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Lemony Cucumber Salad

September 4, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

This salad was easy to put together, and tasted very fresh, but it was nothing special. I probably wouldn't make it again.

Lemony Cucumber Salad
Cooking Light July 2011

Total Time: 22 Minutes

1 cup thinly sliced radishes
½ cup finely chopped orange bell pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Combine lemon rind and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pour over cucumber mixture; toss well to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Amount per serving
Calories: 33
Fat: 1.8g
Saturated fat: 0.3g
Monounsaturated fat: 1.2g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g
Protein: 0.8g
Carbohydrate: 4.3g
Fiber: 0.9g
Cholesterol: 0.0mg
Iron: 0.4mg
Sodium: 156mg
Calcium: 20mg

Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars

Fresh Apple, Orange Lemon Juice

September 4, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

We had some leftover fruit that Dino wanted to juice, so he put this together. It was good, but a little too sweet. Next time, we'd add some celery and maybe more lemon or something to balance it out.

Garden Vegetable Sauté with Lemon and Thyme

September 3, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

I'm trying to catch up with some backlogged posts. Life has been pretty hectic for the last few weeks (in a good way). At this point, it's been a few weeks since I made this side dish, and I'm not sure where I put my notes. It turned out fantastically, so I'll finish the writeup when I find that piece of paper. Thanks for your patience 🙂

Garden Vegetable Sauté with Lemon and Thyme
Ashley Covelli

2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 small Italian eggplant, cut into ¾" dice
1 yellow zucchini, cut into ¾" dice
1 green zucchini, cut into ¾" dice
3 small orange tomatoes

(to be continued...)

Slow-Baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme

September 3, 2011 by Ashley 4 Comments

Dino was in the mood for seafood, so we picked up some salmon and I made this simple recipe. The texture of the salmon was like butter, which was really nice. It turned out good, but nothing exceptional. The flavor all sits on top, and it's very mild, so we found ourselves adding salt to it after eating past that top layer. It was super simple though, which was nice after a busy day.

Slow-Baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme
Bon Appétit May 2011

yield: Makes 4 servings
active time: 15 minutes
total time: 35 minutes

Baking salmon in a low-temperature oven slowly melts the fat between the flesh and leaves the fillets incredibly moist and tender. Lemon and thyme, a classic Mediterranean combination, add another layer of flavor without sacrificing this dish's elegant simplicity.

1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 6-to 8-ounces boneless salmon fillets, skin on
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 lemon wedges (for serving)

Preheat oven to 275°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush with ½ tablespoon oil. Place salmon fillets, skin side down, on prepared baking sheet. Mix remaining oil, thyme, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Spread thyme mixture over salmon fillets, dividing equally. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Bake salmon until just opaque in center, 15-18 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars

The Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes

August 29, 2011 by Ashley 3 Comments

To go along with the roast chicken, I made The Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes again. These are easy and tasty, and they get nice and crispy on top. These aren't my favorite potato recipe, but they're nice and simple, and they're the recipe that gets the most traffic on this blog.

Orange Apple Lemon Juice

August 29, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

We had some fruit that we wanted to use up, so Dino suggested making juice. It's been a while since we used the juicer, so we were glad to use it again. We used 4 green apples, 2 oranges and 1 lemon. It was good, but pretty sweet. I wanted to add celery to it, but we didn't have any. Next time, I'd definitely want to add something to cut down on the sweetness.

Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars

Udon Noodle Salad with Broccolini and Spicy Tofu

August 21, 2011 by Ashley 8 Comments

I love trying new vegetarian recipes, and this one looked really interesting. I used fresh udon noodles instead of dried. This was a really nice combination of flavors that I would have never thought of putting together before. We ended up adding a bit more Sriracha and tamari on top of each of our bowls and stirring it in at the end to give it a little more punch. This was a nice, light meal that I'd definitely consider making again.

Udon Noodle Salad with Broccolini and Spicy Tofu

Cooking Light May 2011

Broccolini is blanched in salted water to get the vegetables crisp-tender while also keeping them bright green and full-flavored. If you make the salad ahead, wait to dress it until just before serving to preserve the Broccolini's color.

Hands On: 25 Minutes

Total: 1 Hour

8 ounces water-packed extra-firm tofu

5 tablespoons peanut oil, divided

2 tablespoons lower-sodium tamari or soy sauce

1 ½ teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong), divided

Cooking spray

6 ounces uncooked dried udon noodles (thick Japanese wheat noodles)

6 cups water

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

8 ounces Broccolini

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

½ cup thinly sliced radishes (about 3 medium)

2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted cashews, toasted

1. Cut tofu into ¾-inch-thick slices. Place tofu slices in a single layer on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let tofu stand for 30 minutes to drain, pressing down occasionally. Remove tofu from paper towels, and cut into ¾-inch cubes.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. Combine 2 tablespoons peanut oil, tamari, and 1 teaspoon Sriracha in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add tofu cubes to tamari mixture, and toss gently to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Remove tofu from bowl with a slotted spoon; reserve tamari mixture in bowl. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and bake tofu at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

4. Cook udon noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.

5. Combine 6 cups water and salt in a large saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add Broccolini to pan; cook for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge Broccolini into ice water; drain well. Chop Broccolini.

6. Add remaining 3 tablespoons peanut oil, remaining ½ teaspoon Sriracha, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and sesame oil to reserved tamari mixture in bowl; stir mixture well with a whisk. Add baked tofu, udon noodles, Broccolini, and ½ cup thinly sliced radishes to bowl; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle salad with cashews.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

Calories: 438

Fat: 24.7g

Saturated fat: 4.1g

Monounsaturated fat: 10.1g

Polyunsaturated fat: 8.2g

Protein: 14.3g

Carbohydrate: 38.4g

Fiber: 3.4g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Iron: 3mg

Sodium: 572mg

Calcium: 97mg

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Chard and Onion Omelet (Trouchia)

August 21, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

I've had this recipe printed out for a while now, and I finally got around to making it for breakfast this morning. It was great! Cooking the onions and chard really slowly does bring out a really sweet flavor, and the fresh herbs really brighten it up. And who doesn't love adding cheese to breakfast? This is going to be a great treat to bring to work for breakfast this week, too!

Chard and Onion Omelet (Trouchia)

Epicurious April 2010

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone - Deborah Madison

yield: Serves 4 to 6

These Provençal eggs, laced with softened onions and chard, never fail to elicit sighs of appreciation. I'm forever grateful to Nathalie Waag for making trouchia when she came to visit-it has since become a favorite. The trick to its success is to cook everything slowly so that the flavors really deepen and sweeten.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red or white onion, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise

1 bunch chard, leaves only, chopped

Salt and freshly milled pepper

1 garlic clove

6 to 8 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped basil

2 teaspoons chopped thyme

1 cup grated Gruyère

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch skillet, add the onion, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely soft but not colored, about 15 minutes. Add the chard and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has cooked off and the chard is tender, about 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic in a mortar with a few pinches of salt (or chop them finely together), then stir it into the eggs along with the herbs. Combine the chard mixture with the eggs and stir in the Gruyère and half the Parmesan.

Preheat the broiler. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and, when it's hot, add the eggs. Give a stir and keep the heat at medium-high for about a minute, then turn it to low. Cook until the eggs are set but still a little moist on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining Parmesan and broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat, until browned.

Serve trouchia in the pan or slide it onto a serving dish and cut it into wedges. The gratinéed top and the golden bottom are equally presentable.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Pecan Butter Balls (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

August 18, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

I wanted to bake a thank you gift for a friend of one of the members of my Supper Club, because she was getting rid of a bunch of maternity clothes. I hadn't met this person before, so I thought cookies would be a safe bet. I saw this post over at Lick the Bowl Good, and thought these looked perfect! It wasn't until I was halfway done making them that I realized that I should have asked if she had any allergies that I should know about (it ended up being fine...phew!). Anyway, these were pretty simple to make, although forming them and coating them in powdered sugar twice does take a bit of time.

I used a cookie scoop that was about 1" instead of rolling ½" balls by hand, and it saved me a lot of time. I pressed down on the dough in the scoop before putting them on the baking sheets just to make sure they were packed in there tightly since I wouldn't be rolling them. You can fit a lot of these on each cookie sheet since they don't spread much, which was great. I ended up making about 54 of the larger sized cookies, and it was just enough to fill up a gift box while leaving me and Dino a few to QC on our own. I don't often test out new recipes on people I don't know, but this one really ended up being worth it! The pecans get nice and toasted in the oven, and the cookies are rich, buttery and satisfying (albeit a little messy since they're coated in powdered sugar). I'll definitely make these again. They were great!

Pecan Butter Balls (Mexican Wedding Cookies)
Lick the Bowl Good (adapted from Cooks Catalog)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
¼ granulated cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts
powdered sugar for coating

Cream butter and sugar together. Add salt and vanilla.

Slowly add the flour to the butter/sugar mixture just until it forms a dough. Add the chopped nuts and mix until just combined.

Roll dough into half inch balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheets about an inch apart.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

As soon as they come out of the oven, roll them in powdered sugar while the cookies are still hot. Be careful because the cookies are extremely hot and fragile. Place cookies on a cooling rack.

Once cookies have cooled completely, roll them in powdered sugar again.

Makes 60-70 cookies.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Whole Wheat Linguine with Garden Fresh Summer Veggie Medley

August 16, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

I got this lovely Bennings Green Tint Patty Pan Squash from the Garden Fairy, and I thought it would be good in a pasta dish. I've never used this type of squash before, but based on how thin the skin felt, I figured it was edible, as long as I trimmed off the end pieces. I wasn't sure about the seeds, so I didn't end up using those. I also had a wonderful, gigantic garden tomato from my father-in-law, so I used that here, too. Basically, I used all of the veggies that I had hanging around, and the results were awesome! I thought about adding some peas, but didn't, and Dino said that it was the only thing that would have made it better (without me telling him that I debated putting them in there), so next time, I'll add that. I know it doesn't look like anything special, but trust me - this stuff rocked! This is a wonderful way to use up some of summer's bounty, and enjoy a delicious vegetarian dinner.

Baby Spinach Salad with Figs, Shallots and Goat Cheese

August 16, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

I saw some fresh figs at the store yesterday, so I picked them up and used them in a really tasty salad for lunch today. I assembled a bed of baby spinach and topped it with some thinly sliced shallots, crumbled goat cheese and sliced figs. I dressed it with some good quality balsamic, extra-virgin olive oil, fleur de sal and freshly cracked black pepper. It was really tasty!

Supper Club: Royal Hawaiian Pie

August 13, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

This pie recipe looked interesting, and different from a "standard" banana cream pie. It was simple to put together, and it was insanely delicious!!

It looked beautiful and the combination of pineapple juice with the bananas was really refreshing. I read some of the reviews that said it was better cold, so I refrigerated it for a few hours before we dug in.

I'll definitely be making this one again!

Royal Hawaiian Pie
Allrecipes - Cathy

"This unique pie is bursting with bananas flavored with pineapple juice and cinnamon."

2 (9 inch) pie shell
4 cups sliced bananas
½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Place sliced bananas in a medium bowl and cover with pineapple juice. Toss gently until slices are coated. Let soak for 30 minutes, then drain. Place bananas in pie shell.

3. In a small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon. Sift over top of bananas. Dot with slices of butter or margarine. Put on top crust and seal, slashing 2 to 3 vents near center. Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Pie can be served hot or cold.

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 312 | Total Fat: 13.5g | Cholesterol: 8mg

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Supper Club: Kalua Pig in a Slow Cooker

August 13, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

This month's Supper Club theme was Hawaiian. We don't exactly have the space to bury a whole pig in our yard, and I wouldn't be up for that much effort anyway, so this was the perfect substitute. I found this recipe and thought it looked ridiculously easy, and the reviews it got were great! So I went for it, and it was simple and tasty. My store had a few different types of Hawaiian sea salt, and the recipe didn't specify what type, so I picked the Hawaiian Bamboo Jade Sea Salt. It has a really lovely aroma, and I got a nice sized pouch of it. The pork falls apart after cooking for so many hours, and the flavors really infuse nicely. This is a great dish to feed a big crowd, but it wasn't my favorite pork dish ever.

Kalua Pig in a Slow Cooker

Allrecipes - KIKUCHAN

"This is a simple way of making traditional Hawaiian kalua pig without having to dig a hole in your back yard."

Prep Time: 10 Min

Cook Time: 20 Hrs

Ready In: 20 Hrs 10 Min

Yield 12 servings

1 (6 pound) pork butt roast

1 ½ tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt

1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

1. Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker.

2. Cover, and cook on Low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time.

3. Remove meat from slow cooker, and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 243 | Total Fat: 14.7g | Cholesterol: 82mg

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Brown Sugar-Balsamic Swirl Ice Cream

August 11, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Have you ever drizzled balsamic vinegar over vanilla ice cream? I have. I know...it sounds crazy, but trust me, if it's good, thick balsamic, it can be amazing! The tanginess pairs really well with the sweet ice cream. So when I saw this ice cream recipe, I knew I had to try it. The ice cream base is delicious - I'd totally make that by itself again, but the addition of sweetened, reduced balsamic makes it really unique. This takes quite some time to come together - you have to chill the base overnight, then churn and freeze for several hours again, so I recommend starting 2 days before you want to eat it, and enjoying it on day 3. Not that we didn't sneak a taste of it right after it churned...

Brown Sugar-Balsamic Swirl Ice Cream

Bon Appétit December 2009

Yield: Makes generous 1 quart

The custard needs to be refrigerated overnight before it's processed in the ice cream maker, so plan accordingly.

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

1 ½ cups whole milk

¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar, divided

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

6 large egg yolks

½ cup balsamic vinegar

Combine heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and ½ cup sugar in heavy large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring cream mixture to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Meanwhile, whisk yolks and remaining ¼ cup sugar in large bowl until very thick, about 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and thermometer inserted into custard registers 180°F, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Strain custard into large bowl set over another bowl of ice and water. Cool custard completely, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Cover and chill overnight.

Boil balsamic vinegar in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 6 minutes. Cool syrup in pan.

Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. When ice cream is done, spoon in balsamic syrup and churn 3 to 4 seconds longer to swirl. Transfer ice cream to container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Pork Tenderloin Medallions and Balsamic Reduction

August 10, 2011 by Ashley 5 Comments

This recipe sounded really tasty, and we love pork tenderloin, so I gave it a try. The only thing I changed was for the rice - I cooked some jasmine rice in my rice cooker and stirred in the extras at the end. I had dried cranberries on hand, so I used those instead of cherries. I also decided that I didn't want to dirty a grill pan on top of everything else, so I seared the peaches in the same pan that I used for the pork - cooking them before the meat. It was really tasty, and the fresh, caramelized peaches were the perfect addition. It was also a great way to use some of the rosemary from my herb garden, which I haven't used much of yet this year. I'd probably make this again, minus the rice.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions and Balsamic Reduction

Cooking Light July 2011

Whip up a simple yet flavorful meal of pork tenderloin topped with a balsamic reduction infused with fresh rosemary, garlic, and shallots.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Cooking spray

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, cut into 12 slices

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add vinegar and next 3 ingredients; cook until reduced to ½ cup.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place pork in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side. Add balsamic reduction; cook 1 minute, turning pork to coat.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 pork medallions and 2 tablespoons reduction)

Serve with Grilled Peaches: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 4 peach halves to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side. Cut each half into 3 wedges. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 wedges).

Serve with Wild Rice Salad: Cook 1 cup fast-cooking white and wild rice per directions, omitting seasoning. Stir in ¼ cup chopped green onions, 2 tablespoons chopped dried cherries, and 2 tablespoons chopped pecans. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: ½ cup)

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Strawberry Gazpacho "Amuse Bouche"

August 8, 2011 by Ashley 3 Comments

It's been so hot outside lately, and I thought gazpacho would be a great idea to go with dinner. This is a really interesting take on gazpacho - the strawberries really make it different. This was cool and refreshing, and surprisingly a little spicy from the raw garlic. This is a great way to use up fruits and veggies during the summer.

Strawberry Gazpacho "Amuse Bouche"

Ithica Farmers Market Cookbook: Local Folks, Local Foods, Farm-to-Table Recipes - Michael Turback

Makes 12-14 hors d'oeuvres

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tomato peeled, seeded, and chopped (save the juice)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 table spoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ pounds strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh basil leaves, finely chopped, for garnish

1. In a large bowl, combine the peppers, cucumbers, garlic and tomatoes with the vinegar, and olive oil. Cover and chill in refrigerator for several hours.

2. Transfer mixture to a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Add the strawberries, and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

3. To serve, spoon the soup into individual chilled espresso cups or small glasses on saucers, and sprinkle each serving with the basil.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Savory Balsamic Chicken

August 8, 2011 by Ashley 4 Comments

I saw this recipe in an ad in this month's Cooking Light, and thought it looked like a nice and easy weeknight dish. It was good, but nothing special. The sauce was really strong. I mean, I love the flavor that Worcestershire sauce adds to dishes, but I think this was overkill. That and balsamic made it really tangy. I don't think I'd make this again.

Savory Balsamic Chicken

Lea & Perrins

6 4-oz. chicken breasts

⅓ cup All-purpose flour

2 tablespoon Butter, divided

1 tablespoon Vegetable oil

1 ½ cups Low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire Sauce

1 ½ tablespoon Heinz® Gourmet Balsamic Vinegar

1. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, then dip both sides in flour.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and oil in large skillet; cook chicken 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and juices run clear. Move onto serving dish.

3. In same skillet, add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in remaining butter and pour over chicken.

Makes: 6 Servings (4 oz. each)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars

Reader Submitted Recipe: Cole Slaw

August 5, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

The last time I made my mom's cole slaw recipe, one of my readers (who is a self-proclaimed "rabid cole slaw fan") posted a recipe for another slaw and asked me to try it. Since I'm a huge fan myself and it looked pretty good, I made a mental note to try it out sometime. A few weeks later, I found out who posted it, and asked if he'd be cool with me crediting him when I made it. Well, I made it tonight, and it was AWESOME!! I used the full 2 lemons, which was great! It was a little too tangy for Dino, so next time I'll try 1 or 1 ½ lemons. My big tip here is to use a food processor with the grater attachment if you have it to make quick work out of shredding the carrots and cabbage. This was really colorful and delicious, and we loved it! Thanks for sharing, Chris 🙂

Cole Slaw
Christian Johannesen

½ purple cabbage grated/sliced
3 carrots peeled & grated
3 scallions finely chopped
Juice of 2 Lemons
3 tablespoons of light mayo.
¼ teaspoon celery seed
salt and pepper to taste

Combine in a bowl and voila. If you do not like a tart taste, cut the lemon to 1.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Chunky Watermelon Salsa

August 5, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

I was in the mood for some fruit salsa, and I found this really easy recipe. I thought the watermelon sounded nice and refreshing - and it was! This stuff is great - and the addition of pieces of lime rather than just juice makes it stand out. There's a bit of heat from the jalapeño, and the watermelon and cucumber are nice and refreshing. This is simple to put together and could easily be scaled up for a big party.

Chunky Watermelon Salsa
Bon Appétit July 1996

yield: Makes about 3 ½ cups

This cool salsa is the ideal accompaniment for grilled shrimp.

1 lime
2 cups ½-inch pieces seeded watermelon
1 cup ½-inch pieces seeded peeled cucumber
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño chili
1 teaspoon sugar

Using small sharp knife, cut peel and white pith from lime. Cut lime into ¼-inch pieces. Place in medium bowl. Add all remaining ingredients to same bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to blend. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Serve chilled.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Chicken Breasts with Tomato-Herb Pan Sauce

August 4, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

I had some tomatoes from my father-in-law's garden to use up, as well as a few from my own. When I came across this recipe, I thought it sounded like the perfect thing to make to utilize them. This is a pretty easy dish to make - perfect for a weeknight. The sweet cherry tomatoes melt down into a thick, delectable jam-like sauce that's perfect with the chicken. I adore fresh tomatoes, and this was a great way to showcase them. I served the chicken alongside some couscous that I mixed with a can of chickpeas. It was a nice, filling meal.

Chicken Breasts with Tomato-Herb Pan Sauce
The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen July 2011

yield: Makes 2 servings
active time: 30 minutes
total time: 30 minutes

The key to this sauté: Cook the tomatoes with the bits of chicken left over after you've seared it in the pan. When the tomatoes burst, swirl in the remaining marjoram butter to finish the pan sauce.

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram or oregano
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes (11-12 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Mash butter, garlic, marjoram, and paprika in a small bowl to blend. Season marjoram butter to taste with salt and pepper.

Melt 1 tablespoon marjoram butter in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet, cover, and cook until no longer pink in center, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Tent chicken with foil to keep warm.

Increase heat to high. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes. Add remaining marjoram butter to skillet. Crush tomatoes slightly to release juices; stir 1 minute. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon tomato sauce over chicken. Garnish with parsley.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

5 Years of Big Flavors!

August 1, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

Wow. I can't believe I've been at this blog for 5 years already! I've come a long way since I started this adventure over on livejournal. I've posted loads of recipes since August 2006...and I post more and more each year. A lot has changed since I started the blog - my photo skills have definitely improved, I've become more confident in the kitchen, I've tried several new cuisines, new techniques, and I'm even cooking with seafood now! On a personal level, I got married and am expecting my first child.

A lot has happened in the last few years, and I'm really excited about where life and this blog are taking me. Thanks so much to all of the readers, commenters, taste tasters and friends who have been so supportive of me. I even got to the point where my friends don't laugh when I whip out my camera to take a photo of something I make for a dinner party before digging in - now that's an accomplishment!

In honor of 5 years, I'd like to share the top 5 posts of all time, based on pageviews:

#5: Baby Shower: Monkey Cupcakes

#4: Superbowl Party: Puppy Chow

#3: Zen Temple Dumplings

#2: Supper Club: Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

and the #1 post of the last 5 years, the Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes

Turning 5: Chinese Five Spice Crusted Tofu over Fried Rice

July 31, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

In honor of this blog turning 5 on August 1st (woah!!), I wanted to make something with Chinese Five Spice powder. It's a flavor that I only recently started enjoying, and I thought it might be fun to try to crust some tofu with it. I wasn't going to be around to cook dinner on my actual Blogiversary, so I decided to make it the night before instead. It turned out pretty well! The crust on the tofu was great, and the fried rice was spicy and filling. It could definitely be tweaked to be better, but we were happy with it.

Chinese Five Spice Crusted Tofu over Fried Rice
Ashley Covelli

Serves 4

2 cups white rice, cooked according to package directions (and preferably leftover)

1 lb extra firm tofu cut into half-inch thick slices
¼ c cornstarch
1 t Chinese five spice powder

peanut oil, for frying
½ c green onion, chopped
⅓ c red onion, diced
2 eggs, beaten
¾ c frozen sweet peas

Sauce:
¼ c low sodium soy sauce
1 T sriracha
2 t Dijon
1 t sesame oil
1-2 t garlic, minced
1 t freshly grated ginger

Mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place tofu slices on a cutting board between a few layers of paper towels and press for at least 15 minutes to get extra moisture out. I like to cover it with another cutting board and place a few cans of veggies on top to weigh it down. a heavy skillet on top would work, too. Cut into cubes or triangles.

Heat peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet or wok. Mix cornstarch and five spice together in a bowl and toss tofu to coat. Dust off excess cornstarch and add to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on one side, and then flip to cook the other side. When tofu is done, remove from pan onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil.

Add a little more oil to the skillet if you need to, and sauté red onions until translucent. Add eggs and stir-fry until cooked through. Add in leftover rice, stirring frequently. Once rice starts to heat through and get a little brown, add green onions, peas and sauce. Stir to mix everything together and heat peas through.

Serve tofu over rice and enjoy!

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Strawberries with Vanilla Sugar

July 31, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

I had some strawberries left from my trip to the Farmers' Market, and I remembered one of my favorite treats - Penzeys Vanilla Sugar. It's really fragrant and delicious. A light sprinkle of this on top of fresh fruit is divine!

Whole Wheat Pancakes with Blueberries or Chocolate Chips

July 31, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

We had some fresh blueberries left from a friend's garden, so I asked Dino if he would make pancakes again.

He made a batch of our favorite Buttermilk Pancakes again, but this time around he used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose white flour. He added blueberries to some, and chocolate chips to the rest. They all turned out fantastic!

Fried Squash Blossoms

July 30, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

We got some zucchini blossoms from the Farmers' Market, and wanted to do something simple with them that didn't involve stuffing them. I found this recipe, and Dino prepped and cooked it. These turn out nice and crispy, and make a nice side dish. He added some grated Parmesan, which we both liked a lot. The main tip I have here is to make sure you carefully open up each blossom to check for bugs, as they really like to nestle inside the flowers.

Fried Squash Blossoms
The Mexican Gourmet - Maria Dolores Torres Yzabal

Use squash, pumpkin or zucchini flowers for this favorite recipe that is popular in Italy as well as Mexico. If you are lucky enough to have a garden and plant any type of squash, you will know how prolific they are. Nipping off the blossoms will help tame the harvest and help the remainders that grow into fruit.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

12 squash (pumpkin or zucchini) blossoms
1 egg, beaten
5 Tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Parsley for garnish, optional

Clean the pumpkin or zucchini squash blossoms, removing the stems, if desired, and the small green spikes at the base. Press the hard bulbs to flatten, then separate and extend the petals until the flower shape is visible.

Dip the flowers in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry 6 flowers at a time until crisp and golden; change the oil if necessary between batches. Drain on paper towels.

Serve, garnished with chopped parsley, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Supper Club: Cabbage and Corn Slaw with Cilantro and Orange Dressing

July 23, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

This month's Supper Club theme was Tailgating. I picked 2 recipes that didn't involve turning the stove on at all, because this heat wave we've had for the last few weeks has been killer. The heat index has been around 115°F, and it's just exhausting! So I found this cooling slaw recipe that I thought would be perfect. My store was out of regular coleslaw mix, so I used broccoli slaw mix instead. This doesn't take too long to put together, and it makes a big batch of really colorful slaw.

Cabbage and Corn Slaw with Cilantro and Orange Dressing
Bon Appétit July 2007

yield: Makes 8 servings

⅓ cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
⅓ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
2 (8-ounce) bags coleslaw mix
4 ears of fresh corn, shucked, kernels cut from cob
2 medium carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, cut into thin strips
6 medium green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk orange juice concentrate, rice vinegar, and canola oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine slaw mix, corn kernels, carrots, red bell pepper strips, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Toss again and serve.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Pan Fried Tofu, Kale, and Stir-Fried Noodles

July 21, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

This is a really tasty vegan meal that I found over at Vegan Yum Yum a while back. It's a really delicious and hearty recipe, and we even had a little bit leftover (We almost always finish up a block of tofu between the two of us, so this was a big surprise). I used the rest of the kale that we got from the garden fairy last week, and it was great!

I found that the easiest way to handle the dipping sauce was just to pour a little over the tofu and noodles on the plate, because it can be tricky dipping slippery tofu and noodles in something that liquidy. I didn't try this out in my cast iron skillet, because I didn't want to get frustrated if the noodles or tofu started sticking. I have a great nonstick pan that got the tofu nice and brown. One of the best parts of this dish is the caramelized garlic bits that end up in the pan. Yum! I'll definitely be making this one again.

Pan Fried Tofu, Kale, and Stir-Fried Noodles
Vegan Yum Yum

Serves Two

1 Package Extra/Super Firm Tofu
1 Head Kale, deveined and torn
5 oz. Dried, Wide Rice Noodles (Mine come in 10 oz packages)
Sugar
Soy Sauce

Tofu Marinade
¼ Cup Water
¼ Cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
1 Tbs Thinly Sliced Ginger (or minced)
1 Tbs Maple Syrup
1 Tbs Oil
1 Tbs Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 Garlic Clove, minced
½ teaspoon Mustard
¼ teaspoon Sriracha or Hot Chili Sauce
Black Pepper, to taste

Dipping Sauce
¼ Cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
¼ Cup Water
1 Tbs Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 teaspoon Mustard
1 teaspoon Sriracha

Begin by pressing the tofu. I wrap my tofu in a single paper towel, then in a bar towel, and place a cast iron pan on top for 15 or so minutes. The paper towel prevents bar towel fuzz from getting on the tofu, while the terry cloth bar towel sucks out a ton of water.

While the tofu is pressing, whisk together the marinade. I used a mandoline to cut the ginger into paper-thin slices: that way some cooks with the tofu and you get mild bits of ginger on the finished tofu. You can mince the ginger if you don't have a mandoline available.

Cut the tofu into 8 equal sized rectangles and let it sit in the marinade for about 30 minutes, turning halfway through. Meanwhile, boil the rice noodles and cook for 6 minutes, until just tender.Rinse in cold water and drain as well as you can, set aside. I also cut my noodles with scissors to prevent them from being too long.

Whisk together the dipping sauce, and set aside.

Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the pan, just enough so the it's shiny. Once the pan is very hot, add the tofu. If your pan is seasoned, you shouldn't have any issues with the tofu sticking. Brown the tofu on one side, flip, and brown on the otherside. I then spoon extra marinade over the tofu and flip every few minutes. In all, I cook the tofu for around 10 minutes, until it looks like the tofu will be burnt if I leave it on any longer. Remove tofu from the pan and let it rest while finishing the dish.

Heat a little more oil in your pan, add the kale. Once softened, add the noodles and toss. If they stick, that's okay. Use a metal spatula to remove them; the crispy bits are tasty. Add more oil, enough to coat the noodles, if needed.

Flavor the noodles lightly with a sprinkle of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar. Plate the noodles and kale. Slice the now firmed (but still warm) tofu and place on top. Serve with dipping sauce.

Leftover tofu is wonderful in sandwiches. Happy holidays!

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Avocado Smoothie

July 19, 2011 by Ashley 4 Comments

This recipe from the newest issue of Bon Appétit sounded really interesting to me, and I had an avocado that I needed to use, so I thought it would be perfect. Turns out my avocado was past its prime, and I wasn't able to drink this. I'll definitely try it out again though, because it seems like a unique and refreshing beverage.

Avocado Smoothie
Bon Appétit August 2011
Carly Groben, Proof, Des Moines

Serves 2

1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Basil, thinly sliced

To ripen avocados more quickly, place them in a sealed paper bag with an apple or a banana for 24 hours.

Scoop the flesh from the avocado into a blender. Add milk, lime juice, sugar, and chopped basil; purée. Add 1 cup ice; purée until smooth.

Divide between 2 chilled glasses and garnish with thinly sliced basil.

One serving contains:
Calories (kcal) 212.6
Calories from Fat (kcal) 120.6
Fat (g) 13.4
Saturated Fat (g) 4.1
Cholesterol (mg) 15.2
Carbohydrates (g) 19.5
Dietary Fiber (g) 3.9
Total Sugars (g) 14.2
Net Carbs (g) 15.6
Protein (g) 6.0
Sodium (mg) 69.9

Spaghetti with Braised Kale

July 19, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

This is one of those recipes that proves that a few simple ingredients can really come together in a beautiful and delicious way. The slow cooking of onions and garlic make a wonderfully sweet base for this dish. The lemon juice is key, and I seasoned ours with some salt and pepper at the end. This was comforting and delicious, and Dino even said that I could make this for dinner every night and he'd be happy. Good to know! I used kale from the garden fairy, and whole wheat linguine. It was great!

Spaghetti with Braised Kale
Bon Appétit October 2009

1 pound lacinato kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ pound spaghetti
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add kale and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Cinnamon-Spiced Mocha Floats

July 15, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

I made the mocha ice cream ahead of time and brought it with me so we could have a nice, cool dessert beverage to finish off the evening. These were a big hit, although I ran into some snags with the prep. I'm not sure if it was the humidity or what, but I couldn't get the cream to peak. It was just a mess. And the chocolate (I used dark) was still kind of gritty in the final product. It was fun, though, and it was a great way to end the meal. It was a nice spin on a traditional root beer float, and the Vietnamese cinnamon really does make a difference. I've been hooked on that stuff for years.

Cinnamon-Spiced Mocha Floats
Food & Wine August 2002

Cinnamon is known as a sweet spice, but it can have a pungent bite. Vietnamese cinnamon, also known as Saigon cinnamon, is an especially fragrant variety, and its taste is sharper than that of regular cinnamon. It is worth seeking out.

Yield: 4

¾ cup boiling water
½ cup finely ground espresso (1 ounce)
¼ cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably Vietnamese (see Note), plus more for sprinkling
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chilled club soda

1. In a glass measuring cup, pour the boiling water over the espresso. Cover the measuring cup with a small plate and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain the espresso through a paper filter into a small saucepan.

2. Whisk ¼ cup of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon into the espresso and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the chocolate and, using a wooden spoon, stir until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mocha mixture into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring a few times.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whip the heavy cream with the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla until the cream holds soft peaks. Add the cooled mocha mixture and whip until the cream holds firm peaks. Cover the mocha cream and freeze until set, about 3 hours.

4. Using a medium ice cream scoop, add 3 or 4 small scoops of the frozen cream to tall soda glasses. Add club soda and sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Serve at once with a straw and a long-handled spoon.

Make Ahead: The mocha cream can be frozen for up to 2 days. Let it stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping.

Notes: Vietnamese cinnamon is available by mail order from Penzeys Spices, 800-741-7787.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Vegetable Summer Rolls

July 15, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

We went to visit the Garden Fairy's cottage so we could help her out in her garden as a thank you for all of the wonderful produce she's been giving us. It was a beautiful day, we got a lot done, and we decided to cook some Vietnamese food together. Everything turned out great! These summer rolls are pretty labor intensive, but my oh my are they tasty! There are a lot of ingredients, but once you get them all prepped, assembly goes pretty quickly. We were so excited to be cooking together after a long day of working outside that we may have missed a few steps, but everything was delicious. You may be asking yourself where the noodles are in these beautiful summer rolls. We forgot about them until after we assembled all of the rolls, so we used those noodles for the main course instead. No harm. I do need to point out that this peanut sauce is seriously amazing...and it definitely helped that a lot of the veggies and herbs were picked just minutes before we started cooking from her wonderful garden. Yum!

Vegetable Summer Rolls
Gourmet May 2001

yield: Makes 4 servings

active time: 50 min
total time: 1 hr

For peanut sauce:
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
¾ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
¾ teaspoon sugar

For summer rolls:
1 ounce bean thread noodles (cellophane noodles)
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
4 (8-inch) rice-paper rounds, plus additional in case some tear
2 red-leaf lettuce leaves, ribs cut out and discarded and leaves halved
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai)
½ cup thinly sliced Napa cabbage
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
⅓ cup coarsely shredded carrot (1 medium)

Make sauce:
Cook onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer, whisking, 1 minute, then cool.

Make summer rolls:
Cover noodles with boiling-hot water and soak 15 minutes, then drain well in a sieve. Pat dry between paper towels and toss with vinegar and salt to taste.

Put a double thickness of paper towel on a work surface and fill a shallow baking pan with warm water. Soak 1 rice-paper round (make sure there are no holes) in warm water until pliable, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer to paper towels.

Arrange 1 piece of lettuce on bottom half of soaked rice paper, folding or tearing to fit and leaving a 1-inch border along edge. Spread one fourth of peanut sauce over lettuce and top with one fourth each of mint, basil, cabbage, and noodles. Roll up rice paper tightly around filling and, after rolling halfway, arrange one fourth of cilantro and carrot along crease. Then fold in sides and continue rolling. Transfer summer roll to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels.

Make 3 more rolls in same manner. Serve rolls halved on the diagonal.

Cooks' note: Summer rolls may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped in dampened paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. Bring rolls to room temperature before halving and serving.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Bastille Day: Thomas Keller's Favorite Simple Roast Chicken

July 14, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

This is another recipe that I've been wanting to try out for a while now. Boy oh boy did this turn out perfectly! Of course, having a convection oven really helps me out (I don't have to worry if I overcook it a bit - it stays nice and juicy anyway). The skin was golden and crispy, and the chicken was insanely moist. The flavors are simple and just go to show that less can really be more. The addition of Dijon was beautiful with this - Dino and I were both a little skeptical about it, but it was the perfect accompaniment to the chicken. This was awesome, and very easy to prepare. And let's just say that I have a photo of Dino gnawing every last bit of meat off of the chicken carcass as proof of how good it was (but I'll be nice and keep it to myself...for now!).

My Favorite Simple Roast Chicken
Epicurious October 2004
Thomas Keller

yield: Makes 2 to 4 servings

One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)

Unsalted butter
Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.

Now, salt the chicken-I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone-I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip-until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Bastille Day: Sliced Baguette with Radishes and Anchovy Butter

July 14, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

In honor of Bastille Day today, I decided to make 2 French dishes. This one is a great appetizer, and a combination that I've wanted to try out for a while now. I used anchovy paste instead of whole anchovies, and soy butter instead of regular (I know, not very French...but I wanted to be nice to my lactose-intolerant husband!) and it turned out wonderful! I used radishes that I picked up at the Farmers' Market yesterday, and they were nice and spicy. This would be an elegant appetizer to serve at a dinner party as well!

Sliced Baguette with Radishes and Anchovy Butter
Bon Appétit April 2011

yield: Makes 16 servings

active time: 25 minutes
total time: 25 minutes

The anchovy butter would also be terrific on steak or steamed green beans.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 to 3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Coarse kosher salt
16 ½-inch-thick diagonal slices baguette
10 radishes (such as French Breakfast), trimmed, thinly sliced on diagonal
Additional chopped fresh chives (for garnish)

Mix butter, 2 chopped anchovy fillets, and 2 tablespoons chives in small bowl, adding 1 more chopped anchovy fillet to taste, if desired. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread anchovy butter over 1 side of each baguette slice. Top each baguette slice with radish slices, overlapping slightly to cover bread. Garnish with additional chopped chives and serve.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Lemon Glaze (or Lemon Curd)

July 11, 2011 by Ashley 6 Comments

This is the recipe that goes with the Blueberry Scones that I made. This is the perfect accompaniment to the scones! I agree with Jaden - this stuff would be really great as a gift.

Lemon Glaze (or Lemon Curd)
Jaden's Steamy Kitchen

3 lemons
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter

Zest the lemon with a microplane grater. Cut each lemon in half and juice the lemons. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs and sugar. Whisk constantly and make sure the mixture does not come to a boil (or the eggs will curdle). When the mixture is hot, turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue cooking on low for 6 minutes until the lemon glaze has thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

This lemon glaze recipe makes a fantastic gift when canned.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Best Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

July 11, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

These scones are light and fluffy and delicious! The Lemon Glaze is the perfect accompaniment to these beauties. I used an ice cream scoop that was a little less than ½ cup, so I ended up baking these on 2 cookie sheets, and it made about 14 scones. The sour cream really made the texture superb!

Best Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
Jaden's Steamy Kitchen

These blueberry scones are made specifically with very little sugar, because the accompanying glaze provides all the sugar you need! If you're making these scones and do not plan on either a glaze or jam, you can increase the amount of sugar if you'd like.

makes 12 blueberry scones

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ cup butter, softened (1 stick)
2 cups light sour cream
¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350F

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Cut in softened butter. Gently fold in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in blueberries. Try not to over work the dough to keep the scones light and delicate. Scoop dough (about ½ cup) onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes (depending on size) or until the tops are golden brown. Serve with the Lemon Glaze.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Breakfast Burritos

July 10, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

I asked Dino if he would make some breakfast burritos, and he was up for it! These turned out great - he wrapped eggs, salsa, cheddar cheese, green onions, white onions and chives in flour tortillas. This was a great weekend breakfast!

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Baghali Polo (Iranian Style Rice with Dill-Weed and Lima Beans)

July 8, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

I love this type of Persian rice, but I've always made it with canned lima beans and dried dill. This time around, I found a recipe and wanted to give it a try. This was a bit of work, and I ended up skipping the part where you skin the lima beans and split them in half, because it was a huge hassle. It was just fine with the skins on (I used frozen beans). I haven't seen ground saffron, so I used saffron threads and pinched them a bit to grind them up when I added them to the rice. This turned out wonderfully aromatic, and very authentically Persian. I even got the crust on the bottom of the rice to turn out right for the first time ever!

Baghali Polo (Iranian Style Rice with Dill-Weed and Lima Beans)
Mystic Persia

Baghali means 'lima beans' and Polo means 'pilaf of rice' in the Persian language
This is one of my favorite Persian dishes, and not just me! Baghali Polo is a very popular Iranian dish made with steamed rice, lima beans or fava beans and seasoned with dill weed.

Eating Lima beans, like many other legumes, is a good source of dietary fiber, which they are high in. They also provide a virtually fat free source of high quality protein. Lima beans contain both soluble fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and lowers cholesterol, and also insoluble fiber, which prevents constipation, digestive disorders, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis.

Basmati rice - 2 cups
Lima Beans - 2 cups
Dill-weed - ½ cup
Green onions - 2 stalks
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Pepper - ½ teaspoon
Ground saffron - ¼ teaspoon optional
Butter - 2 tablespoons
Water

Wash and Boil Rice

Rinse rice in warm water several times to remove excess starch.

Fill large pot with water (two to three times the amount of rice), add salt, add 1 teaspoon of oil, add rice, and bring to a boil.

Stir occasionally to prevent kernels from sticking together. Cook until rice is no longer crunchy but still very firm.

Drain rice in a colander, then rinse with cold water and set aside.

Wash and Boil Lima Beans

Wash Lima Beans in warm water.

Fill large pot with water (two to three times the amount of beans), add lima beans and bring to a boil.

Do not overcook Lima Beans, remove from heat while beans are still firm. Use a colander to drain water from Limas beans.

Remove outer membrane (unless dried or canned), cut lengthwise or into pieces and set aside.

Steam Rice, Dill-weed and Lima Beans

Chop dill-weed and onions then mix thoroughly with rice, lima beans and seasonings in a large bowl.

Place 2 teaspoons of oil in a large pot, if you like, melt some butter for extra flavoring, then sprinkle rice into pot using a large spoon. Form a mound shape by avoiding the sides of the pot.

Use the handle of a wooden spoon to perforate the mound all the way to the bottom of the pot, in several places.

Before covering the pot, wrap a clean dry towel around the lid which will absorb excess moisture to prevent the rice from becoming soggy.

Cook rice and bean mixture over very low heat for 30 to 40 minutes before serving.

To ensure a golden crust will form at the bottom of the pot, cook rice on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, then reduce heat and cook for another 30 minutes before serving.

Serve hot alongside kuku sabzi and fried fish.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Late Night Cravings: Banana and Reese's Pieces "Ice Cream"

July 7, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Dino made another batch of banana "ice cream", by throwing some frozen banana pieces in the blender. This time around, he added some Reese's Pieces, a little vanilla and some soy milk to loosen it all up. It was fantastic, and pretty much guilt free, since there's no real ice cream in it.

Persian Meatloaf

July 7, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

This Middle Eastern-spiced comfort food recipe proves that meatloaf doesn't have to be boring. In this Persian meatloaf recipe, ground beef or lamb is spiced and mixed with celery leaves and fresh herbs to bring a bit of excitement to an otherwise traditional dinner.

Plate with Persian meatloaf with rice and accompaniments.

It's no secret that I love Persian food. I'm always on the lookout for ways to include the flavors of the Middle East into meals for my family. And one of the ways that I most enjoy doing this is by changing up the flavors of traditionally non-Persian dishes.

A lot of Persian recipes take hours of cooking, soaking, or simmering, so I also like making more quick-cooking versions of classics, like this sheet pan kebab recipe made under the broiler or this chickpea flatbread version of falafel.

That kebab recipe, traditional American meatloaf, and a meatloaf recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, In a Persian Kitchen have come together over the years to make this delicious meatloaf recipe.

It's one I've been making since I first moved to New York and got my own tiny kitchen in the early 2000's, and it's always a welcome addition to our dinner table.

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

It comes together with minimal effort - it's mostly unattended bake time.
Meatloaf holds up great for leftovers!
This recipe is a great way to use celery leaves, which are an ingredient that many people discard or don't know how to use.
It's great served with rice or stuffed into pita pockets as sandwiches.
Ground lamb or beef (or a blend of the two!) work really well in this recipe.
Meatloaf freezes beautifully!

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this Persian meatloaf (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ground lamb, beef, or bison
Rolled oats
White or yellow onion
Eggs
Tomato paste
Green onions
Celery leaves
Parsley
Lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Ground cinnamon - this gives a warm, spiced background note to the meatloaf
Ground sumac - optional but delicious sprinkled over top when serving

🥣 Substitutions

I made this recipe with ground beef for years. Then I tried it with ground lamb and we ended up loving it even more. In recent years, I've been cooking more with ground bison, which would also be an excellent choice here.

You could also try a mixture of any of those meats. Since the recipe calls for 1 ½ pounds of meat, it could be a good opportunity to use multiple types of protein.

I haven't personally tried this recipe with vegan ground meat substitute yet, but my inkling is that it would work well. You can feel free to omit the eggs, too, to keep it vegan. If the mixture is too stiff, add a splash of water.

Mixing a bowl of Persian meatloaf ingredients together by hand.

Persian meatloaf mixture on a foil-lined sheet pan.

✅ How to make this recipe

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Mix the ingredients together in a bowl - get your hands in there to work everything together well and make sure the ingredients are well incorporated.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and flatten it into a rectangular loaf.
Bake for an hour, letting cool slightly before slicing and serving.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Persian meatloaf mixture formed into a rectangular loaf on a foil-lined sheet pan.

Baked Persian meatloaf on a foil-lined sheet pan.

📌 Tips

Mixing ground meat with your hands can be a bit messy, but I find it's the best way to get everything well combined. If you think of it, take the meat out of the refrigerator 10 minutes before you plan to mix so it's not so icy cold on your hands.

Make sure you grate the onion over a container to catch all of the juice - you want to include that in your meatloaf mixture!

Adding grated onion to a mixture of Persian meatloaf ingredients.

A bowl of Persian meatloaf ingredients ready to mix.

Many meatloaf recipes call for baking in a loaf pan. My preference is always to do it more "free-form" on a large, rimmed baking sheet. This lets the extra fat and grease move out of the meat mixture instead of staying inside.

For this reason, I also recommend lining the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. It helps make cleanup a lot easier!

💡 What to serve with Persian meatloaf

Warmed pita bread and basmati rice are delicious alongside any Persian dish. Many Persian restaurants will also serve a little platter with cubes of feta cheese, fresh parsley, and radishes.

If you're looking for recipes to make to go with your meatloaf, here are some of my favorites:

Cross-section of Persian meatloaf on a platter with side dishes alongside.

🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...

Looking for other recipes with Persian flavor? Try these:

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Homemade Guacamole

July 1, 2011 by Ashley 2 Comments

We haven't made guacamole in a long time, so we decided to have some with our turkey tacos. I don't have an exact recipe, but this is what we like putting in guacamole when we make it. We mashed up 4 ripe avocados, added the juice of 1 lime, 2 cloves of minced garlic, some chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, a little minced onion, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and a bit of ground cumin and coriander. We separated it into 2 bowls - one had some sour cream mixed into it and one didn't. It's great either way, and adding sour cream is a good way to stretch the amount of guacamole you make if you have a group of people over. This was delicious and refreshing, and long overdue!

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars