Y.K.Y.F.W

Girl meets Grill!

2008-07-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Well since our poor little fat girl's blog has been SO neglected, I thought I would add something from this week's meal experience.

I keep seeing recipes for cooking potatos and pizza on the grill, so I thought I would try my beloved sweet potato fries grill side!

I washed and sliced my yam or sweet potato into large steak fries and tossed them in a little bit of EVOO, chili powder and S&P. Meanwhile, I heated up the grill and then turned it on medium-ish heat. Please the fries on a peice of foil and lay that on a rack just over the flames. You must keep an eye on them so they do not burn - they cook very quickly (in about 10 minutes). I tossed them around a few times until browned on all sides. My realization is that it is VERY difficult to get these things to be crispy, so I have stopped trying and they still taste amazing.

Final Thoughts: Taste fabulous and so much faster!

Next I am going to try Jackie's Joy breakfast pizza on the grill.

I couldn't agree more

2008-06-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

Someone Post Something new!

2008-05-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

I heart bacon wrapped artichokes! All thanks to the Cooks!

xoxo
Margy Girl

Free Cone Day

2008-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Get to the closest participating Ben & Jerry's and get what's yours. A free scoop of delicious ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet. I had a scoop of the Imagine World Peace and it was incredible. It really does make the day that much better!

Party up your Barley!

2008-04-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Ladies!

Yet again, I do not have an image for this one, but here is my recipe any way! Its light and healthy and the perfect side dish or main course!

What you will need:
2-3 cups of barley
3-4 cups of chicken stock (low sodium)
1 cup water
Goat cheese
1/2 lb of sliced asparagus
3 lemons
1 clove chooped garlic
s & p to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Step 1
Steam asparagus until bright green and just tender, set aside.

Step 2
Using the same pan, add oilve oil, garlic and barley, saute for a few minutes until garlic is translucent.

Step 3
Add 1 cup of chicken stock and stir until absorbed. Next add 1 cup water and stir until absorbed. Repeat until barley is cooked all the way through and liquids disolved (4-6 cups total). You can add wine if you like.
Note: This is the same process as cooking risotto. I like to use a little water instead of all chicken stock to its more mild and you can control your flavor better.

Step 4
Add juice of 2-3 lemons and sliced asparagus. Stir in well and let cook for 2 minutes or so.

Step 5
Remove from heat and add goat cheese in crumbles. Serve!

2008-04-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

2008-03-28T16:19:00.001-07:00

"You cannot reason with a hungry belly; it has no ears."
— Greek proverb

Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich

2008-03-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of the Contessa, Barefoot,I am encouraging yall to try this heavenly spin on a classic... in a sandwich form! I couldnt find the recipe online, so I am going to do my best to replicate it (i also dont have a photo, sorry!).

What Youll Need:
- Loaf of you favorite bread (i like fresh ciabatta or pulgese)
- Sun dried tomatos (stored in oilve oil)
- Your favorite caesar dressing
- Low fat sour cream
- Arugula
- Fresh Parmesan cheese (NOT grated)
- One (1) clove of garlic
- Two (2) chicken breasts (with the ribs)

Directions:
Chicken
- Pre heat oven to 400 degrees
- Rub chicken with oilve oil and s&p and a little oregano
- Cook for about 40 -50 minutes depending on size
- Let cool and remove from bone; slice

Assembly
- Slice bread to desired size and place in oven or toaster oven for about 5-6 minutes or until toasted
- rub bread gently with fresh garlic (easier if you cut clove in half
- Mix 1 tbls of sour cream with about 2-3 tbls of caesar dressing and spread on both halves (Barefoot doenst do this but I find that it makes it less drippy)
- slice sun dried tomato and place on bottom half
- next place the chicken
- shave a few pieces of fresh parmesan cheese and lay on top of the chicken
- top with a mound of arugula and close her up!

Enjoy with a glass of your favorite white wine!

A Marge-a-rita for Marge on her b-day!

2008-03-17T08:42:00.001-07:00

Marge's Risotto!

2008-03-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

Again, sorry no photo :( I always forget to visually capture the goodness.

Anywho, I love risotto and have tried lots of different ingredients, but I think this recipe is my favorite.

To preface, my risotto has some base ingredients and procedures, so you can add your favorite ingredients if mine arent to your liking.

Note: this requires about 30 minutes cooking time and constant attention :)

What you'll need for any good risotto:
- one cup of arborillo rice (yeilds about 5 cups cooked - enough for 3 people)
- one small yellow onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves of garlic depending on your taste, chopped
- 3 cups of your favorite white wine (I use chardonay)
- 4-5 cups good chicken or vegtable stock
- salt & pepper
- 2 tbls olive oil
- 2 tbls butter
- 1 tsp of onion powder

What youll need for THIS risotto:
- 1 cup peas (frozen are best)
- 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola

Directions:
- saute chopped onions and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes
- add rice and cook for 1 minute, make sure to stir frequently
- once you see little brown bits on bottom of pan, add 1 1/2 cups of wine and stir frequently until wine has disolved
- add remaining 1 1/2 cups of wine and stir until disolved
- next add 1 1/2 cups stock, stir frequently until disolved
- repeat above
- repaeat above again
- at this point, taste the rice to see if it is cooked; if it isnt, add more stock
- next add peas, onion powder, salt and pepper and stire well
- lastly add butter and cheese and stir until melted

Serve hot - It will melt in your mouth!

Enjoy!

Maple-Glazed Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

2008-03-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore Paula Deen from the Food Network so much. She reminds me of my Mom and Aunt Kathy all rolled into one. She is spunky and fun, and her recipes always look incredible, but not usually the healthiest. I was pleased to find this recipe for Maple-Glazed Salmon with Pineapple Salsa. Healthy, light and refreshing...just what a girl needs to fit into those skinny jeans.

Ingredients:

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

Marinade:
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon pineapple juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, mashed

Pineapple Salsa:
1 medium size ripe tomato, chopped into small cubes
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 pickled jalapeno pepper slices, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup pineapple chucks, fresh or canned
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

First, place the salmon fillets in a resealable plastic bag. Next, combine marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl or measuring cup. Pour marinade over fillets and refrigerate from 1 to 24 hours. (I did the minimum of 1 hour but would recommend letting it soak for at least 3 hours)

While your fish is marinating, prepare the pineapple salsa. Place all ingredients in a small, non-reactive saucepan. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve with the salmon.

After the salmon is finished marinating, in a grill basket sprayed with cooking spray, grill the salmon, skin side down, over hot coals. Flip after 2 to 3 minutes and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes, or until desired doneness. If you are not lucky enough to have a grill (me!) I broiled the salmon for 15-18 minutes, and it was amazing still!

The recipe says to serve with pineapple salsa spooned on the side but I just placed it right on top. Elon LOVED the recipe and it was uber easy, try it for yourself!

Steak Sally!

2008-03-10T11:22:00.001-07:00

My apologies, I forgot to take a photo so this is someone elses steak sally!

This is a healthy and hearty salad that even a dude would like :)

Here is what you need:
- Romaine Lettuce
- CHerry tomatoes
- Chick Peas (drained)
- Bundle of Asparagus
- Steak (round cut or flank steak cut)
- Blue cheese or gorgonzola (yes, they ARE different - gorg is more pungeant)
- Homemade croutons (see Menu a la Marguerite's blog on crouts!)

Directions
Steak:
- coat steak in a little oliv oil, balsamic vineger, worchester (sp)sauce and s&p
- grill about 5 minutes on each side and let rest another 5 minutes to juices distribute
Asparagus:
- coat in olive oil, chil pepper, paprika, s&p
- place on a peice of foil and place foil on top of grill
- grill about 5 mins, then toss and grill another few mins until browned
Dressing:
Whisk together 2 tbls balsamic vineger, 1/4 cup oliv olive oil, tsp honey, tsp pepper and a pinch of kosher salt.

Next, assemble lettuce tomatoes (I like to salt mine with kosher salt), chick peas, croutons and blue cheese crumbles. Then drizzle dressing over. Slice steak and place on top warm so the juices mix in with the dressing.

ENJOY!

Surf N Turf

2008-02-27T09:51:00.000-08:00

I mentioned last night on the kick that I made sea scallops with mango salsa and flank steak tacos for dinner and all the girls were very impressed. Impressive as it may sound, it was very easy to make thanks to Sam The Cooking Guy (www.thecookingguy.com) who has a way of making extraordinary sounding meals in a very ordinary way. My kinda guy...

South of the Border Scallops

1/3 cup diced fresh mango
1/3 cup peeled and diced cucumber
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 pound sea scallops, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon peanut oil

Mix all ingredients except scallops and set aside
Season scallops with salt and pepper
Heat non-stick pan over high heat
Put in oil & when just smoking add scallops and sear each side until nicely brown and a cool little sort of crust builds
Put on a plate and serve with the mango salsa

This is the recipe from Sam's website but an even EASIER way to do it is buy the prepackaged mango salsa. So all you have to do is sear the scallops, plate them with a scoop of mango salsa and voila!

Spicy Steak and Corn Soft Tacos

3 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 red pepper sliced into thin strips
1 pound flank, thinly sliced
3/4 cup whole corn kernels - if frozen, cook first according to directions
1 jalapeño chopped fine with seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder

Heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat.
Add red pepper and onion and cook until tender - about 10 minutes.
Remove to plate.
Add flank steak to skillet and cook until the pink is gone - about 1 minute.
Add the corn, jalapeño, cumin and chili powder.
Saute quickly for a few seconds.
Add the onions and pepper back in.
Stir until heated through and remove.
Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream, salsa and lime wedges to squeeze on top.

Delish! Of Note: I've had a very bad experience with chopping jalapeños so now I always use latex gloves....

Stuffed Green Peppers

2008-02-21T11:30:00.001-08:00

I'm sorry Miss Avery...these are too good not to share! I was hungry for something easy, hearty and healthy to prepare for dinner after the gym and remembered my mom made a mean stuffed pepper. Debs shared the recipe below and they turned out QUITE incredible if I do say so myself!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey (you can also use regular ground meat)
4-6 Bell Peppers halved and seeded
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 tablespoon of Worchester Sauce
2 cloves of Garlic (more if you love garlic!) - minced
1/2 basket of mushrooms - diced
2 tablespoons of Milk
1/2 cup of Breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup of finely diced Onion
2 teaspoons of each: Kosher or Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper
1/4 cup of French Fried Onions (my special additive)

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.

First, cut your bell peppers in half and scoop out all the seeds, then set aside. Next in a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, eggs, garlic, mushrooms, Worchester sauce, ketchup, milk, breadcrumbs, onion, french fried onions, salt & pepper using your hands. Once it is mixed all together well, start stuffing the halved bell peppers with the meat.

Place the peppers back in the Pyrex dish and sprinkle the top with some freshly grated parmesan cheese for some extra flavor and presentation. Cover the Pyrex dish with foil and place in the oven. Bake the peppers for at least an hour (different timing based on how full you fill the peppers and your oven). The last 5 minutes, remove the foil and let the tops of the peppers get a nice golden toast to them.

Viola! Delicious and healthy too!

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

2008-02-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

For the third night in a row, I used my new favorite discovery (House Foods Tofu Shirataki noodles) to create a "pasta" dish. Last night's was chicken fettuccine alfredo. I got the recipe from the Hungry Girl website.

Ingredients:
1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki noodles, Fettuccine Shape
1 wedge The Laughing Cow cheese, Light Original Swiss
2 tsp. fat-free sour cream (I used reduced fat instead of ff)
2 tsp. reduced fat grated parmesan cheese (unfortunately, I didn't have reduced fat on hand)
5 oz. skinless chicken breast; grilled with nonstick spray only (I used a little olive oil)
**I added steamed broccoli
Optional: salt, pepper, and paprika

Directions:
-Drain and rinse noodles well.
-Dry noodles thoroughly (use paper towels to soak up as much moisture as possible) and use a knife to slice them up a bit.
-Next, top noodles with both cheeses and fat-free sour cream, then microwave for one minute. -Stir and microwave for one additional minute.
-Slice up chicken breast and add to pasta.
-Season to taste with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

2008-02-19T21:55:00.000-08:00

Since I gave up flour, wheat and potato products for Lent, I've been looking for different things to make for dinner. Although I usually try not to eat a lot of pasta, bread or potato products anyway, when you can't, it makes you want them more. However, I discovered the best product to curb my craving for pasta, thanks to Jackie; House foods Tofu Shirataki noodles. There are three varieties; fettuccine, spaghetti and angel hair. The best part is that they only have 20 calories and 3 carbs per serving, and are gluten-free and dairy-free! This product is a favorite of the Hungry Girl website (also brought to my attention by Jackie), which is where I got the following recipe and where I will get many in the future - such good (healthy) ideas.

Ingredients:

3 packages House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodles, Fettuccine Shape

1 packet of tuna (7 oz.) packed in water (I used a can of albacore tuna in water, drained)

1 10.75 oz. can 98% Fat Free Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light cheese, Original Swiss
1/2 cup frozen peas

3 tbsp. reduced-fat parmesan cheese

Salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper to taste (cayenne is optional)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-Rinse and drain noodles well.
-Cut noodles.
-Microwave noodles for one minute and pat dry.
-Melt Laughing Cow Light cheese wedge into noodles, microwaving again for 20 seconds if
necessary.
-Mix cheese wedge thoroughly into noodles. Add tuna and peas and stir well.
-Put noodle/cheese mixture into a casserole dish.
-Add your can of soup and one tbsp. of parmesan and mix well.
-Season to taste.
-Top with remaining two tbsp. of parmesan and bake in your preheated 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Serves 4.

Pita Pizza

2008-01-29T12:38:00.000-08:00

I LOVE pizza! Who doesn't? (Weirdos, that's who) Unfortunately I should not eat regular pizza very often, but its so hard not to crave. This pizza from SELF magazine is quite tasty and not nearly as bad for you as tradtional pizzas.

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 6-inch whole-wheat pita
1/4 cup canned, diced tomatoes (sometimes I buy the kind with basil and olive oil already mixed with the tomatoes)
1 basil leaf (if I don't have one on hand, I just use dried Italian seasoning)
1/4 cup torn fresh spinach leaves (if I don't have spinach sometimes I add mushrooms or artichoke or just have plain cheese)
1/4 cup roasted red peppers (I despise peppers so I omit these)
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

Preparation:
Drizzle olive oil over pita.
Mix tomatoes and basil and spread over pita.
Add spinach leaves.
Layer peppers over the spinach and top with mozzarella.
Broil 4 minutes or until cheese melts. (usually I bake it for a few minutes to get the crust crispier, then broil it)

Salmon with Balsamic Glaze

2008-01-29T07:45:00.000-08:00

This delicious recipe is courteous of the ever talented Giada De Laurentiis. As part of my new years resolution to eat more healthy and cook one new recipe a week, Elon and I were inspired by her Everyday Italian: Light and Healthy Seafood Dishes episode. The original recipe calls for halibut, but at $17.99 a pound I said salmon will do just fine!

What you will need:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons honey, depending how sweet you want it
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) halibut or salmon fillets
Nonstick cooking spray

Whisk the vinegar, honey, oil, and garlic in a bowl. Arrange salmon fillets in an 8-inch square baking dish. Pour marinade over the fish, coating it completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Preheat the broiler. Line the bottom and sides of a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Remove fish from marinade, reserving marinade, and arrange the fillets atop the baking sheet. Pour the marinade into a heavy small saucepan. Broil the fillets until they are just cooked through and caramelized on top, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile bring the marinade to a boil and simmer until it thickens slightly and becomes syrupy, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Spoon off any excess oil from the sauce, if desired.

Transfer the fillets to plates. Spoon the sauce over and around the fillets, and serve.

I served it up with some sauteed zucchini and squash and also some store bought risotto. It was quite delish if I do say so myself and a healthy treat at that. You can find the original recipe here, as well as many other healthy seafood dishes.

Scrabble Squares

2007-12-18T15:23:00.000-08:00

My mom has made these every Christmas for as long as I can remember. I'm not a huge sweets person - I would much rather have a bag of chips over a slice of pie. But...I love these because they're sweet AND salty.

Ingredients:

1 (12oz) pkg chocolate chips

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 c. Minature marshmallows

2 c. Coarsely broken pretzels

Melt chocolate chips and veg oil over hot, not boiling water. Remove.

Combine marshmallows and pretzels in a bowl. Add chocolate mixture and fold carefully to blend.

Spread evenly in foil-lined 11 x 7 1/2" or 9" sq. pan. Chill until firm.

To serve, let stand at room temperature a few minutes. Remove from pan and cut into squares.

Store in refrigerator.

Makes 35-40 pieces.

Pretzels with a Twist

2007-12-17T10:22:00.001-08:00

This year for my co-workers, I decided to do something a little different than my traditional baked good. I stole this idea from the Foodnetwork. You can really do these any which way you like, for any holiday, any time of year.

What you will need:
45-60 Pretzel Sticks (I went through 4 bags of Snydes of Hanover pretzels – ratio of non-broken sticks is about 80%)
1 cup chopped dark chocolate (I use bakers dark chocolate that comes in a bar)
1 cup chopped milk chocolate (same as above)
1 cup chopped white chocolate (same as very above)
* You can really use any type of chocolate you like.

Parchment or wax paper

Sprinkles (your favorite type or color – I used red)
1 cup Finely Chopped peppermint
1 cup Finely Chopped nuts (any kind you like)
1 cup Finely Chopped Skor Bar

Your favorite ribbon and packaging

What to do:
Melt chocolate (one kind at a time) in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, you can make a make-shift version with a sauce pan full of boiling water and glass bowl fit to the sauce pan, which you will set on top (bottom of bowl just touching boiling water). Slowly melt the chocolate until smooth. Dip pretzel sticks carefully into the chocolate and coat about half the stick; shake off lightly for an even coat. You can then add sprinkles or coat in candy, peppermint or nuts. Set on parchment paper to set.

Note: White chocolate takes longer to set, so you may have to put these in the refrigerator if you are on a time line.

Repeat the above 45-60 times (allow at least 2 hours to do this).

Once set, put a few of each kind into your favorite packaging, tie a bow and tada! I gave these to my co-workers and also used them as hostess gifts.

Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque

2007-12-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

Instead of the usual Thanksgiving at Aunt Sheila's where spicy stuffing, Black and Tans and rounds of Liar's Poker are a plenty, Kevin and I headed south to DC to meet up with friends and family for the holiday.

We made reservations for dinner at a great little place in Georgetown called Clyde's and the 8 of us, including two doctors, one nurse, a Naval officer and Capitol policeman had one great, filling meal complete with turkey, potatoes and the works!

McCarthy, who isn't afraid to try anything, (or 3 of everything) ordered the butternut squash bisque with duck confit and Marge and I had to have a bite. It was TDF so we ordered a cup to share, (sans duck). And so, here is the recipe I used in attempt to re-create one of the best tasting things of all time. Clyde's has me beat, but it's definitely up there!!

Servings: 4

2 pounds of butternut squash ( Use 2 halves that were pre-peeled, much easier)
1/3 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground peppercorns (or ground pepper, either one will work)
2/3 tablespoons EVOO
1/2 of a large sweet onion (Walla Walla and Vidalia are in season)
2/3 of a shallot
1 whole garlic head (*roasted and chopped)
2/3 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz. can) drained
2 2/3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 2/3 cups vegetable broth (plus some

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven until browned and fork tender (about 35-45 minutes) . Mash into smallish pieces, set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and shallot and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the tomatoes and sherry. Boil until almost all liquid evaporates.

Add the squash and stir in 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer to heat and incorporate the flavors, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Pureé the soup with a food processor until very smooth. Stir in cream. Bring soup to a simmer, uncovered, and cook until thickened. If the soup is too thick, add vegetable stock. Serve in a soup bowl and, if desired, garnish with a piece fresh thyme.

*Roasted Garlic Tip - I found it easiest to peel all of the garlic pieces, put them in a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle EVOO and salt and pepper over them. Close up the top of the foil (sort of in the shape of a hershey's kiss) and roast for 15-20 minutes with squash, then chop when finished.

Date & Goat Cheese Treats

2007-12-05T15:44:00.000-08:00

My mom was in town a couple of weeks ago and we went to dinner at this amazing Tapas restaurant Minotaur in Playa Del Rey. We tried the most amazing appetizer, and my mom concluded that this would be an easy recipe to duplicate at home.

Ingredients:

Pitted Dates
Goat Cheese
Fresh Raspberries
Creme De Coco (found in the drink mixers section of your grocery store)
Balsamic Vinegar

First you need to reduce the balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan on low heat. While that is simmering down, cut the dates & raspberries in half and set aside. Take the Creme De Coco and squeeze it onto your place in a spiral design. Take the cooled down, reduced balsamic vinegar and spoon it over the Creme De Coco in a similar design. Take a toothpick and drag it through the mixture in a couple straight lines to mix the two together and for appearance.

Next, take the date halves and stuff each one with some goat cheese and set on top of the Creme De Coco/Balsamic mixture. Once you have finished stuffing your dates, lightly place a raspberry half on top and *viola* you will have an appetizers or dessert that your guests will be coming back for again and again!

A side-dish to Warm Your Tummy

2007-12-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

1 Acorn Squash, halved
2 pats of butter
2 teaspoons of honey or maple syrup - I used maple syrup
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
Salt & pepper

Pre heat oven to 375 - 400 degrees F

Scoop the seeds out of each half with a spoon
Add 1 pat of butter, 1 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, salt and pepper to the hollow scoop of each half.
Place upright on a greased cookie sheet and roast for about 1 hour or until tender when flesh is poked with a fork.

This is a delicious, quick and easy side dish that is great anytime of the year.

Ricotta and Ham Calzone

2007-12-02T18:27:00.000-08:00

I made this for Rich the other night and received 2 thumbs up. We can't wait to make more calzones with different fillings. The recipe calls for you to make the dough from scratch but I bought pre-made pizza dough and it worked fine. If you'd like the recipe for the dough, just let me know.

1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/3 pound prosciutto cotto or ham, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 eggs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil for the crust

Preheat oven to 400 degress.

Prepare the bread dough as directed, cutting dough into two pieces.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, prosciutto, mozzarella, 1 egg, and pecorino. Using a wooden spoon, stir the filling until well combined. Set side.

Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into 2 rounds.

Spoon the filling onto the center of the dough round. Using your fingers, dab a little extra-virgin olive oil all around the edge of the dough. Fold each round over itself to make a half-moon shape. Using your fingers, crimp the edges, sealing the calzone.

In a small bowl use a fork to beat the remaining 1 egg. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, dab the top of the calzone with the egg mixture, which will help the top turn a beautiful golden brown.

Place in the oven and cook until the dough is cooked through and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cut into 4 pieces and serve immediately.

Gettin' Your Fix - Peppermint Style!

2007-11-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks I've been getting my money's worth out of our new coffee maker and recreating delicious holiday drinks at home. Since there isn't a Starbucks within 5 miles and Dunkin's gets a little repetitive, I have been brewing regular coffee and adding flavored creamer by Int'l Delight and Coffee Mate!

My new favorite is Coffee Mate's Peppermint Mocha. Kevin brought it home for me knowing that it was right up my ally! Although Im not a HUGE mocha fan, I tried it out and am hooked!! It's the perfect mix of peppermint taste without overpowering your morning coffee.

So if you're home on the weekend, running late and can't hit the Sbux drive-thru or just want to try something that's sure to get you in the holiday spirit, give it a try!!

Faux Cheese Fries

2007-11-28T09:25:00.000-08:00

Really flavorful, not as fatty....

2 pounds sweet potatoes, skin on, sliced into 1/4-inch by 2 1/2-inch sticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Put sliced sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over and toss with the seasoning salt and paprika until well coated.

Place sweet potatoes on a wire rack on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven until crunchy, about 25 minutes (I don't have a wire rack, so I put them on a cookie sheet lined w/ foil).

Remove from the oven and toss in a medium bowl with the Parmesan until well coated. Return to wire rack placed on cookie sheet and return to the oven. Bake until the cheese is melted. Remove and serve warm.

Smoked Turkey and Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette and Prosciutto Croutons

2007-11-28T09:06:00.001-08:00

I saw this recipe on an episode of Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee over the weekend and just had to try this salad.

For the dressing:
3 tablespoons pomegranate juice (Pom juice is a little pricey, but I saw pomegranate blueberry V8 Fusion juice on sale and got that instead)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic and herb dressing mix

For the salad:
3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 (5-ounce) bag pre-washed baby arugula
3/4 pound smoked turkey breast, pieces rolled into cylinders (I opted to cut the turkey into pieces, so it was all throughout the salad instead of just on top)
1 (15-ounce) can sliced pears, drained (I used lite, in juice, not syrup and I cut the halves in half, so there would be more chances to get a bite of pear)
2 ounces goat cheese
1/3 cup glazed walnuts and almonds (I didn't have these, but they would have been good)

In a small bowl, whisk together pomegranate juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salad dressing mix; set aside.

Separate prosciutto slices, tear or chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a medium frying pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add prosciutto pieces and brown on all sides (approximately 3 to 4 minutes); set aside on paper towels.

In a large bowl, add arugula and salad dressing. Toss to combine and place on a platter. (I obviously didn't place on a platter :) )

Top with rolled up turkey slices, pear slices and crumbled goat cheese. Garnish with glazed nuts and prosciutto "croutons".

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

2007-11-27T19:39:00.001-08:00

1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (7 oz) bottle salsa Verde
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup (3 oz) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth
8 (6 inch tortillas)
Cooking spray
1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled queso fresco
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
4 lime wedges
Cilantro sprigs

Preheat over to 425 degrees

Combine first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Combine chicken and cream cheese in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa mixture. Reserve remaining salsa mixture.

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium skillet. Working with one tortilla at a time, add tortilla to pan; cook 20 seconds or until moist, turning once. Remove tortilla; drain on paper towels. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of tortilla; roll up. Place tortilla, seam-side down, in an 11X7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, broth and chicken mixture.

Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with queso fresco and chili powder. Bake at 425 degrees for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

I also added a dollop of sour cream to the top of each enchilada. The recipe didn't call for this since it was a "light" recipe; so I figured by adding the sour cream I was bringing it back up to a "regular" recipe.

I also added a little extra cheddar cheese :)

BBQ Sauce- North Carolina Style

2007-11-26T21:11:00.000-08:00

This is actually a recipe that Rich discovered. The first time he made it for some pulled pork sandwiches and tonight we enjoyed it on some bacon cheeseburgers (The Clark/Janes household really love their burgers)

1 Quart Apple Cider Vinegar
7 oz Bottle Ketchup
5.5 oz Light Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Cup Salt
2 Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/8 Tsp Ground Cloves

Mix all ingredients in a stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand, about 30 minutes. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Add or subtract Red Pepper to desired spiciness.

Citrus Dishes

2007-11-26T12:20:00.000-08:00

I got the following three recipes from Paula and Bobby Deen. They all turned out really well. I didn't make the full amount of each recipe, so I adjusted the quantities accordingly.

Lemon Linguine

1 (8-ounce) package linguine
1/4 cup minced onion or shallot
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, divided
1 tablespoon milk
1 3/4 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 medium lemon)
1 whole lemon, zested
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives

Cook linguini according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

In a skillet, cook onion or shallots and garlic in butter, stirring constantly until tender, not brown. Stir in sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, milk, lemon-pepper, salt, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over linguini. Toss gently, adding chopped parsley, chives, and remaining Parmesan. Serve warm.

Grilled Salmon with Key Lime Butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons key lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

Cooked pasta or rice (I don't really like rice, so I didn't do this, but I served it next to the lemon linguini)

Prepare grill by lightly oiling grill grate over medium-high heat. (I dont have a grill, so I just made in a pan, about 5 min each side)

In a small saucepan, melt butter add lime juice. Salt and pepper the salmon fillets modestly on both sides. Place fillets onto grill, brush half of lime butter over salmon. Grill salmon for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Drizzle remaining lime butter over salmon before serving. Serve with pasta or rice

Asparagus with Sesame Citrus Sauce

1 bunch asparagus
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus a splash
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt

Prepare the asparagus. Snap off bases of spears and discard. Bring a small amount of salted water to boil in a saucepan, add a splash of lemon; add asparagus and cook until tender. Remove asparagus and shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking and to keep its bright green color.

Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes over moderate heat, until lightly browned. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons orange juice, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Whisk to make sure it's fully emulsified. Add salt, to taste.

Add asparagus to sauce, and toss until coated. Serve hot and garnish with extra sesame seeds, if desired.

..when a candy shop is named after you!

2007-11-15T16:54:00.000-08:00

Mexican Lasagna - Perfect for any Game Day!

2007-11-15T14:06:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe I got from my friend Heather who use to work with me. It is fabulous and super easy to make, and 3 out of 3 boys will tell you its heaven in a caserole dish*.

Preheat overn to 375 degrees

Ingredients: You can use any of your favorite Mexican ingredients; these are just what I like to use!

Package of Low Carb/Wheat Flour Tortillas

One can of black beans

1 Block pepper jack cheese

1 Block chedder cheese

1 can enchilada sauce

1 can chopped green chilis

1 can corn

Meat: I use both ground trukey (1 package) for this and I have also used broiled pulled chicken (3 - 4 breasts)

1 cup sour cream

Fresh salsa

2 fresh avocados (squeeze a little lemon juice to enhance the flavor)

Step 1: Lightly butter or vegatable oil a caserole dish (i prefer rectangle) to ensure nothing sticks

Step 2: Layer bottom of dish with enough tortillas to cover (may have to trim and place accordingly) and spread thin layer of enchillada sauce on top

Step 3: add a thin layer of meat with the about half the green chilis

Step 4: add enough of both kinds of cheeses to cover meat layor

Step 5: Spread a thin layer of sour cream on the next layer of tortillas and place sour cream side down onto the previous layor, then spread top with enchillada sauce

Step 6: add corn and black beans

Repeat Steps 4 & 5

Repeat Steps 3-5, then top with cheese

Baking Instructions: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake for 10 more or until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Serve with fresh salsa and avocados and your favorite tortilla chips. Also freezes well :)

*Derek Bunyard, Dustin Sherwood, Mike McCarthy

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2007-11-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

This muffin recipe is from my sister and has been a family favorite for years. I however, never used to eat them, because I thought I didn't like pumpkin. Well, I've recently come to find out that I enjoy pretty much everything pumpkin, except pumpkin pie (lattes, ale, seeds, soup, ravioli).

2 lg eggs
3/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. margarine, melted
1/4 c. milk
1 2/3 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix dry ingredients into wet. Pour into muffin tins. Bake 350 degrees for 15 min (or until a fork or toothpick come out clean)

Optional addition: I've made these before with a bit of cream cheese in the batter and then placed a dollop on top of the muffins about 12 min into baking.

Healthy Asian Cuisine: Perfect for a mid-week pick-me-up

2007-11-15T10:06:00.000-08:00

Lately, Steve has been doing most of the cooking because I get home from the gym usually past 7pm. However, last night I decided that I needed to make something that I knew he would love to make up for all the cooking he has been doing. On the way home, I stopped by Whole Foods knowing that I would find something perfect. I was on the phone with my dad (an amazing cook himself) trying to figure out the perfect Asian seafood dish - he suggested Black Cod, but quickly changed his mind when I told him they had sesame and ginger crusted Ahi tuna steaks. My tuna did not look exactly like the image I have provided, but pretty close. Also, as a side-dish for Steve, I bought him one bacon-wrapped scallop because as he has told me many times before he could live off scallops.

Ahi tuna is probably one of the easiest and quickest meals to make, but tough to perfect because the tuna must be seared at just the right amount of time leaving the inside completely raw. We seared the tuna for about 1 minute on each side at a very high heat. Because I am a huge fan of condiments/dipping sauces, I chose to dip slices of my tuna in Hoisin sauce (plum sauce) which added the perfect Asian flavor.

For side dishes, we had brown rice, which I added a bit of soy ginger sauce to and artichokes. Artichokes definitely seem to me as more of a Summer vegetable, but I found them at Whole Foods and they looked perfect and tasted even better. The usual dipping sauce for artichokes at the Coffey household is melted butter with garlic, but Steve likes to do something a bit different. His sauce for artichokes consists of lite mayonaise, horseradish, pecorino cheese (his parents brought this back from Italy for us), little bit of garlic and pepper. It was amazing!! I liked it much more than the the butter and garlic.

どうぞめしあがれ - this is Japanese for "Enjoy your Meal" - We definitely enjoyed ours!

My Thanksgiving Dishes - Spinach Artichoke Dip w/ Homemade Tortilla Chips

2007-11-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

This recipe takes a little bit of time to make, more so than typical dips, but its so yummy and worth it. Every year I say I am not making the chips again and will buy them at the store, but alas, I always end up doing it.

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup flour 2 cups milk

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)

1 cup chopped onions

1 (10-ounce) bag of fresh spinach, stemmed, rinsed and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 cans of artichoke hearts, julienned

Salt and cayenne

10-15 small corn tortillas, cut into fourths

Vegetable oil for frying

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Preheat the fryer.

Combine 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil and flour, in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly for 5 to 6 minutes for a blond roux (be careful not to burn). Whisk in the milk and bring the liquid up to a boil. Season the liquid with salt and cayenne. Simmer the liquid for 5 to 6 minutes, or until its thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Set the sauce aside.

In a saute pan, heat the remaining vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in handfuls of spinach at a time, until all the spinach is incorporated. Add the garlic and artichoke and saute for 2 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and cayenne. Remove the vegetables from the heat and turn into a mixing bowl.

Fold the Bechamel sauce into the vegetables. Turn the mixture into a baking pan. Bake the dip for 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown (I always have to cook mine longer).

Fry the tortilla chips, batches at a time, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the chips are golden and crispy (make sure they have enough oil to crisp the chips, but not too much so they're chewy). Remove from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the chips with the dip

My Thanksgiving Dishes - Broccoli Casserole

2007-11-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

This will be my fourth Thanksgiving making this casserole. Its a big hit and really easy. Depending on the amount of guests in attendance on Turkey Day, I usually double the recipe. I got the recipe from my mom - not sure where she got it.

1 pkg frozen broccoli or fresh (I use both)
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. mayonnaise (I use lite)
1 beaten egg
1/4 c. milk (I use skim)
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs

Topping: bread crumbs and 1 TBSP butter.

Cook and drain broccoli. Stir cheese and soup. Gradually add milk, mayo and egg. Stir until well blended. Pour over broccoli in a 10x6 baking dish. Cover w/ topping. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Its okay if you cook it longer than 45 min, you can't really screw it up.

Gnudi (Italian for "nude")

2007-11-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

This gnudi recipe, courtesy of our favorite, Giada De Laurentiis, is so simple and delicious. To me its reminiscent of gnocci or ravioli, but without the potato/pasta. So its like the filling without the outside. The recipe makes a large amount, so I prepare the mixture, then only cook what I am going to eat that meal and put the rest in the fridge to make the rest of the week.

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (I used lite)
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs 2 egg yolks (you have to use the exact amount, or else they won't stick together properly)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I of course, don't use freshy grated)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for coating
1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, parmesan cheese, eggs, and yolks. Stir in nutmeg, salt, pepper, and flour. Form mixture in to small, flattened balls.

Dredge the formed gnudi in flour to coat, tapping off the excess. Carefully slide formed gnudi into the boiling water. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary.

Cook gnudi for about 4 minutes and remove from pan with a slotted spoon after they have floated to the top.

Drizzle with marinara sauce and enjoy!

Beef Burgers with Mushrooms and Aioli

2007-11-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, here's my first post. Let me begin by informing you all that I'm not what you would call a "natural" cook. Unlike my boyfriend who just "wings it" every time and comes up with delicious creations, I need a recipe. That's why this blog is the greatest idea we, as a group, have ever come up with. With that being said, I use my recipes as guidelines and alter them wherever I see fit. Altering them usually involves adding cheese of some kind. I've provided the exact recipe along with my "alterations."

1 1/4 pounds lean ground chuck
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
4 (4-inch) square or round ciabatta or foccacia squares, halved horizontally (My grocery store is under construction and I couldn't find fancy bread anywhere so I went with onion buns....classy)
2 cups fresh arugula
gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (because everything tastes better with cheese)
chipotle mustard (I mixed this into the aioli sauce for a little kick)

Combine the ground chuck, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Shape the mixture into 4 (1/2 inc thick) patties.

Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl to blend. (The patties, mushrooms, and garlic can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover them separately and refrigerate.)

Prepare the barbecue (or if you've run out of propane like we did- use a grill pan.)

Grill the burgers until cooked to desire doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Grill the mushrooms until just tender, about 5 minutes per side. Grill the focaccia squares cut side down, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

This next part cracks me up, for those of you who have never had a burger in your life; please follow the next steps very carefully.
Spread the garlic mayonnaise over the roll bottoms. Cut the mushrooms into strips and arrange the mushroom strips over the mayonnaise. Place the burgers atop the mushrooms. Spread garlic mayonnaise on the cut side of the tops and arrange a handful of arugula on each. Cover the burger with the roll tops. (I added a side of fries and voila! Dinner in about 20 minutes)

I served the burgers with Casillero del Diablo, a 2006 Carmenere from Chile.

Winemaker's Note: Chocolate, coffee and spice combine with raspberries and blackberries in this Carmenere, Chile's very own grape.

Food Match: Perfect for tasty winter stews or grilled summer barbeques.

...Jack-O-Lanterns Inspire a Risotto with Flair!

2007-11-14T17:10:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Risotto

- 2 lbs pumpkin peeled and cut into 1/3 inch cubes (you can purchase baking pumpkins at Whole Foods)

- 1/4 cup olive oil

- 1/2 tbs honey, plus extra to drizzle

- 3 ½ cups vegetable stock

- 1 onion chopped

- 2 celery stalks

- ¾ inch piece ginger, grated

- 1 cup aborio rice (risotto)

- 2/3 cup white wine

- Juice of 1/2 lemon

- 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to garnish

- 2 tbs mascarpone, plus extra to serve

Preheat oven to 425 Lay pumpkin cubes in an even layer on a large baking tray and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove and drizzle with 1/2 Tablespoon of honey, tossing well to coat each piece. Roast for a further 15 mins until cooked and golden.

Place stock in a sauce pan and keep at a simmer over low heat. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large heavy based pan over low heat. Add onion and stir for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add celery and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat grains. Increase heat to medium-low, add wine and cook until absorbed. Add stock a ladleful at a time, allowing each to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue for 15 mins or until rice is cooked but still firm to the bite.

Add lemon juice, pumpkin and parsley. Season, then stir in mascarpone. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone, a drizzle of honey and extra parsley.