamic dressing would be a great addition as well. I will be enjoying the leftover salad for lunch tomorrow.

Date Night Any/Every Night

Recipes from Peace Meals

Tonight Scott and I conducted our weekly Peace Meals recipe test with a few tests. 1. We finally used our new grill that my dad gave us for our anniversary back in May; and 2. We had dinner on the patio.

You are probably wondering why it took us ~5 months to use our grill for the first time, but really it’s a simple answer, it was just too HOT outside, plus we have a grill pan which is well suited for cooking for two and indoors.

And then there is the concept of dinner on the patio. Now that Fall has arrived, we have been trying to eat dinner on the patio regularly. Everyone loves dining al fresco whether on the patio of your favorite restaurant (Grappino’s, Teala’s, La Vista, etc.) or in your own backyard.

So tonight we made our usual Sunday dinner routine into an unexpected and perfect date night with dinner on the patio. We turned the television to the classical music channel, opened the patio doors, and were celebrating the Christening of our new grill. I usually try to limit my adult beverage consumption to Thursday, Friday, Saturday, but the ambiance made it hard to resist. Scott really wanted a glass of wine all we currently have in inventory is “the good stuff”. Speaking of “the good stuff”, our wine du jour was from our 4th anniversary trip to Napa back in May-- we enjoyed the Elyse “C’est si bon,” which is French for “It’s so good!”. I don’t think we need to explain that further because the name says it all.

And onto our meal…the Grilled Pork Loin Adobado and Honey Roasted Root Vegetables. I was expecting the pork to be spicy but it wasn’t at all. I roasted some Poblano peppers which are milder chiles, the pork had a good flavor, plus I have plenty of leftovers for lunch the next few days and for Scott’s dinner on Wednesday night while I’m at book club. The honey roasted root veggies were delicious and easy to make. I roasted butternut squash, carrots, turnips, fingerling potatoes, garlic, and shallots mixed with honey, olive oil, champagne vinegar, salt, and pepper for 45 minutes at 400. If I had it to do over again I would have turned the veggies along the way for even carmelization, or actually just left the garlic cloves whole instead of slicing. It was definitely a great fall/winter side dish and good compliment to the pork.

Stay tuned for a mushroom quiche which I’m hoping will turn out fabulous since I have very high expectations.

Butternut Squash Bisque

Butternut Squash Bisque
Peace Meals by the Junior League of Houston

To celebrate the beautiful fall weather I decided to make Butternut Squash Bisque for dinner. This is a delicious and easy to make recipe. It took a little over an hour including prep but there was quite a bit of inactive cooking time so it was nice to not have to slave in the kitchen non-stop. Best of all is the surprise ingredient… a jalapeno! The jalapeno added some “heat” in the background in addition to some depth to the bisque. The carrots, celery, leeks, jalapeno, butternut squash, and chicken broth needed to be pureed after they had simmered awhile. The recipe says to puree using a food processor or blender, which translates to more dishes to wash. Luckily I had my secret weapon the immersion blender (and yes I do have the green one). My sister-in-law, Jill, gave me the immersion blender for Christmas last year and it’s a Godsend. This nifty tool makes pureeing soups and sauces a breeze since you can leave everything in the pot. I rounded off the dish with a chopped pecan garnish. I skipped the fried sage because it just wasn’t a step I felt was needed for a Monday night dinner. However I did think about frying up some bacon, but decided to forgo for the same reason.

The recipe claims to be 4 servings. I think a proper portion should be 1 cup; however Scott prefers 2 cups, so the recipe really yields seven 1 cup servings or ~three 2 cup servings. I have some leftover which I have frozen in individual his and hers servings to enjoy in the future.

Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Yellow Pepper Mole Sauce

Recipe by Bobby Flay

Saturday night Scott and I had a date night at home. We haven’t cooked a nice meal on the weekend in awhile and were long overdue. I always enjoy trying recipes from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill cookbook because they are always delicious and we are never disappointed.

I’ve never understood why my husband, or any man for that matter, is obsessed with pork chops. I’ve never had a pork chop I’m excited about until I made this recipe. These pork chops were tender and juicy, which I credit to their massive size. Often times when I buy pork chops at the grocery store they are cut thin, cook too fast, and I’m often left with a dry and tough meal. These chops were so big that they weighed a pound each, but for two I only spent $10 which is significantly less than I usually spend on a good cut of meat for the two of us. So not only are these delicious but also affordable.

There are two secrets to making this recipe a success...

1. Get really good pork chops! I of course went to Central Market and had the butcher cut me double cut bone-in pork chops.

2. You must make the mole sauce! This sauce is fantastic, it’s got a little sweet and savory all rolled into one. We have some sauce left over so I’ll be added it to my standard weeknight pork tenderloin recipe tomorrow night.

Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples

This is a super fast recipe that has become one my weeknight staples. Its so easy to make and delicious. I freeze the extra pork chops from the package to have on hand for a future weeknight.

Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples
serves 2

2 boneless pork chops
salt and pepper
1 granny smith apple, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup apple juice*
1 Tbsp butter

• Heat skillet over medium heat.
• Lightly sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.
• Cook chops for 5 min one side, and then 3 minutes on the other side for medium.**
• Remove chops from pan.
• Add apples to skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Add juice and butter to pan and cook with apples for 1 minute.
• Spoon apples and sauce over the chops and enjoy.
  

*I use whatever juice I have on hand. Sometimes cranberry juice, tonight I used blueberry pomegranate juice.
**Many people think that pork has to be thoroughly cooked like chicken, and that is not true. It is perfectly safe to eat pork that is pink in the center. If you want to cook your pork all the way through then cook for 5 minutes on each side.

Poblano & Mushroom Tacos

The Fast Easy Fresh section of Bon Appétit is a great source for healthy, quick, and easy weeknight meals. These tacos are easy to make and very delicious. Scott and I both agreed this recipe is a keeper and I can’t wait to make it again. Maybe next time I’ll add some leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Poblano Mushroom Tacos
Adapted from Bon Appétit, November 2009
Serves 2

2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 Poblano chile, seeded and thinly sliced into long strips
1/2 small red onion, sliced
3 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
4 corn tortillas
4 thin slices Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
¼ cup Feta cheese, crumbled


1. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add Poblano chile, red onion, and mushrooms; sauté mixture until brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Mix in ground cumin, and then transfer mixture to medium bowl.
4. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in same skillet.
5. Add tortillas in single layer, draping up sides of skillet to fit.
6. Divide mushroom mixture among tortillas, placing mixture only on 1 side, and then top each tortilla with a slice of Monterrey Jack cheese.
7. Fold plain tortilla halves over filling and press firmly.
8. Cook tortillas 1 minute per side.
9. Transfer tacos to plates. Open tacos and sprinkle with chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, and crumbled feta.

Spicy Cheese Straws

I love anything with cheese! I first made this recipe two years ago for my holiday open house. I recently made them again for a shower and I had forgotten how yummy they are. I love the spicy kick from the red pepper flakes as well as the crispy crunch. In addition to being an edible treat these cheese straws also became part of the tablescape. Cheese straws can be displayed in crystal glasses, short vases, or mint julep cups.



Spicy Cheese Straws
Adapted from Southern Living, December 2007

1 1/2 cups (5 oz.) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese*
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and softened
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon half-and-half


· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor; pulse in 5-second intervals until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add half-and-half, and process 10 seconds or until dough forms a ball.
· Turn dough out onto a well floured surface, and roll into an rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). Cut dough with a sharp knife into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide strips, dipping knife in flour after each cut to ensure clean cuts. Place strips on ungreased baking sheets.
· Bake for12-14 minutes or until ends are slightly browned. Cool on baking sheets on a wire rack 30 minutes.


*I use cracker barrel sharp cheddar and grate the cheese using a hand grater. Trying to grate in a food processor makes the cheese too fine in turn making the dough too soft.

I like to make a double batch, if I can resist from eating the block of cheddar. Straws can be also be made ahead and frozen.

Puffy Pigs

These yummy appetizers are a twist on the classic pig-in-a-blaket. They are easy to make and guaranteed to be a hit. Small cookie cutters can be used to cut shapes for any occasion.



Puffy Pigs
Makes 40

1 lb chicken spinach asiago sausage (from Sam’s)
1 package puff pastry
Toothpicks

· Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
· Cut each sausage link into 8 slices.
· Cook sausage slices in a skillet over medium heat, 4 minutes per side.
· Thaw puff pastry according to package directions.
· Use cookie cutters to cut pasty.
· Top each sausage bite with pastry shape and secure with a toothpick and place on a baking sheet.
· Bake for 20 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden.
· Transfer to platter and serve.

Blackberry Shortbread Bars

When I first received my copy of the Peace Meals cookbook and flipped through to preview all the recipes I knew this was going to be a great one! The ladies at the Junior League even dedicated a full page for a photo. I first had the pleasure of tasting these yummy treats at a sprinkle (shower for a second baby); they were everything I expected and more. A few weeks ago I hosted a bridal shower at my home and made these for the dessert buffet. All I sampled of this divine goodness was a scrap for the crispy edge. The shower guests devoured the blackberry bars and even came into the kitchen and ate all the crispy edges that I had left in the pan…not a single crumb remained. Last night I made these again to share at work for our monthly birthday celebration, in hopes that I could enjoy more than a few crumbs. I think I ate at least 4 and they barely survived past the lunch hour. Sweet Success!


Blackberry Shortbread Bars
Adapted from Peace Meals
Makes 24 bars

Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
¼ tsp salt
3 sticks butter, chilled and cut into ½” cubes

· Preheat oven to 350.
· In a food processor combine flour, sugar, salt for 45 seconds. Then add butter and process for 30 seconds or until mixture is crumbly and butter is distributed.
· Reserve 1 ½ cups of the mixture to sprinkle over the top of the filling.
· Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam for Baking. Then fill baking dish with the remaining crust mixture, pressing the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan.
· Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and then cool for 10 minutes before adding the filling.

Filling:
2 eggs, whisked
½ cup sugar
½ cup light sour cream
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
16 oz frozen blackberries, thawed*

· In large bowl whisk eggs and then add the sugar, sour cream, and flour to combine.
· After the eggs and other ingredients have been mixed together gently fold in the blackberries.
· Pour the mixture evenly over the prepared crust.
· Sprinkle the top evenly with reserved crust mixture.
· Bake in oven for 45-55 minutes or until crumble top is lightly browned.
· Let cool for at least one hour before cutting into bars.**

*when thawing blackberries place bag inside of a plastic grocery sack to prevent leaks.

**If the baking dish is lined with aluminum foil, once the bars have been cooled they can be lifted out of the baking dish for easier cutting.

These bars would also be great if made with raspberries or a berry medley of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made this cookie recipe for the first time about a month ago for my hairdresser’s birthday. Last year for his birthday I made him the traditional Neiman Marcus cookies, so this year I decided to kick it up a notch and bake the Neiman Marcus Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. This of course meant that Scott and I had to perform some “quality control” testing. I have several chocolate cookie recipes (Mississippi Mud and Chocolate Raspberry) that I love to bake, however Scott said these were his new favorite. Scott is a serious chocoholic so this revelation came as no surprise.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Neiman Marcus Cookbook
2 dozen cookies

3 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

· Pre-heat oven to 300°F.
· Place 2 cups of the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring chips after each interval until chips are melted, about 1.5 minutes.
· Place butter and brown sugar in a mixer bowl and using the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar for about 30 seconds until combined. Then with the mixer running on low, slowly add the eggs and melted chocolate. Slowly add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to the mixing bowl. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl and mix a little longer, and then add the remaining chocolate chips and mix a little longer until chips are incorporated.
· Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1 oz (2 Tbsp) cookie scoop; scoop dough onto cookie sheet. Scoop about 9 cookies per batch.
· Bake cookies for 20 minutes.
· Let cookies rest for 1 minute on cookie sheet and then transfer cookies with a spatula to a wire rack to cool.
· Repeat process for remaining cookies.

Spice Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Baby Carrots

Serves 2-3
Adapted from Bon Appétit, April 2009

This is a great dish to serve during the week for a simple dinner or to entertain guests since the oven does most of the work.

Carrots
1 pound baby carrots, peeled, trimmed, leaving 1/2 inch of green tops attached
1 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, diced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/2 small jalapeño (preferably red), seeded, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt


Pork
1- to 1-1/4-pound pork tenderloins
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

· Preheat oven to 400°F.
· Whisk together water, EVOO, butter, garlic, jalapeno, honey, chile powder, cumin, and salt in a med bowl.
· Arrange carrots in a 9 x 13 baking dish and coat with seasoning mixture.
· Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
· While carrots are baking, make pork seasoning mixture by mixing together oregano, cumin, chile powder, paprika, and salt in a small bowl. Rub pork tenderloin with seasoning.
· Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add EVOO. Brown pork on all sides about 5 minutes.
· When carrots are ready, remove foil, and nestle pork tenderloin among the carrots. Bake for about 18 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the pork registers 145°F.
· Let pork rest 5-10 minutes before cutting to serve.

Iron Chef: Bobby Flay vs. Neiman Marcus

Last night Scott and I cooked a fabulous dinner inspired by Bobby Flay and Neiman Marcus. With spring around the corner, this was the perfect menu to get excited about the end of winter and the time change.

I love cooking recipes from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill cookbook, every dish I have made always surprises with me new elements of flavor. Last year I had the pleasure of eating lunch at Mesa Grill in Las Vegas and in my opinion it was the best meal I had that weekend.
The Neiman Marcus tea room is a great lunch spot. However, I always get the same thing Chicken Tortilla Soup and a Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie to go. The Chocolate Chip cookies are the reason why I purchased the Neiman Marcus cookbook (even though I do have an email forward with the infamous recipe). While planning my menu for the evening I needed an appetizer or salad that would pair well with my Bobby Flay choices and the Southern and Southwestern roots of Neiman Marcus were a perfect fit.

Scott and I went with a divide and conquer method so he prepared the NM shrimp cocktail while I worked on the BF rib-eyes and mashed potatoes.

Neiman Marcus Ten-Spice Barbeque Shrimp Cocktail

vs.

Bobby Flay Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks w/ Chipotle-Honey Glaze and Whipped Potatoes with Cilantro Pesto

Ten-Spice Barbeque Shrimp Cocktail
adapted from Neiman Marcus Cookbook
serves 4

Ten-Spice Barbeque Mix and Shrimp
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
12 jumbo shrimp (about 1 lb), peeled and deveined
1/4 cup EVOO

Mix together paprika, cumin, chile powder, coriander, salt, garlic, onion, thyme, pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. In a large bowl coat the shrimp with olive oil, and then sprinkle with 3 Tbsp of the spice mixture. Cover the shrimp bowl with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours. Cook on a grill, grill pan or skillet (with oil) 2-3 minutes per side.

*Save extra spice mixture to season chicken, pork, or steaks for another meal.

Roasted Corn-Jicama Salsa
yields: 3 1/2 cups

2 cups roasted corn kernels (from 3 large ears of corn)*
1 cup peeled and finely diced jicama
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup seeded and finely chopped red bell pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp seeded and minced jalapeno
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
salt

Mix together the corn, jicama, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and jalapeno in a large mixing bowl. Then combine with lime juice and salt to taste.

*Roasting the corn is optional. If you are pressed for time,corn fresh off the cob will still be very tasty.

**Extra salsa can be saved as a snack later or garnish for other dishes.

Cilantro-Lime Dressing
yields: 2 cups

1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp honey
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups EVOO


In a blender or food processor process the vinegar, lime juice, cilantro, honey, salt, and process while slowly adding olive oil.

*Dressing will last for several days in the refrigerator and can excess can be used for salads or season fish.

Assembly

Margarita or Martini glasses make a great presentation for this shrimp cocktail.

Finely shred 1 heart of romaine and add to a mixing bowl with corn-jicama salsa, and ½ cup of the dressing. Divide salsa mixture among 4 glasses and top each with 3 shrimp.

Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks with Chipotle-Honey Glaze
Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook
Serves 4

1 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
½ cup honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup canola oil
Kosher salt
4 (12 oz) rib-eye steaks
Black pepper
Roasted Pepper Relish*

Puree chipotle chiles in a blender or food processor. Place 1 Tbsp of chile puree in a medium bowl and reserve the remainder for another use. Add honey, mustard, canola oil, and 1 tsp salt to the bowl whisk together with the chipotle chile puree.

Preheat grill pan to medium-high heat.
Rub steaks with 2 Tbsp EVOO and season with salt and pepper. For medium rare grill steaks on one side for 4-5 minutes, then turn steaks over and brush with honey glaze and continue grilling for 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and brush with more glaze. Let steaks rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Top each steak with the roasted pepper relish.

Note: I prefer to get my rib-eyes directly from the butcher so they can be cut thick about 2 inches. Prepackaged rib-eyes are usually cut very thin and will cook to fast.

*Roasted Pepper Relish

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, cut into strips
2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, cut into strips
3 cloves roasted garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp EVOO
2 Tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Kosher salt and pepper

Combine ingredients in a bowl.

Whipped Potatoes with Cilantro Pesto
Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook
Serves 4

3 lbs Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
Kosher salt
1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
½ cup packed fresh flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp pine nuts
½ cup EVOO
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Black pepper
1 stick butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup skim milk

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring potatoes to a boil over high heat and cook 25-30 minutes or until tender.

While potatoes are cooking make cilantro pesto and warm the milk and butter mixture.

To make pesto using a blender or food processer, add cilantro, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and then slowly add olive oil while processing.

Combine butter, cream, and milk in a small sauce pan over low heat.

Drain potatoes and return to the pot. Slowly add hot milk mixture while mashing potatoes. Then gently fold in cilantro pesto.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Scott and I celebrated Valentine's Day part II with a delicious dinner at home with some bubbly, vino, and one of my all time favorites...lamb chops! I don't know what it is about lamb chops, but I love them. However, the downside is that most restaurants just don't make great lamb chops, the ones I make at home are much tastier. Exceptions to this are Ousie's Table and Da Marco which have the best lamb chops in town.

We kicked off our evening with some Champagne since it was a special occasion. We like to drink while we are cooking, so of course that meant the Champagne wasn't going to make it through dinner, even though it was the recommended beverage for the menu. Our wine with the meal was a Cabernet. Both of these bottles are what we refer to as Ike wines, which means they survived the hurricane. Ike taught us a lesson about wine storage. We have a wine chiller, and since we were without power for a week, and our wines came up to temperature, the wines were affected...which meant they just weren't the same. If we had never put them in the chiller to begin with they would be just fine. Luckily these two tasted just fine.

The inspiration for our menu came from Williams-Sonoma Entertaining cookbook's Valentine's Dinner for Two. The Williams-Sonoma recipes are always delicious and I have yet to be disappointed.

Crab, Avocado, and Grapefruit Salad with Chive Vinaigrette
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Entertaining
serves 2

Chive Vinaigrette
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
1 Tbsp creme fraiche (or sour cream)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 Tbsp Champagne vinegar
1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

• Combine the EVOO and chives in a blender and process until smooth, then set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cream fraiche/sour cream, mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice.
• While whisking slowly add in the chive oil.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

Salad
1/2 lb Dungeness jumbo lump crab meat, picked for shell fragments (or regular crab meat)
1 Tbsp finely chopped celery
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 pink grapefruit, peeled, sectioned (no membrane) and excess juice reserved
salt and pepper
2 cups mixed torn frisee and radicchio leaves
1/4 cup fresh chive pieces

• In a bowl combine the crab meat, celery, and 3 Tbsp of the chive vinaigrette, and excess grapefruit juice.
• In another bowl toss the avocado with lemon juice to prevent browning.
• Then combine the crab mixture with the avocados, grapefruit sections, and 2 Tbsp of the chive vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide the salad greens onto each plate, and top with the crab, avocado, grapefruit mixture. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.

The great thing about salads is that if you are missing a few ingredients or can't find them you can easily improvise. I couldn't find Dungeness crab (and I went to two grocery stores), and while I could have just purchased regular crab, I have to buy it by the pound and I only needed a half pound...so instead I omitted the crab from the recipe. Also I only found one sad looking piece of frisee in the produce dept at Central Market (very unlike them) so I substituted my greens for a mix of arugula and radicchio.

Pink Peppercorn Rack of Lamb
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Entertaining
serves 2

1 rack of lamb, frenched with 6-8 ribs
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp fine dried bread crumbs
1 Tbsp pink peppercorns, crushed
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup EVOO
1/3 cup dry white wine*

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rub the fat side of the lamb with mustard and set aside.
• In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, peppercorns, rosemary, garlic, and salt.
• Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mustard and lightly pat it, so it adheres to the lamb.
• Place a nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add EVOO.
• Sear lamb on both sides for about 3 minutes per side or until lightly golden.
• Place skillet with lamb fat side up in the oven and roast until cooked to your liking. Medium Rare: 13-15 minutes.
• Remove lamb from oven and transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let lamb rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile place the skillet back on stove top over medium heat (don't forget the oven mit, the handle will be hot from the oven).
• Add wine to skillet, scrapping up any brown bits from the bottom. Pour the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, and discard solids.
• Carve the chops and spoon the pan juices over the chops.

*Since we already had the bubbly open, we used Champagne instead of a dry white wine. If you were drinking red wine that could be used as well.

These lamb chops were so tender and flavorful, I even nibbled the remaining meat off the bone when I through eating. So yummy and so easy to make.

Cauliflower Gratin
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining
serves 8

2 heads cauliflower, separated into florets
5 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup+ shredded Gruyere or white cheddar cheese

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• Steam cauliflower in a steamer basket over boiling water for 10 minutes or until barely tender.
• Spray gratin dish with Pam and arrange the florets tightly in one layer.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbsp butter, heat until the butter foams and then remove from heat and stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Return the pan to medium-high heat and while constantly whisking slowly drizzle in the milk. Reduce heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and half the cheese, stirring until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
• Pour sauce over cauliflower florets, top with remaining cheese, and dot with remaining butter.
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until top is browned and sauce is bubbling.
• Serve immediately.

We scaled this recipe down to 2 servings, but it was so tasty and a nice alternative to the standard potato. Roasted Yukon Gold potatoes were the suggested side for this menu, but I wanted to try something different and was very glad I did. I will have to member to add this dish to my Christmas 2009 menu.

I had also made some Rosemary Popovers from this cookbook for New Years Eve and had planned to make them for V-day because they were so good...but we got distracted and forgot.

Chocolate Raspberry Fondue
suggested by my friend Courtney on her blog
adapted from Betty Crocker

1 container chocolate frosting
1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves
brownies cup into 1 inch cubes
dried apricots
strawberries
bananas
marshmallows

• Combine frosting and preserves in a microwave safe bowl and zap it on high for 20-30 seconds.
• Stir to full incorporate ingredients and transfer to a fondue pot to serve.

This dessert is so quick, easy, and sinfully delicious. But if you have some fruit with it you can pretend its healthy.