Triple Mushroom Lasagna

Lasagna, the pizza of pasta. Delicious sauce, a little filling, a lot of work. As unique as a your fingerprint, lasagna is anything you want it to be. I set out to make it with my favorite pizza toppings, mushrooms and green peppers. There is a reason people don't make lasagna every night, yet few dishes are as satisfying to make, serve and eat. Much like pizza,  I have yet to meet a person who would refuse a hot hunk of lasagna, and this one gets a special luxury of fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese, 2 locally grown mushrooms and a luxurious tomato cream sauce made with local tomatoes.


Tomato Cream Sauce
Since tomatoes are in season in every one's garden right now- this recipe is basically an elegant way to get rid of a lot at once. This is a great fake out vodka sauce, would be excellent for chicken or eggplant parmesan, and would be great spiced up with some chili flakes. This sauce freezes very well, and it is imperative that this sauce is salted after the liquid has been reduced by half or 2/3rds to ensure proper seasoning. If you have home grown roma, pear or plum (paste) tomatoes, 20-25 of those would be preferable, but since i had them, i used a combination of big beef and celebrity tomatoes. This recipe makes about a half gallon of sauce- because why make a little when you can make a lot and have some for later!?


15-20 medium sized tomatoes.
1 small white onion
2 large shallots
4 medium to large garlic cloves, peeled
1 large green pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried herbes de provence
2 tablespoons dried italian seasoning
2 teaspoons dulce or sweet smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste (after the sauce is completed)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup heavy cream

Wash the tomatoes, and remove any stems. With a paring knife, score each tomato with an "X" on the bottom to assist in peeling. In a large pot of salted water, boil the tomatoes for 3-4 minutes. Remove the tomatoes, and dunk them in ice water to stop the cooking. Peel each tomato, cut out the core and set aside in a large bowl. Using your hands, squeeze and squish the tomatoes until they are in small to medium sized pieces. Drain the tomatoes through a colander, or sieve and reserve the juices. Set aside 1 cup of tomato juice for the mushroom filling. Set aside remaining tomato juice, and get started on the vegetables for the sauce.

Heat a large pot (like the one you used to boil the tomatoes) on medium, and heat the olive oil until it shimmers in the pan. While the pan is heating, medium dice the onion, shallots and green pepper. Saute the onions and peppers until they are translucent and slightly brown. Add tomato chunks and turn the heat to high and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Reduce to medium low, and add dried herbs and whole peeled garlic.  If the mixture is too chunky- add some of the reserved tomato juice, (or if you're using roma or paste tomatoes- add water) until it is the consistency of a chunky soup. The mixture will reduce by half or two thirds, so start out by using less liquid so the flavors will concentrate, and take less cooking time. Simmer on medium low for 1-3 hours depending on volume and desired consistency. Stirring occasionally.  I like my sauce to reduce about 2/3 and be nice and thick.  Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture well. Add cream and stir well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.



Rustic Triple Mushroom Filling
Local mushrooms and fresh cheeses can be found at farmers markets, or a specialty food store like Ellwood Thompsons here in Richmond, VA. If you can't find wood ear mushrooms, use more shiitake, or any other mushroom you like. I like the wood ear for the meaty and interesting texture, as well as the smoky and woody flavors that play well with the funkiness of the fontina cheese.

1 package of Dave and Dee's Oyster Mushrooms
1/2 pound of local shiitake's- de stemmed and cleaned
1 package of dried wood ear mushrooms
1 cup tomato juice
8 ounces fresh whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese,  1/2 cup reserved for top of lasagna
8 ounces fresh buffalo mozzarella, or 2 large mozzarella balls. reserve 1/2 a mozzarella ball for top of lasagna
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese (for top of lasagna only)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or vegetable oil
salt and pepper

Boil the reserved tomato juice (in a microwave is fine) and add the dried wood ear mushrooms. let the mushrooms steep for about 15 minutes. Heat a large stainless steel frying pan on medium high heat. Clean and de-stem the  shiitake and oyster mushrooms, and rip the caps into about 1 inch pieces. Heat oil in the pan until it smokes slightly, and saute the mushroom pieces until they are golden brown. Add reconstituted wood ear mushrooms and saute lightly. De glaze the pan with any remaining tomato juice.  salt and pepper lightly towards the end of the cooking. In a medium sized bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, shredded fontina and mushrooms.

Lasagna Noodles
1 pound good quality lasagna- preferably the kind with the ruffled edges. I do not recommend no boil lasagna- mainly because i don't have much experience with them.
2 tablespoons olive oil
salted water

In a large pasta pot, boil salted water, and cook lasagna noodles for 10 minutes- or until they are just a bit harder than al dente. drain the noodles and on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet, shingle the lasagna noodles - saving any broken noodles for a lasagna patch if needed. This process can be a tricky one- since the noodles will stick together if you wait too long, or you burn your fingers if you touch them too much. I recommend silicone tipped, spring loaded tongs for ease of handling, or brave fingertips.


Assemble the Lasagna
Preheat the oven to 400
In a large dark coated lasagna or deep rectangular metal pan, butter the sides and bottom. In the bottom of the pan ladle about 8 ounces of sauce into the bottom. Shingle 4 or 5 lasagna noodles at the bottom of the pan. Smear half the cheese and mushroom mixture over the noodles and top with 6-8 ounces more of sauce, and rip up one ball of buffalo mozzarella- or enough to cover the sauce. Repeat this process 2 or more times until your pan is full. Top the lasagna with shredded fontina, asiago and mozzarella cheese, and a couple grinds of fresh black pepper. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling from the sides of the pan and the cheese is golden brown. Let the lasagna sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes so it can set up and be sliceable. No matter how much you want to eat it right away, this last step is crucial. Nothing is worse than trying to eat molten lasagna quickly, and that is a lesson you only need to learn once. If the Lasagna pan is very full, place the pan on a foil lined baking sheet for accident prevention.


Serve with crusty garlic bread and a nice beer, and you've got yourself a date.

Special thanks to my sister Pizzalicious Lauren for helping me peel and squish tomatoes.

Red White and Blue Potato Salad

Made with local baby blue, red new, and dutch yellow potatoes with local baby red onions that are caramelized to heavenly sweetness. Mixed with a lemony aoli style dressing with crunchy and fresh local cucumber. Zesty and colorful, this classic side gets local and patriotic to enliven your next 4th of July picnic.

Potatoes
1/2 pound purple/blue baby (small) potatoes
1/2 pound baby new potatoes
1/2 pound baby dutch yellow or yukon potatoes
3 tablespoons kosher salt

Caramelized Onions
1/2 pound baby red onions
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup water


Dressing
1/2 large english (seedless) cucumber
3 tablespoons good quality mayo
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 teaspoons grey poupon or similar mustard
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Special equipment- potato brush scrubber

Peel and slice the onions into half moons. In a large stainless steel saute pan on medium high heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers and smokes slightly in the pan. Add the onions and salt and saute slowly, adding a little water when needed (when there are sticky brown bits on the pan) to deglaze. Cook onions for approximately 20 minutes, or until they are dark brown, and very soft and sweet.

While the onions are cooking, get started on the potatoes.

Wash and scrub all potatoes under cold running water. Halve or quarter the potatoes so they are bite sized (about 2 inches in diameter) and all roughly the same size. Fill a large pot with cold water, and add the potatoes and 3 tablespoons of salt. It may seem like a lot of salt, so if your pot is on the small side- use a little less. Your pot should be large enough for the potatoes to comfortably bubble around like they are in a big jacuzzi.  Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender and drain.

While the potatoes are boiling, start the dressing.

In a large bowl, whisk the mayo, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Dice the cucumber and mix in.

When the potatoes are done, drain them, and place them back in the hot pot for a second or two to wick off the excess moisture. Pour the hot potatoes into the bowl with the dressing, cucumbers and caramelized onions and mix well. Test for seasoning, and add if needed. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight. The longer this potato salad sits in the fridge, the tastier it gets!

Pan roasted chicken thighs with shiitake mushroom cream sauce and lemon baby broccoli.

As i mentioned in a previous post, I've taken on a summer challenge to get back in the kitchen with my newly acquired CSA. I love the surprise of veggies I get each Thursday, and even though its about 1,000 degrees in my kitchen, I'm determined not to let that stop me from cooking the bounty of the garden this summer.

This is a spin off of one of my favorites- french roasted chicken, featured earlier in this blog. Scaled down to just 2 servings (and using just one pan), this chicken makes a beautiful and thoughtful presentation for a date, or an intimate Sunday supper when pared with my easy lemon baby broccoli. You can substitute chicken breasts, but in my experience, nothing tastes quite like a roast chicken than a juicy thigh with a little crispy skin. Keeping the bone in keeps the thigh moist and flavorful, and makes overcooking almost impossible.

Made with some super star local ingredients; broccoli, chicken thighs, shiitake mushrooms and garlic, this is one pleasing recipe you'll want to make over and over. 


Lemon Baby Broccoli
1/2 pound baby broccoli, washed and trimmed
1 1/2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
the juice of 1/2 of a lemon
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste


Heat a stainless steel pan over medium high heat. While the pan is heating, cut baby broccoli into quarters, or halves if the stems are small. Add the oil to the pan, and heat the oil until it starts to smoke slightly. Add the baby broccoli to the pan, cut side down and sear on each side for approximately 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and water and increase heat to high. boil off the water, and remove the broccoli when it is just fork tender. I like my broccoli with a little bite to it, so i keep it on the more al dente side of things.

Prepare the pan for the chicken by wiping out any excess oil or water with a paper towel.


Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs
2 bone in chicken thighs, skin on.
2 tablespoons herbes de provence
1 teaspoon kosher/sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

Heat a stainless steel pan over medium high heat. While the pan is heating, wash and dry the chicken thighs. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper and herbes de provence. Rub the herbs into the chicken, being careful not to remove the skin. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down and sear for approximately 5-7 minutes, or until the skin releases from the pan and is golden brown. (if the skin is still sticking, it isn't ready to turn yet) Turn the chicken over and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is done. The chicken is done when the juices run clear near the bone, is springy and firm to the touch, or when an instant read thermometer reads 175 in the fattest section of the meat, making sure to touch the bone when taking the temperature. Set aside the chicken to rest and prepare the pan for the sauce.

Shiitake Mushroom Cream Sauce
1 cup shiitake mushrooms-stems removed and sliced. If mushrooms are dirty, rub them lightly with a damp towel, don't wash.
1/4 cup good quality cream sherry mixed with 3 tablespoons tap water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove, minced finely
salt and pepper to taste

Remove most of the extra fat/oil from the pan previously used for the chicken thighs, leaving about a tablespoon to cook the mushrooms. Heat the oil over medium high heat, until the oil shimmers and starts to smoke a little. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until the mushrooms start to brown. When the mushrooms are seared nicely on each side, add the sherry/water mixture and deglaze the pan, scraping up bits of fond as you go. when the liquid has reduced by 2/3, remove from the heat and add heavy cream and minced garlic. Add any juices that have collected on the plate holding the rested chicken thighs, stir well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plate the chicken, and pour over the mushroom sauce. Bon appetite, and try not to lick the plate in front of company.

 Pepper was licking her chops


















I got this olive oil at the greek festival, and it is technicolor green, fruity and delicious.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven Cake

To celebrate a friend's time spent in Richmond before she leaves for the almost great white north, I decided to make a cake. Not just any cake, a cake that makes a statement. The evening was planned at a friend's bar,  my sister lauren came up with an awesome dance mix, we planned a surprise burlesque show and a special 2nd surprise guest, involving a lot of zebra spandex that literally knocked her shoes off. I knew this cake had to be a show stopper, or get out shined by the other madness. What better way to make the evening perfect than bringing the world's perfect couple to the party, Peanut Butter and Chocolate.

There are very few things in this world that make people act like total crazies; boy bands, porn and Reese's peanut butter cups. I guarantee you every Halloween party you have ever been to has had Reese's cups, and you know they always go first. You can never make them better home made, and their smell lingers around your head after, like you just made out with them.  The genius that is the marriage of chocolate and peanut butter is transformed into a sexy, glossy and classy cake, hoping to emulate the perfection of the Reese's peanut butter cup.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven Cake


Yellow Wedding Cake
Yellow butter cake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Baking Handbook and my grandmother's own yellow cake recipe.
You will need 1 10x3 cake pan


3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups heavy cream with 1/4 cup milk added to the cream


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the rack in the center of the oven. Butter the 10x3 round cake pan; line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. Beat for another 5-10 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy and smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the cream and beginning and ending with the flour; mix on low until combined after each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans, and smooth. Tap the pan a couple times on the counter to remove any excess bubbles. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until cake is golden brown and a cake tester/bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 60-70  minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Re invert cakes and let them cool completely in the fridge for at least 4 hours, top side up.

Peanut Butter Frosting
This filling would also be excellent as a filling for a cookie.

6 ounces room temp Philadelphia cream cheese (seriously- don't mess around with other brands)
1 cup smooth/creamy peanut butter- preferably Skippy. Do not use natural peanut butter because it will separate.
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons heavy cream


Cream the cream cheese and peanut butter on high for 2-3 minutes or until combined. add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and cream and mix well. use immediately. if the mixture is too soft, add more powdered sugar. if the mixture is too hard, add more cream.


Chocolate Ganache
The corn syrup can be omitted if need be, but it really does add a nice gloss to the final product. 

16 ounces semi sweet peanut butter chips
1/3 cup clear/light corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt

In a heavy sauce pan, bring the cream to a simmer, being careful not to scorch the cream. add the corn syrup, salt and chocolate and let sit for 5-6 minutes. stir well, and strain if needed. let the mixture sit in your fridge for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thickened, but pourable.

Decoration
Unwrap and freeze 12 Reese's Peanut butter cups (substitutions are not recommended) in a large plastic zip top bag. Once frozen, smash the pb cups with a mallet or the bottom of a large mug until you have tiny chunks. Place back in the freezer until you are ready to use.

Assemble the cake

Using a large serrated knife, cut the top off the cake, making it flat. Cut the cake through the middle, creating 2 even layers. Using the middle of the cake as the bottom, and the bottom (flattest side) of the cake as the top, generously top one layer ("the ugly layer") of the cake with the peanut butter frosting, and place the 2nd layer on top using the bottom of the cake as the top of the cake (the smooth un-cut side). Using that peanut butter frosting you have left, smooth out the sides of the cake, filling holes or gaps that may exist for smooth sides. Once you have smoothed the sides, let the cake rest in the fridge for 2 hours. This may seem like a long time, but it is absolutely necessary. Keep the ganache on the counter so it remains pourable.

Move the refrigerated cake onto a wire baking rack that is placed on top of a jelly roll/cookie pan.

Pour the ganache slowly over the center of the cake, using an off set spatula to guide the ganache to the sides, and patch holes as needed. If the ganache seems too runny, place the ganache and the cake back in the fridge for another hour, and try again, whisking the ganache vigorously after refrigeration to remove any lumps. Working slowly, use all the ganache, place the cake back in the fridge for 20 minutes. Using the palm of your hand, press the Reese's cup peices into the sides of the cake, working quickly and being careful to avoid the top. Refrigerate for another 4 hours, and serve to your drooling guests.

Beet greens pesto

I'm excited to post this because i hope that it will make me post more in the coming weeks.  I just started getting a CSA and I'm excited to have the challenge of cooking all sorts of great things this summer.
When i picked up my first CSA and it had beets in it- i decided to zip something up quick with the really beautiful looking greens they came with.

Pesto is one of those no recipe, recipes. No one makes it the same, and it can be anything you want it to be, from an easy pasta sauce, to a marinade or even just garnish. Trade out the beet greens for arugula, mint or spinach, or just use all basil. Switch out the type of nut you use, the type of hard cheese or even add some crushed red pepper or curry powder for some spice. These were my measurements, but you don't really need a recipe- just make it taste good to you. The more you make it- the more things you'll think of to put it on! (eggs, pizza and grilled cheese being favorites of mine)

Freeze leftover pesto, or it will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. If you keep your pesto in the fridge, make sure the surface of the pesto is covered well with oil, and replace the oil as needed. Hopefully your pesto will be so delicious- it will be gone before you can start the sniff testing. 

Beet greens pesto. 
the tops from 3 large beets- or approximately 2 cups
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup basil
1/4 cup walnuts- toasted
the juice and the zest of one large lemon
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed.
3/4 cup grated asiago cheese
1/2-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil- good quality
salt and pepper

Wash and drain the beet greens. remove any large veins/stems and set aside.
In a large pot, boil water and salt it liberally. add the white vinegar and boil the beet green tops for 3-4 minutes. Shock the beet greens in an ice water bath, and transfer the greens to a salad spinner/dry cloth. Dry the greens well, and chop them into 2 inch pieces.

While the water is boiling, toast your walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat (or in a toaster oven set to "light brown" for approx 2-4 minutes). This may seem like a step you'll want to skip, but I've found that toasting the nuts is essential. The oils come out and the flavors develop much deeper with a light toasting.

In a large blender or food processor, add all ingredients except for, salt, pepper and oil. pulse multiple times and once the mixture is the texture of salsa, start drizzling in the oil slowly so it emulsifies. when the mixture is smooth and glossy, test for salt and pepper, add if needed.

enjoy with a friend, because your garlic dragon breath won't matter that much if you both reek.

Easy Easter

For Easter, we decided to do something simle and delicious. My older sister was in town for a short visit with her friends, so I didn't want to suck up too much time by doing something complicated. We decided on Potato Leek soup, a salad made with greens from our garden, biscuits and lemon meringue pie.

For the soup I pumped up the flavor by adding caramelized onions as a garnish, and the time spent on them was worth every golden brown bite. Intense, sweet and savory, caramelized onions are one of those things that it pays to do slowly, correctly and patiently.

For the pie I used 2 types of lemon and lots of zest to pump up the pucker factor. I love the pairing of the fluffy sweet egg white meringue with the punch of the lemon filling on a crispy crust.

I feel like I have been making these 2 recipes my whole life, and the more I make them the more I love them. My Grandmother was famous for her lemon meringue pie, and I’m fortunate to still have her recipe, in her dainty cursive on a yellowed and faded index card from 1989. I love the crinkly, foamy and sea like sound it makes when you cut into it and nothing beats this homemade pie filling.

Caramelized Onions (takes about 45 minutes to do it right)

2 large Vidalia/sweet onions

2 tbl vegetable oil

Tap water

This recipe makes about a cup of caramelized onions. you can start with one onion, but these are so good, i always make extra for use later on.

Cut the onions in half lengthwise, and discard the tops and bottoms, and the paper outer covering. Slice the onions thinly (half moon shapes)

While you're slicing, heat a stainless steel pan over medium heat with 2 tbl vegetable oil. (Do not use a non-stick!)

Add all the sliced onions to the pan once the pan is hot and stir. Don’t worry about overcrowding the pan- the amount of onions will reduce by 4, and you'll end up with less than you think. Stir occasionally until the onions start to stick. if you notice that there is starting to be a brown layer on the pan (called "Fond") add about 3 tablespoons water to the pan and scrape the bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Keep doing this stir/water treatment until the onions turn dark brown all over and are sweet and sticky with caramelization. The water is to prevent sticking/burning. Do not turn up the heat the pan to speed up the process- it won't work. You want these onions to cook low and slow, but don't worry- it they will be worth the wait. Great for pizza toppings, as an addition to pasta, on a crustini for an appetizer, or on almost anything savory you want to eat. These are addictive.

Leek and Potato Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil

(special equipment- immersion blender, or a blender with a large cup)
1 yellow onion, julienned
2-3 large leeks, green parts discarded, white/light green parts chopped into half moons and soaked in cold water to remove any grit/sand.
3 whole, peeled garlic cloves
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
32 ounces vegetable stock (low sodium)
10 ounces heavy cream (omit if you want this recipe to be vegan. it will be almost as good)
salt and white pepper

In a large soup/stock pot, heat oil on medium heat. Drain the leeks- being careful not to pour the sandy water back on them. Add the leeks to your pot and stir. Slice your onion finely, and add to the cooking leeks. Add the whole peeled garlic, and stir. Cook until the onions are translucent, but not brown. If your onions/leeks start to brown- turn down the heat. Once the onions are translucent, add diced potatoes and vegetable stock. The vegetable stock should cover the vegetables and potatoes. If it isn't enough- add water until the potatoes are just covered. Bring the soup to a boil, and reduce to medium low/low and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.

Using an immersion blender (or transferring soup in batches to a blender) blend the soup until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper, and add if needed. If you are serving immediately add the cream, and blend together until rich and smooth. Test again for salt and pepper, and add if needed. This soup is also excellent cold.

Garnish with caramelized onions.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Prepared pie dough (you can make your own, but i bought a pre made dough from the grocery store. it isn't cheating as long as the filling is awesome) and 1 pound of pie weights, dried beans or rice

Filling
5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup lemon juice and the zest of the 2 lemons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Meringue. (we like it piled high!)

6-7 large egg whites- room temperature

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

separating eggs

Preheat the oven to 400

Roll out the prepared dough in a 9 inch pie plate. Using your fingers, make a decorative edge. Using a fork, prick the dough all over so the crust doesn't bubble. Place a sheet of parchment or wax paper on the dough and put the pie weights or beans/rice on top to weigh the dough down. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. if your crust is not getting brown in the middle- remove the pie weights and bake for an additional 4-6 minutes until the crust is just golden. let cool and prepare the filling.

Lower the oven temp to 350

In a medium sized sauce pan on medium heat, combine sugar, corn starch, salt, water and milk. Stir until corn starch lumps are dissolved, and bring to a low boil until the mixture has thickened greatly. (Should look like pudding) Temper in the eggs slowly, and stir until completely incorporated. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes on medium low. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract and lemon extract. Stir well. Pour filling through a sieve to remove any possible lumps, cover filling (pressing wrap to the filling to prevent the formation of a skin) and set aside.

In a clean, dry mixing bowl. Add egg whites and cream of tartar to a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.

Whip the mixture on high until foam is created. SLOWLY add granulated sugar, and continue to whip on high until stiff peaks are formed, and egg whites are glossy and firm but not too dry!

Add the filling to the shell and smooth.

Add the egg whites to the top of the pie making sure to smooth the egg whites out so that the crust is completely sealed (or whites will shrink!). Using the back of a spoon or spatula, make peaks and dips in the egg whites for decoration. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the egg whites are golden brown.

Let cool completely, and then refrigerate if you can wait to eat it.

Salted Caramel Corn

For a long time, my sister and i have had a love affair with popcorn.


We grew up in a poor single parent family with 4 kids in a struggling neighborhood in South Richmond. Latch key kids with TV as the babysitter. As an adult i credit my cooking skills to Martin Yan and Julia Child. They were my every day after school babysitter, and while i was too young to appreciate their skill, their knowledge doled out in 30 minute segments seeped into my young and malleable brain, creating the perfect foundation for a budding foodie.


Not a day went by when we were kids that we didn't make a big bowl of popcorn for our after school snack when we were old enough to be trusted in the kitchen alone. I remember dutifully cutting cold butter into small bits to stick in the amber butter melting cup that went on top of the white and black whirling, hot air spewing popper that always sat on the counter. My sister and i would take turns flavoring, and measurements were never taken into consideration. We had a "feel" for popcorn flavoring. My brother, sister and myself would then go and munch on an embarrassment of riches (of popcorn) to our hearts content while watching the tube until mom got home. Cheap and tasty, it is still my favorite snack. While i doubt 10 year old versions of ourselves would have ever created anything this intense- i can guarantee we would have eaten it.

Salted Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts and Dried Cranberries.
Dark, chewy, crunchy, salty and sweet. If you have an air popper- pop the kernels in there and omit the oil.
1/3 rounded cup white popcorn kernels
2 tbs vegetable oil (do not use butter. it will burn)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon kosher (or better) salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup peanuts (preferably lightly salted or unsalted)
1/2 cup dried cranberries


In your largest stock pot (like a pasta cooking pot or soup pot) heat the vegetable oil on medium heat. once the oil starts to shimmer/smoke a little, pour in the popcorn and put a lid on the pot. shake the pot vigerously until all the kernels are popped. (hint- if more than 3 seconds goes by between pops, its done. don't burn the corn!) set the popcorn aside uncovered.


Line the bottom of a large cookie sheet (with a rim) with foil and spray liberally with vegetable oil. set aside.


Using the same pot, melt the butter on medium. once the butter has melted add the brown sugar and corn syrup mixing together with a long handled wooden spoon. Boil the butter and sugar mixture on medium until a thermomiter reaches exactly 300 degrees. Do not stir the mixture. test the temperature frequently( You will need a good quality candy thermomiter- the unbreakable kind, or a digital probe thermomiter for this)

Once the temperature reaches exactly 300 degrees, REMOVE FROM HEAT and add the salt and baking soda and stir well with a wooden spoon. NOTE-- It will look like you messed up here because everything will look bubbly and brown and gross and chunky. hang tight, its about to get awesome, I promise. QUICKLY after adding the baking soda and salt, add the peanuts/cranberries and then the popcorn and stir quickly and thoroughly to mix well.


Pour the molten popcorn mixture onto your prepared cookie sheet, and spread out quickly. while the mixture is still hot and sticky, sprinkle with a little extra salt. let set for 30 minutes to an hour uncovered until it is cool. Break the popcorn apart and store in an air tight container. Doubling this recipe is not reccomended unless you have a ridiculously large pot.


Enjoy.

snow day lunch

It is snowing cats and dogs here in Richmond VA. I had one of those moments where i realized i hadn't been to the grocery store in... some time. I needed to come up with something with just the stuff in my kitchen.... which was looking like a daunting process. I haven't been cooking much- because of being busy and then consequently being lazy when I'm not busy. I've been living off of the same go to sandwich for a while now- grainy bread- toasted, shaved cucumber and carrot on top of a grilled chicken thigh with garam masalla spice and asiago cheese. totally delicious.

But i wanted something substantial and hot, and something i could eat straight up if if we lost power. So i thought pasta. I knew i had some shrimp and some bay scallops in the freezer, and i was really having a hankering for a vodka style sauce- so i started searching for something creamy and something tomato. After rummaging in the freezer for the seafood, i spyed the goat cheese i snagged for way under normal prices, and took some asiago cheese from the spacious looking cheese drawer. i grabbed a jar of roasted peppers and got to work. Give this easy pantry dish a fancy name, and you just might fool a foodie.

Spanish Seafood Pasta with 3 cheese red pepper sauce

feeds five.

1 pound good quality fettuccine

1/2 pound tiny bay scallops, washed and patted dry with paper towels

1/2 pound Texas brown shrimp, washed, dried, de shelled, devained, and de tailed (yeah- i know the restaurants keep them on- but it annoys me)
1 13-15 ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained
1 yellow onion
2 ounces vodka
1 small raw garlic clove (if you're not a fan of big garlic flavor- you can cook the whole clove with your onions in the beginning)
1 4 oz log of goat cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese
2 tsp good balsamic vinegar (at least 3 years old)
1 tablespoon Spanish smoked dulce paprika (that's sweet paprika ya'll! picture inset. i got mine at a Mexican grocery store)

1 teaspoon mustard powder (colman's of course)
salt, pepper and extra virgin Olive oil

In a large skillet, heat up enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a stainless steel pan. cut your onion in half, discard the papery skin and slice thinly into 1/2 moons. saute the onion in the olive oil and deglaze the pan with a little liquor- but you can use water if you don't have any. i used a little airplane bottle's worth of vodka. Remove the onions from the pan, and heat up some more olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan), and toss the scallops and shrimp with a teaspoon of the sweet paprika, a teaspoon of sea salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper- or 4-5 grinds of fresh pepper. cook the seafood on medium high heat, for about 5 minutes. the seafood will cook quickly. once the shrimps are pink and the scallops are completely white, remove them and any juices to a bowl.

In a blender or food processor, add the drained roasted red peppers, sauteed onions, 1 raw garlic clove, goat cheese, mozzarella, asiago, the rest of the paprika, mustard powder, and balsamic vinegar. pulse until smooth. if the mixture is very thick- you will want to reserve a 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid to thin out the sauce.

Cook the pasta till it is al dente in salted water, and reserve a 1/2 cup of the cooking water. drain the pasta, and put it back in the hot pot. pour over the pepper sauce, and add the seafood. toss well, and serve immediately. the sauce is the most brilliant orangy red, and it just warms you to look at.

if you absolutely must have something vegetable- peas or edamame would be an excellent choice. boil frozen veggies alongside the pasta in the last
couple minutes to heat them up. enjoy!

Pizzalicious Guest Blog

Hey pals-- just wanted to let you know that i'm guest blogging on my sister Pizzalicious' blog this week. see my review!


http://pizzaliciousblog.blogspot.com/

Red Velvet Celebration Cupcakes

In honor of my friend Kelly's birthday, i decided to make her something really special. inspired by Martha's Birthday Cake in the Martha Stewart Baking book

A special shout out also goes to my friend Kat, who surprise mailed me an adorable little cupcake stamp with pink and black ink a while back! She knows me so well! Kat and her boyfriend Harris are known for their thoughtful natures- always sending notes, cards and small presents in the mail to their friends. They make me want to be a better friend!

I used the stamp and one other coffee cup stamp i had laying around to decorate the boxes and make them special. (coffee and cupcakes- my friends know how serious i am about those things!) I got these delightful magenta boxes from Sur La Table, and at 1.50 per box, its an inexpensive, and a great way to gussy up a cupcake and make the birthday girl feel extra special. each box fit 9 or 10 normal sized cupcakes.

I think these may be the best cupcakes i have ever made, in style and in taste.

Red Velvet Celebration Cupcakes
I'll be honest. I'm not a huge fan of red velvet. When I think of red velvet- my mind immediately goes to sitting on the zebra couch with my grandma and watching Steel Magnolias. While the color is festive, the cake itself is usually dry and the resemblance to blood kind of grosses me out. for this cake, i added some extra cocoa to make the red velvet cake darker and more sophisticated, and topped it with an adapted version of Swiss meringue-- one of my favorite fancy icings. You make it sort of the way you make marshmallows- but without the gelatin, and there is something so appealing, special and exciting to me about using science to make something so delicious and fancy. The Swiss meringue is decadent and sweet. Mimicking a regular pie style meringue, but without the foamy jiggle. (Kelly's special cupcake had extra) You can use this icing without bruleeing the tops-- and it makes an excellent super white and fluffy icing for any cake. I've just bought some A&W Root beer syrup-- so my next cupcake will be root beer float cupcakes-- and I'll probably use this icing again.

A friend at the birthday party summed up everyone's collective feelings on the cupcakes in a pretty funny and naughty way,

"mmmmmmm..... I want to cover my bed in it and roll around in this icing with a lady."

wow... you don't say? ;)

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I adapted the Joy of cooking's Buttermilk Layer cake for this.

2 1/3 cups cake flour
4 tablespoons buttermilk powder (why always buttermilk powder? well i hate drinking buttermilk- and i don't use it enough to justify buying it and then throwing it away. so i use this for added richness and flavor, and just keep buying the skim milk i know I'll use)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 small bottle of red food coloring (about 2.5 tablespoons)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp--- if your butter isn't at room temp-- just mix it with the paddle in the mixer for a couple extra minutes- starting on low- and moving to high for a couple minutes.
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 350

On top of some parchment paper (for easy mixing) Sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, buttermilk powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a 2 cup measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, skim milk, red food coloring, and vanilla extract.Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and on medium/high speed , beat the butter until creamy- adding a 1/3 cup of sugar at a time until the mixture is light yellow and really fluffy. once its all fluffy, alternate 1/3 of the liquid with 1/3 dry scraping the sides of the bowls between incorporations until the mixture is smooth, but don't over mix!

Using a 3 ounce disher (that's a fancy ice cream scoop, y'all!), or a ladle, or a measuring cup with a spout (the possibilities are endless) portion the batter into festive paper cupcake cups (i used red stripes) filling about 3/4 full. this recipe should make 20-24 cupcakes.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or about 14-16 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then take the cupcakes out of the metal cupcake tin, and set on a cooling rack. You'll want the cupcakes to be completely cool before frosting.

Swiss Meringue

Adapted from Martha Stewart Baking

8 large egg whites (or 1/2 cup of liquid egg whites)
2 cups sugar
2 drops almond extract
2 tablespoons room temp unsalted butter (very important that it be smooth and room temp)

Directions
In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, and almond extract. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and whites are hot to the touch, 3 to 5 minutes. You'll want the sugar to be completely dissolved- so the icing isn't "crunchy"- unless yo ulike that sort of thing.

Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, mix on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 8 minutes. add in room temp unsalted butter, and mix on high again for about 3 minutes Fill a pastry bag with the meringue. Using a star tip on your pastry bag, pipe the frosting on each cupcake in little dots-covering the surface of the cupcake top- pulling upward as you go. Putting a little bit of pressure on the bag on the upturn creates little spikes all over the cupcake. Using a torch, brulee the tops until you have a good amount of caramelization on the tops-- do this to your liking. If you don't have a torch, preheat your broiler (must be a top broiler) to high for about 5-10 minutes, with the oven rack in the upper middle, lightly brown the tops of the cupcakes carefully-- it can go from looking like a perfectly toasted marshmallow to incinerated pile of ash in a matter of seconds- so like a good ninja, don't turn your back. these cupcakes will keep at room temp for 6-8 hours. after that- they just don't look as awesome.

Super Cute food

You may not know me, but know this. I LOVE cute things. Nothing improves my day or my mood more quickly than looking at, making or petting cute things. My love of cute is almost as strong as my love of food, and it just turns this sarcastic sourpuss into a baby talking fool.


Mupcakes


Don't adjust your monitor-- yes, that is meatloaf made to look like a cupcake. I almost wish i had gotten a picture of them lookin all pretty- but seriously we ravaged these little "mupcakes" as i call them- so a picture of the mupcake carnage was apropos. I served my mupcakes with a side of corn and herb biscuits from the Martha Stewart baking book (excellent), and to finish, old fashioned marble cake.


Mupcakes
1 pound organic extra lean ground beef
1 stalk celery, cleaned and diced finely
2 med carrots, cleaned and diced finely
1 yellow onion, cleaned and diced finely
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 tsp salt salt and 1/2 tsp ground pepper (1/2 for veggies, 1/2 for meat)
olive oil
1/4 cup ketchup (or catsup-- what is the difference?)


preheat oven to 400


spray a cupcake pan with vegetable spray lightly and set aside. (don't bother using paper or those foil cups-- they get all greasy and gross from the fat in the meat anyway)


in a medium pan on medium high heat, heat enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. when oil is hot, saute the carrots, celery and onion together for 4-5 minutes. add salt, pepper, minced garlic, and saute until golden brown. deglaze the pan with the sherry, and set aside to cool.


in a medium sized bowl, whisk together egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, add cooled veggies (hot veggies will scramble the egg-- not yummy) and stir. Add meat and mix quickly with your hands. don't over mix- which will make the mupcakes really tough, and not in the Roseanne Barr tuff on the outside, soft on the inside kind of way.


Using your fingers- fill the cupcake tins with the meat and veggie mixture and press down in the center of each with your thumb. the mixture should make exactly 12 little meat cakes. Paint some ketchup over the top of each little meat cake (just like mom would do), and bake for 20-25 minutes or until done through. (a meat thermometer should read 165 and no more)

While the meat cakes are cooking- work on your potatoes


Mashed potato "frosting"
6-8 large red potatoes, peeled, and cut into 6 pieces per half a potato
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup skim milk
salt and pepper


starting with cold water and a generous amount of salt, boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. while the potatoes are cooking, add together rest of ingredients (except for salt and pepper) and microwave until hot and mixture is lump free. drain the potatoes, and mash the potatoes in a ricer (much smoother/less gummy), and add milk mixture. mix and season with salt and pepper. scoop the potatoes into a pastry bag- fitted with a large plain or star tip. (make sure there are no lumps- because seriously- i busted my bag wide open because i tried to make those potatoes submit to my will) pipe the potato onto the top of the little meat loafs as you would frosting. at this point you can stick them under the broiler for a minute or 2 for a little fancy, or just sprinkle on a little chopped chives, or a little fancy colored salt like i did- looked just like sprinkles! i used some fancy pink salt my older sister got me a while back.


serve and smile

Marble Cake with Cheater icing
I adapted the Joy of cooking's Buttermilk Layer cake for this.


a little extra butter and flour is needed for greasing pans
2 1/3 cups cake flour
4 tablespoons buttermilk powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp--- if your butter isn't at room temp-- just mix it with the paddle in the mixer for a couple extra minutes- starting on low- and moving to high for a couple minutes.
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup semi sweet morsels
1 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and set aside. On top of some parchment paper (for easy mixing) Sift together the cake flour, buttermilk powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a 2 cup measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, skim milk, vanilla and almond extract.

Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and on medium/high speed , beat the butter until creamy- adding a 1/3 cup of sugar at a time until the mixture is light yellow and really fluffy. once its all fluffy, alternate 1/3 of the liquid with 1/3 dry until well incorporated, but don't over mix!


Remove about 1/3 of the batter, and put in a medium bowl. in a microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips 10 seconds at a time and stirring in between until smooth. whisk in the chocolate into one of the bowls, and mix well.


Add vanilla batter to the pans 1/2 in each, an smooth over the batter in the pans. add chocolate in dollops over the top of the batter. using a butter knife, swirl in the chocolate batter with the vanilla batter, but don't over mix. you just want a marbled pattern.


Bake until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a rack and stick in the fridge to cool completely before frosting.

Cheater frosting
1 stick room temp butter (see above if cold)
1/3 cup unflavored Crisco (your guests will never know- and don't need to either)

1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 drop almond extract
1-2 tablespoon/s milk

3/4 pound confectioners sugar

beat the butter and crisco together with a paddle attachment until smooth. replace paddle with the whisk attachment, and beat until fluffy. Add salt, vanilla and almond and mix well. turn the mixer to low, and add in confectioners sugar. add in milk until the mixture is smooth and pliable. turn the mixer to high, and beat for 2-4 minutes, or until the mixture is really fluffy. ice cake immediately.

quick pasta for friends

Woah- its been a while since i posted! No-- i didn't stop cooking, and i have no excuses! i just don't spend a killer amount of time online like some bloggers.... but i vow to do better!

this pasta was so good, i just had to share. the sauce was creamy, the pasta was perfect, and the little pearl onions added excellent flavor and texture to the dish. the sensation of these perfectly cooked onions popping in your mouth with the flavors of the pasta was divine. the celery-which seems out of place, was a last minute addition-and provided some more texture, and reminded me of really good chowder. This simple pasta, with a few great ingredients is in contention for being my favorite pasta... ever.

Linguine with caramelized pearl onions, shrimp and a white wine cream sauce.

1 pound linguine
1 pound cleaned shrimp
2 cloves garlic, minced finely (about a tbl)
1 cup good, dry white wine- good enough to drink
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 bag frozen pearl onions
1 stalk celery, cleaned and diced finely
1 yellow pepper, cleaned and diced finely
2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence
olive oil
salt and pepper
(a couple tablespoons water or dry sherry/white wine)

caramelized pearl onions
1 bag frozen pearl onions
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch salt and pepper
olive oil to coat pan
(1 or 2 tablespoons water, or sherry/white wine if you're feeling fancy)

In a (not non stick- for the love of god- use a stainless- you'll want the extra flavor of the bits that stick for the sauce-but nothing burned) large pan heated over medium heat, add oil, and when oil is shimmering- saute frozen pearl onions for 5-6 minutes. when the onions start to show some color, add salt and pepper. saute for another couple minutes- the salt will help pull some juices from the onions, and help them caramelize. add sugar, and keep cooking. when the onions are a beautiful brown caramel color, and soft all the way through, remove the onions from the pan and set aside. If you have some sticking happen- don't add more oil- add a little water, or even a little sherry to the pan and scrape the bottom. you only want to add enough to prevent burning- and keep the integrity of the onions. this process can take some time- so i usually like to do some dishes, or clean up the kitchen a little while they're cooking-- but don't worry, it'll be worth it in the end.

in the same pan, heat a little more oil, and saute diced yellow pepper and celery. when they are about 1/2 way cooked, add minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. at this point, you should have a nice amount of coloring (called fond) in the bottom of the pan- good work!

Shrimp
make sure that your shrimp has been peeled completely, and is clean and washed. pat the shrimp dry and add a pinch of salt and a couple grinds od pepper. take the dried herbes de Provence in your hand and rub the herbes to release their flavor. add a drizzle of oil to the shrimp, and toss the shrimp with your hands, coating each with a little of the oil, salt, pepper and herbes.

cook the shrimp on medium in the same pan you've been using, and remove from the pan and set aside just before they're done- pink with a little grey- only about 1-3 minutes. We'll be cooking them a little more in the sauce (following).

in the pan with all the yummy bits, deglaze with white wine- scraping up the bits. once the wine has reduced by half, add your cream and simmer for 10-15 minutes-- just the right amount of time to cook your pasta. you'll want to cook your pasta in boiling water with a good amount of salt- but no oil. cook the pasta to your liking (al dente, or with just a little bite left for me and my friends) and drain- saving about a cup of the cooking liquid before you drain.

at this point- your sauce should the thick and creamy. add your cheese, and stir until melted. add your cooked veggies and shrimp- and any juices. stir, and season with salt and pepper if needed. add your pasta back to the pot, and pour the sauce over the pasta. mix well. if the pasta sauce seems too thick- add a little pasta water- about a quarter cup to thin it out. the starch in the water will help bind it together.

serve immediately, and enjoy, because i know you will.

Vegan triplet pasta feast

This weekend was the celebration of Best Friends Day 8. To ring it in right, one of my best friends came to town and as we always do when she visits me, i made a huge dinner for her and all our friends. It was hot, and at one point i was using all burners, the oven, a fan and a food processor at once-- and blew a fuse! a first in my kitchen- and a slight badge of honor. Thank goodness for my pizzalicious sister and her friend for coming to my rescue as impromptu sous chefs- and for letting me bark orders at them as i cooked myself in the heat of my kitchen, fried my blender motor, blew fuses, and ran out of counter and sink space so fast i contemplated using the floor.

I love nothing more than to cook for a crowd. I love to cook for my friends and family, and it is one of the rare instances when i am social and friendly- completely natural and in my element. it lately seems like its pretty often that dinner for four turns into dinner for 8 in a few short texts.

I'm flattered by the fact that people think a seat at my table is a good bet- and it seems like I've never got a shortage of neighbors the minute that garlic hits the pan, and that familiar smell wafts through the house and neighborhood. This is normally true--except for last night, when i had so much leftover food i used just about every tupperwear container i had. I still had about 16 people in attendance- but it was clear that i had over cooked- even by my standards, and coming from my background, i was embarrassed by this showing of yummy vegan excess. But in the end- my friends and my friends friends' were seemingly happy and well fed, and no one ever complains about eating too little right?

My friend whom we were celebrating is vegan, and as is our tradition, whenever she visits i cook for her and our friends. I knew i wanted to do pasta, and i thought it'd be great to figure out how to veganize something really comforting, and cheesy. I had been quizzing all my chef friends, and foodie buds alike on how to best make a vegan alfredo sauce. i kid you not, i probably got 9 separate answers on how to make it best-- and was so overwhelmed in the grocery store, that i scratched the whole thing, and decided to play it safe and make something i know, and let the grocery store produce section inspire me. Sorry i forgot to take pictures- there was much eating and drinking involved.

Pasta Triplets
Butternut squash "Cheddar" shells
Penne with Popeye Pesto
Bow Tie Pasta with Dueling Vegetable Marinara

Butternut Squash "Cheddar" Shells
The butternut squash cavatappi, featured earlier this year on this blog was a perfect candidate for veganizing a dish, and it is something i love to make and eat. the orange of the roasted squash really looks like cheddar cheese, and the sweet and garlicky sauce is a real crowd pleaser.

I substituted 4 ounces of tofutti vegan sour cream, and 4 ounces of vegan cream cheese for the goat cheese listed in the original recipe. The roasted butternut squash sauce was quite a bit thicker than usual for some reason ( i guess the vegan cream cheese and sour cream really seized the mixture) i added about 4 times the normal amount of pasta water to the mixture than usual to thin it out, and used traditional medium sized shells - since i had a coupon.

Penne with Popeye Pesto
This deliciously green dish, usually served with a hard Italian cheese is equally good when the lemon and almond mixture steps up to the plate. Pesto to me screams summer-- when you just have to use all that basil before it turns. The sweet yet full flavor of the almond butter against the licoricey and grassy flavor of the spinach and basil is bright and light with just a hint of sharpness from the garlic and lemon. Perfect hot or cold, this dish would be an excellent side, and the pesto is great on boiled potatoes, as a sandwich spread when mixed with a little veganaise, grilled with tofu, in eggs, or on just about anything. I always make a little extra, and freeze some of my larger batches so I'll have a little summer-- even in the winter time.

3 cups baby spinach (packed)
1 cup basil, cleaned (packed)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 cloves garlic
1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook pasta in salted boiling water until aldente.
in a dry pan over medium heat, toast the nuts (separately). once the almonds have toasted lightly, add them to a food process er with a tablespoon of oil and a little salt. Process the almonds until they are smooth like peanut butter. Remove the almond butter from processor and set aside. In the same processor add the basil, spinach, garlic, lemon juice, zest and toasted walnut pieces, pulse while drizzling in oil slowly, until the mixture is thick. Stir in almond butter, and salt and pepper to taste.

add the pesto to hot pasta, and serve immediately. if the mixture is too thick, you can add pasta water, or a little extra oil, but i like to add a little vegan margarine for some extra flavor and some shine.

Bow Tie Pasta with Dueling Vegetable Marinara
The two kinds of mushrooms provide beefy texture and an excellent counterpart to the tender and slightly crisp white and green asparagus. This dish makes for such a hearty bowl of pasta, you won't miss the cheese, and you won't be able to decide which asparagus or mushroom wins.

1 bunch thick green asparagus- peeled, and re bundled
1 bunch white asparagus- peeled, and re bundled
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
6 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned
6 ounces oyster mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped roughly
1 large jar of premium quality marinara sauce- i used trader joe's tomato basil pasta sauce
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook pasta in salted boiling water until aldente. reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
In a pot of boiling salted water, blanch the asparagus for about 4 minutes. shock the asparagus in and ice bath, and slice each bunch into thirds.
Slice shallots thinly, mince garlic. In a large pan over medium high heat, drizzle enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. heat the olive oil, and saute the shallots and garlic. once they have turned golden brown, set aside. Slice mushrooms finely, and in the same pan you cooked the shallots and garlic in, add more oil to coat the bottom of the pan and bring to medium high heat. saute the mushrooms and keep stirring. don't salt the mushrooms yet, or they'll sweat. when the mushrooms are golden brown, add the sherry and deglaze the pan. once the alcohol has cooked off, add the roasted red peppers, sauteed mushrooms, blanched asparagus, and marinara sauce. stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. bring the sauce to a simmer, then add to hot bow tie pasta and toss well. add some of the reserved cooking liquid if needed

channeling julia

So my sister and a friend went to see Julie & Julia on Saturday. I was supposed to have them over for my waffles, but realized that i didn't have any flour, and lacked the amount of enthusiasm that it takes to put on clothes and leave the house, so we settled for a movie instead. It was great. I've read the blog years back, and then read the book, and was pretty stoked to see a movie based off of 2 great books, directed by the totally hilarious Nora Ephron. I had high hopes, and they were met and exceeded.

I cried The. Whole. Time. Like many foodies, Julia Child has a special place in my heart. JC (i can call her that because we're buds in my head) reminds me of everything i loved as a kid, and everything i love as an adult. She makes me miss my grandma, and makes me want to be better, try harder and work smarter.

When i was young, my mom was busy working, and going to school, and so relied on school to occupy us kids. So during the summer we'd take turns spending some time with our grandparents, help my mom out with the burden of single parenthood, and also help keep us out of trouble- at least for a little while. For a whole glorious month every summer, i would get dropped off at my favorite place on the planet to act like a single child- even just for a little while.

My grandpa and i would take long morning walks around the neighborhood, play checkers and watch Price is Right. My Grandma and i would cook every meal for him together, go to the library and read, watch Julia Child and ballroom dancing competitions on PBS. I have watched Julia Child on PBS since i can remember it seems like. I remember a particular episode where she showed us all the various sizes of lobsters. I must have been 12 or 13, just before i turned into a sulky and petulant pre teen, and before i thought i was too cool to watch PBS. I thought she was incredible. Fearless. Touching these angry, waving and snapping lobsters like they were mere bunnies. Throwing them around the cutting board, and muscling them into place. I wanted to be like that and i wanted to be her.

I have a distinct memory of sitting on my grandpa's shoulders on a vinyl couch with a zebra print cushion, and fashioning his white hair into a mohawk while learning the intricacies of pate choux. I remember my grandma's 70s mushroom wallpaper in the kitchen, and the smell the stove would make when we went to light the pilot with a match.

Grandma slept in rollers, smelled like powder, and was the very picture of a 50s housewife. She was the prettiest thing i had ever seen, and her bureau was a wonderland filled with jewelry, trinkets, and a big pink piggy bank that she let me count on her bed. Together every day, we made typical southern American food, fried chicken.... biscuits... cakes and pies. It was like magic watching her cook, and i loved that she always asked grandpa to open all the jars.

Watching Julia Child being so masterfully portrayed by the amazing Meryl Streep made me want to cook and love and celebrate all that I am. Because so much of what and who I am today are because of 3 incredible women, my mom, my grandma, and Julia Child.

Tarragon Rotisserie Chicken in the style of Poulet a la Broche, page 242 in Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume 1, edition 21.
A very good friend of mine spotted a *set it and forget it* style rotisserie cooker for $10 at a yard sale, and like the very good friend that she is, she bought it for me and set it beside my car door. My friends know me well. This chicken would be perfect for company, or just a couple friends. Perfectly moist, with a crisp brown skin, it sure hits the spot.

1 packet fresh tarragon- 1/2 packet chopped roughly
2 lemons, 1 zested and cut in half, other just cut in half
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons room temp butter
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
1 5 pound organic chicken

In a bowl, mix together the chopped tarragon, lemon zest, salt, butter, pepper, and herbes de Provence with a fork until well combined. set aside
wash and dry the chicken, and loosen the skin from the meat of the breast, legs/thighs and back. massage the chicken all over with the butter mixture, inside the cavity, under the skin, etc and put tarragon stalks and cut lemons inside. Truss the chicken well(page 237 in MTAFC). Put the chicken on the spit, and set your rotisserie for the size of your bird-- generally about 12-15 minutes per pound, or tested with an instant read thermometer to 160 (temp will reach at least 165 after 10 minutes of resting).

after you let the bird rest for 10 minutes- carve this way making sure to carve off a little of the breast meat with the wings-- "the way the French do" according to JC.

accompaniments
Pommes de terre de persil (Parsley Potatoes)
Simple and comforting, its hard to resist this simple side dish.

1 bag baby yukon gold potatoes- or yukons cut into quarters, scrubbed, skins left on
1/2 cup minced flat leaf parsley
4 tablespoons butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste

in a large pot, fill with cold water and add potatoes. bring to a boil, and boil until done. potatoes are done when the tip of a paring knife inserted into a potato comes out with little resistance. drain potatoes well, and add back to hot pot. pour over melted butter, add parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Les Haricots Verts Indiens ("Indian" Green Beans)
I've been making a variation of these green beans with different curries and spices over the years, and garam masalla has been my favorite. these crisp little green beans are easy to make, and magically, taste better the next day, so i like to make extras, and add to salads, put on sandwiches, or just snack on them cold.

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
2 shallots, sliced thin
2 teaspoons garam masalla spice
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1o grinds fresh pepper
extra virgin olive oil to coat

pre heat an oven to 400. on a large heavy cookie sheet (if you've got the flimsy sort-- you may want to use a roasting pan so it doesn't warp in the oven) add green beans, garam masalla, salt and pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil. using your hands, toss the beans well, and add more oil if you need to. the beans should just be lightly coated. roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Beans should be just lightly browned, and still have a nice crispness to them.

Pepper is "helping" in the kitchen