Motown Maiden

Food: Melt-in-Your-Mouth Almond Brittle

2011-12-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

Yes, Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is now upon us. We’ve done the decorating and cookie baking and gift shopping and now it seems all that is left is to finish wrapping all the presents (unless you're one of those "day before Christmas" shoppers). But seeing how delinquent I've been in writing a blog entry recently (and the fact I'm still in disbelief Christmas will be here this weekend), right now I’ve decided to take some time out from gifts and wrapping paper and circle back to revisit Thanksgiving. I know, I know...why circle back to the last holiday when the big one is upon us? Because in this case, my Thanksgiving this year actually involved a perfect little sweet something for Christmas and a recipe I think you’ll all enjoy.

First I'd like to give you some context behind good-ol' "turkey day" in my family. Like most of you, Thanksgiving for us involves a rather large meal with tons of homemade food (I think one year we had enough desserts for each person to have an entire pie...so maybe that doesn't make us normal). But one thing that might make our Thanksgivings different is for years our meals were spent with a relatively small crowd (our family of four and a couple of close family friends). Since it was the same group year after year and we spent the entire day eating and socializing together, we started creating annual activities to go along with the food and friendship...a tradition I like to call "holiday craft corner." The craft making after meals was a good memory maker over the years and included such things as decorating novelty Christmas trees to making ornaments to designing jewelry. The past couple of years this tradition has faded some (our family friends have moved away and my sister and I have gotten married and introduced a couple new faces to the table). So this year, instead of the usual crafts, my Dad started a new tradition and taught my sister and I how to make his "famous" almond brittle.

My Dad's brittle is something that seems to instantly vaporize at parties. If we give boxes of it away for gifts, the recipients usually end up fighting with their spouses or kids about who gets to eat the last piece (I've even known one person to hide the candy from the rest of their family members). My Dad even made some of this candy for the cookie table at my sister's wedding and a couple of people were upset when they didn't also discover it at my wedding. Yes, this candy causes hoarding-like behavior because it’s really, really, really good. If you could imagine the perfect sweet, this would qualify: it’s crunchy, buttery, sweet, and salty all in one. Not to mention melt-in-your-mouth. It’s decadent with some melted chocolate on the top but just as wonderful without.

Just to note, my Dad does claim a few tips that help lend to his candy making success. And since he's being making it for years, don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t quite turn out the first time around...you have to develop an eye and a knack for knowing when the perfect color has been reached (even if it falls outside the timing guidelines in the recipe). And you'll learn if you burn the batch it will taste bitter and if you undercook it, the mixture won’t harden the way you want it to. But enough about that...I want to give you some things you can use as solid directions to go along with the "practice makes perfect" caveat:

Tip # 1: Use a good quality butter to avoid sub-par results (my Dad also swears by using pre-salted butter)
Tip #2: Use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet to cook the candy (benefits of using cast iron for making candy are even and consistent heating and being virtually stick resistant)
Tip #3: A flat-bottomed wooden spoon works best to stir the boiling candy and scrape it off the bottom of the pan
Tip #4: If making multiple batches, clean the cast iron pan between batches

J.L.’s Famous Almond Brittle
(This is a family recipe that was passed down to us from my Mom’s Aunt Catherine)

INGREDIENTS

½ lb real butter
1 c sugar
3 t water
1 c sliced almonds
Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

In a well seasoned cast iron skillet, add the butter, sugar, salt and water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly
Keep the mixture at a boil while continuing to stir and scrape down the edges of the pan until the color changes to a light golden brown (Usually occurs ~7 min); Continue cooking the mixture about a minute longer until it becomes toaster brown (be careful not to overcook or it will burn and become bitter)
Remove from heat, quickly stir in the sliced almonds
Spread on buttered cookie sheet with a buttered spatula and cool completely
Coat with chocolate if desired and break into serving pieces

Special Note: If you want to top the brittle with chocolate coating, here are the instructions...

In a double boiler, melt a 50/50 ratio of almond bark and semi-sweet chocolate chips, stirring to blend
When mixture is completely melted, spread with a buttered spatula over the almond brittle and allow to cool before breaking into bite-size pieces

Food: Gingerbread Pancakes

2011-10-09T06:54:00.000-07:00

Here in Michigan Fall is revealing herself in stages. Leaves are starting to change on trees and shrubs with the maple behind our house showing hints of blazing scarlet at the tips (I'm looking forward to the show it will give us from our living room window right around my birthday at the end of the month). Bags of freshly picked apples and stacks of heirloom pumpkins are appearing at the local market. Mums are in full bloom. And in true Fall fashion, the weather has become indecisive as a weekend of cold is followed by a weekend of sunny, 78-degree warmth.

Last week we started out the month of October with the warning of the passing of Summer. We were given cool and rainy days paired with overnight temperatures in the 40's (not to mention a Saturday night low in the 30's). A risk of a frost sent me scrambling to put sheets over the tomato plants that haven't yet stopped producing and move my tropical deck plants into the basement. I didn't much enjoy the bitter wind this sudden coolness brought, or being forced to move the switch on the thermostat from A/C to heat, or bundling up to take Riley on an afternoon jog. And removing some of the signs of Summer, like some of my huge, beautiful annuals that had suddenly become stressed and wilted in the cold, was somewhat bittersweet. But the smell of crispness brought back memories of colorful leaf piles and hot apple cider and pumpkins. So it finaly inspired me to get out my Fall decorations, and start to welcome the changing of the season.

All this reluctant welcoming of change also made me crave warm food - especially dishes that contained a little more spice than usual. So Saturday afternoon, I began leafing through old cookbooks and discover a book that I had used extensively as a college student. Flipping through it, I found a forgotten favorite recipe which you may be I'm surprised I had lost touch with over the years. Especially since I have such a love for/bordering obsession with ginger. I was perfectly happy to bring this one back into circulation as what I had rediscovered was a recipe for gently spiced, gingerbread pancakes.

It's amazing what a mixture of tangy buttermilk, satisfying whole wheat flour, zingy chopped candied ginger, and warm cinnamon can create. What you get from this combination is an amazingly thick, dense pancake with a touch of spice and a slight chewiness. Versus the typical buttermilk version, these are unusual because they're fantastic even without anything on top other than a touch of butter and their flavor is only enhanced by a piping hot cup of coffee. Though, I will admit I did rather enjoy one with a dollop of apricot jam. What a perfect way to celebrate a beautiful Fall morning.

Gingerbread Pancakes

Adapted from a recipe by Terry Blonder Golson (1,000 Lowfat Recipes)

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 c unbleached, all-purpose white flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1 T vegetable oil
1/4 c molasses
2 eggs
2 1/4 c buttermilk
2 T chopped, uncrystallized candied ginger (MM Tip: You can find this at your local Trader Joe's)

DIRECTIONS

Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, molasses, and oil.
In a separate bowl, blend together dry ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is moist but still slightly lumpy. Add the candied ginger pieces to the mixture and stir to combine.
Preheat a skillet or griddle and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour each cake (1/4 c of batter) into the pan, and cook until bubbles start to burst on the surface. Turn and cook until golden.
Note: This recipe does make a relatively thick batter. You can use the back of a spoon to spread out the pancake when you first put it in the pan. You may also decide to add a little more buttermilk to thin out the mix if they are too thick for your liking.

Books: How "The Omnivore's Dilemma" is Changing My Life

2011-09-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

A much younger Motown Maiden helping her Grandpa Doak feed the cows
(In Loving Memory of Lloyd and Geneva Doak)

Very rarely have I read a book that has motivated me to change. What I'm writing in today's entry I consider to be a big deal as over the past couple of months, I have been driven to modify my behavior and become better aware of my consumer habits. Yes, it's all because of a book. And this is quite a good thing.

Over our summer beach vacation I finished reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. I had actually purchased it over a year ago where it sat unassumingly on my bookshelf, just waiting for me to garner up the motivation and free time to read it. I'm a little sad it took me that long to do so, but as if to make up for lost time, once I picked the book up I did not put it down. During the several days of reading, I'm sure Jonathan was getting tired of me sharing quotes out of the book. But I truly found the entire work completely fascinating (as well as a little embarassing since I discovered just how uneducated I am about where the food I consume comes from...I should have known more given my family history).

My Mom and Dad were raised on sprawling farms in in Northwest Missouri about an hour north of Kansas City. Their parents produced enough to make an honest living, growing vegetables to feed their families and raising cattle that they sold for a primary source of income. As a child I remember visiting my grandparents' farms, riding on the John Deere to deliver hay to the cattle, watching the pigs squeal with delight while rolling around in mud puddles, fishing for catfish in the ponds on their property, and eating eggs that were laid by chickens in the building behind the house. Little did I know these things I experienced are such a rareity by today's standards; that so few people get to experience where the food they eat was grown and/or raised.

Growing up in a family with farming heritage, one of our annual treats was a gift from my father's parents. Every Christmas we received a sizeable portion of a cow that had been processed, packages and packages of rectangular parcels wrapped in white butcher paper and labeled with red stamps indicating the different cuts of beef. It was guaranteed that over the Holiday you'd hear my Dad on the phone calling around to find a local place that sold dry ice since we had to transport our precious gift all the way back to Ohio. This was a gift that stocked our deep freeze with high quality, superbly cared for beef. A gift that truly kept on giving throughout the year, providing nourishment to my family and our friends. People who ate hamburgers at our house always thought they had such an amazing flavor. I never realized why that was until I read this book. Then it all made sense.

I suppose, witnessing cattle on my grandparents' farms as a child, I've blindly always thought all livestock was raised roaming wide open, green pastures. But in reality this is very different than how it works on industrial farms. I had no idea how many hamburgers or slices of ham or chicken breasts I likely consumed that came from animals who were "raised" in extremely crowded and poor conditions, often sick and pumped with antibiotics to keep them "healthy." Or that many industrially raised animals are fed things that we wouldn't consider to be a normal diet - no grass, large quantities of dry corn (something they would have never selected in nature) and even scraps from their fellow sibling's bodies. All to fatten them up to process them much sooner than what we would think to be a mature state. Raising animals the right way is a labor of love and it's really hard work. And unfortunately as Americans many of us have forgotten why that way was the better way to do things. We just see the dollar signs. Why is it we are so focused on buying the cheapest thing when it's something we put into our bodies to nourish ourselves? Isn't it amazing that we often go along our daily lives and if something's always been that way, we never ask why it was that way to begin with? (BTW, as I was writing this entry I noticed a timely article in the Wall Street Journal about antibiotics in pork drawing more scrutiny from inspectors.)

In learning how heavily processed foods can be harmful to our bodies and our environments and how industrial agriculture has lessened the quality of meat that we consume and how the meat in our grocery stores was likely treated when it was once a live animal, you could see how some people would just make the snap decision to become a vegetarian. But as an omnivore and someone who has farming in her family history, I don't want to cut it out of my diet. So what I can do is take a little more effort to make sure I make smart purchases and do things that are not only better for my body but for those around me as well.

I found a conversation with Michael Pollan discussing the book and thought this quote to be of particular interest. Pollan states: "The majority of us, though, can afford to spend more for honestly price food. Americans spend less than 10 percent of their disposable income on food—less than any people on earth (the French spend 20 percent; the Chinese 50 percent), less in fact than any people in history. Why is it we understand “quality” when it comes to a car or television set but not when it comes to something as important as what we eat?" It is puzzling for sure because I know most of us seek out quality and freshness in the produce we purchase. For example, we wouldn't purchase a shriveled up vegetable or one that had mold on it. But we always take the word that things in packages are just as fresh and pure. They say not to judge a book by its cover but why do we judge boxes of food that way?

Over the past month I've been researching ways to better source my food and noting what I'm buying with more scrutiny (are the ingredients in my food really "natural?"). Some things I had already begun doing on my own without realizing why it was good, just that I enjoyed doing it. For example, growing my own tomatoes and peppers, buying free range brown eggs from cage free chickens, and growing my own wild yeast with my sourdough starter in the fridge. I'm discovering local farms who deliver meat to my area, and catering groups who create prepared meals from only local ingredients, and a company called Grass Point Farms who supplies certified pasture milk to several of my local grocery stores.

So if you're reading this blog post, I encourage you to find out more about the food you are consuming on a regular basis. You might be surprised what you learn. In my case, I've discovered an entirely new world of healthfulness. And I can't think of a better way to place my vote for my food suppliers than to change my spending and sourcing habits. I know that some of it may seem to be a hassle in the initial phases until I build up a better pantry/freezer stash and learn about better local sources for shopping. But I see the process as a great experience that will benefit myself and my family in the long run. Besides it'll be a great lesson to teach my children some day and one that would do my grandparents proud.

Socializing with the ponies at
Grandma Joy and Grandpa John's farm in Missouri

Food: Slow Roasted Tomatoes

2011-09-06T21:30:00.000-07:00

We had some unusual early-September weather this past weekend. First it stood its ground like a provoked mid-July, presenting us with a scorching day, followed by windy, wet, and unpredictable storms (this was a bizzare way to kick-off college football season...with multiple game delays at multiple venues). Then Mother Nature went for the "shocking the system factor," dropping the temps by 50 degrees (yes, I said 50) and giving us a day filled with dreary, cold, and gray cloud cover. It was definitely not Labor Day picnicking weather in either case. So like any sane person would do, on Saturday, when it was almost 100 degrees out, I decided I absolutely had to heat the house up by running the oven for hours upon end...just so I could make this sandwich. Reasonable, right? You'll understand once you try it.

I had a ton of large green tomatoes when we left for a week in the Carolinas mid-last month, hoping they wouldn't turn bright red and rot on the vine while we were away. But when we came back home, to my surprise, nothing was ripe yet! So here I am, a week later, with a major stash of German beefsteaks, Cherokee purples, and Hillbillies. I started digging through my recipe files and decided some of them should be roasted immediately; freezing for sauce and fresh tomato soup were to be saved for another day.

When I made these slow roasted tomatoes, Jonathan said the house smelled like summer. It was truly heavenly. I liken the scent to an Italian grandmother's homey kitchen with a hint of garlic and olive oil and oregano mixed together with the sweet and juicy potency of a red ripe tomato. If only it could smell like this everyday!

After what seemed like an eternity (we'd only been smelling them for half of a very hot day), when they were finally out of the oven, I served the tomatoes on toasted peasant bread with a touch of crumbled goat cheese. And upon first bite you'll truly see, to quote my husband, that "these tomatoes are unreal." I ate them three days in a row (one of those days for breakfast). And if I ever had a restaurant, they would most definitely be on the menu (not surprisingly, the original source for this recipe is a restaurant). So if you're looking for the perfect way to enjoy a ripe summer tomato, it is warmed by an oven with flavor condensed by hours of roasting. Sometimes perfection is as simple as this.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Adapted from Adam Roberts and Orangette

INGREDIENTS

1 T Sugar
1/2 T Kosher Salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic Infused Olive Oil (if desired)
2 T Dried Oregano
~ 1 Dozen, Medium-sized Tomatoes, washed and towel dried

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
If you're using smaller tomatoes, plum for example, slice them in half; Otherwise slice your tomatoes into thick slices (I used cherokee purple tomatoes cut into thirds)
On two baking sheets, drizzle enough EVOO to coat the bottom of the pan
Place your sliced tomatoes in one layer on top of the oil and then drizzle a little more oil on top (I found a touch of garlic infused oil on the top is a nice flavor enhancement)
Next, sprinkle sugar, salt and dried oregano over the tomatoes
Place the pans in oven and cook for 1 hour
After one hour, turn the tomatoes over, and cook for another hour
Turn the tomatoes a second time and cook for 1 final hour
Transfer to a pretty serving dish and serve alongside toasted crostinis (toasting is key so the bread doesn't get soggy)
These tomatoes go great with a little goat cheese, but you really don't need the extra flavor to enjoy them - they hold up just fine on their own
Regarding storage, roasted tomatoes will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, but I highly doubt they'll last that long :) You can freeze extras too but will probably want to pop them back in the oven a little bit once you defrost them this winter. I also like to drain off the oil the pan and store it in a jar in the fridge - it's great to add a flavorful drizzle to eggs or a soup, etc. You get the picture.

Food: Swiss Chard Pizza with Whole Grain Crust

2011-09-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year Jonathan and I installed a raised garden bed next to our deck so I could grow a little more than the usual patio tomato and banana pepper plants. As in any home project, this met with some failures in the beginning. Like how we (me) had a difficult time deciding where to place the darn thing (and after I had unboxed and assembled it and dragged it around the yard, I decided I hated it and thus needed to return it). But we finally decided on a spot and fastened it down and filled it with bags and bags of dirt. Then came the fun task of deciding on plants and planting them.

I've learned a lot this year as an amateur gardener. For example, radishes apparently don't fare well with a cool wet spring followed by a zap of blazing hot weather before they're fully developed. And tomatoes can develop a disease called blossom rot that can sometimes be corrected by a boost of calcium fertilizer. I also decided next year I need to plant the tomatoes in the middle - not on the outer edges - of the bed because now that they're all grown up, they're shading the other plants. But with all of this "learning," I've also had a bunch of plant successes. We've had pickled Hungarian wax peppers, hand chopped basil pesto, tomatoes galore, fresh lettuce, and perky parsley. So you can imagine I was pretty excited to see one of my final my trial veggies this year - Swiss chard - was full size and ready to be harvested when I got back from our annual family beach vacation.

I know I've mentioned my parents' garden about a million times on this blog. But if it weren't for this garden and my mother's culinary skills, I likely never would have experienced the savory treat that is a fresh Swiss chard pizza. The pizza is the prime reason I picked the leafy green to be one of my garden babies this year.  And although over time, I've developed my own crust, the recipe is mostly my Mom's...a savory mixture of chard, onions, garlic, and parmesan cheese with a touch of bacon for a smoky and savory finish. It reminds me of home and so much more.

If you're not that familiar with chard and have a difficult time finding it in your grocery store, no worries...it's very easily grown in your garden or a pot on your patio (and not to mention pretty if you select the colored stem versions).   You must add it to your list for next year (hint, hint to my sister Meghan).

So on to the educational part. If you have heard of Swiss chard, you may not have known that it is part of the beet family and is a great source of fiber and vitamins A, C, and K. According to various nutrition sites, it's also rich in anti-oxidants and omega-3's, contains a boatload of minerals, and could help prevent osteoporosis, and cardiovascular diseases if consumed on a regular basis. But despite all of these benefits, I am a fan of chard because, well, when cooked this way, it really does taste good. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Swiss Chard Pizza

MM & Glenda D. (MM's Mom)

INGREDIENTS
Whole Grain Crust

2 c Whole Wheat Pastry Flour*
1 c Spelt Flour*
1 1/2 T Active Dry Yeast
1 t Kosher Salt
1 c very warm water (~120-130 degrees F)
1 1/2 T Honey
1 1/2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
*If you can't locate spelt flour (sold at health food stores and some specialty grocers), you can substitute 1 c of regular flour. Also, if you don't have whole wheat pastry flour (I used Bob's Red Mill brand) but do have regular whole wheat, you can substitute with 1 c white flour and 1 c whole wheat flour...using straight whole wheat will make the crust too dense.

The Savory Toppings

1 large bunch fresh swiss chard, washed, stems removed
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 slices center cut bacon (plenty of flavor but slightly lower in fat)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Shredded parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the Crust:

Turn your oven on to "warm" (or the lowest heat setting)
Mix the flour, salt, and yeast together in a medium-sized mixing bowl
Combine the warm water, olive oil, and honey in a separate dish (a liquid measuring cup works well) then stir into the flour mixture to combine
Turn the dough out onto a floured counter or work surface and knead it together with your hands, adding more flour in small increments if needed. You'll want to knead the dough well - around 10 minutes for best results
Turn the oven off and then wash and dry your mixing bowl; Oil the interior surface of the bowl by pouring some olive oil on a paper towel and wiping down the sides
Place the dough back into the bowl, turning once to expose the oiled side and cover with a lint free towel
Move the bowl to your prewarmed oven (now turned off) for a warm, draft-free rise
Rise time will be around 45 minutes or until the dough is around double in size

Prepare the Toppings:

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp; place on paper towels to drain but leave the drippings in the pan (this is where the chard will get an extra special flavor boost)
Add your chopped onion to the drippings and cook until just barely translucent; add the garlic and cook a few minutes more
Roughly tear the swiss chard and add to the skillet; cook until wilted, usually a few minutes
Season your skillet mixture with a little bit of freshly cracked pepper

Assemble Your Super Tasty Pizza:

Remove the dough from the oven and then pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees (Note: I used a pizza stone that was preheated in the oven, so if you're using a stone, feel free to add it to the oven at the time)
Turn out dough out on a floured surface and using a rolling pin (or a drinking glass), roll the dough out to your desired size/shape depending on your baking pan/stone; For a crisper crust keep the dough thin, for a more dense crust, allow the dough to be a little thicker
Sprinkle some extra whole wheat flour (or cornmeal) on the bottom of your baking dish and place your rolled dough over it (this helps prevent sticking -and- gives your pizza a fancy, gourmet finish)
Spread the Swiss chard mixture over the dough, then crumble the bacon pieces over top
Top with shredded and shaved parmesan cheese (having two textures to the cheeses works great with this pie) and place in the oven to bake
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is slightly golden
Remove from the oven, cut and serve!

Food: Fresh Corn Pesto

2011-08-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Since I grew up and am still living in the Midwest, late-July in more rural areas means driving down roads surrounded by miles and miles of tall, reed-like corn. Now granted, many of these fields contain feeder corn (i.e. not the version you or I would find appealing to eat), but nontheless, I've always viewed corn stalks as the signal of the summer harvest...Farm stands and local farmers markets are now open for business and I can finally purchase one of my summer favorites - locally grown sweet corn.

There's something about the look and taste of corn that just screams summer. First, the plant reminds me of the tropics, with thick, green, grassy stalks reaching towards the sky. Then there's the golden sheen of the ear's kernels and the juicy sweetness of its crunch. It's just one of those warm weather pleasures that can't be outdone by anything else.

As tends to be a common theme with most of my postings, the ingredients and preparation of the dish below are super simple. And the concept is almost like combining corn chowder with pasta - where the pasta becomes the starch instead of potatoes and the corn becomes the creamy, rich pasta sauce. It's quite ingenious really, seeing as corn in a food processor gets quite creamy and you don't miss the rich and fatty cream whatsoever. Or at least I don't miss it anyway.

I've had cravings for this dish other times of the year when fresh corn isn't necessarily available. So using canned or frozen corn is an acceptable substitute (although canned will have a little better texture to it than the frozen). If you do happen to have fresh corn already (which should be in grocery stores or in your garden right now or the farmer's stand down the road) you should really make it with fresh.

By the way, we discovered this dish is fantastic with some of Zingerman's Chernuska Rye bread. I'm lucky enough to live close to their Ann Arbor bakehouse, but you could also order some of your own here if you wanted to further indulge your tastebuds.

Fresh Corn Pesto

Adapted from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS
- 3 slices of bacon
- 4 c fresh corn kernels (cut from about 6 large ears) (MM Tip: You can also use canned or frozen corn if you make this in the off-season)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
- 1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
- 1/3 c walnuts, toasted
- 1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 package of fettuccine

DIRECTIONS
- Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet.
- Add corn, garlic, salt, and pepper to the drippings in the skillet. Sauté over medium heat until corn is tender but not brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 c corn kernels to small bowl and reserve.
- Scrape remaining corn mixture into processor. Add 1/2 c Parmesan and walnuts. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set pesto aside.
- Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 c pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Add corn pesto and reserved corn kernels. Toss pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid in 1/4 c increments to thin to desired consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve pasta topped with additional parmesan, reserved bacon, and freshly chopped basil or parsley if desired. It's also pretty great with some thinly sliced green onions.

Food: Cabernet Braised Short Ribs with Yogurt & Parmesan Polenta

2011-07-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

We've all had our moments of failure in the kitchen and, as most of us are aware, these melt-down occurances generally don't occur at the most opportune times. Prime example: One of my biggest cooking disappointments occurred when I was having 20 people over for a Christmas party dinner - obviously never the best time to poorly execute a meal (if there ever is a good time to do this anyway).

This past winter I decided I'd try this recipe on my guests. It was something that was supposed to be simple and delicious - a Wolfgang Puck, wine-braised brisket that sounded quite wonderful in the before with online reviewers offering up numerous accolades. But my execution (or following of directions, perhaps) must have been quite poor. I mean how else could you end up with a completely dried out brisket, floating in an oily mess of wine and discolored veggies? It was embarassing and disgusting to look at and I probably shouldn't have served it. But knowing the only other item I had was some homemade macaroni and cheese (that WAS pretty tasty and perfectly cooked I might add), I really didn't have any other options. Somehow people made their way through the meal (there were even some takers on seconds). But I was mortified and could just hear people thinking to themselves. "We always thought she was a good cook - what happened?" "Should we stop for pizza on the way home?"

After this incident, I could have just given up on braising meat forever. Ignored its existence as a cooking technique and stuck with my old standbys. I mean grilling a bunch of steaks would have been so much easier and more satisfying (both in flavor and presentation). But I'm not one to give up - albeit I took a six month leave from braising before feeling comfortable to give it a whirl again. OK, I'll be honest. All it took was a glimpse of boneless short ribs at my local Costco, which then gave me a craving for braised short ribs over polenta - a comforting dish I've ordered multiple times at restaurants. I loaded the package into my cart and couldn't wait to get home to dig up a recipe. I surely would be successful this time! I consulted a couple of sources online and finally found a short ribs recipe that not only had rave reviews but sounded simple enough I couldn't mess it up too much. And readers, I am happy to report I had success!

First of all, I must share that my simple, accompaning side dish turned out to be the best polenta I've made to-date…it's creamy and cheesy and slightly briney. Who knew adding a cup of yogurt to it could lend such creamy and tangy results. So if you don't have three hours to cook up the short ribs this time around, at least take 30 minutes to make the polenta.

But if you do have the time, these are some darn amazing short ribs! They're tender and flavorful with a wonderful, tomatoey wine sauce. In fact, the dish could be compared to a Bolognese-style dish and I think Jonathan and I could have served the sauce up over pasta and it would have been heavenly (I'm noting this for the next time I make the dish). One thing I appreciate about this recipe is instead of having veggies and meat floating in a liquid, you actually blend the veggies into a paste and give them a little bit of toasting in the pan prior to adding the wine. The result is quite gorgeous - a thick, bubbly wonder of a paste - and it creates something perfectly textured and flavorful.

I know a dish like this might sound wintery and be more suited to Fall weather. But I was quite satisfied to dig into a plate of warm and satisfying short rib after a long day of working in the yard in the middle of summer. And the polenta could be wonderful with fish or chicken or even refrigerated, cut-out in rounds, and pan fried - serving it as a simple starter topped with a touch of tapanade or bruschetta. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Cabernet Braised Short Ribs
Adapted from a recipe by Anne Burrell (via the Food Network)

INGREDIENTS

2.5 lbs boneless short ribs (MM Tip: If you're a member, your local Costco should have a nice quality package at a great price)

Kosher salt

EVOO

1 large onion, diced

3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Handful of baby carrots

4 cloves of garlic smashed

2, 6 oz cans tomato paste

3+ c of bold red wine (MM Note: Preferably a Cabernet - even if it's a cheapie)

2 c water

2 bay leaves

1 T dried thyme

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375

Season short ribs with salt and pepper; Coat a large pot (one that can accommodate all of the ingredients) with olive oil and bring to medium high heat. Brown short ribs ~2-3 minutes per side, cooking in batches if necessary (crowding will cause the ribs to steam rather than sear). Place on a plate and set aside.

Puree all vegetables and garlic in the food processor to form a coarse paste. Transfer paste into the pan you cooked the short ribs in and season with salt.

Cook on medium to medium-high until the mixture is dark and a crud has formed on the bottom of the pan - around 7 minutes. Scrape the crud and let it reform. Then scrape again and add the tomato paste. Brown for another 5 minutes, add the wine, and scrape the bottom of the pan. Use a lower heat setting if things begin to burn and cook to reduce the mixture by half.

Return the short ribs to the pan and add enough water that it just covers the meat. Add the bay leaves and thyme and cover the pan. Place it in a preheated oven for 2-2.5 hours (check mid-way though since boneless ribs can cook more quickly). You can remove the lid for the last 15 minutes to allow the liquid to cook down more and to brown the meat if desired. Serve ribs with the braising liquid.

-------------------------------------

Yogurt & Parmesan Polenta

INGREDIENTS

6 c water

1 T salt, plus extra for seasoning (MM Flavor Boost: Use Truffle Salt for some added Wow!)

2 c course yellow cornmeal (or polenta)

1 c freshly grated parmesan

1 c plain greek yogurt

1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, bring water to boil. Add the salt and gradually whisk in the cornmeal.

Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, about 15-20 minutes. The mixture should be thick and the cornmeal tender.

Remove from heat and stir in the yogurt, butter, and parmesan cheese.

Food: Lentil Almond Stir Fry with Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes

2011-06-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

The reason I love food and cooking so much is due to the amazing opportunity to try new things. There are always innovative techniques to learn and flavors to taste. And even though I've had my share of disappointment and frustration (a disaster called pretzel rolls, for example...one of many failed experiments I may share with you some day), for the most part, the culinary world is very satisfying.

With that in mind, one of my newest learnings in the past year has been the versatility (and the super satisfying flavor) of lentils. Why it took me over 30 years to discover this, I'm not quite sure. But I have learned to know lentils is to love them. I mean how many healthy and hearty foods can you pair with so many different flavors and still end up with something mighty tasty? And to make it even better (yes, you know there has to be a nod to simplicity or speed in this posting) I love the fact that Trader Joe's has a pre-steamed version (I know, I know...I've mentioned these before when I posted this elegant and simple salmon with lentils recipe...).

The history behind today's posting has to do with one of my favorite blogs - Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks. Heidi's been blogging since 2003 and not only has she introduced me to some wonderful cooking techniques (like this one for pan frying dried gnocchi - did you know you don't need to boil it?!?) but her food photographs are beautiful and seem to perfectly represent how glorious the recipes are going to taste. It just so happens the blog is vegetarian but her dishes and recipes are truly inspirational and encourage me to eat more hearty grains and experiment outside the traditional veggie dishes. And every lentil dish I've tried on her site has been fantastic. In fact, her lentil burgers (with my own spin on them) were good straight out of the skillet for dinner and then...I ate two straight out of the fridge for lunch the next day (I'll post my version of that recipe in the near future as well). Hence my new obsession with lentils.

So with all of that pomp and circumstance, I need to bring the focus back to today's main dish...A lovely, lentil-almond stir fry. First, let me point out some common misconceptions. One, a stir fry does not need to be steeped in Asian flavors or drowned in soy sauce to be considered as such. And two, lentils are not only found in vegetarian Indian dishes and actually pair quite well with things you might not have considered such as mint sauce, brussels sprouts, and dates.

I'd consider this recipe from Heidi to be flexitarian. In other words, you could add meat to it if you'd like, but it's also plenty fulfilling on its own. I actually served this one evening as a bed for a filet of pan-seared mahi mahi - and drizzled the mint sauce on the fish. It was quite wonderful. But really, the star was what the fish was placed upon. You've got zesty and bright mint sauce. Cooling yogurt. Earthy lentils. A slightly sweet hint from the dates. The crunch of almonds. Carmelized potatoes -AND- brussel sprouts. And it's particularly gorgeous if you're able to find blue potatoes - there's just something about a colorful plate of brown, green, white, and gemstone blue that makes everything taste all that much more fulfilling.

Quite honestly, I'm drooling on my keyboard just thinking about this recipe. And the coolest bit is depending on the accessories you garnish or pair this with, it really can play in all seasons. It's hearty and warm but just as tasty served cold. I am definitely a fan of lunchtime leftovers that I don't necessarily need to heat up in the grimy workplace microwave...I'm sure for many of us that goes without saying.

Lentil Almond Stir Fry
Original Recipe by: 101 Cookbooks/Heidi Swanson

INGREDIENTS

MINT SAUCE

1 c fresh mint leaves

1/2 chile pepper, de-veined/seeded

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T honey

1T fresh lemon juice

LENTIL ALMOND STIR FRY

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

6 to 8 baby potatoes, preferably blue, cut in quarters

1 package of steamed lentils from Trader Joe's

12 brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

Handful of raw almonds, roughly chopped

1/3 c plain Greek yogurt, thinned out with 1 T water, and salted with a pinch of salt

3-4 dates, pitted and chopped

DIRECTIONS

Combine the ingredients for the mint sauce in a food processor and pulse to combine. Be careful not to over process/puree the mixture (texture = good). Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When you start to smell the olive oil aroma, add the potatoes and cover the skillet. Allow to cook for ~5 minutes (to get nicely browned edges), toss, and cook another 5 minutes. Add the sprouts and allow the edges to get brown and caramelized, tossing as necessarily. Add the lentils to the potatoes-brussels sprout mixture and heat through. When the mixture is nicely heated, add the almonds, toss to combine, and turn out on individual plates.

Drizzle with yogurt and mint sauce and top with chopped dates. Super yummy.

Update: The Motown Mrs.

2011-06-21T20:42:00.000-07:00

It seems as though Spring and the start of Summer have completely passed me by...that is in terms of being prompt and regular with my writing. But - I do have a pretty good excuse this time...The Motown Maiden became the Motown Mrs. on June 11!

Yes, with all the hustle and bustle of wedding planning, I got all wrapped up in plans and details to ensure a perfect day and a rockin' party. I suppose I never realized how much work was involved or even how busy I'd be close to the date (even though I am a ridiculous planner). When Jonathan and I were figuring out what we wanted, we laid out a few requirements: Good music (Rick C., you Rock!), good beverages (we picked a venue that allowed us to bring in our own beer, wine, & liquor which allowed us to have anything we wanted), and of course, good food (I had our reception venue make this recipe from Food and Wine and source their bread from here). We also had a great photographer who has just started offering wedding photobooths in addition to their wedding photo package (a huge hit with our guests...we can't wait to see the photos from Crystal and Brandon).

Once I get back some photos, I promise to share - as well as some recipes from the cookie table - everything was homemade by family and friends (my mother made two wedding cakes!). The only dessert items we outsourced were some tasty Michigan pies from here.

I'll be taking a few more days to recover from a wonderful weekend and reveling in the joys of married life. But I promise I'll post something delicious very soon and not keep you waiting. In the meantime, you may want to check out this recipe for a great use of fresh-from-the-garden asparagus and healthy soba noodles. We had it a couple of weeks ago and it was a nice change for a breakfast-meets-dinner entree.

In case you're planning a wedding or a party or helping a friend research their's, here are some of the key vendors and etsy sellers we used for our event. I would highly recommend all of them!

Wedding Ceremony: Our Lady of Good Counsel Church - Plymouth, MI
Wedding Reception: Earhart Manor @ Concordia University - Ann Arbor, MI
Photographers: Toole Art Photography
String Quartet: Go 4 Baroque
Live Music: Rick Canzano
Custom Items from Etsy (my all-time-favorite shopping site):
- Custom stamp from Terbear Co
- Book Safe (for the rings)
- Bridal Bolero
- My something blue that we sewed in the back of my dress
- Personalized matchbooks from DIYLasercut
- Fun photo booth props (the chalkboard thought bubble was a major hit!) -This, This, and This
- Burlap banner from sherisewsweet
- Chalk tags to use for table numbers

Food: Chicken Baked on Bread

2011-03-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

Chicken. Baked on bread. "Hmmm…," you might say. "That sounds a little bland and boring. Are you talking about plain white bread topped with plain white chicken, baked together in the oven? I don't know about that…it sounds interesting?"

But keep reading…you know I'm not the type to give you soggy, sad, blah recipes (at least I hope you don't view my posts to be such!). Maybe I can convince you that chicken baked on bread is actually a quite wonderful thing - simple yet sophisticated and surprisingly flavorful and savory.

So I probably should give you a little background on the inspiration for the recipe below. Food & Wine's Melissa Perello came up with this (I've modified it slightly from her version) while thinking about Judy Rogers' brick oven chicken. For those of you unfamiliar with Judy or her San Francisco restaurant (the Zuni Café in Hayes Valley), Ms. Rogers is famous for her dry brining technique for poultry (in fact, her turkey recipe is the one I've used the past two Thanksgivings with sublime results). It seems practically everyone has posted the Zuni roast chicken recipe (or a version of it) on their blog. If you do a search, tons and tons of websites show up. So, yes, the chicken is that good -and- that popular. So why settle for an alternative?

A couple of years ago, my friend Christine and I actually visited Zuni and ordered the famed "Chicken for Two." It's a meal that's really an event since you place your order and wait an hour for the chicken to bake…drinking a glass (or two) of wine and conversing over appetizers. In the end, we decided that although brining does make chicken wonderfully juicy and delicious, we were a little disappointed in how salty it was (you definitely wanted to drink a lot of water afterwards) and it was a rather long time to wait for dinner. The experience at home is not much different.

When deciding to brine a chicken for roasting, you have to plan ahead. To brine is a couple-day process requiring dry rubbing salt on a bird, wrapping it up, placing it in a refrigerator, turning it over after a day or so, and so forth. Besides that, to make a perfect roast chicken, you have to find a very small, whole frying chicken - which many grocery stores unfortunately don't like to carry, meaning a trip to your local butcher. Also, the bread salad is made separately…i.e. once you do get around to cooking you're stuck with multiple pans and oven temperatures (not super handy if you don't have two ovens at your disposal). As you can see, although the recipe results are generally wonderful, the prep work is not.

Whew! So after all that, this is where I get to the part about the ingenuity behind chicken baked on bread. First, Melissa's recipe calls for using pieces of chicken (rather than an entire bird), significantly reducing the overall cooking time. Second, there's no brining involved and the chicken is skinless, meaning a lower fat and lower sodium dish. Third, it's a one-dish meal (less mess in the kitchen!). And to top it all off, baking the chicken on top of the cubed bread gives the sourdough a wonderfully crispy, caramelized outer shell with a dense, chewy, savory inside. What could be better?!?

So if you're looking for an elegant, relatively simple, modern take on chicken and stuffing, chicken baked on bread could be for you. It'd be fantastic for a casual dinner shared with friends and is snap to throw together. It's also something that could be served any time of the year - Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall...Just add different ingredients to compliment the seasons. Send out the invitations!

Chicken Baked on Bread
Adapted from Food and Wine (December 2010)

INGREDIENTS

1 small loaf day-old sourdough, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup salted capers, rinsed well
1/4 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1 large bunch of Baby Spinach (about 1 1/2 pounds) torn into pieces
3 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, capers, raisins, spinach, shallots, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and black pepper. Spread the bread in a large enameled cast-iron casserole (MM: My enameled cast-iron pot wasn't quite big enough...so I ended up using a tagine - which worked out fine but upped the cooking time slightly).
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and arrange them over the bread. Cover the chicken with a piece of parchment paper and close the casserole with a heavy lid. Bake the chicken for 40 minutes.
Remove the lid and parchment paper and increase the oven temperature to 400°. Bake the chicken for 12-15 minutes longer, or until golden on top and cooked through. Remove the casserole from the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the chicken with the bread and greens.

Food: Butternut Squash Soup

2011-02-28T20:13:00.000-08:00

Although it's a couple months into the New Year and most of us have hopes for Spring, Mother Nature keeps sending swaths of snow to Southeast Michigan. About a week ago all the cold whiteness had melted (we actually hit the "balmy" upper 50's twice!)…and she tricked me into thinking warmer weather had arrived. But then she decided to play a dirty prank and dropped a cascade of another 10" of snow...in one short evening. More shoveling (groan)! Alas I must turn to food again to make me believe warmer weather is indeed in the not-so-distant future.

When I first found this recipe, I wasn't quite sure what to think. I mean, who's ever heard of a winter squash soup topped with summery/tropical ingredients (cashews, green onions, bananas, curry powder, and coconut)? But then again, I love unusual combination of flavors (or unconventional surprises and delights as we would call them in Marketing). Especially when those combinations can warm me up on a cold day -and- give me the feeling of a warmer destination.

Knowing Ina Garten's recipes and her keen sense of what flavors meld wonderfully together, I just had to try this version of butternut squash soup. To make it even better, this dish is definitely filling enough to be the only thing you serve (Lesson learned - I actually made this as a side dish to another meal...and it was completely unnecessary). And it's so festive and sunny in its appearance, no one is going to be able to resist. It might also make you think you're on an exotic beach vacation somewhere….a pink sand beach in the Bahamas, perhaps. Yes, it's OK to dream your way out of the cold, dreary, late-season snow...starting with this soup.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and Curry Condiments

Recipe by: Ina Garten via The Food Network

INGREDIENTS

SOUP

3-to-4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded (MM Time-Saver Tip: Many stores like Trader Joe's and Costco sell cut/peeled/seeded butternut squash in containers in the refrigerated veggies section)
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 apples, peeled and cored (MM Note: I used Pink Lady apples)
3 T olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-4 c chicken stock
1/2 t curry powder

CONDIMENTS FOR SERVING

Scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and sliced diagonally
Flaked sweetened coconut, lightly toasted
Roasted salted cashews, toasted and chopped
Diced banana

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.
Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, place them in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely puree. When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup.
Add the curry powder, 1 t salt, and 1/2 t pepper. Taste for seasonings to be sure there's enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot with condiments either on the side or on top of each serving.

Food: The Slanted Door's Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken

2011-02-17T21:16:00.000-08:00

I'm currently planning trip to California for my Mom's 60th birthday. She's never been to the West coast and I can't wait to show her my favorite city (San Francisco) as well as charming Carmel-by-the-Sea and decedant Wine Country. Jonathan and I took a similar trip a couple of years ago and he told me it was one of his favorite vacations - super relaxing, scenic, and, of course, full of great tasting food adventures.

When I think of San Francisco, one of the first things that comes to mind is the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building (you should have assumed one of my favorite things has to do with food!). The Ferry Building is a special place with scrumptious restaurants like The Slanted Door (Vietnamese cuisine) and Taylor's Refresher (California-style roadside dining), and fine-food specialty shops like the Cowgirl Creamery (cheese), Acme Bread, Miette (cupcakes), and Scharffen Berger (chocolate). So it's only appropriate that the recipe below happens to come from my favorite Ferry Building restaurant (The Slanted Door).

The smells and flavors of this Asian-style chicken dish combined with heavenly scented jasmine rice are wonderful. And paired with the fact it only takes 30 minutes to throw together (start-to-finish), you can't really go wrong - it's faster (and better) than just ordering carry-out. To dress up the flavors and textures, I often like to serve the chicken with peeled and steamed edamame (many grocers like Trader Joe's offer this option on the frozen foods section).

So...with that said, what better meal could you make for yourself during the work week? This is a wonderfully fast, healthy, and flavorful dish that can make any night seem like a special evening. You'll feel good about yourself...even if you didn't make it to the gym tonight :)

Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken

Source: Food & Wine - recipe by Charles Phan

INGREDIENTS

1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c fish sauce
1/4 c water
3 T rice vinegar
1 t minced garlic
1 t finely grated fresh ginger
2 t coarsely ground pepper
2 dried red chiles
1 T vegetable oil (I like "Smart Balance")
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces (MM Tip: If you prefer the texture of white meat, chicken breast also works well in this recipe)
1/4 c cilantro sprigs, roughly chopped (MM Comment: I used a little more cilantro than this and it gave the dish a bright, fresh flavor)

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, water, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, pepper and chiles.
Heat the oil in a large deep skillet. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add the fish sauce mixture and the chicken and simmer over high heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Food: Salmon with Lentils and Mustard-Herb Butter

2011-02-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

"Oh, can you feel the love tonight?" Are you ready? Yes, I'm talking about February 14 - and it's rapidly approaching! Do you know what you're going to make to surprise that special someone? (I know, planning isn't all that romantic. But a wonderful dinner certainly qualifies as being such.)

If you happen to live in the North, then chances are Valentine's Day generally occurs on a cold, blustery, winter day (sigh). One where romance doesn't consist of enjoying a beautiful sunset on a beach but rather cozying up by a roaring fireplace (that is, if you're lucky to have one in the comfort of your own home) and avoiding going outdoors and shoveling snow at all costs. It also (hopefully) means treating your sweetie to a lovingly prepared, warm, homecooked meal that mixes comforting flavors and smells with a beautiful presentation. Accompanied, of course, by a delicious, delictable glass of wine. Maybe this one, perhaps (yes, yes - you CAN do red wine with fish).

The recipe below (which originally appeared in the March 2008 issue of Gourmet) is what I suggest you make this year to woo your Valentine. I love the complimentary combination of flavors and the simplicity of its preparation. And the fact you can make the herb butter and caramelized onions the day prior, if you'd like, and cheat on the lentils by buying the pre-steamed variety in the refrigerated section at Trader Joe's, makes it a no-brainer for those in a time crunch. I think this is my favorite way to enjoy salmon lately. It's a perfectly paired combination of warm nutty lentils, sweet caramelized onions, crisp-crusted, meaty fish, and citrusy, tarragon-infused, dijon-mustard butter. Wow - that was rather long-winded statement for such a simple dish. Are you swooning yet? Or at least salivating? I must say, this recipe is also very French - oh là là - which, by default, makes it very romantic, oui?

I apologize that the photo I've posted doesn't do the recipe justice at all. Unfortunately all I had with me was my iPhone - so the colors look rather drab and dark, not like a wonderful Valentine's gift at all. But when you pair deep brown lentils with juicy pink salmon and bright green herbs, it IS a sight to be seen. So basic yet oh so lovely and wonderfully flavorful.

For dessert, you can never go wrong with this cake. Or you could make it easy and just pick up some special cupcakes or cookies from your local bakery. Either way, you're sure to impress the one you love. Bon appétit!

Salmon with Lentils and Mustard-Herb Butter

Adapted from Gourmet

INGREDIENTS

5 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T chopped chives
1 T chopped tarragon
2 t dijon mustard (this one is rather wonderful)
2 t fresh lemon juice

1 package pre-steamed lentils (found in Trader Joe's refrigerated section)
1 large onion, diced
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T fresh lemon juice

4 (6-oz) pieces of skinless salmon fillet
1 T unsalted butter
1 T extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Make the mustard-herb butter (can be prepared 1 day in advance): Stir together the first 5 ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate and soften slightly prior to serving.

Prepare the lentils: In a heavy skillet on medium-low heat, sauté onions in the 1 T of olive oil until translucent and slightly carmelized (~10 minutes). Drizzle with 1T of lemon juice, stir in lentils, and keep warm on low heat.

Cook the salmon: Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t fresh ground pepper. Heat 1 T unsalted butter and 1 T olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides. Then sauté salmon, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6-to-8 minutes total.

Plate: Serve the salmon over the lentils, topped with mustard-herb butter (and a sprinkle of left-over tarragon, if desired).

Food: Cabbage and Brussels Sprout Salad

2011-01-31T20:01:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago one of my coworkers brought this salad in his lunch. Due to the bleakness of winter and the drabness of our office space, there was much oohing and ahhing over the bright colors, and the melding of iridescent purple with fresh green. Then came the talk about how this could probably be considered a "super foods" sort of meal. Everyone appeared quite impressed...and potentially a little jealous. But the coincidence was, I had already added the ingredients for this salad to my grocery list the day prior...My colleague and I had both apparently nabbed the recipe out of the latest Food and Wine magazine in the same week.

There are a bunch of things to like about this salad: It's relatively simple. It has wonderful flavors - almost like a modern, super healthy coleslaw (it may become my replacement for the regular kind once summer rolls around). It's bright and colorful. It's hearty. It would fit with multiple seasons (hence my previous comment about summer). It's a booming combination of flavors - sweet, tart, spicy, nutty, and bright. And it's so super fulfilling.

The first day we had this was for lunch as a side to a wonderfully warm and crisp Jarlesburg and Tuscan Pane (an awesome bread found at Trader Joe's) grilled cheese sandwich. A couple of days later I turned it into a main dish enhanced with shavings of Grana Padano. It even went great for dinner one night along side an Amy's Organic California-style garden burger. Like I said, this is a salad that is versatile. It goes just as fantastic with a vegetarian meal as it would with a smoky, juicy steak. It will also last for several days without turning into a soggy mess. And if your kids (or spouse) are currently afraid of brussels sprouts, this may be a salad to help hold their hand and ease them into a wonderful world they are definitely missing from their lives. You will make this again - maybe even crave it. I promise.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cabbage and Pine Nuts

Slightly modified from a recipe by Nicolas Jammet of Washington, DC's Sweetgreen - published in Food and Wine

Ingredients

1/2 c pine nuts
1 lb brussels sprouts, quartered
6 T extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 T honey
2 t Dijon mustard
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t chile powder
1 small head of red cabbage, very thinly sliced (~6 cups)
1/2 c dried cranberries
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°. Spread the pine nuts in a pie plate and toast for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, until the brussels sprouts are lightly caramelized and tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the honey, mustard, cayenne and chile powder. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the toasted pine nuts and cranberries. In a small skillet, heat the remaining olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until golden, about 1 minute. Scrape the garlic and hot oil over the cabbage. Add the brussels sprouts and toss, then add the dressing, toss again, and serve.

Food: Shrimp Enchiladas with Parsnips and Sweet Potato

2010-10-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

Are you ready? Ever thought of combining shrimp with parsnips and sweet potatoes? Me either. Until this came along - the best recipe I've stumbled upon in the past couple of months. And to make it even better, meat lovers love it too (trust me, two meat-and-potato types just enjoyed this with me a few evenings ago). The dish is so tasty and comforting, I'm considering adding it to my Christmas party menu. Spicy, sweet, fulfilling, warm...Southwest flavors combined with sweet and nutty root veggies. What else could you ask for in the perfect Fall meal? My mouth is still salivating. Seriously. My tummy is full but my taste buds are asking for more.

If you're looking for a pairing, this dish actually goes great with an earthy Malbec but would also be nice with a light, balanced white. And it'd be great even without the shrimp if you're looking for a meal to satisfy vegetarians. I was even tempted to use the filling as a mashed potato substitute...so feel free to freeze any leftover filling to use as a quick side for a future meal.

Shrimp Enchiladas with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

Slightly Modified from Bon Appetit - October 2010 (Molly Stevens)

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 anaheim pepper, halved, seeded
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
1 jar tomatillo salsa (MM Recommendation: Frontera)
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
8 ounces cooked, peeled, de-veined shrimp, coarsely chopped
12 5 1/2- to 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas
8 ounces crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese (about 2 cups)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine parsnips, sweet potatoes, and red onion in large bowl. Add ground cumin, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, chili powder, oregano, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt; toss to coat. Transfer to baking sheet. Roast vegetables until soft and browned in spots, turning occasionally, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool. (Note: This could be prepared the day before - just refrigerate and allow to come back to room temperature before assembling the enchiladas).
Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. With machine running, add garlic and jalapeño through feed tube of processor and process until finely chopped. Add cilantro and drained green chiles. Using on/off turns, process until coarse puree forms. Add salsa; process to blend. Transfer salsa mixture to large deep skillet. Add 1/4 cup sour cream and stir over medium-low heat just until warm (do not allow to boil). Remove from heat. Cover and keep warm.
Measure 1 cup roasted vegetables; set aside. Transfer remaining vegetables to processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to large bowl.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, cook until just softened, about 15 seconds per side (do not allow to brown). Transfer tortillas to paper towels to drain.
Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture over bottom of long baking dish. Place 1 tortilla on work surface; sprinkle generous 2 teaspoons crumbled cheese down center. Top with generous 1/4 cup roasted vegetable filling, and sprinkle with chopped shrimp. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese, and filling. Scatter reserved 1 cup roasted vegetables over enchiladas. Spoon remaining salsa mixture over. Sprinkle with any remaining cheese. Bake enchiladas until heated through, about 20 minutes.

Food: Chili-Rubbed Steak Tacos with Cucumber-Avocado Salsa

2010-09-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

It's football season...and the end of summer. So what could be better than some warm, spicy, steak tacos with a hit of tart, citrusy lime, and cooling avocado and cucumber? This meal is a reminder that the warm weather isn't quite gone yet -and- it's a more grown up and tangy tailgating treat than blah, blah, boringly simple burgers and brats. The "salsa" has quite a bit of lime juice in it...so it keeps quite well when stored in the refrigerator overnight. In fact, if you have leftovers, feel free to lose the corn tortilla and make a simple salad out of the salsa and shredded cabbage...add a little bit of crumbled feta and you have a refreshing lunchtime treat. And (can you keep a secret), did I mention this meal as a whole is pretty darn healthy? Bonus! This is definitely a recipe to add into your monthly rotation.

Chili-Rubbed Steak Tacos with Cucumber-Avocado Salsa
Adapted from Ellie Krieger - Food Network

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
A pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pound top sirloin steaks cut 1-inch thick
12 small corn tortillas (5 to 6 inches in diameter)
3 cups shredded red cabbage (MM Tip: Buy a pre-shredded bag from the salad section)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 cups Avocado Lime Salsa, recipe follows

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl stir together chili powder, garlic, cinnamon, salt and cayenne pepper. Rub spice mixture on both sides of steaks.

Grill or broil steaks for 8-10 minutes on each side for medium-to-medium-well, turning once. Remove from grill and let meat sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Carve into thin slices.

Warm tortillas by placing them on the grill, for about 30 seconds, turning once. Wrap in foil to keep warm/steamed. Place the carved steak, warm tortillas, cabbage, cilantro, lime and Avocado Lime Salsa in serving dishes and let diners make their own tacos at the table.

Cucumber-Avocado Salsa:

1 large English cucumber, cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
2 avocados, cut into chunks
2 limes, juiced
Salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 hot Anaheim chile, seeded and chopped

Place cucumber and avocado in a large bowl and add lime juice and salt. Add cilantro and chiles and toss gently.

Food: Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers in Oil

2010-08-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

In previous posts I've mentioned my parents' wonderful garden and how spoiled I was to have had constant exposure to fresh veggies during harvest season. And although I dearly love many of the vegetables that came straight from the patch (heirloom German tomatoes in particular), not many things can quite overtake my affection for Hungarian hot wax peppers.

I don't even know when my parents started planing hot peppers or why the Northeast Ohio area in particular tends to have so many people who plant the Hungarian wax variety. But let me share with you a super simple way to prepare them. These are not only fabulous, but they'll last in your fridge for several months, and they're an absolutely perfect condiment. I've put them in things like bread rolls stuffed with sopressata and kalamata olives, sandwiches, on top of fried eggs...And they're pretty darn good all by themselves, served as an appetizer along side cheese and crackers. As my pepper plant's production for the year is starting to dwindle, making these refrigerator peppers is definitely motivation to grow another Hungarian wax pepper on my patio again next year.

This recipe is relatively simple and if you use basic ratios, you can make batches in a more customized manner to suit your needs.

I generally use the following as a guideline:

Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers in Oil

Adapted from a recipe from a family friend

MM Tip: It's generally wise to wear rubber gloves when working with hot peppers to avoid an accidental swipe of them into your eyes later in the day since the oils remain on your hands.

INGREDIENTS

~15 Peppers - Sliced into thin strips, seeds removed

1 cup Cider or Distilled Vinegar

1 cup Water

2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1-2 large heads of garlic, diced

2 T Oregano

1 T Kosher Salt

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (minus the peppers) together and mix well. Stir in the peppers, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand overnight. Stir occasionally. Place the pepper mixture into a large jar with a lid and refrigerate. The peppers in oil will keep for months in the refrigerator.

Food: Grilled Salmon with Blueberry Pan Sauce

2010-07-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite, mid-summer finds at the market is fresh blueberries. So when July rolls around each year, I look forward to loading up my cart (and freezer at home) with several quarts of the purple skinned fruit. I mean what could be better than something that not only tastes awesome but has a major variety of uses and contains 25% of your daily Vitamin C and tons of antioxidants in one serving?!?

Blueberries bring back so many memories from when I was younger. My childhood neighbors had a huge blueberry patch in their backyard and those bushes provided the basis for countless blueberry muffins and pie and jam and pancakes and of course, lots of opportunities to just eat them plain on a fresh bowl of morning cereal.

When I moved to Michigan almost 10 years ago, some friends and I decided it was about time we found our own "you pick" blueberry patch and drove over the border to Canada to pick blueberries at Klassen's in Essex. It was a fun adventure but unfortunately a rather long haul from Detroit. So luckily, a couple of years ago, I discovered a Michigan patch that was closer and try to make an effort to take a summer afternoon each year to go picking. (BTW...A good website for finding "pick your own" places near you is: http://www.pickyourown.org).

Although my normal use for berries, when not just eating them plain, consists of traditional items like muffins and pancakes, when I received my Bon Appetit the other day, I knew I just had to make this recipe. I will admit I'm normally not the biggest fan of fruit sauces and fish (since most of them are too sweet). But this sauce was fresh and savory and nicely complimented the salmon and mashed sweet potatoes. The mint also provided a bright flavor which made the meal so well suited for the summer. And let me just say, there's really nothing like a quick, healthy meal to make you enjoy the hot summer weather while feeling fulfilled and refreshed.

Grilled Salmon with Quick Blueberry Pan Sauce

From: Bon Appetit - August 2010 Issue

Recipe by Lori Longbotham

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil plus additional for brushing
3/4 cup sliced shallots
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme plus additional for seasoning
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice plus additional for seasoning
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 7-ounce salmon fillets (each about 3/4 inch thick)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint, divided

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add blueberries, 1/4 cup water, and vinegar. Stir to blend. Mash berries with potato masher or back of fork and cook until sauce thickens, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm before using.
Brush grill rack with oil. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush salmon on both sides with oil; sprinkle with coarse salt, thyme, allspice, and black pepper.
Grill salmon until just opaque in center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Stir 2 tablespoons sliced mint into warm blueberry sauce. Spoon sauce over salmon and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon mint. Serve immediately.

Food: Zucchini Pesto

2010-07-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

OK...I know I'm hugely guilty of not posting things in over A MONTH. But did I mention my little sister was getting married? The wedding was actually this past weekend...and it was beautiful and fun and EXHAUSTING :) So now that I've had a little recovery time, I'm back in the game for sharing more recipes with you.

Farmers Markets are in full swing now. And it couldn't be better that one of my favorite veggies (zucchini) is in abundance (along with other wonderful summertime produce). So in case you still have a bunch of it in your fridge right now, or a craving for a wonderful summer dish, here's a quick and easy pasta recipe that uses a couple of zucchini as the base for a fresh, pesto-style sauce.

Also, if you happened to make my Sugo-stype caramelized onions in bulk and froze some, these work perfectly in this dish. If you don't have any, though never fear. You can caramelize some in the skillet using a quicker-cooking method. If you don't know how to do this, drop me a note and I'll post some instructions.

Zucchini Hazelnut Pesto with Bowties

Adapted from Bon Appetit, Oct 2009

Ingredients

1 small zucchini (~2 cups shredded)
2/3 c toasted hazelnuts
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T finely grated lemon peel
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 c plus 1 T olive oil
1/2 t truffle salt
A handful of fresh green beans, stemmed and snapped in half
1 14.5 oz box of bow tie pasta
1/3 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
Caramelized onions

Directions

Fill a pot with enough water to cook one box of pasta, salt generously, and bring to a boil. Cook pasta per directions.
When pasta is al dente, reserve 1 c of cooking liquid. Then drain, return to cooking pot, toss with 1T olive oil, and set aside.
In a food processor, combine zucchini, hazelnuts, lemon juice, truffle salt, and garlic. Slowly add olive oil in a steady stream until the mixture resembles a thick, green sauce.
In a small pan, add a couple of tablespoons of water, heat to medium, and steam green beans a few minutes until cooked but slightly crispy.
Toss bowties with "pesto" and green beans. Top with caramelized onions and freshly grated parmesan and serve!

Food: Glenda's Glorious Rhubarb Pie

2010-06-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I like things that are a little different, things that aren't what they appear to be. Which is probably one of the underlying reasons as to why I like rhubarb. Rhubarb likes to play outside of its designated category...like a tomato, for example. A tomato, although a fruit, is generally not found in a fruit salad or a fruit smoothie (and for good reason...). So is the case for rhubarb when it comes to the vegetable world. Although it is a vegetable, rhubarb won't ever be seen in a succotash or a ratatouille. Instead this veggie prefers to be slightly sweetened and baked into a pie or stewed into a sweet, tangy, warm, gobby mess of goodness.

The recipe I'm sharing with you today is right at the top of my 10 favorite things to eat. And I'm sure some of you who have never had rhubarb are thinking I must be nuts. But trust me. This is a dessert I often requested in the spring when growing up (and still request even now as an adult). A couple of years ago I discovered a local pie place carried rhubarb pie, and you can imagine I was pretty excited. But it truly doesn't hold a candle to the recipe below.

DISCLAIMER: I know parts of this probably came out of a cookbook at some point, so I'm making a disclaimer in advance that if you know where this recipe originated, please send me an e-mail with the source…I want to give credit where credit's due…especially in the case of one of my favorite things :)

Besides my mom's classic pie recipe, here are a couple of other ways you should try rhubarb:

Roasted Rhubarb (with Greek Yogurt)
Rhubarb Raspberry Betty (via the Wednesday Chef)
Country Rhubarb Cake (via the Wednesday Chef)
Stewed Rhubarb with White Wine and Vanilla Beans (via Orangette)

Glenda's Glorious Rhubarb Pie

via MM's Mom

INGREDIENTS

Crust

2 c flour
1 t salt
⅔ c plus 2 T shortening
5 T cold water

Filling

1⅓ to 1⅔ c sugar
⅓ c flour (MM note: or more...this is your thickening agent)
½ t grated orange peel
4 c fresh rhubarb (cut into ½" pieces)
2 T butter

DIRECTIONS

Crust

- Combine flour and salt in a bowl and cut in shortening with a pastry cutter. Make sure shortening is thoroughly combined.

- Sprinkle in water and mix to form dough.

- Roll dough into two, round pie crusts.

- Line pie pan with one crust, set the other aside.

Filling

- Heat oven to 425 degrees.

- Stir together sugar, flour and orange peel.

- Place half of the rhubarb into pastry lined pie pan and sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture.

- Repeat with remaining rhubarb and sugar; dot with butter. Cover with top crust, cut slits in top,sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.

- Bake 40 to 50 min. until juices begin to bubble through slits in crust.

- Remove foil the last 15 minutes of baking.

Food: Thai Chicken Burgers

2010-05-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of recipe posting the past few weeks. I've been doing a lot of traveling and a lot of working outside...so generally when I have had some time to spend on the computer I've been too exhausted to do so. I know I have some catching up to do.

The night I decided to make this recipe, I came in from working in the yard to discover the power was out. So between being exhausted from a full day outside, an ice cold shower in the dark, and being worried each time I opened the refrigerator, I wasn't quite sure if I even wanted to make dinner anymore. And when I continued on my way to mixing together these "burgers," I wasn't quite sure how they'd turn out seeing as I measured and mixed together the items by the light of two candles. I was definitely thinking I might have to make a late night pizza run.

But, I ended up having luck on my side. The entire meal could be prepared and cooked without power. The chicken patties turned out better than perfect (nicely spiced with a crisp, outer shell). And the power came back on right before we were ready to eat - so we could actually see what we were eating.

A simple salad to throw together to go alongside this tasty sandwich involves mixing together a bag of broccoli slaw, ~1/2 c bean sprouts, roasted peanuts, and shitake mushrooms and tossing the mixture with the peanut-lime dressing I usually reserve for soba noodles.

This is definitely a "burger" recipe that is being added to my summer grilling rotation.

Thai Chicken Burgers

MM Original

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground chicken
2 t hot curry powder
1/3 c coconut milk
1/2+ c panko bread crumbs
1/4 c fresh cilantro, finelt chopped
1 T Thai Red Chile Paste
2 T natural peanut butter
1/4 t kosher salt
Vegetable Oil (Use a neutral flavored oil like Smart Balance)

TOPPINGS

Round pear slices
Sesame topped egg buns

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients (except the oil) in a large mixing bowl, using your hands to ensure a consistent mixture throughout. The mixture should not be sticky, so keep adding panko until you get a nice "hamburger" style texture.

Form mixture into 5-6 uniform patties. Brush oil on both sides.

Grill on Direct, Medium-High heat for 8-10 minutes until cooked through, turning once during cooking process. Feel free to brush a little more oil on the patty as it cooks.

Top with a sliced pear and serve on a fresh, sesame egg bun.

Food: Soba Noodles

2010-04-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Now that we've seen some 80 degree temps here in Detroit (OK...so not 80 degrees consistently, just scattered here and there like the tree pollen all over my driveway), I've started thinking about summer foods. For example, burgers (or rather anything) on the grill, fresh seafood, salads... So today I've decided to share with you one of my favorite, one-dish, "salad" recipes for the warm weather - Peanut Soba Noodles.

This is one of my standard summer staples. It's fresh, super easy and quick, tastes of wonderful Asian flavors, has hearty and good-for-you Soba (Japanese buckwheat) noodles, and is scattered with veggies galore. Just thinking about crunchy and slightly spicy, thinly sliced radishes, sweet and crisp sugar snap peas, and cilantro (yes, those of you who think this tastes like soap can leave it out but you really don't know what you're missing) is enough to get my mouth watering. It also has one super special ingredient that I'm sure you won't mind using on a sandwich or some crackers later - gooey but super tasty natural peanut butter (yes, the stuff that you have to stir and put in the fridge afterwards).

I know you're going to enjoy this one because not only is it fast, tasty, and fresh, it's one of those things that after you make it once you don't really follow a recipe any more...you just begin to throw in whatever strikes your fancy - shredded carrots, golden raisins, green onion, diced apple, water chestnuts, bok choy, etc. - you get the picture. It also keeps very well in a container to throw in your lunch box - in case you want to take some to work for your lunch (eating them with chopsticks, of course). But pack a napkin and a Tide pen just in case you're a little sloppy with the noodles :)

I think I'll have a second helping.

Asian Peanut Soba Noodles

INGREDIENTS

8 oz of soba noodles (or one package), cooked per instructions, drained, and rinsed well (use your fingers to help you get each individual noodle rinsed)
3 T fresh peanut butter
Juice and zest from 1 lime
1 T low sodium soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1/2 T sriracha (you can always add more on top once you serve it)
1 T honey
1/4 c fresh, chopped cilantro
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 handful of sugar snap peas
1/4 c roasted peanuts

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy, lime, vinegar, sriracha, and honey
Toss together with the cooked/drained/rinsed soba noodles, cilantro, radishes, sugar snap peas, and peanuts
Serve in bowls and slurp up with chop sticks (or twirl around a fork like you're eating pasta)!

Food: Lamb Chops with Chipotle-Cherry Sauce and Wild Rice Cakes

2010-04-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

When I was younger I didn't have much exposure to lamb. That is with the exception of an occasional Greek gyro at the county fair...the kind that's wrapped in foil to gently steam the pillowy pita, filled with seasoned, processed, rotisserie meat that melts in your mouth, and topped with cool Tzatziki sauce, warm tomato slices and paper-thin onion slices. But this isn't really something a purist would consider to be a true lamb experience...so I guess it doesn't truly count.

It wasn't until a few years ago I had even thought to make anything with lamb. Which I suppose could be seen as strange with all of the recipes I would continually see on television cooking shows and in my magazine subscriptions. I'll admit I was fairly intimidated by it since I lacked familiarity. So if you haven't cooked lamb yet, never fear, we all were in the same position once.

If you're a newbie, I recommended starting with lamb chops. They seem fancy but are surprisingly simple to cook and work wonderfully when prepared just like a simple steak - with a brushing of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. And even though they are kind of a pain to get all of the meat off the little bones when eating, they taste quite lovely.

I was given a cookbook years ago called Contemporary Southwest - The Cafe Terra Cotta Cookbook by Donna Nordin (you can still purchase it here). Although there are a lot of great Southwestern-style recipes in this book, this is one of my favorites. It's fairly simple and a modern take on what you would expect to be served in an upscale restaurant in New Mexico or Arizona. It's hearty, simple, yet elegant. And very flavorful and satisfying.

I like a lot of things about this dish. First, the smoky, spicy, and sweet sauce, next, the hearty, chewy, nutty, rice cakes, and third the warm, earthy lamb. The cakes reminded me of something I might have had at a contemporary vegetarian restaurant like Cafe Sunflower in Atlanta and I highly recommend them as a side dish for any sort of meat dish -or- as a main element of a hearty vegetarian meal.

Lamb Chops with Dried Cherry-Chipotle Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup sun-dried cherries
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 T olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 c dry red wine
2 small chipotle peppers (canned chipotles in adobo), chopped
Lamb Chops

Directions

Soak the cherries in enough water to cover overnight or for at least one hour. Do not drain (you will be using the liquid).
Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until slightly caramelized.
Add the cherries and their soaking liquid, stock, and wine, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the chipotle peppers.
When the mixture has cooled, pour into a blender and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the broiler in the oven. Lightly coat the lamb chops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler (~4-6" away from the heat). Cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until desired doneness (this will accomplish med-to-med well for 1" thick chops).
Balance on top of rice pancakes and drizzle with chipotle cherry sauce.

Wild Rice Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup wild rice (dry)
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 green onions, sliced thinly (both whites and tops)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 t kosher salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c flour
Cooking spray

Directions

Prepare the rice according to package instructions (Most wild rice blends will cook 1 part rice to 2 parts water, simmering covered for 50 minutes with 10 minutes of rest).
Combine the celery, onions, garlic, and seasonings and set aside.
When rice cools slightly, add to the vegetable mixture. Stir in the eggs and then the flour to form a moist batter.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Coat bottom with cooking spray.
Spoon batter onto pan, pressing down with the spoon to form pancake shaped patties.
Cooked until golden brown approximately 2-3 minutes per side.

Food: Banana Coconut Cake

2010-04-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

When Jonathan's parents were in town a couple of weekends ago, I decided to bake them a birthday cake (his Mom's birthday was on St. Patrick's Day and his Dad's birthday was right before Easter). I had originally planned to make this, but didn't realize chocolate had been given up for Lent. So I decided to whip up something a little more tropical...and (selfishly) make a recipe that had been taunting me for weeks sitting at the top of my literal stack of things to try.

Regarding the fully assembled cake, if you want a little less raw banana flavor, I'd recommend finding a recipe for caramelized bananas and use those in the middle instead of raw slices (they were a little tart tasting since they were raw). Also, I didn't have two cake pans so I cooked one layer and then the other, trying to make sure the batter was about equal. It worked out just fine...only took a short time longer than baking both layers at one time. And make sure your custard is cooled completely before applying. A spatula/"spoonula" like this works great for scooping and then spreading. Putting the coconut on the cake will make a mess all of the countertop...but when you see how pretty the finished product turns out, you won't be complaining. Besides, the countertop coated with toasted coconut is relatively easy to clean up (luckily it's not sticky).

Chalkboard Menu Generator

Banana Coconut Cake

Adapted from the Food Network

INGREDIENTS

Cake

7 oz unsalted butter
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c buttermilk
3 extra large eggs
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/3 c all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/3 c roughly chopped hazelnuts

Filling (Coconut Custard)

1, 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
1 c skim milk
2/3 c sugar
5 egg yolks (MM Tip: You can freeze the egg whites to save them for another use...thaw in the refrigerator overnight prior to use)
1/3 c cornstarch

Other

2 bananas, sliced
Zest from one orange
Fresh juice from one orange
1 T sugar
1 bag unsweetened coconut flakes, gently toasted on the stove top until golden brown (be careful not to burn)

DIRECTIONS

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Butter and flour one 9-inch cake pan
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well in between each addition, and continue to beat until very light and fluffy
Add buttermilk and mashed banana and mix well
In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder), then add to batter and mix at low speed on the electric mixer until moistened
Fold in hazelnuts and pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared cake pan (If you have two, 9-inch pans, you can bake both of these at one time)
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
After removing the cake from the oven, allow them to cool for five minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack
Repeat with second half of the batter
Assemble cake when thoroughly cooled

Coconut Custard

Combine the coconut milk and milk and stir together
In a bowl, mix 2/3 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup cornstarch and stir with a fork until free from lumps
Mix the sugar and cornstarch together with the egg yolks and 1 cup of coconut milk mixture; Whisk until smooth and set aside
In a heavy saucepan, bring the remaining coconut milk mixture to a boil and then pour it into the bowl with the egg yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly
Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium and continue stirring, cooking until small bubbles start to form on the surface - you have just made custard!
Remove from the heat and pour into large, wide bowl
Cover the top of the custard with a sheet of parchment touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming
Cool completely in the refrigerator

To assemble the cake

In a large bowl, gently toss banana slices with the orange juice, zest, and sugar
Place one cake layer on a serving dish or cake plate
Spread over the top of the layer with a thin coating of custard
Place bananas completely over bottom layer, so that no cake is showing
Spread with another layer of coconut custard over the top of the bananas
Place the second cake layer on top of the first and generously cover the entire cake with coconut custard
Garnish liberally with toasted coconut flakes

Gardening: Growing Update

2010-04-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been GORGEOUS - definitely with a capital 'G' - here in Detroit. I mean who would complain about mid-70's in Michigan at the end of March/start of April? Hopefully Mother Nature isn't playing some sort of April Fools' trick on me...

When I walked Riley around the neighborhood the other evening I could smell the grass and warm air and damp earth and it truly smelled like warm weather and Spring once again. (OK, besides the nice smells I also sneezed a little with the tree pollen that's suddenly appeared too). I even saw a bunch of active golf carts on the course next door. Ah to be out in the warmth and sunlight once again! Can you tell I'm excited?

So with all of this said, it's about that time of year again where I start giving you my garden/plant growing update. Although I don't plan to start as many seeds this year, there'll still be plenty to share with you.

Some Stonecrop Sedum is on its way up....

The Allium are getting closer to forming flower shoots...
Creeping Jenny is starting to turn green once again (many of you may recognize this as something people put in their window boxes and planters in the summer...you may not have realized it can be grown as a perennial).
Nothing nicer than some fuzzy Poppy leaves...makes me smile thinking about the pretty (though fleeting) bright pink, papery flowers they'll show me in a few months.
And the herb garden is starting to come back (do you know how tired I am of buying herbs all winter knowing I have all of these in my garden?!?)

Here's a small sampling...there are some Chives...

and Oregano

and Salad Burnet (it smells and tastes like cucumber!)

some Germander (can't say I've used this in anything yet...)

Spring Tulips are on their way up and out...

and my Peonies are showing the beginning signs of life.

Oh Rhubarb, I can't wait to cook up your tasty deliciousness...(so much better than what I can find in the grocery store)

And the smell of some gorgeous, fragrant Hyacinths...just in time for Easter Weekend.

Enjoy the pictures...hope they start to get you thinking and inspired to start some spring cleanup in the yard and flower beds...and start thinking about what you want to plant around the house this year. I know I can't wait!

Food: Oatmeal Pancakes

2010-03-31T04:14:00.000-07:00

I love breakfast. But during the week my morning diet is pretty regular, consisting of cereal or a banana and raw nuts. But weekends? Saturdays and Sundays are reserved for something special. I mean what's more perfect than sleeping in, taking the dog for a nice long walk around the neighborhood (weather permitting, of course), and then coming back and having a warm, homemade, delicious breakfast with good company, a hot cup of tea, and the Wall Street Journal.

Although I love my waffle maker, lately I've been experimenting with pancakes. A couple of weekends ago I made some whole wheat apple cakes topped with fresh strawberries (I'll post the recipe once I tweak it a little bit more). And the variety I decided to make this past weekend are oatmeal. These are a little denser of a pancake than I've made before - even thicker than one of my favorite whole wheat from growing up. Although typically I like to make buttermilk pancakes (very traditional), this is a nice departure. And no, if you think pancakes should come out of a box or a whipped topping style can...you really must try to make them from scratch. They're not that difficult - no excuses.

When I first discovered this recipe, I couldn't believe how much butter was in it (Over a stick! Wow! I almost fell over!). So I decided to modify it significantly and only incorporate 1.5-2T of butter. It didn't seem to affect them a bit. The batter is pretty thick, so you can add a splash or two of skim milk if you'd like to thin it out a little...would probably result in slightly thinner cakes as well. They're even good cold, eaten right out of the fridge the next day (yes, I'm guilty of taking one out and eating it with my fingers).

Oatmeal Pancakes

Adapted from Orangette

INGREDIENTS

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 T sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t kosher salt
2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
2 T unsalted butter, melted but not hot
Cooking spray to grease the pan
REAL maple syrup, for serving

DIRECTIONS
Evening Prior:
Combine the oats and buttermilk in a bowl. Stir to mix. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Next Morning:
Remove the buttermilk/oatmeal mixture from the refrigerator. Set aside.
Add the eggs and melted butter to the bowl, stir well.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir to combine. If the mixture seems too thick, add a splash or two of skim milk.
Heat a nonstick griddle (or large skillet) over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray,
Allow to heat and then scoop out the batter into 3-4 inch puddles. When the top starts to bubble, check to see if the pancakes are ready to flip (the bottoms should be a nice, golden brown...but not deep brown).
Flip the pancakes and cook for a few minutes longer until the batter is fully cooked and both sides are a lightly toasted color.
Repeat process until you have gone through all of the batter. If the cakes seem to be browning too quickly, slightly turn down the heat.

Food: Tomato Pasta Bake

2010-03-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Jonathan's parents are coming into town and I plan to make this at some point over the weekend. Actually, I think it'll be the perfect thing for Saturday dinner since we're going to an early evening play at his niece and nephew's school...so we'll need a quick and hearty meal before the show.

I actually discovered this recipe by accident. For some reason, a couple of months ago, both Jonathan and I came home from the store (separate grocery trips) with Havarati cheese. It's not something we'd normally buy for a "dice into cubes and snack on" sort of cheese. And I don't think either one of us has ever made anything with it before. How on earth we both decided to buy it and bring it home on a whim, I have no idea. So...with two blocks of cheese in the fridge I decided I needed to find a way to use it up. A quick internet search for Havarati recipes resulted in this pasta dish. And this was more than a perfect recipe - so delish, hearty yet not too filling.

This "Tomato Pasta Bake" is more adult and less greasy than macaroni and cheese and more filling than just sauce and pasta. Yes, it's kind of crazy in the fact it uses THREE large cans of tomatoes (be sure to drain them first...I almost missed that step the first time I made it). But it's so easy...how could you resist? It also makes quite a lovely presentation even in a plain, old, glass pyrex baking dish. Add a glass of red wine and some fresh bread from the local bakery and you're good to go. Heck...even feel free to invite a few friends over for dinner. After all, what could be nicer than something that's quick, tasty, neatly presented, and even better with a bottle of wine and company?

Tomato Pasta Bake

Adapted from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS

6 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3, 28-oz cans of whole tomatoes, drained
2 T dried basil
1 1/2 t crushed red pepper
2 c low sodium broth or stock (chicken or vegetable)
14.5 oz protein enhanced, whole grain penne
1 7-oz block of Havarati, grated
1/3 c sliced, pitted, kalamata olives
1/3 c grated, fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 c torn fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

Heat 3 T of oil in a deep pot over medium-high (a Dutch or French Oven works great for this). Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent (5-8 minutes).
Mix in drained tomatoes, dried basil, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, crushing tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon (be careful not to splatter as the liquid will be very hot).
Add broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture resembles a chunky sauce, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375. Cook pasta per directions on box, drain well and toss with 3 T of olive oil.
Pour pasta into pot with sauce. Mix in Havarati cheese. Toss to coat and then transfer pasta into a 13x9x2" glass baking dish. Sprinkle with olives (if desired) and then with parmesan cheese.
Bake pasta for 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with fresh basil prior to serving.

Gardening: The First Sign of Spring

2010-03-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

You can't imagine how excited I'm getting this week here in Detroit...the sun is shining, it's getting close to 60 degrees outside...and the first peeks of spring flowers are starting to appear! Welcome back Spring!!!

Food: Turkey Breast Roulade

2010-03-06T04:35:00.000-08:00

This morning when I went outside, I saw one of the first true signs of Spring. Sure, the birds have been chirping more in the mornings and the sun is rising sooner and setting later and the snow is finally starting to melt with daily temperatures in the 40's (can't believe I'm excited about 40-degree weather)! But the real indication of Spring was just outside my front door...the first peeks of a hyacinth rising from the ground. I couldn't have been more excited. Seeing this sent me into daydreams of late spring flower planting and summer vegetable harvests and the smell of freshly cut grass. But I digress....I'm getting ahead of myself and the season...back to the coming of Spring.

With the arrival of Spring, many of our minds are filled with thoughts of Easter. After all, it's been the Lenten season for a few weeks now. And if any of you have checked your calendars lately or started planning trips to visit relatives over the holiday, you've probably realized that the holiday is less than a month away! Oh my, that's really soon!

An Easter tradition for many of us includes a morning filled with family, church, and Easter egg hunts followed by a lovely afternoon meal. And although ham is generally a common main dish for a lot of folks, if you're having a smaller gathering this year, I recommend making a little change to your menu. This year, try serving turkey roulade. "Oh, that sounds too fancy and difficult," you might say. But honestly, it's really simple and the smell of apricots, golden brown turkey, walnuts and sherry is nothing short of heavenly. Unlike Thanksgiving, this turkey doesn't need all the rich sides like stuffing and candied sweet potatoes and cranberry relish. There's so much flavor in it, it'd be perfect served with some uncomplicated, oven-roasted sweet potatoes (olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt, coarsely cracked pepper), tender green beans, and a simple roll with a twist like these light and fluffly coconut bread rolls. Is your mouth watering yet?

Apricot Stuffed Turkey Breast Roulade
Adapted from: Better Homes and Gardens

INGREDIENTS

1, 2-to 2-1/2-pound boneless turkey breast half
1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (2 slices of fresh bread pulsed in the food processor)
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots*
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans*
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 c low sodium chicken broth or stock

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325F
Butterfly turkey breast and place between two sheets of saran wrap or wax paper
Pound meat to about 3/4 inch thickness
Slice into 3-4" wide strips and pound slightly thinner to even each strip out
In a mixing bowl combine bread crumbs, apricots, pecans, garlic salt, sherry, rosemary, and 2 T olive oil, mixing well
Spoon "stuffing" on the flattened turkey breast strips, starting from the center and spreading out to cover the strip, leaving a border around the edge
Fold the side edges of the strips in and roll from one end to the other, securely fastening the opening with toothpicks or tie with heavy string
Stir together mustard and 1 T oil; set aside
Place a large, oven-safe skillet on the stovetop, add 1 T olive oil and pre-heat to medium-high heat
When the oil is hot, add turkey roulades, cooking until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side
Pour the chicken broth/stock over the turkey
Brush the tops of the turkey with the mustard-oil mixture
Move the skillet to the oven and cook until the turkey breast registers 170 degrees F, about 45 minutes
Remove from the oven and let the dish stand for a few minutes prior to slicing the turkey breast

* MM Tip: A small food processor works well to chop the two of these ingredients at one time without your hands getting sticky from the apricots

Food: Homemade S'mores

2010-02-27T21:07:00.000-08:00

We all have the habit of buying items at the grocery store that we really actually could make for ourselves at home. I suppose we could use the excuse that it's a convenience thing, but in most cases it's probably laziness or lack of time or even ignorance. For example, until recently I had no idea I could make graham crackers at home! I hadn't ever thought about it! So...what could be better than making something from scratch that you normally find in a box or a bag at the store?

For Valentine's Day this year I decided instead of a fancy dessert, I wanted to make something nostalgic. So, remembering a s'mores dessert on the menu of a restaurant we recently visited, I chose to make homemade s'mores (OK, so they were only 2/3 homemade, since I didn't want to mess with chocolate this time around). I know some of you may not think of this as a romantic dessert. After all, s'mores are a campfire treat...something you would make with marshmallows you've skewered on an unsterilized branch and held over a smoking fire trying to lightly toast into a beautiful brown but usually torching into a black outer shell instead. All while avoiding mosquitos and trying to catch a glimpse of the stars...and in the end wiping sticky marshmallow goo and melted chocolate off your chin. But trust me, there's something very romantic about making things from scratch. Especially surprising things from scratch...like things you normally buy in a bag or a box and have never truly had "fresh from the oven."

I've been intrigued by the concept of making marshmallows for quite some time now but hadn't been brave enough to try them. But my friend Kippy reassured me they were super easy. So off I went. They are simple, but getting them out of the mixer and into the pan is quite a difficult and sticky process (Or rather, if I'm completely honest, a gigantic heap of gummy chaos). A wet or cooking spray-coated spatula definitely helps to get them out of the bowl and off of the attachment as well as smoothing them out into a rectangular slab. Also, once they're cooled, when cutting, dampen your knife with cooking spray and then coat with the corn starch/powdered sugar mixture. This should help you cut easily through the block of marshmallow rather than having them all stick to the knife.

Graham crackers are even simpler to throw together although the end process of forming the crackers takes a little patience. And if you were wondering what makes up graham cracker flavor, it's honey, dark brown sugar (molasses), and butter. Who knew! Graham dough is super, super easy in a mixer. And I'll admit, this first attempt didn't result in flat rectangles like I had hoped and some of the "stamped" detailing disappeared when I baked them. I suspect I wasn't patient enough in leaving them in the freezer prior to baking and maybe didn't roll them out flat enough. But that sure didn't affect the flavor. They sure did smell and taste like graham...and they were so much better fresh out of the oven rather than slid out of a cardboard box.

I'll have s'more please...

Graham Crackers

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

1 c all-purpose flour
1 c whole-wheat pastry flour
1 c dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 t baking soda
1/2 t kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup honey
5 T milk
2 T pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Make the dough: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, a couple of hours or overnight.
Roll out the "crackers": Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Use side of the rolling pin to even out the edges of the rectangle. Then cut the rectangle width-wise into several smaller rectangle "crackers."
Place the crackers parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Decorate the crackers: Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough. Using a toothpick, prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.
Bake for 15 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.
Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes prior to moving to a cooling rack.

Marshmallows
Adapted from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup cold water, divided
3 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Line 13x9x2-inch glass dish with foil. Coat foil lightly with nonstick spray.
Pour 1/2 cup cold water into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until gelatin softens and absorbs water, at least 15 minutes.
Combine 2 cups sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over mediumlow heat until sugar dissolves, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat and bring syrup to boil. Boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches 240°F, about 8 minutes.
With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture in thin stream down side of bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto whisk, as it may splash). Gradually increase speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick and stiff, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to blend, about 30 seconds longer.
You will now have a big sticky mass in the mixing bowl and on the attachment. Using a spatula sprayed with cooking spray, scrape marshmallow mixture into prepared pan (this is the most difficult part of the process...since the marshmallow is very sticky). Smooth the top out with a wet spatula. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until firm, about 4 hours.
Stir corn starch and powdered sugar in small bowl to blend. Sift generous dusting of starch-sugar mixture onto large cutting board. Turn marshmallow slab out onto starch-sugar mixture and peel off foil. Spread more starch-sugar mixture over marshmallow slab.
Coat large sharp knife (or cookie cutters) with nonstick spray and then starch-sugar mixture. Cut marshmallows into squares or other shapes. Toss each in remaining starch-sugar mixture to coat. Transfer marshmallows to rack, shaking off excess mixture.
Store in an airtight container to preserve freshness.

Food: Celery Root, Fennel, and Apple Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette and Hazelnuts

2010-02-12T06:31:00.000-08:00

Hearty, crunchy, crisp, slightly sweet, nutty...all words to describe the fabulous salad I made last weekend. I was inspired by Molly's latest creation in Bon Appetit this past month. It sounded unique - besides the fact I had been curious about the ugly looking celery root in my grocery store the past few visits. I did modify the recipe, adding an extra apple (and changing from Gala to my favorite sweet-tart-crisp Pink Lady) and since I didn't have hazelnut oil or feel like driving to a specialty food store to get it, I decided to slightly modify the dressing and added roughly chopped hazelnuts in the salad. Actually I rather liked the crunch, texture and color the hazelnuts provided to the salad...I think the color may have been too monotone without them. It also would be pretty to sprinkle some chopped fennel tops over the dish.

Even though I made this salad on a cold winter day, I think it would be a great hearty salad in the summer since everything in it is cool and juicy. Actually it would make me feel pretty good to have this on a beach day where I wanted something cold, healthy, yet filling. (I'm especially thinking about this seeing all of the snow everyone's been getting over the past week).

Also, to you gardeners out there looking for something that keeps over the winter months (or people who are intrigued by something and end up buying things at the grocery store they don't use right away (myself included)), apparently celery root lasts for several months in the fridge or a cold cellar...so feel free to buy one to have on hand.

Celery Root, Fennel, and Apple Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette & Hazelnuts

Adapted from Bon Appetit (Molly Wizenberg) - February 2010

INGREDIENTS

Vinaigrette

2 T Dijon mustard
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 t garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c olive oil

Salad

1 celery root, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
2 unpeeled Pink Lady apples, cored, cut into strips
1/3 c hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Top with freshly shaved Parmesan cheese (MM Tip: Use a veggie peeler to get nice curls of parmesan)

DIRECTIONS

For the vinaigrette, whisk together all of the ingredients except the oil in a small bowl. When those are mixed, slowly whisk in the olive oil.
Combine all of the salad ingredients in one bowl. Toss with vinaigrette. Top with shaved parmesan.

Food: Chai Spice Cutouts

2010-02-10T05:40:00.000-08:00

I didn't get a chance to make cutout cookies for Christmas this year. Or rather, I didn't try to find time...I was a little lazy after hosting Thanksgiving and then being back on the road traveling to Salt Lake City for work. But several months have passed and I'm once again having cravings for something sweet. So it's about time again to start thinking about cookies.

A few weeks ago, I was inspired by an endcap in Target displaying heart shaped cookie cutters, pearl nonpareils, and pink and purple glittered sugar sprinkles. So, I decided I needed to make cutouts for Valentine's Day. Although I do enjoy my mom's traditional sugar cookie recipe, for a holiday about L-O-V-E, I thought these chai-spice cutouts seemed very appropriate. Why? They're warm, spicy, and buttery. (And for those of you who like to sample cookie-dough batter, this stuff is very, very good).

When decorating, feel free to experiment. I've discovered (until I find time to take a professional cookie decorating class) food coloring decorating pens (such as these) are a simple and easy way to decorate cutouts. Just simply ice the cookies with white icing and wait to dry...and then color away! If you have kids (or significant others) helping out, it makes the decorating process really easy and fun. Or, the cookies look pretty lovely just plain...I could see someone dipping half of a cookie in white or dark chocolate and leaving the rest untouched for a pretty presentation on a cookie plate. After all, the little spice bits of the chai shine through and make a rather pleasing picture on their own.

Chai Spice Cutout Cookies

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

INGREDIENTS

2, chai-spice tea bags
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 c sugar
1 c butter, softened
2 egg yolks
2 T molasses

DIRECTIONS

Remove tea bag contents and discard bags. Combine with the cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and molasses.
Combine the spice mixture with the flour and add in small parts to the wet egg-sugar-butter mix. Add a little more flour if you feel the dough is still too sticky. (Adding in small amounts prevents spraying flour all over the kitchen)
Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or until easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
On lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time until 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out with cookie cutters and arrange on the cookie sheets.
Bake 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. Cool on the cookie sheets for a couple of minutes before transferring to cooling racks.
Decorate with basic powdered sugar icing (1.5 c powdered sugar, 1/2 t vanilla, 4 t milk...more milk as needed to reach desired consistency).

Food: Meyer Lemon Gnocchi with Chicken and Asparagus

2010-02-09T05:59:00.000-08:00

What could be better than soft potato pillows with a hint of citrus? What am I talking about, you ask? Warm potato gnocchi spiked with a hint of Meyer lemon.

If you've only ever had gnocchi out of the box (i.e. dried) or at restaurants who don't make it from scratch, you really, really, really must try the homemade version. Believe me...it's a completely different flavor and texture. There really is no comparison. Also, if you've never cooked with Meyer lemons and wonder what's so special about them...Meyer's are sweeter than regular lemons and have a thinner peel. Also, instead of being yellow they come dressed in a warm, almost egg-yolk hue. They're believed to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange (so they get their sweetness and orange coloring from the mandarins).

I've made gnocchi before (For example, here's a sweet potato gnocchi recipe I posted on here last year). But this recipe is slightly different due to Steve Corry's technique for making the dough, which keeps the gnocchi super tender and pillowy. I also love his one-pan technique since it helps cut down on the mess you make on the counter top :)

Besides boiling the dough, this recipe toasts the gnocchi in a pan afterwards. The results are wonderful - crisp, lovely, browned sides reminiscent of a heavenly potato-cake...a light as air dumpling with a slight pan-seared crunch on the outside and soft goodness on the inside.

I did make a few modifications to the original recipe. I cut down the amount of butter and added chicken and asparagus to make a more complete meal. If you're worried about not being delicate enough in your efforts to combine the chicken and asparagus with the tender gnocchi, feel free to grill the chicken breasts whole, cook the asparagus as spears, and serve as three separate items on the plate.

This recipe does have a lot of steps and it is time consuming...but it's well worth it in the end. You do dirty a lot of pans, and I apologize for that. So if you're going to make anything, at least make the gnocchi...chicken and asparagus can be any time :) And, if it helps, you should be able to make the gnocchi dough in advance. Maybe you'll want to make it in the morning and have it ready to go in the refrigerator when you get home from work. That would reduce the workload significantly.

Meyer Lemon Gnocchi with Chicken & Asparagus

Adapted from Food & Wine

SPECIAL TOOLS: Potato Ricer

INGREDIENTS

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
3 large egg yolks
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
2 T plus 1 t extra virgin olive oil
1 t salt
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 c low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, chilled
Juice from 1 Meyer lemon
1/4 c chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately high heat until the potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes (MM Tip: Super tender potatoes is key for potato ricer ease of use). Drain the potatoes, return to the pan and shake over medium heat until dry.
Working over a large rimmed baking sheet, rice the hot potatoes in an even layer. Whisk the egg yolks, lemon zest, olive oil and 1 t salt in a small bowl and pour over potatoes. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and stir gently until a soft dough forms.
Gently roll the dough into 4, 1-inch long ropes. Using a sharp knife, cut each rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges. Transfer the gnocchi to another baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.
In a large stockpot or French oven, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the butter, a few pieces at a time, until the sauce is creamy. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour into a glass measuring cup and set aside. (Keep this saucepan out for future use).
On a plate, season the chicken breast pieces with salt, pepper, and 1 t coriander. Add 1 T vegetable oil to a large, non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning 1-2 times during cooking process until cooked through. Remove from skillet and add to pot used for chicken broth. Set aside. (You may want to wash/dry the skillet to re-use for toasting the gnocchi).
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi until they rise to the surface. Drain and toss with olive oil, and transfer to a baking sheet until cool.
In a small skillet, add a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender. Drain and set aside.
In the large, non-stick skillet, add half of the gnocchi and cook in a single layer over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the pan containing the chicken and repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
Reheat the sauce, pour it over the gnocchi and chicken, heating the pan over low heat. Gently toss in the asparagus and parsley right before serving (I like using a French oven for this since it keeps the dish nicely heated when on low heat...in case anyone wants a second helping).

Food: Restaurant Gripes

2010-02-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

Why do restaurants keep taking my favorite dish off the menu? Was it something I said? As I started to write below, since I get stuck in a rut and tend to order the same thing when I find a favorite, they (gasp) are forcing me to pick something else on the menu! What horror :) Although, seriously, even though I was able to find other things I like on their menus, I am pretty disappointed not to have the option to order my favorite dish anymore.

Card Generator

Food: Stacked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

2010-02-05T05:44:00.000-08:00

What can I say, it seems the tuna noodle has broken my opinion about one-dish, baked-in-the-oven meals and now I'm on a casserole kick. I don't think I've told any of you how I happened to stumble over these recipes lately. I'm on a nice vacation from work (i.e. I quit my old job to take a new job and decided to take off about a month in between stints). So I've been getting caught up on things around my house that I have neglected due to massive travel over the past couple of years. And one of those things is getting rid of old magazines and combing through past articles and recipes I've torn out, trying to make some sort of organization out of them. That's how I've managed to make two casseroles in one week. I suppose the recipes and the magazine tear-outs struck me in just the right way. (I promise the photo of this one doesn't do it justice...for some reason the lighting in the kitchen wasn't allowing the camera to pick up the nice green chile bits and the juicy salsa verde.)

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

Adapted from Bon Appetit - June 2007

INGREDIENTS

2 poblano chiles
1 T vegetable oil
12 (5- to 6-inch-diameter) corn tortillas
1.5, 16 oz jars salsa verde (can be found in many Mexican food sections), divided into four equal parts
1 small roasted chicken, skin removed, meat shredded, divided into two equal parts
3/4 cup sour cream, stirred to loosen
6 ounces grated Chihuahua cheese (about 1 1/2 cups packed)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Char chiles in broiler until blackened all over. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed, then cut into 2x1/2-inch strips.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Brush tortillas with vegetable oil and set aside. Add 1 tortilla to skillet; cook until slightly softened, about 15 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Transfer tortilla to paper towels to drain off any excess oil. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Spread one portion of salsa over bottom of 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 4 tortillas over salsa, covering bottom of dish completely, overlapping slightly, and extending about 1 1/2 inches up sides of dish. Scatter 1/2 of the chicken over tortillas, then half of poblano strips. Spoon another portion of salsa over, spreading evenly. Spoon 1/4 cup sour cream over in small dollops. Cover with 4 tortillas, overlapping slightly. Layer with remaining chicken, remaining poblanos, another portion of salsa, and 1/4 cup sour cream. Cover with remaining 4 tortillas, remaining salsa, and remaining 1/4 cup sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake casserole until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, about 35 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces; divide among plates. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Food: Tuna Noodle Casserole

2010-02-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

I was in a casserole mood this weekend. I don't know why. After all, they haven't ever really been a part of my menu line-up. I supposed it's since they seem to be too old-school...something a mom in the 60's would have made rather than a modern, self-proclaimed foodie. But, after being re-introduced to a healthier tuna-noodle, one-dish meals may become one of my cold weather staples. I mean, who would turn down something that's rich, hot, and super, super simple. Even though I don't like to admit it, we don't always have time to spend hours on a meal. And although I love tinkering in the kitchen, some days I'm worn out enough that all I want to do is relax and enjoy a meal - without all the prep.

Next time I make this, I'm tempted to make individual casseroles in these Fiesta dishes I'm in love with. They'd make a nice presentation for a home-style dinner party...and look prettier on the table. More on Fiestaware later...

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens (May 2008)

INGREDIENTS

1 package egg noodles
3 stalks celery (with tops) chopped
1 medium onion diced
2 Tb unsalted butter
2 Tb olive oil
1/4 c flour
3 T dijon mustard
2 c skim or fat-free milk
1, 16 oz package tuna (packed in water)
1/2 jar roasted red peppers, chopped (I like Trader Joes Roasted Pimentos)
1/2 t lemon pepper seasoning
Baked Potato Chips (Optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375.
Prepare noodles according to package, drain and return to pot, set aside.
Cook celery and onion in medium saucepan until slightly tender, stir in flour, mustard, lemon pepper. Add milk and cook until slightly thickened and boiling.
Mix sauce, peppers, tuna and noodles in noodle pot. Pour into glass casserole dish (1 1/2 quart) that has been lightly greased.
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
Crumble chips on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

Food: Chicken Pepian

2010-01-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

The snow melted here last week but alas it's coming down from the sky again. It's not even February and I'm already itching for warmer weather to spend time outside in the sun and in my flowerbeds. So...in a time where I'm already starting to think of spring, what could be better than a warm dish with nutty, spicy and citrusy flavors? I like to think of this one as a fusion between winter and summer...warmth and heat to keep you toasty and bright clean flavors to remind you better weather is on its way (hopefully sooner than later!).

When I first saw this recipe, I was intrigued. I don't think I've ever thought of making a sauce out of raw pumpkin seeds and tomatillos (And you wouldn't believe how difficult it was to find raw seeds at my local grocery store - thank goodness for Whole Foods and Trader Joe's). I had been eyeing this recipe for some time now but unfortunately hadn't made a good enough effort to find the main ingredient. Although I admit it isn't super pretty on the plate (see the big green pile below), I'm sure the plating could be improved...especially if I had followed the instructions adding a lime wedge and a sprig of cilantro on the side. I promise the flavor more than makes up for the appearance.

Chicken Pepian
Modified from a recipe by: Ellie Krieger

INGREDIENTS

4-5 fresh tomatillos
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and cut into 4 pieces
1 t dried jalapeno pepper flakes (can substitute red pepper) - adjust based on how much heat you'd like in the dish
2 Tb olive oil
1/2 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
Fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
Lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the broiler and remove "paper" layer tomatillos then rinse them in warm water to remove some of their natural stickiness. Pat dry, then cut into quarters. Toss tomatillos and poblano with 2 teaspoons of the oil, place on a baking sheet and broil until charred, about 10 minutes.
Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds, pepper, and cumin and toast until pumpkin seeds are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
In same saute pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Place tomatillos, poblano, onions and garlic, cilantro, chicken broth, toasted seeds and spices and salt in a blender and blend on high until totally smooth, about 30 seconds.
Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in skillet and cook the chicken until browned on both sides and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Add pepian sauce to skillet, covering chicken pieces. Bring to a simmer and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Serve chicken topped with sauce and garnished with cilantro and lime wedges

Food: Meatloaf Muffins

2010-01-05T21:37:00.000-08:00

The holidays have come and gone and I'm sure many of our cravings now exclude ham and turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes, and (sadly) even sugar cookies. I must admit, I've become quite sluggish due to the season of eating and celebrating and staying up too late and sleeping in. So I apologize for not updating this site as often as I had intended. Even though I don't like to make resolutions in the new year, maybe that is one I should have for 2010...to be prompt and regular in my writing -and- sharing :)

Since it's pretty cold here in Detroit right now and we just had some more snow over night, I decided to post a meal that's warm and hearty with all the comforts of home. You may recall how I raved about the meatballs at a restaurant called Sugo outside of Atlanta. Well I used their dish as an inspiration when making meatloaf muffins the other weekend. They turned out quite well and I'm already looking forward to making them again sometime very soon...as well as some sweet and juicy caramelized onions to go along with them.

Meatloaf Muffins

MM

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs meatloaf mix (combination beef and pork)
1/4 c chopped carmelized onions
1 t fennel seeds
1 dozen dried, pitted dates, finely chopped
1 c breadcrumbs (MM Tip: Place two slices of bread in the food processor and pulse until you get a nice fine texture)
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t smoked paprika
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 ribs of celery, finely chopped
1 egg
A splash of milk
6 whole peeled tomatoes (canned)
3/4 c of liquid from canned tomatoes (if mixture seems too dry, add more in small amounts)

2 T chopped fresh basil

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 T Trader Joe's Roasted Red Pepper & Eggplant Spread - MM Comment: I've now used this ingredient in at least 3 recipes on this site...has it become a staple in your pantry yet? ;)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450
Spray a standard-sized muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside
Combine all ingredients (EXCEPT TJ PEPPER/EGGPLANT SPREAD) into a large bowl, mixing to combine (MM comment: Don't be afraid to get a little messy and use your hands)
Pack mixture into palm-sized balls and press into muffin tin cups
Place a spoonful of the TJ Pepper/Eggplant spread on top of each of the uncooked "muffins"
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through (depending on the accuracy of your oven, you may want to start checking them at 25 minutes)
Remove from muffin pan and serve with caramelized onions and oven-roasted potatoes

Food: Thanksgiving

2009-12-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

I figure since Christmas is this upcoming week I need to get organized and finally post my Thanksgiving entry! Where are all of these weeks going?!? Seriously!

This year turkey day was a bit unusual for Jonathan and I because instead of traveling and enjoying a meal at one of our family's houses, we decided to host dinner...not only for our immediate families but for twenty-two people! I was a little bit nervous since I had never cooked a whole turkey before. And with my crazy travel schedule for work I didn't have time to do a trial run. So, after looking at a ton of turkey recipes, I decided to bite the bullet and experiment on our company. I suppose being brave in the kitchen can be a good thing as long as you have a back-up plan (we also prepared a ham just in case...).

The recipe I ended up using is more of a technique than an actual recipe and I discovered it in an old issue of the LA Times. Basically the article describes Judy Rogers' method for roasting turkey which is pretty similar to a trick she uses for her famous Zuni roasted chicken. Since I've made her chicken before and the dry rub technique so far has been pretty fool-proof, I decided this was the safest technique to attempt on my company. And I was not disappointed. The vote's in and the results were awesome - a moist, wonderful turkey and I did it on the first try - on two birds! Thank you Judy Rogers!

Luckily I did have some help over the weekend with Jonathan and my family bringing many of the side dishes - things like fluffy and sinfully delicious cinnamon rolls, sweet, salty and tangy broccoli salad, flaky, buttery crusted pecan and apple pies, creamy mashed potatoes, crisp green beans, steaming sweet potatoes with a crunchy sweet topping and a simple lettuce salad. We definitely had more than enough food to feed twenty-two and then some. So in the end, I felt like what I was responsible for wasn't unreasonable since all I had to do was reheat the ham, brine and cook two turkeys, prepare and bake the stuffing and, of course, make the cranberries.

I talked about the perfect turkey but the other thing that received rave reviews was the cranberry chutney. The recipe I selected is an unusually spiced combination of cranberries, pistachios, golden raisins, dried apricots, mustard, cinnamon and ginger. The surprise ingredient, ginger, gives the entire dish a nice bit of heat to go along with some sweetness and tang. So in other words, it's a true treat for your tastebuds. And, BTW, it's great on toast or pumpkin pancakes the day after.

You'll find the recipes for my turkey and cranberries below. And who knows, maybe you'll find some inspiration from them and want to experiment with these on your next holiday crowd too. Let me know if you do :)

Cranberry Chutney with Ginger

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

2, 12-oz bags of cranberries
3 c sugar
2 whole, medium tangerines, diced (DO NOT PEEL but remove any seeds) (MM tip: If substituting, pick an orange that has a thinner peel to avoid some of the bitter white pith)
1/2 c jumbo golden raisins
1/2 c toasted, shelled pistachios
10 dried apricots, finely chopped
2 T freshly grated peeled ginger
1 t cinnamon
1 t dry mustard
1 t salt

Directions

Cook all ingredients in a non-reactive pan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.
Increase heat to a boil and cook until cranberries pop (takes about 3 minutes)
Cool and refrigerate - the chutney will keep up to 6 months in fridge if you keep it tightly covered

Dry Salt Brined Turkey

Adapted from Judy Rogers/LA Times

Ingredients

12-16 lb turkey (MM Tip: Fresh is best but if buying frozen, look for one that does not have much solution/salt added)
Smoked Salt (MM Comment: Can also use kosher salt but I think smoked gives the turkey more depth in flavor and a sense that it was cooked in a brick oven instead of a regular stove. You can also experiment with other flavored salts too)

Directions

DAYS 1 & 2
Wash the turkey inside and out and pat dry
Measure out 1 Tb of salt for every 5 lbs of turkey
Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt and then rub the remaining salt all over the outside of the body
Place the salted turkey in a plastic bag (MM Tip: I used kitchen size garbage bags but you can also use 2 gallon sealable bags if you can find them) and wrap/seal tightly, placing the turkey breast-side up in the in the refrigerator
Chill the salted bird for 2 days

DAY 3
Turn the turkey on to its breast and chill for one more day

Day 4
Remove turkey from the bag and place breast-side up on a plate, refrigerating uncovered for at least 8 hours

Day 5 - THANKSGIVING
Remove from the refrigerator and leave at room temperature for around 1 hour
Preheat oven to 425 F
Place the turkey breast-side down on the roasting rack in a roasting pan and place in the oven (MM Comment: I was able to fit two, 14 lb birds into one large roasting pan. I recommend cooking the turkeys unstuffed to ensure proper temperatures and cooking times)
After 30 minutes, remove pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so breast is facing up (MM Tip: I recommend using silicone oven mits to do this)
Reduce oven temperature to 325, return turkey to oven and roast until the temperature in the thigh reads 165 (~2 3/4 hours of total cooking time)
Let turkey stand for 30 minutes prior to cutting to allow the juices to redistribute