FOOD PORN

macaroni salad re-vamped

it’s getting warm out, and with warmth comes cook-outs. try out this really tasty take on traditional macaroni salad.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/4 cup / 60 ml extra virgin olive oil

4 cups thinly sliced green onions {~3-4 bunches}

3 medium cloves garlic, chopped

fine grain sea salt

lots of freshly ground black pepper

zest and juice of one lemon

1/3 cup / 2 oz grated Parmesan4 big handfuls arugula
1 large apple, diced

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of well-salted water per package instructions. Set aside at least 1/2 cup / 120ml pasta water. Then drain pasta and set aside.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet until hot. Add most of the green onions, all of the garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions soften, and the garlic begins to take on some color, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a couple minutes.

Use a hand blender or food processor to puree the green onion mixture along with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, zest of the lemon, half the lemon juice, and the reserved pasta water. Puree and taste. The green onion flavor should be assertive. Stir in the Parmesan.

Combine the macaroni with the green onion sauce in a large bowl. Toss well. Add the arugula and most of the apple and toss again. Taste, and add more pepper, salt, or lemon juice if needed. Serve topped with the remaining apple and green onion.

Makes enough for a crowd or potluck.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 10 min

chicken with goat cheese & thyme

for the chicken lovers out there!

SERVES: 4 

• 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots and vidalia onions (About 4 large shallots and 1/2 vidalia onion)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon fat-free milk
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (Cut them in half lengthwise and pound them out to make 4 pieces)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to pan; cook 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat, and cook another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly. Combine onion mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheese, parsley, milk, and thyme in a small bowl, stirring with a fork.
2. Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise, and pound out until thin. Place a spoonful of goat cheese mixture in the middle of each chicken piece. Roll up and secure with kitchen twine. (I use twine a lot in the kitchen, but it definitely takes some practice!!!) Sprinkle chicken bundles evenly with salt and pepper.
3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and cover. Reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done.
4. Remove chicken from pan and let stand 10 minutes. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced by half (about 2 minutes). Add broth, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 9 minutes). Serve with chicken. Enjoy!

mulled wine

mulled wine or glühwein in german is a most delicious addition to any wintery occasion. i was first introduced to it by a good friend and was hooked ever since. obviously this recipe is open to all sorts of interpretation. so experiment and enjoy!

• 1 bottle of dry red wine
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 3 oranges, sliced
• 6 sticks of cinnamon
• 8-10 cloves
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 3-5 anis (whole)
• optional ingredients: cardamom, nutmeg (to taste), 1 cup of brandy

• Pour the red wine into a large pot and begin heating over low heat (don’t boil).
• Add cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and anis (and optional ingredients to taste).
• Heat thouroughly, then add the sliced oranges and lemon.
• Simmer the mixture about 45 minutes over low heat (make sure not to boil the wine).
• Have a try and add more sugar if you want to; then strain and serve the drink hot in prewarmed glasses or mugs.
• Garnish with orange slices or a cinnamon stick and enjoy your traditional German mulled wine.

super scrambled eggs

i don’t know about you, but i almost O.D. on eggs during the weekend because i have time to slow down and create. this recipe i have yet to try but i have a feeling it’s amazing.

Serves 2-3, but feel free to double, or triple the recipe for larger get-togethers.

3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
scant tablespoon butter
fine grain sea salt

Oregano Pesto

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 large garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste.

toasted sunflower seeds, (optional)

Whisk the eggs, yolks, and a good pinch of salt until combined. Set aside while you make the oregano pesto by pulsing the olive oil, oregano, parsley, garlic, and salt in a food processor until the herbs are just little flecks of green. Season with more salt if needed.

To cook the eggs, melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat until it starts to foam. Add the eggs and stir gently with a spatula. Continue stirring, folding up the cooked egg from the bottom of the pan until the eggs are nearly set - remember they will continue to cook a bit after you turn them out of the skillet. Season with more salt (and pepper, if you like) to taste, and serve drizzled with pesto and a sprinkling of seeds.

(Source: seriouseats.com)

roasted winter squash salad

i love squash all shapes, kinds, and sizes. this is a light healthy salad that is filling and great eye candy for people who are health nuts. experiment with other types of winter squash!

SERVES: 6

1 pound / 450 g roasted winter squash*, cut into 1-inch / 2.5-cm chunks, skin removed

4 celery stalks (with leaves if possible), diced
1/ 2 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 big handfuls toasted walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dried currants / dried figs

2/3 cup / 160 ml beer (something along the lines of Anchor Steam)
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

If you haven’t already roasted your squash, start there*.

In the meantime, make the dressing by whisking together the beer, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, honey, and salt. Taste, adjust with more sugar or salt if needed, and set aside.

Toss the squash in a large bowl with about a third of the dressing. Let it sit for a minute or two, add more dressing, and most of the celery, red onions, walnuts, and currants. Toss again. You’ll likely have dressing left over, but this is a salad you should overdress in the beginning - the squash really drinks it up. Also, taste for seasoning at this point and add more salt if needed. Sprinkle with the remaining celery, red onions, walnuts, and currants, and enjoy. Let sit at least 5-10 minutes and serve.

*Toss 1 1/2 inch thick slabs of (de-seeded) squash with a few gluts of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, and 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary in the top third of a 425F / 220C oven until completely tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove and let sit until cool enough to handle. For this recipe, slice into 1-inch / 2.5 cm chunks, leaving the skin behind.

(Source: 101 Cookbooks http)

sea salt baked potatoes

i don’t know about you, but i love potatoes! all kinds all colors! this is a super quick recipe and offers a nice spin on this side dish staple.

2 large baking potatoes
flaky sea salt
butter or olive oil
2 large handfuls of arugula

dressing:
1 tablespoon Champagne or tarragon vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
a egg yolk
a scant 1/2 cup / 100 ml olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 400F / 200C degrees. Scrub the potatoes, prick them all over with a fork, and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Bake the potatoes until tender throughout. This can take an hour for large potatoes. Less for smaller spuds.

While the potatoes are baking, make the dressing. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, egg yolk, and olive oil with a big pinch of salt. Then whisk in the cheese, and finally the lemon juice. Taste, make any adjustments, and set aside.

Slice a big cross into the top of each potato, then gently but firmly push in on the ends of each potato. This way the tops open up, and you can begin to spoon out a bit of the potato filling. Add a pat of butter/olive oil to each potato, or a splash of the dressing and a bit of salt. Toss the arugula with a generous amount of the dressing, and then pile it into the potatoes. You’ll likely have some leftover dressing to enjoy as needed with the salad and skins.

healthy mac & cheese

i felt it was only fair and right to post a healthy alternative to martha’s amazing artery clogging cheese fest. i’ve made this a few times and you would never know there was pureed winter squash in it!

SERVES: 8

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash
• 2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
• 4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 2 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
  

Directions

concord grape & lemon soda

perfect if you want to spruce up a fall or winter dinner!

**note: if you can’t find actual concord grapes, i would suggest using an organic concord grape juice.

yields 6 drinks

• 2 lemons
• 1 pound Concord grapes, rinsed and stems removed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• Pinch salt
• Soda water

1. Zest and juice 1 lemon and put the zest in a heavy, wide saucepan. Set the juice aside. Add the grapes, sugar, cinnamon stick, salt and 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and cook gently over medium-low heat until the grapes have all broken down, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
2. Press the grapes and juice through a fine mesh sieve until you have a smooth puree (you should have about 3/4 cup). Discard the grape seeds and peels left in the sieve, as well as the cinnamon stick.
3. To make the soda: Cut the second lemon into thin wedges. Put several ice cubes in each of 6 tumblers. Add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the grape puree to each glass. Fill with soda water and stir gently to combine. Add a lemon wedge to a each glass and serve, with stirrers if you have them.

lemon & cheese blintzes

i always find that blintzes make a nice addition to a holiday meal. they’re easy to make and everyone always finds them to be “impressive” looking. check out this recipe i found for LEMON and cheese blintzes.

SERVES: 6 to 8

the pancakes

• 1 cup milk, plus more if needed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Butter for frying

the filling

• 2 7.5-ounce packages (Avi’s grandmother recommends Friendship brand) farmer cheese, salted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the pancake batter, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil and salt in a large bowl. Add the flour gradually, whisking constantly until the batter is smooth. Set aside.
2. Stir together all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Set an 8-inch frying pan (I used a non-stick crepe pan) on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add a swipe of butter. Pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pancake batter, swirling the pan to create a thin pancake. (If the batter seems to thick and you have trouble swirling it evenly in the pan, whisk in a little more milk.) Cook the pancake about 30 seconds, until the top looks dry and the edges start to curl. Use your fingers or a spatula to remove the pancake and set aside on a plate to cool. Then, make as many more pancakes as the batter will allow.
4. Let the pancakes cool a little. Lay out about 4 pancakes, pale side up, and put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each. Fold each of the pancakes up into a square package, making sure the corners are completely closed.
5. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the blintzes in batches until deep golden brown and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with applesauce on the side if you like.