Summer and Fall Flavors

To me, nothing beats the summer flavors of tomato and basil. A simple caprese salad (tomato, basil, mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil) is one of the most satisfyingly delicious meals you can eat. And after purchasing an additional 20 pounds of tomatoes from our CSA, Brendan and I had our fill of the tomato-basil combo. But just as satisfying as those summer flavors is the warm taste and smell of fall vegetables being roasted in the oven, with just a hint of olive oil, salt, and pepper. This post is a tribute to the best of summer and best of fall flavors.  

Best of Summer: Tomato-Basil Quinoa
Serves 4
Ingredients:
-1 cup quinoa
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 tablespoon tomato paste
-3 small tomatoes, diced
-1 bunch of swiss chard, chopped
-1/4 cup basil, chopped
-1 15oz. can low-sodium navy beans, drained & rinsed
-Parmesan cheese
-salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook quinoa according to package
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir for another 1 minute. 
3. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes
4. Add chopped swiss chard and cook until wilted (3-5 minutes)
5. Toss in the basil, beans, and cooked quinoa. Mix well to make sure everything is heated through (particularly the beans).
6. Serve with Parmesan cheese grated on top. 

Best of Fall: Roasted Harvest Vegetables 
Modified from: Fight Back With Food, by Editors of Reader's Digest
Serves: 6

Ingredients: 
-1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
-1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
-1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces
-2 apples, chopped into large chunks
-1 onion, quartered (skin still on)
-3 tablespoons olive oil (remember, 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon)
-1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
-2 green onions, sliced
-1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
-1 tablespoon dried rosemary
-2 teaspoons garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix brussels sprouts with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Mix well.
3. Spread sprouts on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until browned and crispy. 
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for squash, cauliflower, and apple. Spread onion quarters with remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil and roast on the corners of one of the baking sheets.
*My oven fits two baking sheets, so I was able to do two rounds of roasting veggies.
5. When onions are done, peel off the skin and chop the roasted onion into bite size pieces. 
6. Combine all roasted veggies (and apple!) in a large bowl. 
7. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl (sun-dried tomatoes through pepper) and mix well. 
8. Serve hot or at room temperature. 

Best of Summer & Fall: Roasted Beet Salad with Basil Dressing
Modified from Cooking Light
Serves 6

Ingredients for salad
-4 beets, roasted and sliced 
-1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
-fronds from fennel bulb, chopped
-1 small head of endive, sliced
-1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
-6 cups baby spinach, or any other type of salad greens
-3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese (or whatever type of cheese you prefer)
-salt & pepper, to taste

Ingredients for salad dressing
**The salad dressing is out of this world, crazy-good. Be prepared to fall in love. 
-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
-1 tablespoon honey
-1 teaspoon grated orange rind
-orange juice from 1/2 an orange (should be about 2 tablespoons)
-2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
-2 teaspoons olive oil
-2 teaspoons dijon mustard
-1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
You can follow the exact directions from Cooking Light, but I recommend my way of roasting the beets. And you can add the cheese at the very end.
To roast beets: 
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Place whole beets (with skin) in an oven-proof container, with just a bit of water in the bottom, covered with aluminum foil. 
3. Roast for 50 minutes. 
4. When you can easily pierce the beets with a fork, the beets are cooked. 
5. Let the beets cool. 
6. Once you can handle the beets, use your hands to peel off the skin--it should slide right off. 
7. Cut the beets into slices for the salad.

In Need of a Quickie?

The past few weeks were a haze of cold weather, a blizzard, more snow, and harsh winds. After coming home from work the last thing I ever wanted to do was cook. And the only thing I wanted was something warm and comforting to cheer me up. I know, you're thinking the same thing that I did: soup. Clearly the answer. However, many soups take a long time to cook or they have lengthy ingredient lists. I needed a quickie ..a  tasty and satisfying soup that does not take long to make. So, after perusing my shelf of cookbooks and cooking magazines, I found what I was looking for. I know many of you are likewise rushed for time (and patience), but I promise that these two soups are perfect for nights when you just need a quickie...recipe, that is. 

Fennel & Tomato Soup (adapted from Vegetarian Times)

Serves 4

Ingredients

-1 fennel bulb, diced 

-3 chicken or vegetarian sausages, thickly sliced

-1 teaspoon fennel seeds

-2 tablespoons dry vermouth or white wine

-3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

-1 x 28oz can of crushed tomatoes, no salt added

-handful of fresh parsley

-2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. 

2. Add diced fennel and sauté until starting to brown (about 5 minutes)

3. Add sausage and fennel seeds. Cook another 5 minutes, until sausage starts to brown.

4. Add the vermouth or wine, to deglaze the pan (about 30 seconds), then add the remaining ingredients.

5. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. 

6. Serve hot with some good bread and/or a side salad. 

Curried Carrot Soup (adapted from Vegetarian Times)

Serves 4

Ingredients

-12 medium carrots, grated (6 cups, grated)

-1 red onion, diced

-1 onion, diced

-1 teaspoon curry powder

-2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots and onions.

2. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Vegetables should be tender and start to brown.

3. Stir in curry powder and cook another 30 seconds. 

4. Add 3 1/2 cups of water, bring soup to a simmer, then remove from heat. 

5. Working in batches in a blender, or using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. 

6. Return soup to pot and season with salt, if desired. 

 

Different Yet Delectable

One of my favorite bitches recently told me that she is getting sick of eating the same foods every night. She is too tired to cook something complicated when she gets home. In fact, she's basically too tired to cook. And as funny as my post about cooking a whole fish was, she's not going to be making a whole fish anytime soon, and therefore needs some posts about quick, easy, nutritious, and tasty recipes. No problem. Here are two dishes I made this week, each of which took fewer than 30 minutes to prep and cook, and both of which are insanely yummy. They may look and sound different, but trust me, they're quite delectable: 

Fennel, Orange, & Beet Salad
Serving size: 1 salad
Ingredients:
-two handfuls of spring salad mix (or any other salad greens you like)
-1/4 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
-1/2 orange (any kind you like), thinly sliced
-1/4 avocado, cut into chunks
-1/2 cup canned sliced beets (no salt added), drained, rinsed, and cut into half moons
-1/4 cup hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
-2 tablespoons roasted pecan halves, chopped
-2 tablespoons crumbled feta or goat cheese
-fresh cracked black pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl together. Top with homemade balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below). Mix well. Devour and enjoy!


Homemade Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette 
Serving size: enough for 1 salad
Ingredients:
-2 teaspoons dijon mustard
-1 teaspoon honey
-1/2 tablespoon baslamic vinegar
-1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Whisk together. Drizzle over salad.


Pasta and Eggplant with Ricotta Sauce 
Serving size: 1
Ingredients:
-1/4 -1/2 cup pasta (any shape you want!)
-1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
-2 tablespoons parsley, minced
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1/2 onion, chopped
-1 cup eggplant, diced into chunks
-2 garlic cloves, minced
Optional ingredients:
-1/4 cup silken tofu (can't even taste it!)
-1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
-parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package. Reserve 1/8 cup of pasta water.
2. Combine ricotta cheese, parsley, silken tofu (if using), and fresh cracked pepper in a small bowl. Mix until ingredients are well blended. Set aside.
3. Heat skillet on medium, and add olive oil once skillet is hot. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, until onions are browned.
4. Add eggplant, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes (if using) to skillet. Cook for another 5-8 minutes (if eggplant is sticking to pan, add about 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet), until eggplant is browned.
5. Add pasta to skillet, cook for about 30 seconds.
6. Add ricotta mixture to pan and combine all ingredients. Cook for about 1 more minute, to make sure sauce is heated through. 
7. Serve and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Eat. Enjoy!

Make Use of Magazines

Let it be known that I am a proud recipient of Vegetarian Times (thanks Auntie Karen!), Bon Appetit (thanks Katy!), and soon to be Food Network Magazine (I received the December 2011 issue for Hanukkah and fell instantly in love...thanks mom!). It may sound nerdy, but every month I eagerly anticipate arrival of these magazines in the mail. I relish the time during which I can devour all the new recipes that lie beneath the beautifully photographed cover page, and in between obnoxious advertisements. Each issue is filled with page after page of new and intriguing recipes, and my eyes become glued to the glossy pages the instant I get my hands on the magazine. I guess you could say that food magazines are like a drug to me...I'm addicted, I like it, and there's no turning back. 

But sadly, a month is not nearly enough time for me to test out all the magazines' new recipes that cause my salivary glands to go into overdrive. Usually I only get around to trying one (maybe two) recipes from each magazine, at best. There are just so many recipes to try - not to mention all the recipes from cookbooks that I want to make. What is a girl supposed to do? I'm certainly not going to save almost a year's worth of magazines so that maybe someday I can make all the recipes...I do NOT have the space for all that paper! I recently clipped a number of "must-try" recipes, but that did not solve my problem of wanting to utilize my magazines more than I currently do. So this past weekend, I came up with a little challenge for myself: make recipes solely from magazines, all weekend long.  

I came up with the challenge when I realized that I'd be spending my monthly trip to DC cooped inside, basically all weekend long. My boyfriend had knee surgery on Friday and I was there to take care of him. So in preparation for my trip, I packed up my collection of January through March 2012 food magazines. One of the wonderful things about magazines is that they are SO much more portable than cookbooks. Sure, some of you tech-savvy people are probably thinking "why not just use an Iphone or computer"...well, I do not own an Iphone, and reading a recipe online requires putting my computer in the danger zone that is the kitchen - I sometimes do this, but I did not want to spend an entire weekend with my precious computer permanently stuck between the blazing stove and leaky sink. 

There was plenty of time for me to dissect the various magazines and choose some recipes for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. I had time to kill in the airport, on the plane, and at the hospital (6.5 hours at the hospital, to be exact; and side note: the surgery was only 15 minutes of that 6.5 hours...). Obviously I asked my boyfriend what he wanted to eat - he was, after all, the recovering patient - but as he kindly reminded me, he will eat anything I cook for him. Reason #869584 why we're dating. 

I ended up spending the weekend totally immersed in my magazines. When I wasn't switching out ice packs or getting glasses of water to go with tablets of Vicodin, I was in the kitchen, cooking. Every meal I made was amazing, flavorful, and yum-yum-yummy beyond belief...my taste-testers can attest. Some recipes were more nutritious, some more complex, some more expensive, but they were all equally delicious. The challenge was a success! All the recipes I made for the weekend came from magazines (8 recipes, in case you're interested). And the end result (aside from leftovers) was my re-realization that food magazines are like an untapped gold mine. After this weekend I am resolved to no longer let my food magazines sit on kitchen shelves - read only once and begging to be used. Now, I will make use of my magazines...the recipes will not disappoint.

Friday Night:

Creamy Polenta with Sausage & Roasted Grapes

Bon Appetit, January 2012

The recipe says to cook the polenta in the microwave, which works really well, BUT make sure your bowl has enough room for the polenta to boil; my bowl was not big enough, and so I had a minor polenta overflow accident...woops! Also, this is a super easy recipe to make, now that you've bought polenta after reading my Keep It Simple post.

Saturday Night:

Baked Parsnip Fries with Rosemary

Bon Appetit, March 2012

As you can see, I added carrots...I highly recommend this addition!

Fennel, Roasted Red Pepper, and Goat Cheese Quiche

Vegetarian Times, March 2012

Ingredients, including my modifications: 1/2 fennel bulb (thinly sliced), 1 onion (chopped), 3 garlic cloves (minced), 1 cup jarred roasted red pepper (diced), 6 eggs, 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit and coat 9x13 inch baking dish with spray oil

2. Heat sauté pan with oil, add fennel & onion, cook for 8-10 minutes

3. Stir in garlic, cook for 30 seconds

4. Stir in roasted red peppers; remove pan from stovetop

5. Whisk eggs and cottage cheese; add cheddar & goat cheese

6. Stir veggies into egg & cheese mixture; pour into baking dish

7. Bake about 45 minutes (top should be browned, center should be cooked through and NOT runny)

Sunday Morning Brunch:

Leftovers!

Use sweet potatoes instead of parsnips in the "Baked Parsnip Fries with Rosemary" recipe. It makes great homefries!

Sunday Night Dinner:

Bucatini with Shrimp and Pesto

Food Network Magazine, March 2012

A few changes I made: used spaghetti instead of bucatini; used 1 package of basil, 1 package of mint, and about 1-2 cups of parsley instead of just basil and mint; used regular all-purpose flour to coat the shrimp instead of the "instant flour" called for in the recipe

Shaved Fennel and Apple SaladVegetarian Times, March 2012

Ingredients, with my modifications: 1/2 fennel bulb (thinly sliced), 1 Granny Smith apple (thinly sliced), [1 orange (sliced) not in original recipe], 1 lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper, fennel fronds from 1/2 fennel bulb (tops of fennel that look like dill)
Directions: combine fennel, apple, orange, and fennel fronds in a bowl; squeeze juice of 1 lemon into bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper; keep in fridge before serving

DESSERTS!!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Food Network Magazine, March 2012

Rocky Road Brownies

Food Network Magazine, March 2012

From the "50 Brownies" Insert

Be warned, these are really hard to cut through because of the marshmallow topping!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Fun Cake

Bon Appetit, March 2012