Roasted Brussel Spouts with a Balsamic Glaze

For those of you out there that don't like brussels sprouts, I STRONGLY encourage you to give them one more try with this recipe.  It is from Ina Garten's Foolproof cookbook and is AMAZING.  I'm pretty sure I've had it once a week since I bought the book back in November!  They are so crunchy and delightful and if you love bacon, you'll love this... I PROMISE!!!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Basamic Glaze
Serves:  4
Source:  Adapted from Ina Garten's Foolproof

15 brussels sprouts
kosher salt
pepper
3 slices of pancetta (regular bacon works as well)
1 tablespoon balasmic moderno syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pancetta into 1/2 inch cubes and arrange on a baking dish.  Bake in oven for five minutes.  
 
Remove stems of brussels sprouts and cut in half.  In a bowl combine brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss.  Add brussels sprouts to the baking pan and return to oven.  Roast for 20-30 minutes tossing once have way through cooking.  When pancetta is crispy and brussels sprouts are browned, remove from oven.  Drizzle brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze and serve.

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 6 out of 10 (he isn't a huge Brussels sprout fan) 

- Miss J

 

Chicken Tikka Masala

It took me many years to build up to it, but once I tried Indian food for the first time, I haven't stopped craving it since.  We have an Indian restaurant literally ten feet from our back door and I am a frequent flyer there.  This gets expensive so I thought I'd try out a recipe with my new Le Crueset that I got for Christmas!  I'd say the restaurant is better but this makes a close second.

Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves: 4
Source:  Adapted from theveryhungreycook.com 


1 inch ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp coriander
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 cardamom
 1/2 lime, juiced
4 tablespoons greek yogurt
2 boneless chicken breasts 

1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 stick butter
1 tsp garam marsala
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/8 tsp turmeric (optional) 
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups pureed tomato
1/2 cup heavy cream (1/2 and 1/2 would work)
chopped cilantro
2 cups cooked basmati rice

Chop chicken into one and half inch cubes.  Combine first 11 ingredients in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for 24 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Skewer chicken and place on baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning chicken every five minutes.  In the last two turns, brush chicken lightly with butter.   

In a sauce pan or 3 qt dutch oven such as a Le Crueset, heat butter.   Saute onions until translucent.  

Add garlic, cayenne pepper, tomato paste, and garam marsala.  Saute for 2 minutes then add chicken tikka and cook for 10 more minutes.  

Add tomato puree and cook over medium-low heat with lid on stirring periodically.  After 30 minutes, add heavy cream and cook for two more minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over basmati rice and garnish with cilantro.  

Enjoy!

Ratings:
Miss J, 8 out of 10
Moe, TBD when he gets off work!
- Miss J
 

Merritt Family Pizza Sauce

As I mentioned in my previous blog, this is the pizza sauce recipe that goes with pizza night.  I absolutely love this recipe because its super easy and can be used on anything from pizza to calzones to pasta sauces.  It also freezes really really well.  Every time I make this now, I double it so I can keep half frozen in the freezer for future meals!  Enjoy!

 
Merritt Family Pizza Sauce
Source:  Merrit Family Original
Serves:   4 large pizzas

1/4 cup extra, olive oil

Small red onion minced

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 tsp red wine vinegar (optional)
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

28 oz can CRUSHED tomatoes

Tablespoon of fresh oregano

fresh basil 

Put olive oil, onion, and garlic in large saucepan.  Cook over moderate heat until garlic turns golden but not brown.  Add crushed tomatoes and oregano and simmer for 15-30 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.  You can freeze for future use or store in the fridge for up to one week.

- Miss J

Ratings:

Miss J, 9 out of 10

Moe, 8 out of 10 

Merritt Family Pizza Night

This past fall, Moe and I were introduced to the art of pizza making.  Our friend's Cambey and David have shown us that as the process is just as important fun as the actual food you are going to eat.  Pizza night is a wonderful way to engage a large group (and family) and get everyone into the cooking spirit!  My parents came in town, and the last night they were here we shared this wonderful tradition with them!  Everyone was up in the kitchen participating (even my dad who is hardly the cook)! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we have and will continue to throughout the years.

Merritt Family Pizza Recipe
Source:  Cambey and Dave
Serves:  4 Pizzas

4 cups pizza sauce (recipe - Homemade Pizza Sauce)
2 - 8 oz bags of shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza dough - homemade or store bought (recommend whole wheat from Whole Foods)
Salt and Pepper
corn meal
pizza paddle
pizza cutter
pizza stone

Place pizza stone in a cold oven (very important so stone doesn't crack).  With pizza stone in oven, preheat oven to 550 degrees (if doesn't go that high, 450 degrees will work).  Put some flour on a working space and place dough on surface and roll.  If dough sticks to surface or rolling pin then sprinkle more flour on the dough.  Roll out and every couple of rolls rotate dough 45 degrees in a circle until you reach a 9-10 inch diameter circle.

You can store the rolled out dough on wax paper if you aren't ready to use and can stack them with a piece of wax paper between.  

When you are ready to cook pizza, put wooden pizza paddle on the counter and sprinkle with corn meal so that the pizza will slide off easily onto the pizza stone in oven.  Using your hand spread corn meal evenly over paddle.  Place pizza dough on the peel.  

 
Put a thin layer of sauce on dough.  Cover with toppings depending on which type of pizza you are making.  

Once toppings are complete, use peel to slide pizza onto pizza stone. Close door.  In a minute or so open door and using a fork to turn pizza 45 degrees and shut door.  Check pizza every 30 seconds to a minute turning with fork ever so often.  The pizza is done when the crust is dark brown and almost black.  Using fork, drag pizza onto a pizza try.  Slice immediately and eat!  


Pizza #1 - Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil
2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 mozzarella ball, sliced with liquid removed
1 cup pizza sauce

Pizza #2 - Prosciutto and Buffalo Mozzarella
8 slices of Prosciutto
1 container of Buffalo Mozzarella, drained - remove excess liquid with Scott towel
1 cup pizza sauce

Pizza #3 - Pepperoni with Roasted Red Peppers
10 large Pepperoni slices from the deli
2 roasted red peppers (can use jarred or prepare your own on grill)
red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Pizza #4 - Red Onion with Rosemary
1/2 red onion, sliced long ways and then halved
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, diced
1 cup pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Pictures from the evening...

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10

- Miss J

Honey Baked Ham Pea Soup

One of my fondest memories of my Nana was her in the kitchen. She was an amazing cook.  I don't have a single memory at her house without it involving sitting at her kitchen table eating a mug of soup (you never went to her house and left hungry).  However, there was one soup the grandchildren refused to try, split pea soup.  Perhaps it was the green/brownish color or the odd texture, but either way, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.  After years of fighting her on it, Nana got creative.  I vividly remember arriving at her house with my sisters and her stopping us at the door with blind folds. She told us she made us a wonderful surprise and we had we could not peak until she said so.  We all were escorted into the kitchen and seated at the table.  She walked around the table and gave each of us a taste of the surprise.  We all were squealing at how wonderful the warm soup was when she tore off the blindfolds for us to see the green mixture sitting in front of us.  My Nana insisted things aren't always as they seem and when it comes to split pea soup, that is definitely the case! The recipe below is not my Nana's recipe but is adapted from my Ina Garten's cookbook, Foolproof.  The Christmas leftovers had to be put to good use :)

Honey Baked Ham Pea Soup
Serves: 4-6
Source:  Adapted from Ina Garten's Foolproof Cookbook

1 lb frozen peas
1 1/2 cups honey baked ham, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 large shallot, finely diced
1 large garlic clove, finely diced
1/2 tsp salt (more or less depending on taste)
1/2 tsp pepper (more or less depending on taste)
2 cups cooking stock
1 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio) 
olive oil
Parmesan (optional for garnish)

In a large pot or dutch oven such as a Le Creuset, warm oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and saute for 5 minutes until translucent.  Add garlic and heat for one minute. Add ham and saute for one minute to allow fat to coat bottom of pan.  Remove ham and set aside.  Add stock, wine, frozen peas, salt, and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil.  once boiling, reduce down to a simmer.  With a hand held food processor, puree peas into liquid.  Once done, add ham back into mixture and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  Add more salt and pepper to taste before serving.  Serve with or without a garnish.  Garnish ideas include homemade croutons or Parmesan.  

Notes:  When I made this I kept the meat in the soup when I pureed the peas.  The taste was great, but the texture was a bit lumpy. As indicated in the recipe above, I suggest removing and adding back so the meat are in large bits and the pea soup will be creamy and smooth.  

Ratings:
Miss J, 8 out of 10
Moe, unrated (he is at work)

- Miss J

Italian Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio

Friday morning my parents flew in from Columbus to visit Moe and I for the weekend.  Last time we had planned a big dinner at a restaurant but Moe's schedule held him up and we ended up not eating until nine (ten o'clock eastern).  To avoid a repeat scenario, we decided to make a homemade Italian meal in the apartment so that we'd have the flexibility to eat it if Matt was running late plus it was a nice quiet evening after a day of traveling for my parents.  This recipe had jumped out at me from the Food & Wine Magazine that my friend had gifted me.  I never have thought of using radicchio outside of salads but it added a very pleasant combination with the fennel and ricotta mixture.  Moe and my parents loved it.  Pretty sure everyone was a member of the clean plate club after this meal!

Italian Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio
Source:  Food & Wine Magazine, October 2012
Serves:  6

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons EV olive oil
2 pounds fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 medium head of radicchio, chopped
12 oz jumbo shells
2 cups ricotta cheese (part skim)
6 oz Fontina cheeses, shredded (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (reserve a small amount for garnish)
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups Homemade Marinara Sauce or jarred sauce
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Melt butter and oil in skillet.  Add fennel and onions to the pan and saute until lightly browned, approximately 15 minutes.  If vegetables start to burn, add water as appropriate.  Add radicchio and cook until soft, approximately 10 minutes (again adding water as appropriate).  Move vegetables out of pan and into a separate bowl to cool.  

In a large pot, cook pasta according to packaging to al dente.  Once done, remove shells and pat dry. 

In a small mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup fontina cheese, parsley, and radicchio and fennel mixture.  Once mixed, fold in eggs. 

In another bowl, mix marinara sauce  and heavy cream.  Pour 1 1/2 cups into the bottom of a 13 inch baking dish and spread around.  Stuff each shell with ricotta mixture and align shells in the bottom of the baking dish with opening faced up.  Pour 1 cup of sauce sauce over shells and sprinkle with remaining fontina cheese.  

Bake shells for 40 minutes until golden and bubbly.  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. While shells are cooling, heat remaining pasta sauce.  Serve pasta shells with warm sauce on the side.  

- Miss J

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10  

Homemade Marinara Sauce

Homemade Marinara Sauce
Source:  Food & Wine Magazine, October 2012
Serves: 6

1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, halved
35 oz can whole peeled Italian tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 basil sprigs
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic cloves and saute until golden for approximately 5 minutes.  Add tomato paste and cook an additional minute stirring continually to avoid burning.  Add tomatoes and crush with spoon (or dice before adding to pan).  Add pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, and basil and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce to low and simmer for approximately 30 minutes, stirring periodically.  Sauce should reduce down to 3 cups when done.  Remove basil and garlic from sauce and toss.  Sauce can be frozen for future uses or kept in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

- Miss J

Ratings:
Miss J, 9 out of 10
Moe, 9 out of 10

Homemade Chicken Cordon Blue

Homemade Chicken Cordon Blue

Source:  

Serves:  2

2 chicken breasts

6 slices of prosciutto wrapped in mozzarella cheese

12 crackers, finely crumbled

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup flour

1 large egg

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 tsp honey mustard

15 fingerling potatoes

10 button mushrooms, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 tsp thyme, dried

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Salt and pepper 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine panko and cracker crumbs in a dish and toss with butter.  Arrange on a baking sheet.  Bake  3-5 minutes until slightly browned.  Be careful not to burn.  Remove and allow to cool.  Pour crumbs on a plate and set aside. Reduce oven temp to 400 degrees. 

Slice a pocket in each chicken breast.  The pocket should be about 3 inches wide.  With your finger rub 1 tsp of honey mustard in each pocket.  Then stuff the chicken with the prosciutto slices.  Sprinkle chicken breast with salt and pepper.  

Pour flour in a shallow dish or flat plate.  Pour egg in another dish and beat.  Dredge the stuffed chicken breast in flour.  Move to the egg mixture and coat chicken breast.  Finally, roll chicken breast in crumb mixture.  Put chicken in a baking dish with enough room to surround with potatoes and mushrooms.  Repeat with remaining chicken breast. 

In a large bowl, toss fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, salt, pepper, olive oil, and thyme.  Pour potato mixture around chicken.  Place in oven and cook at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until chicken is done.  After about 10 minutes of cooking cover with foil for remainder of cooking until about five minutes at the end which you'll use to crisp up the chicken.  Chicken should read an internal temperature of 165 degrees when done. 

Enjoy!

Miss J

Chicken Pot Pie

Everyone loves the comfort of a warm chicken pot pie.  I made this over the summer on a rainy weekend.  I absolutely LOVED it.  I soon learned Moe didn't like pot pie so I have decided that I will just invite my friends over for whenever I make it so that they can appreciate the true value of this wonderful dish. 

Chicken Pot Pie
Source:  Modified from Cooking Light, August 2012
Serves:  2

1/4 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup peas (thawed)
1/4 cup sliced leeks
1 slice of bacon
1 Idaho potato, diced in half in cubes
1 cup cubed chicken, cooked
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 package of refrigerated pie dough
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a deep pan or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat (be careful not to burn).  Add potatoes and carrots to the pan and cook until lightly browned, approximately three minutes.  Add flour, leeks, and salt and pepper to the pan.  Add cooked chicken and mix.  Stir in chicken broth and peas and bring to a boil.  Cook for several minutes while sauce thickens.  If sauce does not reach desired consistency.  Mix in a separate bowl some water and flour together.  Add flour mixture in small increments to get desired thickness.  When ready, spoon mixture into two baking dishes.  

Top with dough and pinch edges down to seal the edges.  

Combine milk and egg whites in a bowl.  Brush mixture over dough.  Cut a small vent in the top of the dough.  Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and let stand for at least 10 minutes.  Be careful when serving as baking dish will be hot.  

- Miss J

Ratings:
Miss J, 10 out of 10
Moe, 8 out of 10

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

In my attempts to eat breakfast everyday, smoothies are becoming my best friend.  I am by no means an expert on smoothie making so I basically have been taking the approach of throw anything in and push "blend".  So far so good!

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Source: Miss J Original

Serves:  1 serving

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 banana

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

7 cubes of ice

Put everything in the blender and push "blend" :)  Serve in a chilled glass.

- Miss J

Rating:

Miss J, 9 out of 10

Moe, not rated

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are one of the easiest weekday meals for the working professional. They are quick, simple, delicious, and healthy.  I love this recipe because it blends the warm chicken filling with the crisp cool toppings.  They also make great leftovers .

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Source:  Modified from Cooking Light Magazine, August 2012

Serves:  4

1 cup chopped onion

2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cumin

6 oz lean ground chicken

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes

1/2 cup diced cucumber

1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

1/4 cup red pepper hummus (spicy hummus is great as well)

8 Boston lettuce leaves - removed from stock, rinsed, and dried

2 tablespoons mint leaves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil (approximately 2 tsp)

In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat.  Add onions, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, chicken and salt and pepper to pan.  Cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is done.  Combine parsley, tomato, and cucumber in a small bowl.  Combine yogurt and hummus in a small bowl.  Fill bottom of lettuce leaf with chicken mixture, top with cucumber mixture and hummus mixture.  Sprinkle mint and pine nuts evenly on top of assembled lettuce wraps. 

Note:  The original recipe says to combine the chicken and the cucumber tomato mixtures before placing in lettuce leaf.  If you plan on eating all of the wraps in one sitting, I would recommend this approach.  However, if you plan to have left overs then keeping them separate will prevent the cucumbers and tomatoes from getting soggy when storing in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Miss J

Ratings:
Miss J, 9 out of 10
Moe, 8 out of 10

Out with the old. In with the new.

After a busy summer and TONS of fun, I am back to the world of blogging!  Although food has been a central part of the last few months, sadly eating out has become more of the norm.  As things slow down this fall, I am making a conscious effort to get back on track.  Historically, "getting back on track" meant starting a crazy diet and depriving myself of the things I love (ice cream, pasta, potatoes).  Although this strategy is temping, I have realized with age that this is never sustainable.  It is a quick fix to what is really a lifestyle problem.  Starting today, I am focusing on breaking old habits and starting new ones.  Here is my game plan...

• Eat breakfast everyday.  I rearranged my kitchen so that my blender finally has a permanent home on the counter.  That way I can start my day off with a fruit smoothie without using the excuse that its too difficult to dig out the blender.
• Pack a lunch.   No more are the fast food or cafeteria food that I have been consuming in my stressful work days.  No matter how stressed I am.  There really isn't a good reason that I can't pack my lunch at least 3/5 work days a week.
• Cook dinner four nights per week.  I always over commit on this and then after the first week of having ten thousand pounds of left overs, I give up.  I realized if I can just target four nights then that leaves a night or two for leftovers and once a week takeout if need be (everyone needs a break). 
• Workout.  It doesn't have to be an intense one hour crazy workout.  A simple 20 minute cardio is better than nothing.
• Get up early.  I find it easy to fall into the rut when it comes to my sleep cycle.  Moe is on nights so I have been staying up late working just to crash into bed exhausted and struggle to get up with my alarm.  Since I want to make a smoothie every morning, I better get used to an earlier alarm clock to make it happen :)

Now that the plan is in place, wish me luck on the execution!

Miss J

Glazed Chicken and Pad Thai Noodle Salad

Glazed Chicken and Pad Thai Noodle Salad

Serves:  4
Source: Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, July 2012, page 62

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
2 boneless chicken breasts
6 oz pad Thai egg noodles
1 tablespoon organic peanut butter, chucky
¼ cup bottled Szechuan sauce (See recipe below if you don’t want to buy a bottle)
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
½ cup matchstick-cut green onions
 
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 
Combine first four ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Add chicken to bowl and coat well.  Place chicken on grill rack with cooking spray.  Grill each side for 4 minutes or until done.  Remove from grill and cover until ready to serve. 
 

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Mix together Szechuan sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice with a whisk.  Add noodles, carrots, and green onions.  Toss and serve immediately with chicken. 

Homemade Szechuan Sauce

Serves:  4
Source:  FoodNetwork.com

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 ½ tablespoon minced, peeled ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp dry crushed red pepper
½ cup canned low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp cornstarch
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
1 tsp sugar
 
Mix ginger, garlic, red pepper, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and sugar in a pan and warm to near boiling. 
Combine broth and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until cornstarch has dissolved.
Stir the cornstarch mixture into the first mixture and continue stirring until thickened. 

- Miss J

Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Mushrooms, and Pine Nuts

I love this recipe!  It is easy and delicious so the best of both worlds.  The other night Moe was working overnight shift so I packed this up and took it to the hospital to eat with him the cafeteria.  It transported well and was super easy to make. I must say the picture didn't turn out well since we were in the cafeteria of a hospital but don't judge a book by it's cover. I encourage you all to give it a try!

Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Mushrooms, and Pine Nuts

Serves: 2

Source:  Adapted from Cooking for Two 2011, pg 87-88

1 head garlic

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Small container of crimini mushrooms (approximately 10) OR 4 portabella mushroom caps, cut into ¾ inch cubes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
Parsley, fresh, chopped
Salt and pepper
½ cup reserved pasta water, set aside
2 tablespoons pine nuts,
1 tablespoon butter
6 oz pasta (any kind – I used angel hair, original recipe calls for campanelle which is the Italian bell shaped pasta)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Rinse garlic head and remove the outer papery skin.  Cut the top quarter off the head of the garlic and throw away.  On a sheet of foil, place garlic head, cut side up, in the center of the foil and drizzle with a bit of olive oil (approximately ½ tsp).  Seal packet and place in lower rack of the oven.  Roast for approximately 20 minutes.  As soon as garlic is done, open foil and set aside to cool.

While garlic is roasting, cut mushrooms.  Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet. 

 Top with slivers of butter.  Roast mushrooms for 10 minutes or until browned and tender.  Be sure to stir mushrooms on sheet so it doesn’t burn. Remove and set aside.

While mushrooms and garlic are in the oven, dice parsley.  In a small mixing bowl, add lemon juice and set aside. Remove garlic and mushrooms from the oven when done cooking. 

In a small skillet, heat 1 tsp of butter and add pine nuts. Sauté until golden then remove.  Set aside to cool.

Once garlic is cooled, squeeze roasted garlic cloves from the skin and into the small bowl with the lemon juice.  Mash into a paste.  Add 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil to the mixing bowl and whisk together. 

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.  Add pasta and cook according to package directions.  Remove ½ cup of pasta water and set aside.  Drain pasta and return to pot.  Add garlic sauce, mushrooms, parsley, and pine nuts together.  Add pasta water to get desired consistency.  Top with parmesan and serve immediately. 

- Miss J

Ratings:

Miss J, 9 out of 10

Moe, 9 out of 10

Pimiento Cheese BLTs

Summer has arrived in full swing so we are enjoying the art of picnicing!  Saturday night was member appreciation night at the St. Louis Art Museum so we got several couples together for a big picnic followed by a showing of "Singing in the Rain" on Art Hill.  Moe was working so he missed all the fun but the rest of us packed up a basket full of food and headed out to forest park fo the picnic. It was wonderful because we had such an array of food from fried chicken to couscous to cinnamon muffins with a maple glaze.  I brought pimiento cheese BLTs which I was so excited to try.  Everyone voted it was a keeper.  It was fun to assemble at the picnic as I sliced the tomatoes ahead of time and cooked the bacon so all I had to do was cut the bread and layer all the ingredients together.  All in all, the food was fabulous, the weather was beautiful, and the movie was hilarous.  This entire evening made me love St. Louis even more than I already do. 

Pimiento Cheese BLTs
Souce:  Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, July 2012 (page 60)
Serves:  4 (I doubled the recipe for the picnic)

2 tablespoons bottled diced pimientos, drained
1 tablesppon finely diced shallots
1 tablespoon mayo (preferrably canola)
1 tsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (preferrably low fat)
1/3 cup fhresly grated Parmesean cheese
1-2 tablespoons greek yogurt
1/2 loaf Cibatta bread
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
6 slices bacon
1 cup arugala

Mix the first seven ingredients together (stop before you add the greek yogurt).  Mash the cheese together with the  back of a spoon to break up the cheddar cheese slices.  Add greek yogurt until you get the desired consistency.  This may require more or less than a tablespoon.  I like it smoother so I added a bit more.  Pace in fridge so that cheese firms up.

Cook bacon.  I leave this open as to how to cook the bacon (microwave, skillet, grill).  I used a grill this time and was plesantly surprised.  The bacon had a wonderul flavor that it picked up from the grill rack and the house didn't smell.  Best of both worlds if you ask me!  Once bacon is cooked, set aside to cool.

When ready to serve, spread cheese mixture (2 tablespoons per slice - more if bigger loaf of bread).  Top with tomato slices, bacon, and arugala. 

Bon Appetite!

Ratings:
Miss J, 8 out of 10
Moe, 8 out of 10 (Moe go to try the left overs the next day since he missed the picnic)

Below are pictures of the picnic and movie night...

We probably brought enough food to feed a small army.  Love Cam and Holly's entire mouth full of food in this picture :)

Alittle whiffle ball while we wait for the movie to start.

Fabulous view from our seats.

View looking back at the art museum from art hill.

I keep asking Moe when we are going to have one of these in our backyard.

And the show begins!

Tuscan Grilled Vegetables with Orzo

Moe and I have been traveling like crazy so cooking hasn't been much of an option.  However, now that we are back stateside, I am excited to hit the kitchen again.  While we were in New York, my sister-in-law, Hannah, introduced me to Penzeys spices.  It is an online spice store which has the most amazing chip/veggie dip ever.  I recently ordered some and my spices came with a wonderful magazine. Although it featured recipes using Penzeys spices only, I was able to modify some of them to get some fabulous results.  In the spirit of eating healthy, this was a wonderful spring orzo that can be serve both warm or cold.

Tuscan Grilled Vegetables with Orzo
Source:  Modified from Penzeys Magazine, Summer 2012
Serves:  4 servings

1/2 cup orzo, cooked al dente
1 red bell pepper,  sliced into one inch cubes
1 small zucchini, sliced into one inch cubes
1 shallot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 grape tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoon butter
1 tsp Italian seasoning herb mix (any variety - I used a feisty Tuscan seasoning mix I bought at the farmers market) or 1 tsp Penzeys Tuscan Sunset
1/4 cup almond slices or pine nuts
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Toss zucchini and bell pepper in 1 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper, and 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning.  Vegetables can either be cooked and charred on the grill or in the oven. If you cook them in the oven then cook the bell peppers for 4 minutes at 400 degrees then add zucchini. Cook another 4 minutes then switch the oven to low broil for another three minutes.  Remove and allow vegetables to cool. 

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add nuts and allow to brown for 5 minutes stirring frequently.  Remove nuts and set aside.

Add one tablespoon butter and 1 tsp olive oil and heat in saucepan.  Add garlic and onion and saute until translucent.  Add remaining Italian seasoning and mix well.  Add orzo, grilled vegetables, and grape tomatoes.  Mix and serve with fresh Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.  Orzo can also be chilled and served the next day. 

Rating:
Miss J, 9 out of 10
Moe, 10 out of 10

- Miss J

Portabella Mushroom Stuffed wtih Spinach and Cranberries

Moe and I have been traveling like crazy so cooking hasn't been much of an option. However, now that we are back stateside, I am excited to hit the kitchen again. If you like mushrooms, portabella mushrooms are a create way to liven up a meal.  They are super easy and you can just throw them on the grill.  They can really be stuffed with anything that you have laying around in your fridge. Hope you like it!

Portabella Mushroom Stuffed with Spinach and Cranberries
Source:  Miss J Original
Serves: 2

2 portabella mushrooms
1 cup spinach (stems removed)
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 tsp butter
1/2 onion, diced finely
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons cranberries
2 slices of provolone cheese (any type of cheese will work)
1 teaspoon water

Marinade
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
(salad dressing ratio is 1:3, but for marinades I prefer 1:2)
fresh ground pepper


Remove stems of portabella mushrooms. Scrap out gills to remove grit. This is an optional step. I never used to remove the gills until my friend mentioned it to me. It definitely makes for a much cleaner dish if you remove them. Be careful to not break the mushroom when you remove them.

Mix marinade ingredients together and place in a ziplock bag.  Place mushroom caps in bag and marinade for 15-20 minutes. 

While mushrooms marinade, prepare stuffing.  In a skillet, heat up butter.  Add onions and garlic and saute until translucent. Add cranberries and heat until softened. Add breadcrumbs and saute until crisp.  Remove breadcrumbs and set aside.  Add one teaspoon of water to skillet and spinach, cook until spinach is wilted.  Combine with breadcrumbs and set aside.

Once mushrooms are done marinating, remove the caps from bag and set on a plate.  Mix together bread crumbs mixture and spinach.  Fill caps with stuffing mixture.  Place one slice of cheese over each mushroom.  Cook on medium grill for 10 minutes or until done. 

Enjoy!

Ratings:
Miss J, 8 out of 10
Moe, 8 out of 10

- Miss J