scallops with pea puree

i have no idea how this meal fits into my world cup motif, but i am going with the fact that scallops are found in all of the world's oceans.  so, there.  this is a really beautiful dish, company worthy.  the photo does not do it justice.  the bright green from the peas, with the white scallops, and the red from the prosciutto.  gorgeous. i adore scallops, i think they are probably my favorite seafood.  i ran across this recipe in a past issue of fine cooking.  i followed the recipe for the most part, but used prosciutto instead of pancetta - less fatty and crispier. sadly enough, i didn't eat this meal.  however, i did get an email from my client telling me how delicious it was.  i think the best way to cook scallops is with a bit of butter and a touch of olive oil.  salt and pepper.  put them in a screaming hot skillet and pan sear them for 2-3 minutes per side until you get a nice golden crust.  scallops are so sweet and tender, they don't need much else done to them.  so, to all you scallop haters out there, give this one a try, bet it will change your mind...

miso grilled salmon

back from my wonderful vacation on cape cod. i ate some fantastic food while i was there. i only want seafood when i am so close to the water, seems only natural. and in my mind it just tastes better. my favorite meal, without a doubt, was a baked stuffed lobster. 100% gluttonous. 100% representative of vacation! the world cup soccer games are getting intense. it's win or go home. today, japan played paraguay. japan lost in penalty kicks. what a horrible way to lose. because of their loss, i made a meal to celebrate their hard work. it was a simple, light meal that was well needed (shocked and stunned on the scale this morning). i marinated a salmon fillet in white miso, mirin, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, fresh ginger and scallions. served it with cucumbers. i wanted to make some rice, which you should if you didn't gain 6 pounds in 4 days. but because i did, i left it out. try this recipe if you are looking for a new way to cook salmon . the marinade makes a nice outer crust on the fish. this would also be fantastic with cod.  glad to be back in town and looking forward to posting some exciting recipes from a few of the countries that are left. ghana is on the menu!

an all american breakfast

i am heading up to the cape tomorrow and simply can't wait!  i won't be posting while i am gone, so please check back with me on tuesday.  i am truly taking a vacation.  don't even call, because i won't answer!  i made this breakfast last weekend when the u.s. played england.  i eat an egg white sandwich on whole wheat every single morning.  i really do.  so imagine what a treat this was.   this to me is an "all american breakfast".  i'm sure denny's, waffle house, or shoney's has something on their menu called that?  (did i seriously just categorize myself with those chains?)  i made scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese grits, baked beans, and toast.  so good.  most of you probably haven't had baked beans for breakfast, try it.  it is really, really good.
tip:  place the baked beans next to the grits - trust me on this. 
i wanted to post this one today, because the united states advanced to the final 16 in the world cup.  i am very excited and happy for them (and me).  who doesn't want their team to do well?

on a complete side note.  have you noticed the difference between what healthy food and not so healthy food looks like?  for example, the food in this photo is very brown and neutral.  healthy food is colorful and bright.  i recently read a post at this exercise blog that pretty much summed it up, it's about functional eating.  check it out, your bound to learn a few things.

spaetzle for switzerland

i made spaetzle from scratch.  don't be impressed, it was really easy and fun.  although it would be much easier if i had used a spaetzle maker (i guess that's what it's called?), but i decided to save my money and not run out and buy one, and use my colander instead.  i made an herb spaetzle, my herb garden is in full season, so i try to use them in just about anything.  herbs add so much flavor to any meal, without any fat or extra calories.  you should start using them, if your not already.  oh, sorry, back to the spaetzle.  in a large bowl add 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.  in another bowl, add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of milk, whisk together.  make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the egg-milk mixture.  combine to make the dough.  let sit for 10 minutes.  meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  then reduce to a simmer.  grab a large holed colander and hold it over the simmering water.  push the dough through with a wooden spoon.  the dough will drop in the water and when it's ready (2-3 minutes), it will float to the top.  remove with a slotted spoon.  you may need to do this in several batches.  my arm got tired from forcing the dough through the colander, so i gave up after two batches.  the photo shows the small amount i made.  in a skillet heat a small amount of olive oil and add the cooked spaetzle, tossing to coat, about 2 minutes.  chop what ever herbs you are in the mood for and sprinkle with a little salt.  this is the first time i have eaten spaetzle.  it's ok, i guess.  i don't want to form an opinion based on my one attempt.  i still ate every morsel, but i would love to try this made authentically.

a father's day feast

my dad got home late sunday night from vacationing on the cape. since the family didn't get toghether,  my sister and i decided to make a meal for him for his arrival. it was a simple, delicious meal. my sister made baked beans and potato salad. let me tell you, the potato salad was awesome! i will get the recipe from her and post about it at a later date. i know it was a vinegar based potato salad, with roasted red peppers, artichokes, olives and fresh herbs. i just loved it. to go along with this meal, we grilled a few ny strips.  my dad loves beef, so that's what he should eat!  he also loves his big green egg. we are already talking  about the fourth of july menu.  seriously.  i'm not kidding...
so if you have been reading my past few posts, you know i am trying to follow the world cup and the countries that are participating in it, by making (and eating) some sort of something.  that's where the chimichuri comes in.  i'm shameless.  but i have a goal.  it absolutely doesn't go with this southern meal, but i had to get in a post for the world cup.  and besides, chimichuri goes with beef. so,there.
my good friend danielle, has a mother-in-law from argentina, and she taught me how to make this awesome sauce. she made hers by chopping everything with a knife. i went the easy route and threw it all in a food processor.  put a big handful of fresh parsley in the processor along with a few springs of fresh oregano (remove leaves from the stem).  add 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.   pulse to combine.  with the motor running, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil until you have a thickish consistency - like the one in the photo.  adjust seasonings.  this is such a fantastic condiment for the summer when you have an abundance of parsley in your garden.  chimichuri is fantastic on chicken and pork as well.  my dad even suggested tossing it with pasta.  now that would be good.  happy father's day dad, i am a very lucky daughter.

mama's marsala

 
brian is out of town, and my dad is out of town. and because of  this, my mother and i were able to spend some good one on one.  we have always been close, but because both our guys were out - there were no interruptions.  just me and my mom.  we made a delicious meal saturday night.  it was an all out, down and dirty, women in the kitchen, chit chat-tin, wine sipping, italian meal.  from start to finish.  well, not really finish.  we didn't make dessert, but i did see my mom eat a square of chocolate, and proclaim it was good for her heart, does that count?  we started with calamari and banana peppers, followed with veal marsala, summer vegetables with olives and sun dried tomatoes, and roasted potatoes.  awesome.  if i could eat italian food every day of my life, i would be happy.  very, very happy.  so, here's to you italy! 
 

Caipirinhas

caipirinhas from brazil, just made, to kick off my weekend!  a simple, fresh cocktail - perfect on an evening like this where it is ridiculously hot out - and the soccer is kick'n!  fill your favorite cocktail glass with ice and in another glass pour some cachaca, a good squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a handful of fresh mint.  muddle it all together and pour over your waiting cocktail glass with ice!  off to catch up on the games i missed this morning.  have a great weekend.

greek salad

aah, a salad. this world cup eating has been somthing else. a bit heavier than i am use to, but so much fun. i looked at the schedule this morning and saw that greece was playing and my first thought was spanakopata. so, i carried on with my morning, made a list of ingredients to purchase for my clients, and then to the computer to find a recipe for spanakopata.  iv'e never made it before, but i love eating it!  after settling on the one i wanted to try, i headed to the shower to start my day. there was a problem, just a slight problem. my jeans where tight. damn. i knew this past week was a bit indulgent.  i have been carrying on more than you all know, more than what i have been posting. there have been cocktails consumed, appetizers nibbled on...and on), a few desserts even. all fantastic. but today i feel a bit, well, uncomfortable (actually pulled out my "big girl jeans").  do you still have a pair in your closet? anyway, i threw together this pretty salad of romaine lettuce, cucumber (the one first picked from my garden!), pepperoncini peppers, tomato, kalamata olives, feta, and i made a traditional red wine vinaigrette. i already feel better now that i have eaten it.
i just hope i remember that tomorrow. usa is playing, and it's friday night, and i love burgers....

summer salsa

this is so darn good i had to make it tonight.  it is such a delicious, fresh, light, and healthy salsa.  there are no hidden ingredients in this one.  honduras and chile are playing today and i thought i would make something that would represent both their cultures.  so, here it is!

 - 1/2 of an onion, i used a vidalia, because they are sweet, but a spanish would probably be more appropriate!
- 1 can of drained and rinsed black beans
- 4 ears of corn, cut fresh off the cob
- 5 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 2 avocados diced ***
-1 clove of garlic, minced
-1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
-1 lime juiced
salt and pepper

***in a separate bowl i squeeze the juice of one lime and add the cut avocado and carefully mix.  this helps in keeping the avocado nice and green. 
toss everything together and serve with some multi-grain tortillas.  also, try to buy yellow corn, it just looks prettier than the white corn!
(i bet fresh cilantro would make a nice addition)

new zealand lamb burgers

new zealand played their first game today, so i made lamb burgers.  (i'm a sucker for a burger).  i think lamb is something you either love or hate.  there's no in between.  i love it.  i sauteed onions, garlic, and mushrooms, then added feta and mint after the onion mixture cooled, then made my patties.  i also made a slaw for the topping of thinly sliced cucumbers, red pepper, onion and mint.  along with an eggplant " taziki" sauce.  i simply sauteed some diced eggplant and folded it into greek yogurt with some lemon juice, salt and pepper.  it was an awesome burger.  totally different and interesting to eat.  stay tuned as i travel the world for more tasty meals! 

brats, beer and the germans

the germans played australia sunday afternoon and kicked butt!  i love watching germany play, they are a power house.  sad that michael ballack isn't playing due to a recent injury - he reminds me of my man.  tall and handsome, i will miss watching him play (and watching his hot body run around the field!)  okay, so bratwurst is far from healthy - just the opposite, actually.  but i got it stuck in my head that bratwurst was going to be on the sunday night dinner menu, and so be it.  i honestly can't remember the last time i had one, damn it was good.  i went to whole foods and was looking in the meat case and only saw things like vidalia onion brats, and cheddar brats, ones that had already been "manipulated", yuck.  i wanted a good ole' fashion brat.  and there they laid, just waiting for me... german pork brats.  i snatched up two, took them home and simmered them in a hefeweizen beer for about 30 minutes, then grilled them for 10 minutes to get a nice brown crust.  in the meantime i sauteed some onions and peppers and warmed the bun.  i am absolutely loving this little "challenge" i have made with myself to eat my way through different countries, while i watch the worlds greatest game.  i hope you will join me.

individual apple pie

what's more american than apple pie?  i made these saturday night in honor of the usa!  they played england saturday afternoon and tied 1-1 (which we were very lucky to do).  i sure hope our team plays better at their next two match ups, than how they played against england.  come on guys, where's the fire?  where's the intensity?  anyway, back to food blogging - thought i was a sports writer for a brief moment.  i love making these quick and delicious pies.  i purchase frozen pie shells and fill them with whatever fruit i have around.  they are great with blueberries, cherries, peaches, and blackberries.  i start by blind baking the pie shells in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.  this ensures a crusty bottom.  if you were to put the filling in without this step, the bottom of the pie shell would stay doughy.  while the pies shells are in the oven, peel and slice 1 apple (for 2 pies) and throw the slices in a skillet with about 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and about 2 tablespoons of water.  cover and simmer until the apple slices are soft, about 20-25 minutes.  check on the apple slices every now and then and add more water to the pan if needed.  the water creates a nice sauce.  once the apple slices are soft, scoop into prepared pie shells and bake for another 5 -7 minutes.  top with a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt and you've got yourself one patriotic, portion controlled dessert!

kick off to the world cup

 

it's finally here.  the world cup.  it's been 4 years since the last one and this house is very excited about it.  the first two games to start off this month long tournament are south africa vs. mexico and uruguay vs. france.  we are taping the games and watching them this evening.  when there is a special event, i like to cook for it.  themes, if you will.  you know, st. patrick's day - corn beef and cabbage, birthdays - a cupcake, july 4th - ribs.  you get the point.  well tonight, i am making a special meal for my husband and myself.  starting the evening off with a black bean and corn salsa that we can nibble on during the mexico/south africa, and a french meal for the second game we watch, called  souris aux aulx.  what a fancy name, wish i new how to pronounce it - good thing blogging only consists of writing.  it's a lamb shank with garlic and vermouth.  along with it, mashed potatoes and hericot vert (green beans).  i can't wait.  i thought long and hard about this dish, it's perfect because i made it this afternoon, so i won't be stuck cooking during the games.  the shanks are braised, which means they cook in my oven for a good 4 hours.  the house smells amazing right now.  for the next month i think i am going to try (on the weekends, that is) to create a meal in honor of the countries that are playing that day.  it will open my eyes to so many different recipes and foods that i have never eaten or made, so stay tuned, it should be a fun ride.  i'm sure i am in store for some incredible meals and maybe even a few disasters!

caroline

my best friend caroline, commissioned this from my best friend zola...

friday night beef

i have a client that i only cook for on fridays.  and she likes beef. rare beef. she recently asked me to alternate between lamb chops, burgers, and filets. that's it. i don't cook a lot of steaks or burgers for my other clients, so i really look forward to cooking on fridays for her.  i made this meal that i thought looked awesome. i grilled a portabella mushroom, sauteed spinach and onions and pan seared a 2" filet.  mushrooms, beef, and sauteed onions, what's better than that?  as you can see i filled the mushroom cap with the spinach and then topped it with the filet. i think it looks so pretty on the plate. probably not the easiest thing to eat, but i suspect once she stopped staring at it with such admiration, she disassembled it (at least, i hope so...). i like to cook my filets in a cast iron skillet and then finish off in a hot oven. this way, you get a fantastic crust on the outside and it's evenly pink in the middle. i let my meat sit out on the counter for a good 45 minutes - i like it to be room temperature before i cook it. tonight i sauteed some onions first in the same skillet i was going to cook the beef in, hoping to add just a bit more flavor to the filet.  to prepare the meat, i simply just add salt, pepper, and olive oil. put it in a screaming hot skillet (medium high heat) and cook for 2-3 minutes. flip it, then pop it in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes - for medium rare. (145 degrees).  i cooked this one in the oven for only 8 minutes - i told you before she likes it rare, really rare (130 degrees).  my kind of woman.

israeli couscous

 i have a client that absolutely loves this.  no surprise, because it is delicious.  it's israeli couscous, which is a larger "pearl" pasta - much different from the couscous that most are familiar with.  i like the israeli couscous so much better.  doesn't even compare, really.  this is such an easy, fun, colorful recipe.  it would travel very well to any gathering or bbq.  start with a box of couscous and add about 4 cups of chicken broth or water.  i just used water because i didn't want to use my last box of chicken broth.  i tend to get cheap like that sometimes.  bring the couscous and liquid to a boil and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes until the pasta is tender.  i like to rinse the couscous under water - i feel it takes off a gooey/starchy/filmy thing left behind.  put in a bowl and set aside to cool.  once cool, add 1/2 cup of toasted slivered almonds, 1 diced green apple, 1 cup of dried cranberries, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary, and 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme.  in a separate bowl make a dressing:  1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt and pepper.  mix to combine and pour over couscous.   this dish goes well with grilled chicken or shrimp.  it's light, but addictive.  beware.

beef and pineapple kabobs

so, i told you a few posts back that i cooked for a political fundraiser, these were also on the menu.  beef and pineapple kabobs, with a parsley sauce.  the combo may seem a bit odd, but all the flavors work wonderfully with each other.  and if you haven't eaten grilled pineapple, you are missing out.  the sugar from the pineapple is so prominent when grilled, it just bursts with sweetness.  i started by making a marinade, which also was the sauce.  start with one large bunch of italian parsley, rip off the tops and put in a food processor.  add 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, a pinch of chili flakes, 1 teaspoon of sugar, salt and pepper.  blend to a coarse consistency then add about 1/2 cup of olive oil until incorporated. put half of the marinade in a separate bowl and reserve - this will be used later as the sauce.  put the remaining marinade in a large bowl or a zip lock bag and cube 2 pounds of beef tenderloin into bite size chunks, add to bowl.  cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.  i think a sirloin would be a good alternative to a filet, but a filet would be my first choice.  in the meantime, cut the pineapple into same size cubes as you did the beef.  if using wooden skewers, which i recommend, soak them in water for 30 minutes to avoid burning while the are being grilled.  i used 6" wooden skewers.  to assemble the kabobs, take one piece of pineapple, one cube of beef, pineapple, beef.  there should be 2 of each on one skewer.  sprinkle with salt.  there should be about 30 skewers.  grill the kabobs over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes per side.  i cooked these for a total of 6 minutes for medium rare.  arrange on a big platter and serve with the parsley sauce.  while i was at this event, the gentlemen who is running for govenor was talking to everyone, telling us how he is going to change georgia, i saw a guest plop right in front of these beef pops and devour about 5 of them.  i guess they were good?

zola, are you out there?

this pizza probably looks good, but it wasn't really, and i can't figure out why. my friend zola makes the most unbelievable homemade pizzas.  better than any pizza i have ever had.  seriously. so, it seems simple enough... buy some fresh dough, top it with your likings? but there must be a secret to it, and i am going to find out what it is! so, zola, if you are out there, can you please give me and everyone else who might be interested...the secret to your homemade pizzas?  what do you put on them? do you make your own sauce? how long do you cook the pies for and at what temp? i want it all, don't leave out a thing. next time you make pizzas, take a photo and i will post it for all to see!
**** read comments to see how zola makes her pizzas - i'm telling you, if you can get it right like she does, you won't want to buy another pizza. 

blt bites

just imagine, going to a cocktail party and seeing a big tray full of blt's.  even better, blt bites!  i love blt's, they remind me of my childhood.  over memorial day weekend, my nephew marshall, passed me in the kitchen while i was cooking and felt he needed to share with me that he loves blt's. just out of the blue, non provoked, no conversation about it . "me too," i said. and out of the kitchen he went.  then i thought long and hard of when was the last time i had eaten one, and i couldn't remember.  years, i imagine.  that brief interaction led me to these.  i made a big tray of tiny bite sized ones for a party i catered last night.  i recently came across (or chose to notice for the first time) a small loaf of boule bread at my local market.  i used it a few days back to make croutons.  this bread ranks up there as one of my favorites.  it is dense, but still light.  airy, but still chewy.  i love it.  i decided i would use this for my "toast".  it was a great choice.  i bought some high quality bacon, it tends to have more meat than fat.  and used bibb lettuce for its texture and because it lays flat, well, flattish.  i also used campari tomatoes, they are so darn good and they were the perfect size for the "sandwich".  i started by cutting all the tomatoes into 1/4" round slices, then put them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the wetness tomatoes give off.  this also gave me a good measure as to the size i needed to cut the bread.  i wanted the bread squares to be a bit larger than the tomatoes.  i toasted all the bread squares on a baking sheet, in a 400 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes ( i think... i was a wild woman at this point, totally multitasking, but that sounds about right).  to assemble, i took a piece of toast, topped it with a tomato slice, a pea size drop of mayo - get the squeeze bottle kind to do this.  top it with a torn piece of lettuce and two 1/2" pieces of cooked bacon.  that's it.  i actually overheard people at the party talking about how creative and cute they were. and if you like blt's, you know they were good!

eat more fruit

i cooked all day today for a political fundraiser, and i am worn out and going to bed.  i will fill you in tomorrow as to what i prepared.  it was a hit.  my blt bites were so darn good. you will want to serve them at your next get together - they scream summer.  since this photo is self explanatory, i just wanted to remind everyone to eat more fruit. this photo also has nothing to do with what i prepared tonight, just too tired to blog.  good night.

pasta primavera

i was a bit skeptical about making this tonight for my clients. i don't know, i just think pasta needs protein in it. anything...seafood, a meatball, chicken, heck even a few pieces of proscuitto will do the trick. just not all veggies. i could never be a vegetarian. not even for a day. i decided on this dish despite my opinion. i  have to say, it was really good. it was light, flavorful, colorful, and low in fat. didn't have a heavy feel to it. i used a combination of red and yellow peppers, a few asparagus, 2 zucchini, 2 summer squash and 3 carrots. cut everything in to matchsticks, drizzled with olive oil, 1 tablespoon of herbs de provence, salt, and pepper.  if you don't have herbs de provence, use dried italian herbs. mix everything together and divide amongst two baking sheets.  roast the vegetables in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring after the first 10 minutes.  meanwhile cook the pasta.  i used farfalle, because i wanted to.  put everything in a big bowl and mix.  add about a cup of pasta water and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan. that's it!  when cooking pasta, you should always save the cooking water - a cup of it at least.  it helps moisten and loosen the pasta, rather then adding more olive oil, in case you where curious...

greek caponata

divine. that's the one word that describes this dish perfectly.  it reminds me of eggplant parmesan.  yet, it has significantly less calories and fat.  i was surprised how much i liked it.  this will be great for you to remember when all of the summer squash and zucchini start popping up in abundance in your garden the next few weeks.  not to mention, it's a snap to put together.  start by pouring one 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes in the bottom of a casserole dish.  chop up 2 yellow squash, 2 zucchini, 2 tomatoes, 1 onion, and 1 medium eggplant into one inch cubes. throw everything in a large bowl, add 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil to coat. mix to incorporate.  top the diced tomatoes with the veggies and bake in a 400 degree oven, covered for 20 minutes.  take foil off and continue to bake 30 - 40 more minutes.  i sprinkled some grated parmesan during the last 10 minutes of baking, i think it added so much more to this recipe.  you know it's done when the edges of the veggies get all brown and crusty!  trust me on this one - you will love it.  you can find the original recipe here