A few years ago I found a vegetable pot pie recipe on allrecipes.com and tried it. It was fantastic! I half the filling part recipe and make it in a pie plate with a top and bottom crust. You can substitute different veggies depending on what you have on hand. I add extra corn starch to the filling to make sure the consistency is thick enough. I use the same pie crust for this recipe as I use for fruit pies minus the sugar. See my November 2008 posting for apple pie if you want a good crust recipe.
Tonight I'm making it again. It's perfect for a cold winter evening. My husband* and I love it!
Veggie Pot Pie:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Veggie-Pot-Pie/Detail.aspx
* Andy & I eloped in Reno, NV on 11/29/08. If you are finding out through my blog, I apologize. :)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thanksgiving
This year for Thanksgiving we were fortunate to be invited over to a friend's who is an excellent cook. I did contribute a few things:
Apple Pie (see last blog entry) with whipped cream.
Sweet Potato Casserole - the way my Mom has always made it, based on a recipe in the Fanny Farmer cookbook.
Boil some sweet potatoes until just fork tender. Peel and slice and layer with granny smith apples in casserole dish. Include some brown sugar and cinnamon in each layer. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes, then bake uncovered another 10 minutes.
Apple - Orange Cranberry Sauce - a Williams Sonoma recipe you've got to try, easy to make and delicious to eat.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=2B4B2473%2D7272%2D4F5A%2D8BDFBB7D8A8FA69B
Apple Pie (see last blog entry) with whipped cream.
Sweet Potato Casserole - the way my Mom has always made it, based on a recipe in the Fanny Farmer cookbook.
Boil some sweet potatoes until just fork tender. Peel and slice and layer with granny smith apples in casserole dish. Include some brown sugar and cinnamon in each layer. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes, then bake uncovered another 10 minutes.
Apple - Orange Cranberry Sauce - a Williams Sonoma recipe you've got to try, easy to make and delicious to eat.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=2B4B2473%2D7272%2D4F5A%2D8BDFBB7D8A8FA69B
Monday, November 24, 2008
Apple Pie...a Billings Family Tradition
The bridal shower on Sunday was really fun. In addition to the pasta salad I also brought an apple pie. Everyone enjoyed it and really wanted the recipe. I bake pies so often, I never thought of posting recipes for them. One of the important things with apple pies is not to use too much sugar so that you can really taste the fruit.
Pies are easy once you get the hang of them. Don't be intimidated. I'm always available for lessons for those in the bay area. My Dad is an excellent pie baker and can provide training on the East Coast. :)
Here's the apple pie recipe I use:
First, the crust:
2 sticks butter
12 oz. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4-6 Tbsp iced water
I use my cuisinart to make crust. If you don't have a cuisinart, you can use a pastry cutter or fork. I cut the butter up into cubes and pulse it in the cuisinart with the flour until it reaches a sand like consistency. Then I add one tablespoon of ice water through the shoot and pulse a couple time. I keep adding ice water until the mixture is just wet enough to ball up. I then ball up the mixture and wrap it in plastic wrap and plop it in the fridge. It needs to refridgerate for at least two hours before use. When you are ready to make you pie just cut it in half, shape it into hockey pucks and roll it out with your rolling pin.
Next the filling:
3 lbs. organic granny smith apples (organic really does taste better with pies)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 white sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
juice of 1/2 lemon
Peel core and slice the apples about 1/4 inch thick. Toss all the ingredients together and let sit while you roll out your crusts.
Then assemble:
Roll out the bottom crust and place in your pie plate. The bottom crust should overlap the edges of the pie plate. Spoon the apple mixture into the pie plate. Spread an even layer on the bottom first and then pile the rest on top. I usually reserve about a cup of the apple mixture to make some mini pies with the crust trimmings. Wet your finger and go around the edge of the pie plate. Roll out your top crust and place on top of the pie. This should also overlap. Gently press the top crust over the pie and into the area where you wet the bottom crust. Trim so there is about 3/4 inch overlap total. twist the extra dough in and primp with your fingers. Poke some holes in the top of the pie with a fork to allow steam to escape while cooking.
Finally the oven:
Preheat your oven to 450 and put the pie in for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 for another 30-40 minutes. The pie is done when the crust is a nice golden color and you can hear it sizzling inside. I have a crust guard from Pampered Chef to keep the edges from burning. You can also cover them with foil to be safe.
Bonus, the mini pies:
I roll out the extra crust and put the reserved apple mixture in the middle. Fold up the sides. This smaller pie only needs to bake for about 25 minutes at 350.
Andy usually eats the whole pie and then I give the mini pie to a neighbor or co-worker as a treat.
Pies are easy once you get the hang of them. Don't be intimidated. I'm always available for lessons for those in the bay area. My Dad is an excellent pie baker and can provide training on the East Coast. :)
Here's the apple pie recipe I use:
First, the crust:
2 sticks butter
12 oz. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4-6 Tbsp iced water
I use my cuisinart to make crust. If you don't have a cuisinart, you can use a pastry cutter or fork. I cut the butter up into cubes and pulse it in the cuisinart with the flour until it reaches a sand like consistency. Then I add one tablespoon of ice water through the shoot and pulse a couple time. I keep adding ice water until the mixture is just wet enough to ball up. I then ball up the mixture and wrap it in plastic wrap and plop it in the fridge. It needs to refridgerate for at least two hours before use. When you are ready to make you pie just cut it in half, shape it into hockey pucks and roll it out with your rolling pin.
Next the filling:
3 lbs. organic granny smith apples (organic really does taste better with pies)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 white sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
juice of 1/2 lemon
Peel core and slice the apples about 1/4 inch thick. Toss all the ingredients together and let sit while you roll out your crusts.
Then assemble:
Roll out the bottom crust and place in your pie plate. The bottom crust should overlap the edges of the pie plate. Spoon the apple mixture into the pie plate. Spread an even layer on the bottom first and then pile the rest on top. I usually reserve about a cup of the apple mixture to make some mini pies with the crust trimmings. Wet your finger and go around the edge of the pie plate. Roll out your top crust and place on top of the pie. This should also overlap. Gently press the top crust over the pie and into the area where you wet the bottom crust. Trim so there is about 3/4 inch overlap total. twist the extra dough in and primp with your fingers. Poke some holes in the top of the pie with a fork to allow steam to escape while cooking.
Finally the oven:
Preheat your oven to 450 and put the pie in for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 for another 30-40 minutes. The pie is done when the crust is a nice golden color and you can hear it sizzling inside. I have a crust guard from Pampered Chef to keep the edges from burning. You can also cover them with foil to be safe.
Bonus, the mini pies:
I roll out the extra crust and put the reserved apple mixture in the middle. Fold up the sides. This smaller pie only needs to bake for about 25 minutes at 350.
Andy usually eats the whole pie and then I give the mini pie to a neighbor or co-worker as a treat.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Bridal Shower - Pasta Salad
I'm going to a bridal shower on Sunday and I've been asked to bring a pasta salad. I have one that I've been making for years and it's always good. I even made 10 recipes of it for a friend's wedding once. Pre-cooked chicken from Costco was added to make it the main meal. (We didn't have pasta salad for about a year after that.)
It's a super easy recipe. I like to roast my own red peppers, so that makes it a little more time consuming.
Fusilli with Tomato, Arugula and Feta:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/fusilli-with-tomato-arugula-and-feta-recipe/index.html
It's a super easy recipe. I like to roast my own red peppers, so that makes it a little more time consuming.
Fusilli with Tomato, Arugula and Feta:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/fusilli-with-tomato-arugula-and-feta-recipe/index.html
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
It's been a while...
Wow! It's been a really long time since I posted to my blog. I've made lots of great things since July that I should have been posting. Now I'm inspired again. My sister and her friends visited this past weekend and I made them an apple cake. I also made one for a potluck at work. Both groups gave rave reviews. I've had many requests for the apple cake recipes, so I'm posting it here.
See recipe for apple cake below. I used butter instead of margarine. I just don't buy margarine. I also used whatever type of apples were on hand. The last one I made had 2 honeycrisps and 1 granny smith. In my oven, I only needed to bake for 55 minutes, so be careful with the cooking time.
I also made turkey meatballs last week. They are great to freeze and are best heated up in sauce. This helps them stay moist. The microwave also works well. I heated them up in the oven as described in the recipe and they were kind of dry. I usually adjust the recipe and make 2 1/2 lbs of turkey meat so that we have lots to freeze.
Cinnamon Apple Cake:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=520875
Turkey Meatballs:
Since I can't figure out how to post pdfs to this blog, I will type out the recipe for you.
1 lb turkey
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Put all the ingredients together and use your clean hands to incorporate everything together. Roll between palms into meatballs of whatever size you prefer. I do mine about 1 inch. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Gently brown meatballs for about 2 minutes. Transfer to cookie sheet with sides, it's okay if the meatballs are touching. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. When they come out of the oven you can eat them immediately. Also, you can transfer to another cookies sheet, this time don't let them touch, cool to room temperature and then freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a ziploc freezer bag. The best way to thaw them out is by throwing them in pasta sauce for 20 minutes on the stovetop.
This recipe appeared in the September 2008 issue of Cooking Light on page 18.
See recipe for apple cake below. I used butter instead of margarine. I just don't buy margarine. I also used whatever type of apples were on hand. The last one I made had 2 honeycrisps and 1 granny smith. In my oven, I only needed to bake for 55 minutes, so be careful with the cooking time.
I also made turkey meatballs last week. They are great to freeze and are best heated up in sauce. This helps them stay moist. The microwave also works well. I heated them up in the oven as described in the recipe and they were kind of dry. I usually adjust the recipe and make 2 1/2 lbs of turkey meat so that we have lots to freeze.
Cinnamon Apple Cake:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=520875
Turkey Meatballs:
Since I can't figure out how to post pdfs to this blog, I will type out the recipe for you.
1 lb turkey
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Put all the ingredients together and use your clean hands to incorporate everything together. Roll between palms into meatballs of whatever size you prefer. I do mine about 1 inch. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Gently brown meatballs for about 2 minutes. Transfer to cookie sheet with sides, it's okay if the meatballs are touching. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. When they come out of the oven you can eat them immediately. Also, you can transfer to another cookies sheet, this time don't let them touch, cool to room temperature and then freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a ziploc freezer bag. The best way to thaw them out is by throwing them in pasta sauce for 20 minutes on the stovetop.
This recipe appeared in the September 2008 issue of Cooking Light on page 18.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Gifts from the garden
We had our first zucchinis out of our own garden this week.
I made zucchini parmesan with them and it was quite tasty. It's nice to have fresh food from our own yard.
Zucchini Parmesan:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223814
I made zucchini parmesan with them and it was quite tasty. It's nice to have fresh food from our own yard.
Zucchini Parmesan:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223814
Mid-July at the Farmer's Market
Andy & I went to the farmer's market yesterday. It was full of juicy and delicious stone fruits. I got some peaches and nectarines. They are so flavorful raw, there is no reason to cook them. So no recipes to share for those.
Squash blossoms caught our eyes. We went home and picked some of our own squash blossoms.
Here's the recipe we used:
Squash Blossoms
Remove the pistol from the center of the closed blossom. I used a knife to slice an opening in the side of the closed blossom.
Mix some goat cheese with garlic and whatever herbs you have on hand. I used oregano and parsley.
Stuff the squash blossoms with the cheese mixture.
Beat an egg and coat the squash blossoms with the beaten egg. Dredge through a mixture of breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan cheese.
Saute in olive oil until browned on both sides. Yum!
Squash blossoms caught our eyes. We went home and picked some of our own squash blossoms.
Here's the recipe we used:
Squash Blossoms
Remove the pistol from the center of the closed blossom. I used a knife to slice an opening in the side of the closed blossom.
Mix some goat cheese with garlic and whatever herbs you have on hand. I used oregano and parsley.
Stuff the squash blossoms with the cheese mixture.
Beat an egg and coat the squash blossoms with the beaten egg. Dredge through a mixture of breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan cheese.
Saute in olive oil until browned on both sides. Yum!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Bacon Grisini
We just got back last weekend from a two week trip to Ireland. We had a fabulous time visiting with my family. I haven't cooked much since then.
Yesterday we went to a party and I brought Bacon Grisini, a real crowd pleaser that my Mom makes every year for her Christmas party. Bacon Grisini only has three ingredients:
1 lb thin cut sliced bacon
Grisini breadsticks - you'll probably have to go to an italian delicatessan for these. They are about the same thickness as a pencil.
brown sugar
Prep: Preheat your over to 350 degrees. You take the pound of bacon and slice it in half. Then let it warm up to room temperature so that it is easier to work with. Break each grisini breadstick in half. Pour about two cups of brown sugar into a flat dish.
Take each half slice of bacon and rub it generously with brown sugar. Tightly wrap the bacon strip around a half breadstick. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Make sure you use a baking sheet with sides and that the foil goes up the sides of the baking sheet. The bacon grisinis only need to be separated by about a 1/2 inch.
Bake the bacon grisinis in the oven for about 15 minutes. When you take them out of the oven you will have bacon grisinis swimming in a pool of bacon fat and melted sugar. This is the most critical step. Immediately remove the bacon grisinis to a fresh foil lined baking sheet. I use two forks to pick them up. You have to do this step before they cool, if you don't it will solidify and you'll never get your bacon grisinis off the pan.
You can allow the bacon grisinis to cool at this point and even refrigerate them for a day or two. When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350 and heat the bacon grisinis for about 10-15 minutes until they are hot and crispy.
If you are serving these at a party you probably want to wait until most of your guests arrive before serving. There probably won't last very long once they are served because they will all be eaten up!
Yesterday we went to a party and I brought Bacon Grisini, a real crowd pleaser that my Mom makes every year for her Christmas party. Bacon Grisini only has three ingredients:
1 lb thin cut sliced bacon
Grisini breadsticks - you'll probably have to go to an italian delicatessan for these. They are about the same thickness as a pencil.
brown sugar
Prep: Preheat your over to 350 degrees. You take the pound of bacon and slice it in half. Then let it warm up to room temperature so that it is easier to work with. Break each grisini breadstick in half. Pour about two cups of brown sugar into a flat dish.
Take each half slice of bacon and rub it generously with brown sugar. Tightly wrap the bacon strip around a half breadstick. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Make sure you use a baking sheet with sides and that the foil goes up the sides of the baking sheet. The bacon grisinis only need to be separated by about a 1/2 inch.
Bake the bacon grisinis in the oven for about 15 minutes. When you take them out of the oven you will have bacon grisinis swimming in a pool of bacon fat and melted sugar. This is the most critical step. Immediately remove the bacon grisinis to a fresh foil lined baking sheet. I use two forks to pick them up. You have to do this step before they cool, if you don't it will solidify and you'll never get your bacon grisinis off the pan.
You can allow the bacon grisinis to cool at this point and even refrigerate them for a day or two. When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350 and heat the bacon grisinis for about 10-15 minutes until they are hot and crispy.
If you are serving these at a party you probably want to wait until most of your guests arrive before serving. There probably won't last very long once they are served because they will all be eaten up!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Chicken Avocado Casserole
I rarely make chicken because I don't like it. My boyfriend and most of my houseguests do like it.
Last night I had some chicken breasts in the fridge and I pulled out a past successful recipe - Chicken Avocado Casserole. I got the recipe off a box of Morton's Kosher Salt. I've made it before and Andy really liked it. It's featured on allrecipes.com.
It's called a casserole, but it's more like baked chicken breasts with mushrooms and really good sauce. I served it with rice and snap peas. I use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth in the sauce. It's just too chickeny otherwise. I also only used 4 chickens breast, and doubled the amount of broth to make the sauce less thick, but made everything else the same. I don't really like chicken, but it's nice to learn how to cook it at least.
I also made blackberry cobbler for dessert. I found that recipe on myrecipes.com and it was very good. I only made a half recipe since blackberries are so expensive right now.
Chicken Avocado Casserole
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Avocado-Casserole/Detail.aspx
Blackberry Cobbler
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=659315
Last night I had some chicken breasts in the fridge and I pulled out a past successful recipe - Chicken Avocado Casserole. I got the recipe off a box of Morton's Kosher Salt. I've made it before and Andy really liked it. It's featured on allrecipes.com.
It's called a casserole, but it's more like baked chicken breasts with mushrooms and really good sauce. I served it with rice and snap peas. I use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth in the sauce. It's just too chickeny otherwise. I also only used 4 chickens breast, and doubled the amount of broth to make the sauce less thick, but made everything else the same. I don't really like chicken, but it's nice to learn how to cook it at least.
I also made blackberry cobbler for dessert. I found that recipe on myrecipes.com and it was very good. I only made a half recipe since blackberries are so expensive right now.
Chicken Avocado Casserole
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Avocado-Casserole/Detail.aspx
Blackberry Cobbler
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=659315
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Traditional Tuna Casserole
I just made some more of that iced tea. We're having a heat wave and it's very refreshing.
This week I made a tuna casserole that turned out quite nice. It was simple and we enjoyed it.
Tuna Noodle Casserole
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R115597
This week I made a tuna casserole that turned out quite nice. It was simple and we enjoyed it.
Tuna Noodle Casserole
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R115597
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Per's Refreshing Minty Iced Tea
When the weather starts to warm up I like to make iced tea to have on hand for a refreshing break on a sunny day. I learned this recipe from my good friend Jan Perry, who I affectionately refer to as "Per". I've known Per my whole life and she's always has a big patch of mint growing outside her back door. When Andy & I visited her a few years ago in Connecticut he tried some of her iced tea and loved it. So I got the recipe for our enjoyment out here on the West Coast.
Ingredients:
2 Liters Water
Handful of fresh mint leaves - about 20
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
5 Roses tea bags - or whichever brand you prefer
Directions:
1. Put 2 Liters water on to boil.
2. In small saucepan combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water and torn up mint leaves. Put on low heat and stir until sugar is disolved and small bubbles form. Turn heat off and let sit. You will have a minty syrup.
3. Place tea bags in pitcher and add boiled water. Let steep for 5 minutes and remove tea bags.
4. Pour mint syrup through a strainer into iced tea.
5. Serve over ice cubes immediately or allow to cool.
Mint grows like crazy and will take over your whole yard. It's best grown in a container. Just about everyone has mint growing in their yard or neighborhood, so don't buy it. It's readily available for free most of the year.
I've always bought Rose's tea because I like the figurines that are included in the box. Lipton or Tetly is fine too. You don't need fancy tea for this recipe.
Ingredients:
2 Liters Water
Handful of fresh mint leaves - about 20
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
5 Roses tea bags - or whichever brand you prefer
Directions:
1. Put 2 Liters water on to boil.
2. In small saucepan combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water and torn up mint leaves. Put on low heat and stir until sugar is disolved and small bubbles form. Turn heat off and let sit. You will have a minty syrup.
3. Place tea bags in pitcher and add boiled water. Let steep for 5 minutes and remove tea bags.
4. Pour mint syrup through a strainer into iced tea.
5. Serve over ice cubes immediately or allow to cool.
Mint grows like crazy and will take over your whole yard. It's best grown in a container. Just about everyone has mint growing in their yard or neighborhood, so don't buy it. It's readily available for free most of the year.
I've always bought Rose's tea because I like the figurines that are included in the box. Lipton or Tetly is fine too. You don't need fancy tea for this recipe.
Fake Meat Products
I've mentioned before how much I like Morningstar Farms Veggie Bacon on a BLT. Another product that Morningstar Farms makes that is excellent is the Grillers Recipe Crumbles. It is textured vegetable protein that substitues seemlessly for ground beef in a recipe.
A simple week night meal for us is tacos with Morningstar Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles.
I start out my chopping up a red onion and sauteeing it in a teaspoon of canola oil. Then I add my recipe crumbles and heat through. I throw in some taco seasoning, which comes in little packets, and some water and simmer for about 7 minutes.
I like to serve the tacos on warm 6" corn tortillas with sharp cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and cilantro.
This turns out a very yummy & flavorful meal. My boyfriend who is a meat-eater, says he can't tell the difference between the Recipe Crumbles and real ground beef when used in recipes.
I've also used the similar Boca Burger product and it is also very good. I just buy whichever is on sale.
A simple week night meal for us is tacos with Morningstar Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles.
I start out my chopping up a red onion and sauteeing it in a teaspoon of canola oil. Then I add my recipe crumbles and heat through. I throw in some taco seasoning, which comes in little packets, and some water and simmer for about 7 minutes.
I like to serve the tacos on warm 6" corn tortillas with sharp cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and cilantro.
This turns out a very yummy & flavorful meal. My boyfriend who is a meat-eater, says he can't tell the difference between the Recipe Crumbles and real ground beef when used in recipes.
I've also used the similar Boca Burger product and it is also very good. I just buy whichever is on sale.
Enchilada Follow-up
The enchilada recipe I tried last weekend turned out to be delicious. We had it for dinner and also used it for several other meals through the week.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
The Whole Enchilada
Tonight I'm making Black Bean, Corn and Zucchini Enchiladas. This is a new recipe for me and I'll report back on how it goes. Here are the links to the enchilada recipe and the accompanying enchilada sauce. I have made other types of enchiladas before and they are always better when you make your own sauce. I'm hoping this one turns out well.
Black Bean, Corn and Zucchini Enchiladas:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1611704
Enchilada Sauce:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1611705
Black Bean, Corn and Zucchini Enchiladas:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1611704
Enchilada Sauce:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1611705
A Simple (Almost) Summer Meal
If you watch Food Network, you are familiar with Giada DeLaurentis's show "Everyday Italian". I've watched a lot of Food Network shows and tried a lot of the recipes. Giada's recipes I find actually taste good when made at home and involve relatively simple ingredients. I also like Ina Garten's recipes from Barefoot Contessa, although her ingredients tend to be really expensive.
About a year ago Andy & I watched Giada make really simple Baked Caprese Salad. We made it and really enjoyed it. See the link below for Giada's original recipe. We usually enhance it by carefully reducing about a 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar while everything else is cooking and brushing that on top at the end. The balsamic vinegar becomes syrupy and sweet, be careful not to burn it. We've also added olive tapenade from Trader Joe's underneath the tomato.
We just had this meal again on Thursday night because the tomatoes in the store are finally decent and basil is also coming into season.
Baked Caprese Salad:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33449,00.html
About a year ago Andy & I watched Giada make really simple Baked Caprese Salad. We made it and really enjoyed it. See the link below for Giada's original recipe. We usually enhance it by carefully reducing about a 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar while everything else is cooking and brushing that on top at the end. The balsamic vinegar becomes syrupy and sweet, be careful not to burn it. We've also added olive tapenade from Trader Joe's underneath the tomato.
We just had this meal again on Thursday night because the tomatoes in the store are finally decent and basil is also coming into season.
Baked Caprese Salad:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33449,00.html
Breakfast for Dinner
I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I last posted. One of my fans has been complaining. I really haven't cooked anything lately that hasn't already been shared. Last weekend my parents were visiting and I redid my Easter Brunch for a crowd of 10. Everyone really enjoyed the Spinach Gruyere Strata again, that recipe really is a winner. I had some buttermilk left over from my Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls and decided not to let it got to waste - everyone is being careful in this economy ;)
So we had breakfast for dinner. I made Mom's Oatmeal Blueberry Pancakes. (I got this recipe from allrecipes.com and not from my own Mom.) The reviews of the recipe were good and I gleaned a very good suggestion from reading them: once the batter is mixed up it should be allowed to sit for about 30 minutes to allow the oats to absorb some of the liquid.
This was a very simple recipe. Andy & I both enjoyed it alot and we'll be making it again.
Mom's Oatmeal Blueberry Pancakes:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Moms-Oatmeal-Blueberry-Pancakes/Detail.aspx
So we had breakfast for dinner. I made Mom's Oatmeal Blueberry Pancakes. (I got this recipe from allrecipes.com and not from my own Mom.) The reviews of the recipe were good and I gleaned a very good suggestion from reading them: once the batter is mixed up it should be allowed to sit for about 30 minutes to allow the oats to absorb some of the liquid.
This was a very simple recipe. Andy & I both enjoyed it alot and we'll be making it again.
Mom's Oatmeal Blueberry Pancakes:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Moms-Oatmeal-Blueberry-Pancakes/Detail.aspx
Monday, April 7, 2008
More Risotto
Tonight I tried the Asparagus-Leek Risotto that I mentioned in my last posting. It turned out very good. We preferred the Rosy Beet Risotto I made on Saturday because it's so different from the flavors we usually eat and it was so tasty! However, I will definitely make the Asparagaus-Leek Risotto again. It's nice to have new ways to cook asparagus. I love to eat it and when it's in season, it's soooo good.
We served it alongside salmon with Chef Paul Prudhomme's seafood magic seasoning....see my salmon post from February for more info.
We served it alongside salmon with Chef Paul Prudhomme's seafood magic seasoning....see my salmon post from February for more info.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Rosy Beet Risotto
My #1 fan (my Dad) was complaining this morning that I haven't updated my blog. I haven't really cooked much this week, so I haven't had much to say. I just made some risotto, so now I have something to report.
I found several interesting recipes in the April 2008 issue of Better Homes & Gardens. I just made one of them and it turned out to be delicious. The one I tried today was Rosy Beet Risotto.
Aside from roasting the beets, this recipe was pretty simple. The magazine says that you can use canned beets instead of roasting them, but I really think roasting yourself is worth the effort. It's not hard at all, just takes some extra time. Both Andy & I really liked this dish. I know that beets are really healthy, so it was nice to find a way to incorporate them into a meal. With only 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 oz of cheese, this recipe is pretty good for those concerned about cholesterol.
Here's the link to the recipe:
Rosy Beet Risotto:
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R114238
I also thought these two recipes were interesting, but I haven't tried them yet:
Asparagus-Leek Risotto:
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R114246
Cheddar-Apple Bundles:
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R113829
I found several interesting recipes in the April 2008 issue of Better Homes & Gardens. I just made one of them and it turned out to be delicious. The one I tried today was Rosy Beet Risotto.
Aside from roasting the beets, this recipe was pretty simple. The magazine says that you can use canned beets instead of roasting them, but I really think roasting yourself is worth the effort. It's not hard at all, just takes some extra time. Both Andy & I really liked this dish. I know that beets are really healthy, so it was nice to find a way to incorporate them into a meal. With only 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 oz of cheese, this recipe is pretty good for those concerned about cholesterol.
Here's the link to the recipe:
Rosy Beet Risotto:
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R114238
I also thought these two recipes were interesting, but I haven't tried them yet:
Asparagus-Leek Risotto:
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R114246
Cheddar-Apple Bundles:
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R113829
Saturday, March 29, 2008
The Other Fake Meat
Greetings, today we decided to make due with what we have in the pantry and skip grocery shopping. Luckily our pantry wasn't too bare.
I made veggie BLT's for dinner. Morningstar Farms makes a delicious veggie bacon that is very easy to prepare. (I find the lowest price for this product is at Trader Joe's.) I use the frying pan method for preparation as described on the box. I cooked up two slices of bacon for each sandwich.
I toasted up some bread, spread a little mayonaise, threw on some lettuce and sliced up a tomato I had leftover from the Farmer's Market. Then I slid on the crispy veggie bacon.
Even my boyfriend who is a hardcore carnivore loves Morningstar Farms veggie bacon when it's in a BLT.
I have to add that the tomato I got at the farmer's market was fantastic. It had so much flavor and I realized I haven't had a decent tomato all winter. Also, the farmer's market asparagus we had the other night was much better than what I've been getting at the store. I need to go to the farmer's market more often.
Tomorrow I'm going to make a spinach quiche, I'll be posting the recipe. I'll also be making bean and cheese burritos this week, a very quick meal. My father enlisted two new fans for my blog, so I have to keep posting!
I made veggie BLT's for dinner. Morningstar Farms makes a delicious veggie bacon that is very easy to prepare. (I find the lowest price for this product is at Trader Joe's.) I use the frying pan method for preparation as described on the box. I cooked up two slices of bacon for each sandwich.
I toasted up some bread, spread a little mayonaise, threw on some lettuce and sliced up a tomato I had leftover from the Farmer's Market. Then I slid on the crispy veggie bacon.
Even my boyfriend who is a hardcore carnivore loves Morningstar Farms veggie bacon when it's in a BLT.
I have to add that the tomato I got at the farmer's market was fantastic. It had so much flavor and I realized I haven't had a decent tomato all winter. Also, the farmer's market asparagus we had the other night was much better than what I've been getting at the store. I need to go to the farmer's market more often.
Tomorrow I'm going to make a spinach quiche, I'll be posting the recipe. I'll also be making bean and cheese burritos this week, a very quick meal. My father enlisted two new fans for my blog, so I have to keep posting!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Farmer's Market
My sister, Kerry, is visiting me from NYC. She brought me a loaf of rye break from NYC and we made egg sandwiches this morning with eggs from my chickens of course.
For lunch we headed to my favorite farmer's market -the Thursday market in San Rafael. We almost were too full for lunch after all the samples we were given. I had a falafel sandwich from the Avi-ously Delicious truck, which is run by a guy named Avi. Kerry had a tofu & chipotle tamale from Donna's Tamales.
We picked out stuff for dinner and I'm about to start cooking it. We picked up some fresh made eggplant gorgonzola ravioli. Also some nice asparagus. We purchased fresh butter from the Cow Girl creamery and stopped for a loaf of seeded sourdough baguette at La Farine on the way home. We tasted some delicious raisins and got those to go with our japanese cucumbers and tomatoes for a salad. I'm not using any recipes tonight. Just cooking some simple food.
It's nice to have one of my fans here with me. The other one is visiting next month and we'll make another trip to the farmer's market :)
For lunch we headed to my favorite farmer's market -the Thursday market in San Rafael. We almost were too full for lunch after all the samples we were given. I had a falafel sandwich from the Avi-ously Delicious truck, which is run by a guy named Avi. Kerry had a tofu & chipotle tamale from Donna's Tamales.
We picked out stuff for dinner and I'm about to start cooking it. We picked up some fresh made eggplant gorgonzola ravioli. Also some nice asparagus. We purchased fresh butter from the Cow Girl creamery and stopped for a loaf of seeded sourdough baguette at La Farine on the way home. We tasted some delicious raisins and got those to go with our japanese cucumbers and tomatoes for a salad. I'm not using any recipes tonight. Just cooking some simple food.
It's nice to have one of my fans here with me. The other one is visiting next month and we'll make another trip to the farmer's market :)
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter Debrief
Easter was terrific! I'm glad I followed my Mom's suggestion and prepared the strata in advance. This morning all we had to do was make the potatoes, bacon & toast. I just popped the cinnamon buns and strata in the oven.
My guests loved both the strata and the cinnamon buns. Both were really yummy.
My guests loved both the strata and the cinnamon buns. Both were really yummy.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Easter!
It's been over a month since I posted to my blog and my two fans are complaining - my Father & Sister. I've cooked lots of yummy meals in that time, but haven't gotten around to posting.
So today I will discuss my plans for Easter. We have six chickens in the backyard and they all lay delicious eggs. Some days they each lay one. We are inundated with eggs. Andy & I decided to invite some friends over for Easter brunch since we have so many eggs to share.
The menu is as follows:
Cinnamon Rolls
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Buttermilk-Cinnamon-Rolls/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cinnamon-Bun-Icing/Detail.aspx
Spinach & Gruyere Strata
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/107754
Fresh eggs to order
Home-fried Potatoes
Bacon
Morningstar Farms Veggie Bacon
Toast with jam
Fruit Salad
Mimosas
I've made the cinnamon rolls before and they are outstanding. Be sure to use Fleishman's yeast, other brands haven't turned out as well. For the icing recipe, only make 1/2 recipe.
I've never made the strata before, but I'm looking forward to it. The reviews of the recipe were very positive.
I have my own recipe for home-fried potatoes. Here it is:
2 lbs yukon gold potatoes
3 Tbsp butter
salt & pepper
Scrub the potatoes and chop into 1/2 - 3/4 inch cubes. It's important to be consistant with size for even cooking.
Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water about 1 inch past top of potatoes. Add a teaspoon of salt and put on high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, remove the pot from heat.
Transfer the the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a frying pan where you have melted the butter. Cook on low heat and stir every ten minutes for about 40 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes.
Everyone I've made these potatoes for loves them.
So today I will discuss my plans for Easter. We have six chickens in the backyard and they all lay delicious eggs. Some days they each lay one. We are inundated with eggs. Andy & I decided to invite some friends over for Easter brunch since we have so many eggs to share.
The menu is as follows:
Cinnamon Rolls
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Buttermilk-Cinnamon-Rolls/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cinnamon-Bun-Icing/Detail.aspx
Spinach & Gruyere Strata
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/107754
Fresh eggs to order
Home-fried Potatoes
Bacon
Morningstar Farms Veggie Bacon
Toast with jam
Fruit Salad
Mimosas
I've made the cinnamon rolls before and they are outstanding. Be sure to use Fleishman's yeast, other brands haven't turned out as well. For the icing recipe, only make 1/2 recipe.
I've never made the strata before, but I'm looking forward to it. The reviews of the recipe were very positive.
I have my own recipe for home-fried potatoes. Here it is:
2 lbs yukon gold potatoes
3 Tbsp butter
salt & pepper
Scrub the potatoes and chop into 1/2 - 3/4 inch cubes. It's important to be consistant with size for even cooking.
Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water about 1 inch past top of potatoes. Add a teaspoon of salt and put on high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, remove the pot from heat.
Transfer the the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a frying pan where you have melted the butter. Cook on low heat and stir every ten minutes for about 40 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes.
Everyone I've made these potatoes for loves them.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Salmon
So the Brocolli-Peanut Stir-Fry wasn't too great. It tasted a lot like Pad Thai, which isn't one of my favorites. If you like Pad Thai, this would probably be a good recipe for you. Also, the tofu didn't cook up as nice as it does in a thai restaurant. It was more the consistency of scrambled eggs. I need to work on that.
So tonight I'm cooking an old standard for me...Asian Marinated Salmon. This recipe came from my friend Cheryl who go it from the mother of an old boyfriend. My parents and several friends make it regularly since I shared the recipe with them.
Marinade:
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce (leave this out if you are allergic to shellfish)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 bunch chives minced
1/4 cup fresh ginger minced
Marinate 2 lbs of salmon filet for at least and hour, but all day for the best outcome. Cook fish on the grill and reserve marinade. Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a saucepan and reduce down. Serve salmon with reduced marinade poured over.
I like to serve this with Trader Joe's Harvest Medley and asparagus. Tonight we're having it with snap peas.
Enjoy!
While we're on the topic of salmon. Here are a few other favorite salmon recipes:
-Salmon with Chef Paul Prudhomme's seafood magic. This is sold in the spice isle of most grocery stores. It gives the fish a nice flavor and is well worth the $7 price tag. It will last for multiple meals.
-Broiled Salmon with Marmalade Dijon Glaze. This doesn't require pre-marinating and is quite delicious. Also, looks gorgeous with the shiny glistening broiled marmalade glaze. I found the recipe at www.myrecipes.com, here's the direct link:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1173824
-My friend RC, who has his own blog (http://dailypizza.blogspot.com/) cooked Salmon Fillet en Papillote with Julienne Vegetable which he got from Alton Brown on Food Network website. It was fabulous! This one is a little more complicated that the other mentioned so far, but the results are outstanding. RC has step-by-step pictures for this recipe on his blog, although the recipe has been adapted (or improved upon) slightly.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_24168,00.html
So tonight I'm cooking an old standard for me...Asian Marinated Salmon. This recipe came from my friend Cheryl who go it from the mother of an old boyfriend. My parents and several friends make it regularly since I shared the recipe with them.
Marinade:
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce (leave this out if you are allergic to shellfish)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 bunch chives minced
1/4 cup fresh ginger minced
Marinate 2 lbs of salmon filet for at least and hour, but all day for the best outcome. Cook fish on the grill and reserve marinade. Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a saucepan and reduce down. Serve salmon with reduced marinade poured over.
I like to serve this with Trader Joe's Harvest Medley and asparagus. Tonight we're having it with snap peas.
Enjoy!
While we're on the topic of salmon. Here are a few other favorite salmon recipes:
-Salmon with Chef Paul Prudhomme's seafood magic. This is sold in the spice isle of most grocery stores. It gives the fish a nice flavor and is well worth the $7 price tag. It will last for multiple meals.
-Broiled Salmon with Marmalade Dijon Glaze. This doesn't require pre-marinating and is quite delicious. Also, looks gorgeous with the shiny glistening broiled marmalade glaze. I found the recipe at www.myrecipes.com, here's the direct link:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1173824
-My friend RC, who has his own blog (http://dailypizza.blogspot.com/) cooked Salmon Fillet en Papillote with Julienne Vegetable which he got from Alton Brown on Food Network website. It was fabulous! This one is a little more complicated that the other mentioned so far, but the results are outstanding. RC has step-by-step pictures for this recipe on his blog, although the recipe has been adapted (or improved upon) slightly.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_24168,00.html
Friday, February 15, 2008
Friday February 15th, 2007
I decided to start a blog dedicated to meal planning. This is for me to keep track of what I've been cooking and jog my memory when I need to plan meals. And to share with family & friends who sometimes enjoy the recipes I recommend.
Tonight I'm making Peanut-Brocolli Stir-Fry with brown rice. I found the recipe on www.myrecipes.com and this is the first time I'm making it. I'll log on later and let you know how we like it.
Here's the link to the recipe:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/gallery/0,28548,1701867_1515135,00.html
Tonight I'm making Peanut-Brocolli Stir-Fry with brown rice. I found the recipe on www.myrecipes.com and this is the first time I'm making it. I'll log on later and let you know how we like it.
Here's the link to the recipe:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/gallery/0,28548,1701867_1515135,00.html
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