Lunch Lady

Our canning class got canceled on Sunday. Art had something urgent he needed to do that couldn't wait so he'll reschedule it for a date in the future.

So no canning recipes.

But I have a yummy lunch recipe that I've made and loved! I pack a lunch every single day and I'm not about to eat a sandwich everyday. I just can't handle having the same thing everyday for lunch. I also have an aversion to most lunch meat and PB and J five days in a row is a little overboard.
Sometimes I bring leftovers, but that's not always an option. This recipe yields enough to make two servings, so I was able to bring it two different days. It's refreshing and delicious. It's good hot or cold and it's easy to make.

Couscous Salad with Grapes and Feta

• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 oz)
• 1/2 cup halved red seedless grapes
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Pita bread for serving (if desired)

1. Combine couscous and hot water (I boiled my water). Cover and let sit 10 minutes.
   
2. Fluff couscous with a fork and fold in walnuts, feta, grapes, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with pita bread if desired. Refrigerate for up to a day (I kept it a few days and it was fine).

Last Summer Cookout

Believe it or not, I'll be heading off to work on Tuesday. We have four days of inservice and the kids arrive on Monday! I am sad to see summer go. I had such a nice summer doing whatever I wished to do each day. I got to see friends and go shopping. I painted the inside of our house and read lots of books. I made some spending money doing this and that. We drove down to visit my sister and her family and then last week my sister brought the kids up for a visit. All in all, it was a low key summer and I loved every minute of it.

But now it's over. To celebrate my last Sunday where I don't feel the dread of starting the work week, we had my husband's family over for a cookout. It kind of amazes me that I get the "Sunday Dread" each week because I love my job so much. I truly love being a teacher. I wonder what the "Sunday Dread" would be like if I hated my job!

Anyway. I wanted to make very simple things that could be prepared ahead of time so that I could spend most of the time lounging with everyone. The meal turned out lovely.
I made my delicious Apricot Turkey Burgers. I have the recipe in this post, but I'll re-post it below anyway.

Apricot Turkey Burgers

~These are a fresh take on the typical turkey burger~

• 3/4 cup drained canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup minced shallots
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
• cooking spray
• 6 multi-grain hamburger buns
• Tzatziki sauce (I got mine from Trader Joe's...although, you can make it yourself)

1. Prepare the grill or grill pan.
2. Place chickpeas in a food processor, pulse 3 times or until chopped. Combine chickpeas, apricots, and next 7 ingredients.
3. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions (I actually had enough to make 7), shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty.
4. Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove from grill and let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Serve burgers on hamburger buns topped with Tzatziki sauce and tomatoes (if desired).

In the picture, I served the burgers with over fries. But yesterday I served them with this awesome new pasta salad I made for the first time. I saw it in the September issue of Food Network Magazine. Strangely, the recipe comes from the Biden family (ya know, the Vice President).

I don't know why I find that strange...I just picture someone asking me:

"Ali, this pasta salad is delicious. Who's recipe did you use?"

"Oh, thank you! It's actually an old family recipe from Joe Biden."

Maybe I'm just strange.

Soooo, why don't I just give you the recipe now.

The Bidens' Pasta Caprese

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 shallow, minced
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar (it says optional, but I threw it in there)
• 2 lbs mixed heirloom tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (getting real heirloom tomatoes is a must for this recipe)
• 1 lb pasta (I almost always use whole wheat pasta, but I used regular campanelle for this)
• 12 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (I used at least twice that because I love me some lemon zest)

1. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, shallow and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add sugar, if desired (depending on the sweetness of your tomatoes).
2. Add the tomatoes to the bowl and gently toss. Marinate at room temperature , about 15 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
4. Add the pasta and mozzarella to the tomato mixture and toss. Stir in the basil and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, tossing occasionally, until serving.
   

Because pasta salad is even better when it sits and the flavors mingle, I made it right after Church and stuck it in the fridge. The burgers took minutes to put together and I just had to throw them on the grill when everyone arrived. I was going to make my Tzatziki sauce and then I realized that it was cheaper to buy it at the Olive Bar in Wegman's than to get the ingredients. Score!

My mother in law brought hummus and pita chips, my sister in law brought drinks, and my other sister in law brought delicious brownies for dessert. It was a truly relaxing and enjoyable way to spend my last few hours of summer vacation!

Fresh, Flavorful, and Filling

Last night I made the most delicious pasta salad. I got the recipe from the July/August 2010 edition of Food Network Magazine. It was pictured on the cover and I just had to eat it. It was beyond yum. I used whole wheat pasta, which makes it an even heartier meal. The fresh lemon juice and basil were just perfect in it. I'm going to try another recipe from the same magazine for dinner tonight...if it turns out well, I'll post it :)

Roasted-Pepper Pasta Salad
~Fresh, flavorful, and filling~

• Kosher salt
• 12 oz mezzi rigatoni or other short tube shaped pasta (I actually used the spiral kind)
• 2 bell peppers (red and/or yellow) halved, stemmed, and seeded
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/4 cup almonds (I used whole almonds from the bulk section of the grocery store)
  
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 8 oz bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella balls)*
• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves torn
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the broiler and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add the pasta to the water and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Shake off the excess water.
3. Meanwhile, place the bell peppers cut-side down on a foil-lined broiler pan, add the garlic and broil until charred (7 - 8 minutes).
4. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover, and set aside for about 5 minutes.
5. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and toast, shaking the pan, for 4-5 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
6. Squeeze the garlic from its skin onto the cutting board (this is fun). Add 1/2 tsp salt and mince/mash the garlic into a paste with a large knife (so was this).
   
7. Peel the roasted peppers and slice into strips; transfer to a large bowl. Add garlic paste and drizzle with olive oil. Finely grate about 1 tsp lemon zest into the bowl and squeeze in all of the lemon juice.
8. Add the bocconcini, basil, almonds, pasta, 1 tsp salt, and pepper to taste. Then toss together and serve.
   

* I actually had a large ball of fresh mozzarella and cut it into chunks. Incidentally, I had frozen this ball of cheese after buying it on sale. I had forgotten about it and kept it in there for several months. When I asked the lady at the fancy cheese counter at Wegman's if it was ok to still use it, she proceeded to act shocked and dismayed that I even froze it! She insisted that I couldn't freeze soft cheese like that. Um, ok...well I did, and it worked fine. The mozzarella tasted fresh and delicious. Crazy cheese lady.

I enjoy finding recipes that don't have meat in them, but are still filling. This was a complete meal and even though my husband was skeptical ("But where's the chicken?" The man loves chicken.) he quickly changed his mind once he began to eat it. Becoming less dependent on having a meat for a protein at every meal is not only good for the environment, but also for your budget. If you have any meatless meals that you adore, please feel free to send the recipes my way!

Happy Food

I absolutely love good, fresh, and healthy food. It makes me happy...so it's happy food!

Today I had two encounters with happy food. The first was my delicious breakfast. I had a toasted English muffin spread with part-skim ricotta cheese. Then I drizzled some Stone Fruit Compote on top and cut up a big bunch of organic strawberries.

Yum.

I may or may not have had a bowl of vanilla ice cream this afternoon and drizzled some of the compote on top of that, too.

My second happy food of the day was Fresh Corn Salad. I plan to bring it to a picnic with friends tonight and serving it with tortilla chips. I got this recipe from my good friend and posted it last year. I'll re-post it below because it's so darn delicious.

Fresh Corn Salad
~I was pretty much obsessed with this after my first bite~

*Fresh Corn is important - do not substitute frozen or canned.*
Dressing:

• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Jalapeno chili, stemmed, seeded, and minced (you can leave this out, if you don't like spice)
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Salad:

• 8 ears fresh corn, husks & silk removed (I used 6)
  
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved, or whatever tomatoes you have on hand (I used a couple large tomatoes that I chopped)
  
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed
• 6 scallions (green onions), sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro (I didn't use this because I don't like cilantro...don't hate me, I know everyone seems to like cilantro. But even the smell of it turns my stomach.)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. For the dressing: Shake all of the dressing ingredients together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid (or a plastic container or plastic baggie).
2. Cook the corn in a big pot of boiling water until tender (5-7 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water. Cut kernels from cob with a paring knife into a large bowl.
   
3. Add tomatoes, beans, scallions, cilantro, and dressing and toss. Season with S&P to taste & serve.

*This salad can be made a day in advance.

I'm actually going to have a third encounter with happy food at the picnic tonight. It's kind of a secret happy food of mine. You see, I don't eat beef. I hate it. I want to like it, but I don't. However, whenever I even smell this happy food I practically start drooling with the anticipation of eating it. My secret happy food is....

Yes...all-beef juicy hot dogs with ketchup on top.

Ironically, I detest turkey hot dogs. I typically substitute turkey for beef in recipes all the time, but turkey hot dogs make me want to vomit.

Do you have any happy foods?

Barley is Gnarly

I couldn't help myself. I love the way that "Barley" and "Gnarly" rhyme. I just had to title this post with "Barley is Gnarly". However, I wasn't completely sure what "gnarly" meant. So being the cool person I am, I looked it up online. I found two totally different meanings.
The first one is from dictionary.com

Gnarly - adjective, gnarlier, gnarliest.

Slang. distasteful; distressing; offensive; gross: a comic noted for his gnarly humor.

The second one is from urbandictionary.com

Gnarly - adjective

Off the hook. Totally extreme. When you've gone beyond radical.


They are obviously quite different, which could be a representation of how people feel about barley. Some people really like it and allow it to be a base for lots of other flavors. Others hate all things that can be described as "health food" and think it's nasty.
I honestly have had very little experience with barley. I may have eaten it once or twice, but I've never prepared it and never had a strong desire to prepare it. I figured it would taste...well, gnarly (in the dictionary.com sense of the word). But when I made used it in a recipe last night, I found it to be rather gnarly (in the urbandictionary.com sense of the word).

I saw a recipe in Everyday Food Magazine (I'm loving myself some Everyday Food Magazine June 2010) that used barley and thought I'd try it. Yum! The barley took on all the great flavors in the dish and made it more filling and nutritious. I actually read online that barley is considered a "nutritional powerhouse" because of its fiber, vitamins and minerals, and lack of fat and cholesterol.

Here are a few tips/shortcuts that I used for this recipe:

1. Instead of roasting chicken and shredding it, I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. At Wegman's, the rot. chickens are only $4.99 and perfect for this type of thing.
2. Instead of buying a big sack of barley (because, at this point, I was still convinced that it was gnarly), I used the bulk section of Wegman's organic aisle. Not all grocery stores have bulk sections, but they are a great money saver because you only get what you need!
3. I used a silpat on the baking sheet when I roasted the veggies. I didn't want to scrap charred scallions off the bottom of the pan.
4. Finally, I bought a bag of pre-washed baby spinach. I'm veering away from bagged greens for numerous reasons, but this was the most convenient option on a busy work night.

Barley Salad with Chicken and Corn
~This would be a great thing to bring to a cookout~

• salt and pepper
• 1 cup barley
• 2 bunches scallions, cut into thirds crosswise and white ends halved
• 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels, about 3 ears of corn, or frozen corn (I used fresh)
• Olive oil
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 fresh parsley leaves
• Approx. 2 chicken breasts, shredded
• At least 1 tbsp and 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 5 oz. baby spinach

1. In a medium pot of boiling water, cook barley according to package instructions (I used the instructions at the store which said to cook each cup of barley in 2 1/2 to 3 cups of water). Drain and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, preheat over to 450 degrees. Place scallions and corn on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper.
   
3. Roast until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
4. In a large bowl, combine barley, roasted vegetables, tomato es, parsley, chicken, 1 tbsp oil, and 1 tbsp lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In a medium bowl, toss spinach with 1 tbsp oil and 2 tsp lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken-barley mixture over the spinach leaves.
   

Since I was feeling very much like a domestic diva, I decided to make the cookie recipe in the same issue of Everyday Food Magazine because I had the ingredients on hand. They just looked so light and refreshing in the magazine!

Lemon-Poppy Seed Cookies
~These were so easy and so delicious~

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
   
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, egg yolks, poppy seeds, oil, lemon zest, and vanilla. Stir eggs mixture into flour mixture until combined (dough will be slightly dry).
4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake cookies until golden brown, 10-14 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely (or eat them warm right out of the oven because you can't wait). They can be stored for approx. 5 days in an airtight container.
6. Optional Step: I decided to use the lemon juice from the zested lemon to make a little glaze for the top. This is totally not necessary, but adds a nice layer of flavor to the yummy morsel. I just mixed the lemon juice with powdered sugar until it reached the desired consistency and then drizzled it on the cookies as they cooled.
   

Remember me?

I have been absent from this blog of mine because my life has been filled with many many many other things lately. As much as I love blogging, my family and job need to come first.

I've been doing some cooking, but not as much as I would like. I've been mostly throwing convenient meals together before running off to do something or after getting home from an impossibly long day. Sometimes you just go through times like this and then they pass. Let's hope this hectic lifestyle settles down so that I can find time to do the things that relax me once again.

I have several posts in mind with various recipes I've made recently, so I will post them this week. I've been holding off on some of them because I don't have pictures, but I guess that doesn't really matter all that much. I just love posting recipes with pictures so that you can see the wonderfulness!

Here is a simple recipe to hold you over until I get those other posts together (I'm sure you've been waiting with bated breath). This past week, Sonny and I went over to his sister's house and enjoyed a delicious meal with some lovely people.

She asked me to bring a salad and I discussed with my cooking teacher, Art, what I should make. I've never been a huge salad maker, not because I don't like salads, but because I don't really feel I have a knack for putting things together in a salad. I need to get over it and try some new salads because the one I made on Tuesday was awesome. Art gave me wonderful guidance and here is what we came up with:

Spinach Salad with Cheddar, Sauteed Pears, and Pecans
~This is ridiculously simple~

• 1 8 oz. bag of baby spinach
• 2 or 3 red pears, cored and sliced thinly (unpeeled)
  
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter (use the real stuff)
• 8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
• handful of chopped pecans (or walnuts)
• handful of dried cranberries
• handful of golden raisins

1. Here is what you can do ahead of time: Place the spinach in a large salad bowl and sprinkle with the cheese, pecans, cranberries, and raisins.
2. Right before serving, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pear slices to the hot butter and saute for a just a few minutes (about 5) so that the pears become softened, but not mushy.
3. Remove the pears from the pan and add to the salad. Then pour the remaining butter in the pan over the salad (it acts as a dressing).

You may be thinking that butter-dressing is gross, but it's not. It's awesome. And you may be thinking that butter-dressing will make you fat, but it won't. It's only 6 tbsp for a whole big salad that serves at least 4 people.

This salad was a wonderful thing to make in the fall when the pears are particularly delicious and in season. It also went so nicely with the lovely meal that my sister-in-law made that included chicken cutlets drizzled with a creamy pan sauce and served with roasted potatoes and baked apples.

I absolutely love this time of year because the food is so memory provoking. I can remember eating and smelling apples, pumpkin muffins, soup, and cinnamon throughout the autumns of my childhood.

And let's be honest...the main reason I love fall is because my birthday is in October and when it's my birthday I get to eat cake and open presents.

Happy October!

Two New Recipes and Two Old Faithfuls

I could not have been more pleased with my meal plan for this week. I decided to make my old faithful Turkey Chili recipe that I use alot in the winter. I know that chili tends to be something people make when it's cold out...but the way I look at it, we eat lots of hot meals in the summer, so what's the big deal?

I also used two new recipes that I got from a very good friend of mine who happens to be a fabulous cook and hostess. She invited a bunch of us gals over for a pedicure party. We sat around in a circle outside and ate tons of delicious food while soaking and pampering our feet. How clever is she to think of such a fun get together? Here's a picture of all of us (courtesy of her wonderful husband, who selflessly babysat while we gabbed the night away):


Here was my plan this week:

Monday: Turkey Chili with sour cream, scallions, and tortilla chips

Tuesday: Spinach and Cheese Lasagna (using leftovers!)

Wednesday: Thai Chicken Salad

Thursday: Leftover Lasagna and some Fresh Corn Salad for munching

Friday: Chinese Take-out :)

Saturday: We were invited to a party, so I got another night off of cooking

*Warning: There are several paragraphs below describing how I planned out and cooked my meals...don't be overwhelmed...I just went in to detail to show you how easy it is to do things ahead*

This plan worked perfectly. On Sunday night, I came home from cooking class and threw together a big pot of the Turkey Chili while watching Mad Men with one of my favorite friends. (What is Mad Men, you ask? Well, it's only the best show ever that airs on Sunday nights on AMC) You might think I'm crazy for cooking after going to a three hour cooking class...and that may be true...but this chili is so easy to make that it takes me no time at all. I just put the ingredients together and let it simmer on the stove while I watch TV.

The Turkey Chili was ready for me after quite a long day at work on Monday. After dinner was cleaned up and I had gotten a chance to relax for a little bit, I headed back into the kitchen to make the lasagna for Tuesday. I would hardly call this cooking as it literally took me 10 minutes to make. The recipe uses leftover Turkey Chili as the meat. All I did was mix some ricotta cheese with some spinach and layer the whole thing up with no boil lasagna noodles. I popped a lid on the casserole dish and into the fridge it went until Tuesday.

After making the lasagna, I poured a smidge of olive oil over some boneless skinless chicken breasts, sprinkled them with salt and pepper, and put them into a 350 degree oven. While my husband and I watched TV, they roasted for about 25-30 minutes. I took them out of the oven, let them cook and popped them into the fridge as well.

Tuesday night I got home late and my husband had already put the lasagna into the oven. Ahhh, the joys of planning ahead.

On Wednesday, I took out the roasted chicken breasts from Monday night and shredded them for the chicken salad. With the roasting out of the way, the meal came together very quickly (I would say no more than 15 minutes). Part of the prep for making the chicken salad is to blanch some asparagus. Since I had a pot of water already boiling for that, I went ahead and cooked the corn right after I was done cooking the asparagus. Now I already had the most time consuming part of the Fresh Corn Salad done.

Because dinner was so simple, I went ahead and threw the Fresh Corn Salad together and then called it a night. On Thursday, we ate leftover lasagna and also munched on some Fresh Corn Salad with leftover tortilla chips from Monday's chili.

Without further ado...here are the recipes that my dear friend sent me. They are from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

Fresh Corn Salad
~I was pretty much obsessed with this after my first bite~

*Fresh Corn is important - do not substitute frozen or canned.*
Dressing:

• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Jalapeno chili, stemmed, seeded, and minced (you can leave this out, if you don't like spice)
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Salad:

• 8 ears fresh corn, husks & silk removed (I used 6)
  
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved, or whatever tomatoes you have on hand (I used a couple large tomatoes that I chopped)
  
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed
• 6 scallions (green onions), sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro (I didn't use this because I don't like cilantro...don't hate me, I know everyone seems to like cilantro. But even the smell of it turns my stomach.)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. For the dressing: Shake all of the dressing ingredients together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid (or a plastic container or plastic baggie).
2. Cook the corn in a big pot of boiling water until tender (5-7 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water. Cut kernels from cob with a paring knife into a large bowl.
   
3. Add tomatoes, beans, scallions, cilantro, and dressing and toss. Season with S&P to taste & serve.

*This salad can be made a day in advance.

Thai Chicken Salad
~This keeps well to bring for lunch the next day~

Chicken Mixture:

• 8 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (or you can use skinless/boneless breasts like I did)*
• olive oil
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 pound asparagus, ends removed, cut into thirds diagonally
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced diagonally
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (just toss them around in a dry frying pan over medium heat)
  

Dressing:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp dark sesame oil (I used the regular stuff)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Put the chicken in a pan and rub each breast with olive oil.
3. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes(more like 25-30 for boneless), or until internal temp is 160. Set aside until cool enough to handle.(Remember, I did this a couple nights ahead of time to save time).
   
4. Remove the meat from bone, discard skin, and shred the chicken. (this is obviously if you decide to use bone-in chicken)
5. Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3-5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain.
   
6. Cut the peppers into strips, same size as the asparagus.
   
7. Combine the shredded chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.
8. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken mixture.
   
9. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

* This recipe serves 12...so I obviously didn't want to make that much for the two of us. I halved it by using 4 chicken breasts, but used the same amount of peppers, scallions, and asparagus because I love all those things. Then I kind of forgot that I halved it when I made the dressing, and ended up having some left over which I used as a salad dressing for my lunch the next day.

Not only did we have a great dinner each night this week, but we also had plenty of leftovers for us to bring for lunch. The grocery bill came to about $80, but that included daily essentials that we were out of (milk, orange juice, bread, toilet paper...) and some ingredients that were on sale and could be used in future meals (Buy one, get one free frozen shrimp...yes, please!).

I hope you are enjoying the last few days of summer!

*P.S. I don't know why the chicken salad recipe is written in black and the rest of this post is normal...sometimes blogger and I don't get along.*

The Perfect Picnic

My husband and I decided that we were going to enjoy our last day of summer vacation to the fullest. On Sunday night, I prepped some various items for us to snack on in the great outdoors.

We have the coolest picnic cooler bag thing that Sonny's cousin gave us for our wedding...it looks like this:

I packed it up with the following items:

Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Homemade Granola Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made the Curry Chicken Salad on Sunday night and popped it in the fridge. I set up the cucumbers and yogurt to drain overnight for the Creamy Cucumber Salad. The Homemade Granola Bars were also made on Sunday night. I grabbed a bag of pre-formed chocolate chip cookie dough from the freezer and placed the frozen balls of dough directly in the oven on a cookie sheet (I always reserve some dough when I make cookies so that I have it on hand in the freezer for occasions like this).

By doing a little bit of work ahead of time, all I had to do was assemble the sandwiches and throw the cucumber salad together before leaving for our picnic.

Creamy Cucumber Salad
~With a little planning ahead, this is very simple to make~

• 4 hothouse cucumbers, thinly sliced (3 to 4 pounds)
• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced in half rounds
• Kosher salt
• 4 cups (32 ounces) plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup minced fresh dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1. Mix the cucumbers, red onions, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt in a bowl. Pour them into a colander and suspend it over a bowl. Wrap the bowl and colander with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to drain for at least 4 hours or overnight. Discard the liquid that collects in the bowl.
2. Pour the yogurt into a sieve (mesh strainer) lined with a paper towel and suspend it over another bowl. Wrap the bowl and sieve in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Discard the liquid that collects in the second bowl.
3. When the cucumbers are ready, roll them up in paper towels or a kitchen towel and press the towel lightly to remove most of the liquid.
   
4. Place the cucumbers and yogurt in a large bowl with the sour cream, vinegar, dill, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Toss well and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.
5. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and serve chilled.

Recipe taken from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Homemade Granola Bars
~These smell delicious as they are baking!~

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates (I got prunes)
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots (I always get nuts and dried fruit from the bulk section in the grocery store...it's so much cheaper and I can get exactly the quantity I need!)
  
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.
2. Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
4. Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture.
   
5. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe taken from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

We found the perfect spot under a big tree right by the water...it was so peaceful.

Here is a picture of our lovely picnic before we ate it all up!


The weather was hot, but it was cool and breezy by the water and under the shade of a tree. It was a truly relaxing and lovely way to spend a summer afternoon.

A Friendly Lunch

My friend, Jill, lives right near by and happens to be a wonderful cook. I stopped over to visit with her for a while the other day and we collaborated to make quite a fun lunch.

I brought along my homemade peach jam and suggested we eat it with a French baguette and some nice sharp cheddar cheese. I also brought the rest of my apricot pie for us to indulge in after lunch.

Jill made a curry chicken salad that we ate over lettuce. I was delighted with this recipe and amazed at how simple and delicious it was. She said that her mom made up the recipe and taught her how to make it. I told her I would need to post it on my blog ASAP. She graciously gave me permission:

Curry Chicken Salad
~This is great on a sandwich or on its own over lettuce~

• The white meat of 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 carrot, sliced into thin ribbons (I used a vegetable peeler)
• 1 tbsp honey
• approx. 1/2 cup of light mayonnaise (it was about two good scoops out of the jar)
• the juice from 1/2 of a lemon
• 1/2 cup golden raisins (I love these, so I put a lot in)
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (I actually didn't have these on hand when I made it today, so I left them out...but they taste great in it, if you have some)

1. Combine the shredded chicken, carrot, honey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, golden raisins, curry powder, and almonds in a medium sized bowl. Stir until well combined. Serve over lettuce or on a sandwich. Store in the refrigerator.

It comes together so easily and tastes so great...I'm sure that I am going to be making this recipe quite a bit for my packed lunches when school starts up. Thank you, Jill!

A Fabulous French Meal

Before we left for our vacation, we had the pleasure of having my Aunt Diana stay with us during her visit from Florida. I adore her and always have. She is a wonderful cook and baker and I was excited to finally do some cooking and baking for her.


The first night I made a French inspired meal called Salad Nicoise (I believe it's pronounced "neesh-wa"). The first time I heard of this was during an episode of The French Chef. Julia Child was one of the first people to introduce this delicious meal to the United States. Oh Julia...yet another reason why I love you.

If you prep the ingredients ahead of time and make the marinade in advance, this comes together very quickly once your guests arrive. This dish is beautiful and very impressive! It is a huge and complete meal all by itself and the flavors are simply heavenly. This is a very flexible recipe...use the dressing/marinade recipe and add whatever salad fixings and seafood you would enjoy. I learned this particular recipe from The Kitchen Workshop during one of the grilling classes.

Grilled Seafood Salad Nicoise

*Important: I actually double the dressing/marinade below...I find that I like the extra

• 3 tbsp red-wine vinegar
  
• 1 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tsp anchovy paste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crumbled between your fingers
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 lb 1 inch thick tuna steak, cut into 6 pieces
• 1 large yellow squash, cut in half both directions to make 4 long pieces
• 1 large zucchini, cut in half both directions to make 4 long pieces
• approx. 9 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 large sea scallops, gently patted dry
• 1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
• Lettuce of your choice for lining the platter
• 1 or 2 bell peppers, cut into large chunks
• 1 pint red or yellow cherry (or grape) tomatoes, cut in half or quartered
• 1 cup olives (I left these out because I don't care for them)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, anchovy paste, thyme, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the oil in a stream while whisking until dressing is emulsified (it thickens and comes together). Begin to heat up the grill.
   
2. Divide the dressing in half, putting half in a small bowl and half in a large ziploc bag. Add the tuna pieces, shrimp, scallops, squash, zucchini, and peppers to the ziploc bag of dressing. Let it stand 15 minutes or in the fridge for a couple hours. Put the bowl of dressing aside until later.
3. Bring a pot of water to boil and add the green beans. Allow to cook for 3 or 4 minutes and then remove from boiling water and rinse under cold water. Once they are dried off a bit, toss them in a tbsp or so of the reserved dressing in a bowl (not the one that is marinading the seafood!).
4. Grill the tuna steaks 2 1/2 minutes or so on each side (it can be a bit pinkish in the middle...depending on your tastes). Grill the shrimp, scallops, squash, zucchini, and peppers until seafood is cooked through and vegetables are slightly blackened.
5. To assemble the salad, layer the platter with lettuce. Then add the seafood, green beans, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and peppers in little rows coming from the center (see picture above). Top with olives and the reserved dressing.

After we had this delicious salad, we finished it off with Cardomom Pear Bread with vanilla ice cream. When I posted the bread recipe, it was made into muffins...but it comes out beautifully as a quick bread and the vanilla ice cream was the perfect addition.

I so enjoyed making this special meal for our very special visitor :)

Friday Night Feast VII with a Little Wednesday Night Feast Thrown In

So I'm a little late on posting my Friday Night Feast from last weekend...but it's the last week of school and I'm a tad busy.

I had some Rhubarb Chutney left from my cooking class and decided to thaw some chicken sausage I had in the freezer. I had some peppers and picked up some steak rolls from the store. This was ridiculously easy.

Spicy Chicken Sausages
with Rhubard Chutney and Grilled Peppers
~The spicy sausage pairs well with the sweet chutney~

• 1 package of spicy chicken sausage (I got mine at Giant)
• Rhubarb Chutney (you don't need much...maybe a 1/2 cup?)
  
• 4 steak rolls
• 2 or 3 red, orange, or yellow peppers
  
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add the sausages. Boil them for 30 to 45 minutes. (You can do this ahead of time...I actually did it on Thursday night while dinner was in the oven, then popped them in the fridge for Friday night)
2. While the sausages are boiling, cut the peppers into large pieces and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat the grill to medium high heat (you could use a grill pan, too).
   
3. Place peppers on metal skewers (if using wood skewers, soak them in water ahead of time).
4. Place the sausages and skewers of peppers onto the grill and cook for 5-10 minutes, turning occasionally.
5. Remove the peppers from the skewers and put the sausages into the steak rolls. Top sausages with chutney and enjoy. (Remember, the chutney keeps for weeks in the fridge...so it can be ready when you need it)

At cooking class last week we made a pasta salad. When I read the recipe I thought it sounded kind of weird and gross. And then we made it and I thought it looked kind of weird and gross. Then I ate it and I loved it! It looks kind of heavy, but it really isn't. The Greek yogurt balances out the mayo and then all the mix-ins add great texture and flavor. Don't feel limited to the recipe below...we just kind of made it up with what we had. If you think something in your fridge would be good...add it. If you don't like what we put in it...don't add it.

It makes quite a bit so I thought it was fitting to call it our "Wednesday Night Feast".

Summer Pasta Salad
~This is a great way to use up your produce~

• 1/2 package of bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 box of pasta (I like short pasta, but we used spaghetti in cooking class)
• 4 large heads of broccoli, cut into florets
  
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
  
• 2 cups of corn (if using frozen, thaw first)
• 1 cup golden raisins (sounds gross, tastes great in it)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh scallions
• 3 or 4 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• Handful of shredded cheddar cheese (1/2 cup?)
• 1 red pepper, chopped (optional)
• Sunflower seeds or toasted pine nuts (optional)

1. Saute the bacon in a tbsp of oil in a large skillet until it's crispy.
2. Cook pasta according the package directions. During the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking, throw the broccoli into the pasta water along with the pasta. Boil the pasta and broccoli for a couple minutes until broccoli is crisp tender.
   
3. Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander and rinse with cold water. This stops the broccoli from cooking and rinses the starch off of the pasta.
4. Toss the pasta and broccoli with bacon, Greek yogurt, mayo, corn, golden raisins, scallions, chives, cheddar cheese, pepper, sunflower seeds, and toasted pine nuts.
5. Allow to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Can be made ahead of time.

Now if only it would stop raining so that I could really get excited about my summer break....which starts in 3 days!!

Friday Night Feast III

This Friday Night Feast thing I've been doing has been so much fun. A good dinner after a long week is a wonderful thing.

Last night we had this absolutely awesome dinner and then went cruising around in our new car. It was a fabulous evening!

Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas

~This dinner is quick, easy to make, and delicious~

• 4 burrito-size flour tortillas (8-inch)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb large peeled deveined shrimp
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place tortillas on two large baking sheets. Brush with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with cheese.
2. Bake until cheese is melted and tortillas are crisp (3 to 5 minutes)
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high. Add garlic and zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until zucchini is crisp-tender (2 to 4 minutes).
4. Add shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are opaque throughout (about 3 minutes). Stir in lime juice.
5. Spoon shrimp mixture over tortillas and top with sour cream and scallions.*
6. These are great as leftovers, just store the shrimp mixture separately from the tortillas. Reheat the tortilla in the microwave until the cheese gets all melty again and then heat up the shrimp mixture to top it with.
   

*We weren't completely sure how to go about eating these. Were we supposed to use a knife and fork and cut it into pieces? Do we fold it up like a taco? We ended up folding them and they were great like that. When you are spoon the shrimp mixture on the tortillas, try not to include the juices from the pan...it can make them a little too drippy when you try to eat it like a taco.

Recipe from the May 2009 edition of Everyday Food Magazine

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

~This was the perfect compliment to the tostades~

• 1 bag of fresh baby spinach
• 2 or 3 tbsp Poppy Seed salad dressing
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1. Combine spinach, onion, and strawberries.
   
2. Add dressing and toss to combine.
3. Serve immediately (and enjoy!)

When Sonny was eating this last night he said, "This tastes like something you would eat in a restaurant!" That made my heart feel happy.

Salad Savvy

Spring is here. Summer is coming. It's time to lighten up my meals and get my body moving.

Salads have always been thought of as "diet food". It's true that salads can be a very healthy choice. You have to watch it, though. Some salads that you find in restaurants can be packed with high-fat dressings and high-calorie toppings.

Salads provide endless opportunities to get creative. They are also a great way to use left-overs. Got chicken in the fridge from last night's dinner? Cut it up and throw it on a salad. Is there produce in your drawer that's about to go bad? Chop it up and add it to your salad. Fruit is delicious on salad. So are nuts, veggies, and cheese.

Sometimes all I need is good balsamic vinegar to top my salads. Other times, I prefer to make something a bit fancier. Here are three basic dressings you could drizzle over your colorful creations.

Italian Vinaigrette
~This could not be simpler~

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Combine the vinegar, garlic, mustard, and oregano in a small bowl.
2. Add the olive oil in a slow steady stream while whisking constantly until incorporated (or use an immersion blender*)
3. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use or for up to a week.

*An immersion blender is not a necessary tool...but it's pretty awesome to have. It's pretty cheap (between $20-$30 for a decent one) and can be found at places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Target. I love my immersion blender because I can blend soups right in the pot (as opposed to transferring the soup to a blender or food processor). I can also use it to make salad dressings, obviously. It looks like this:

Caesar Dressing
~Classic and delicious~

• 1 1/2 tbsp anchovy paste (don't leave this out, the dressing's not the same without it)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp Sherry vinegar
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 dry mustard or Dijon mustard
• 1/2 olive oil

1. Mix anchovy paste and garlic in a bowl. Mix with vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard.
2. Add olive oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified (or use an immersion blender).
3. Drizzle dressing onto romaine lettuce with some croutons and curls of Parmesan cheese.

Bleu Cheese Dressing
~A bit "heavier", but wonderful when used in moderation~

• 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk (not as fattening as you might think)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (low fat is fine)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 salt
• 1/4 flat leaf parsley
• 2 oz. crumbled firm bleu cheese (1/2 cup)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
• pepper

1. Blend buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and salt with a whisk or immersion blender until smooth.
2. Add chopped parsley.
   
3. Add bleu cheese and blend until incorporated but slightly chunky.
4. Stir in chives and pepper. Tastes great when served over iceburg lettuce wedges.
   

All three dressings learned at The Kitchen Workshop

I'll leave you with an excellent Protein packed salad recipe.

Tuna and White Bean Salad
~This is great for a simple and very healthy lunch~

• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (15-19 oz.) can cannelloni or other white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 seedless cucumber (hothouse) quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/3 inch thick slices
• 1 lb tomatoes (3 medium) cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 (6 oz.) can tuna packed in olive oil (or water), drained

1. Mince garlic.
2. Whisk together garlic paste, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl then add oil slowly in a stream while whisking (or use an immersion blender).
3. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
4. Gently toss beans, cucumber, tomatoes, and parsley with half of the dressing.
5. Transfer to a platter or bowl over lettuce and arrange with tuna on top.

Recipe learned at The Kitchen Workshop