Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen

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Supper Club: Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

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I saw this post over at Sweet Pea's Kitchen, and realized that I had everything I needed to make these beautiful cookies for our Supper Club's annual cookie swap. These turned out fantastic! The chocolate cookie is just soft enough, and the peanut butter filling is creamy and delicious. It's like a buckeye candy but in cookie form. My only complaint about this recipe is that it didn't make nearly enough cookies! I got less than 3 dozen out of this dough. I'll definitely be making them again soon!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
Sweet Pea's Kitchen

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
¾ cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugars, butter and ¼ cup of peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg, beating to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and stir to combine, blending well. Set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar and remaining ¾ cup of peanut butter until smooth.

5. Pull off a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten with your hands. Take about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter mixture and place it in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter center, pressing to seal. Roll the cookie into a ball and roll the cookie in the sugar. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie to about a ½ inch thickness.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes. Let stand on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Pork Chops with Onions and Shiitake Mushrooms

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Pork chop on a plate with caramelized onions.

I wanted to make something quick for dinner tonight, so I got some boneless pork chops. I sautéed some sliced onions and shiitake mushrooms in some olive oil, and seasoned them with salt, pepper & thyme. When they cooked down quite a bit, I pushed them over to the side, and dropped in a few pork chops that I also seasoned with salt, pepper & thyme. I cooked them until golden on both sides, and nice and juicy in the center. This was a quick and tasty dish. I served some spicy, garlicky sesame broccoli on the side.

Spicy, Garlicky Sesame Broccoli

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A bowl of broccoli.

For a side dish tonight, I heated some olive oil in a medium saucepan and added some red pepper flakes and a minced clove of garlic. I put some broccoli florets on top, stirred them around to coat with the oil, added in about ¼ cup of water, and put a lid on the pan. I let it steam, over low heat, for a few minutes, until it was tender. At the end, I drizzled in a little sesame oil and topped it with toasted sesame seeds. It was a good side dish!

Tuna Salad Sandwich

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I used to hate seafood. Especially the smell of canned tuna. But I've been getting better, and Dino makes really good tuna salad sandwiches.

I tried to track what he put in them, to get a basic recipe together, and this is what I came up with.

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Chocolate Chip Brownies

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This is a brownie recipe that a coworker of mine tweaked from one that she's been making for years. It's really good. I still have to play around with the amount of chocolate chips and the baking time, because mine weren't as good as hers, but I'll just have to keep practicing. These are really rich and tasty, and great with a cold glass of milk.

Pan of brownies.

Brownies
Adapted by Debbie Graham

2 ¼ cups of Sugar
⅔ cup cocoa powder
1 ¼ cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks of butter/marg
4 eggs
Choco chips

Mix sugar, cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl
Add butter, melted
Add 4 eggs, slightly beaten
Mix completely
Add choco chips (¼ to ½ a bag)

Spread batter in a greased 9 x 13 pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Orange, Apple & Celery Juice

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Celery adds the perfect ending to this apple juice. I love making my own fresh-pressed juice combinations.

Two glasses of orange, apple, & celery juice with straws.

We haven't made fresh juice for a while, so we picked up one of those bags of mixed apples and oranges from the grocery store.

I added in some celery, and we had a really tasty breakfast beverage. It's pretty sweet, so I think next time, I'd add something to balance that out a bit.

This made quite a bit of juice, so we'll be enjoying it all week.

Thanksgiving: Mashed Potatoes

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A basic guideline for how I make mashed potatoes on the stovetop.

Mashed potatoes and gravy.

I can't imagine Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes, so I made a big batch for my family.

This is more or less the general method I use to make mashed potatoes - I chop up a bag of Yukon Gold (or Russet) potatoes and put them in a big pot, fill it with water, add a generous pinch of salt and boil until tender.

Drain and return to the hot pot. Drop in a few tablespoons of butter, a few generous splashes of milk, and a few big dollops of sour cream. Season well with salt and pepper and mash to your desired consistency.

Sometimes I add cream cheese, and sometimes I peel the potatoes - it's totally up to how rich you want them. If they're too thick, add more milk.

They're always great! I topped them with some of the gravy that my in-laws brought over, and it was perfect!

Collage of Thanksgiving recipe images with text that reads, "Thanksgiving Central".

Thanksgiving prep doesn't have to be stressful! Grab our favorite Turkey Day recipes, tips, and more all in one spot.

Thanksgiving Central has recipes categorized by course, ideas for using leftovers, and more. Check it out here! 🦃

Balsamic Zucchini

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It seems like I’m on a roll with finding awesome recipes from Gourmet, which is so frustrating since it’s no longer being published. I’m glad that I keep finding gems like this though – an easy and incredibly flavorful side dish. We made this with some zucchini that some friends gave us from their garden.

This is simple, elegant, and delicious! The balsamic soaks into the zucchini just enough to really add a nice zing, and the cheese melts beautifully on top. The toasted pine nuts add a nice crunch, and really complete the dish. I’ll definitely be making this one again and again!

Zucchini with balsamic and pine nuts.

Balsamic Zucchini
Gourmet July 2004

4 lb medium zucchini, cut diagonally into ¾-inch-thick slices
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 ½ oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (½ cup)
⅓ cup pine nuts (1 oz), toasted and finely chopped

Preheat broiler.
Toss zucchini with oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Arrange zucchini in 1 layer in 2 shallow baking pans (1 inch deep). Broil 1 pan of zucchini 3 to 5 inches from heat, without turning, until browned in spots and beginning to soften, 4 to 6 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons vinegar over broiled zucchini and shake pan a few times, then continue to broil until most of vinegar is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle ¼ cup cheese over broiled zucchini and broil until cheese is melted, about 1 minute more. Cook remaining pan of zucchini in same manner. Cool to room temperature and serve sprinkled with pine nuts.

Cooks’ note:
Balsamic zucchini (without pine nuts) can be made 3 hours ahead and kept at room temperature or chilled, covered. Sprinkle with pine nuts just before serving.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Salmon with Crisp, Tangy Vegetables

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Salmon with raw veggies on top.

I wanted to make something quick and healthy for dinner tonight, so I picked up some salmon from the store. I heated some olive oil in a skillet, and added the salmon, rubbed with some Penzey's Sate Seasoning, which has coarse flake salt, brown sugar, garlic, white onion, coriander, purple shallots, ginger, turmeric, sweet paprika, Ancho pepper, galangal, cayenne red pepper, and lemon grass. I added some freshly ground black pepper and gave both sides a nice sear. While that was cooking, I whisked together some rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, olive oil, salt & pepper in a bowl. I tossed in some sliced red & green bell pepper, cucumber, grape tomato and sugar snap peas. I topped the salmon with this fresh veggie mixture, and dinner was ready. Dino loved it - it was a really fresh, healthy, easy meal that I made with the veggies that were hanging out in the fridge. Perfect for a Monday night!

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Latin Baked Chicken

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This recipe only takes 5 ingredients. It's perfect for a busy weeknight, and the flavors are wonderful. It's spicy and slightly sweet, with some tartness from the lime juice. I don't cook with chicken thighs too often, and this one made me want to cook with them more often. I used boneless, skinless thighs and it worked out great. The only caution I'd give is to line the bottom of your broiler pan with foil, because the marinade drips down and burns from being in the oven for so long. I served this with some leftover biryani and a quick arugula salad. It was a great meal!

Chicken with rice and salad.

Latin Baked Chicken
Cooking Light June 2010

Serve with Spanish rice.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs)

The 5 Ingredients
¼ cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
8 (4-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

Directions: Preheat oven to 400°. Combine lime juice, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, and chipotle in a large bowl. Add chicken, and toss well to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature. Arrange the chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, reserving marinade. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Place reserved marinade in a blender, and process until smooth. Place pureed marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook 3 minutes. Brush chicken with half of cooked sauce; return to oven and bake an additional for 10 minutes. Brush chicken with remaining sauce; bake an additional 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°.

CALORIES 316 ; FAT 9g (sat 2.3g,mono 2.8g,poly 2.2g); CHOLESTEROL 188mg; CALCIUM 28mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.9g; SODIUM 677mg; PROTEIN 45.3g; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 2.8mg

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Cubed Pork with Potatoes, Yogurt, and Tamarind (Coorgh-Style Pork Curry)

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Curried pork in a serving bowl.

Since it's getting cooler outside again, I wanted to make a few recipes from one of my favorite books again. I don't have any other cookbooks that I've used so much. I picked it up from the library a while back, after hearing great reviews, and found so many good things that I asked for it for Christmas. This recipe is really spicy and has a lot of great flavors. The spice blend is something I made before, but ran out of. I used plain Greek yogurt for this one. It doesn't look too pretty, but it was really good!

Cubed Pork with Potatoes, Yogurt, and Tamarind (Coorgh-Style Pork Curry)

Cubed Pork with Potatoes, Yogurt, and Tamarind (Coorgh-Style Pork Curry)
660 Curries: The Gateway to Indian Cooking - Raghaven Iyer

Serves 8

1 ½ teaspoons cayenne (ground red pepper)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 pounds boneless pork loin chops, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced, and submerged in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large red onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon tamarind paste or concentrate
2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt
½ cup Thick Yogurt (page 22)
1 teaspoon Punjabi garam masala (page 25)

1. Combine the cayenne and turmeric in a medium-size bowl. Add the pork and toss to coat it with the spices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight, to allow the spices to flavor and tenderize the meat.

2. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels.

3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the potatoes carefully and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are light brown around the edges and some are sticking to the bottom, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a plate.

4. Add the cumin seeds, onion, bay leaves, and pork to the same pan, still over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork releases its juices and the onion slices start to sweat, 5 to 10 minutes. The combined liquid will be just enough to deglaze the pan, releasing the stuck-on bits of potatoes and cumin. Once the liquid evaporates, lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring more frequently, until the pork starts to brown, 5 to 10 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, stir the tamarind paste into ½ cup water. Stir this muddy-looking liquid into the pan. Add the salt and heat to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Stir in the potatoes and continue to simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until both meat and potatoes are fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

7. Fold in the yogurt and masala, and serve.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Sauteéd Spinach

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Sautéed spinach with white beans and tomatoes.

I made up this side dish to go along with the Persian Meatloaf, and it turned out pretty good! I heated a few teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet and added some thinly sliced garlic until fragrant. I thawed and drained a box of frozen spinach and crumbled it into the pan. After this sautéed for a few minutes, I added in a can of small white beans and some halved grape tomatoes. I added salt, pepper, and some freshly grated nutmeg. I heated it through and served it up. It was easy and tasty!

Maple-Glazed Chicken with Apple-Brussels Sprout Slaw

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This recipe is in the current issue of Cooking Light in a section about 20-minute cooking, and that sounded like what I needed on a Monday when I still wasn't feeling well. I didn't even realize that the slaw had raw Brussels sprouts in it until I was making it. It turned out great! The slaw is easy to make while the chicken is cooking, and the sweetness from the maple syrup is perfect with the tanginess from the vinegar. I loved the texture of the apples with this dish. There is an issue with the recipe though - it says 8 servings, and each serving is 2 cutlets, but only calls for 8 servings. So it's more like 4. The only change I made was to use raisins instead of currants, because that's what I had on hand.

Maple-Glazed Chicken with Apple-Brussels Sprout Slaw

Maple-Glazed Chicken with Apple-Brussels Sprout Slaw
Cooking Light November 2010

Chicken cutlets can range in size from about 2 ounces each to close to 5 or 6 ounces each. For this dish, we chose the smaller ones.

Total: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 cutlets and about ¾ cup slaw)

8 (2-ounce) chicken cutlets
½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
2 tablespoons maple syrup
8 ounces Brussels sprouts
¼ cup dried currants
1 medium Fuji or Gala apple, cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and syrup to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until reduced to 3 tablespoons. Return chicken to pan; turn to coat with glaze.

2. Cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise. Place remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add Brussels sprouts, currants, and apple; toss to combine. Serve slaw with chicken.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 282
Fat: 8.7g (sat 1.4g,mono 5.4g,poly 1.5g)
Protein: 28.6g
Carbohydrate: 23.4g
Fiber: 3.7g
Cholesterol: 66mg
Iron: 2.1mg
Sodium: 331mg
Calcium: 54mg

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Root Vegetables and Thyme

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Short ribs with red wine sauce and root vegetables.

I picked up some beef short ribs a while back from the Farmers' Market that have been in the freezer, and this was the perfect night to cook with them. I thawed them out, patted them dry with paper towel, sprinkled them with salt and pepper, and seared them on all sides in olive oil in a dutch oven. Once they were nice and brown, I poured in ½ cup of red wine (I used a Cabernet Merlot blend) and ½ cup water, and tossed in some chopped carrots, red onions, turnips and a few whole cloves of garlic. I added a few sprigs of thyme, lowered the heat and let it simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, until the meat was tender. I took the meat and veggies out of the pan and brought the liquid up to a boil, added a bit of flour and let it thicken into a nice sauce. I seasoned the sauce with salt and pepper and dinner was ready! It was a really low maintenance meal, and it turned out really tasty!

Immunity Juice

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Dino and I got a nice souvenir from our trip to Indiana - a batch of nasty colds. So I thought I'd check out some healthy juice recipes to try to boost us back to good health. This juice was really tasty, and I think it got us going in the right direction.

Immunity Juice

Immunity
The Juicing Bible (Second Edition) - Pat Crocker

Serves 1

2 stalks celery
2 carrots
1 clove garlic
1 apple
½-inch (1cm) piece gingerroot
½ lemon

1. Using a juicer, process celery, carrots, garlic, apple, ginger and lemon. Whisk and pour into a glass.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Baby Shower: Monkey Cupcakes

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Monkey Cupcakes

I came across this cupcake decorating idea from Molli526 over on the CLBB a few years ago, and have been waiting for the perfect occasion to make them. I looked up a cupcake and frosting recipe, and then followed the way she decorated them (using regular and mini Nilla Wafers and red and black gel icing) for an unbelievably adorable result. All of the gifts that I gave my friend were monkey themed, and these cupcakes really were a big hit.

Monkey Cupcakes

Simple White Cake
Allrecipes - SCOTTOSMAN
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ready In: 50 Minutes
Servings: 12

"This cake was sent home from our children's school. It is the simplest, great tasting cake I've ever made. Great to make with the kids, especially for cupcakes."

1 cup white sugar
½ cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting
Allrecipes - Tracy Larsen

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Ready In: 15 Minutes
Servings: 12

"I've been using this chocolate frosting recipe forever, and several friends now use it as their 'favorite frosting!' It's smooth, creamy and not-too-dark. I just wanted to share it with chocolate lovers everywhere! It will frost, but not fill, an 8 or 9 inch layer cake."

2 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
powder
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Tea with Persian Saffron Rock Candy

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This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Saffron rock candy being stirred into a mug of tea.

I came across a really cool product a while back, and I finally got a chance to use it - it's Persian rock candy that's infused with saffron. It was a delicious addition to my evening tea.

I enjoyed the tea in a vintage coffee mug that I picked up from the Ben & Jerry's factory in Burlington, VT this summer.

Favorite tea supplies

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Roasted Chicken w/ Dry Rub

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We had a chicken in the fridge that was already cut into pieces, and I asked Dino if he would be interested in coming up with a spice rub and making dinner. He came up with a really great mixture, and cooked it in the convection oven. It turned out super moist and flavorful, with a nice, golden brown skin. He served it alongside frozen spinach that he cooked on the stovetop according to the directions (adding it to a cup of boiling water), and then seasoned it with curry powder, butter and salt. I ended up sprinkling some raisins on mine at the end, which added a nice bit of sweetness. It was great coming home to such a nice meal, without having to cook it myself!

Roasted chicken and sautéed greens.

Roasted Chicken w/ Dry Rub
Dino Covelli

1 whole, bone-in chicken, cut into pieces

Dry Rub:
¼ c dark brown sugar
1 T ground black pepper
1 T kosher salt
1 T cumin
½ t allspice
½ t rubbed sage
½ t turmeric

Combine dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Pat chicken dry, and rub spice mixture over chicken pieces, making sure to cover all of the surface area. Cover chicken and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bake chicken in 425°F oven for about 45 minutes, or until juices run clear.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Roasted Red Kuri Squash with Sage

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We saw some squash at the store that we've never seen before, so we decided to pick one up. Instead of going the usual route and doing sweet flavors, I went for something a little different.

I cut the squash in half, removed the seeds, and cut it into wedges. I tossed the wedges with olive oil, spread them on a baking sheet, and seasoned with salt, pepper and some rubbed sage.

I baked them at 425°F until browned and tender. They turned out good, but I think sweet flavors like maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey may have worked better.

Plate of roasted red kuri squash.

Israeli Couscous with Walnuts, Dates and Dried Plums

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I wanted to make some Israeli Couscous to go with dinner tonight, and I thought some dried fruit and walnuts would be nice. This turned out really great! I'll definitely make it again! This made enough for about 3 servings for us.

Ramekin of Israeli couscous with walnuts and dried plums.

Israeli Couscous with Walnuts, Dates and Dried Plums
Ashley Covelli

1 cup Israeli couscous
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cup water
2-3 tablespoons each walnuts, dried dates and dried plums, coarsely chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add oil and couscous and toast, stirring occasionally, until the couscous starts to brown. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and lower to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and stir in the nuts, dates and plums. Season with salt and pepper and replace the lid, allowing the residual heat to warm the fruit and nuts for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Salmon with Tomato, Basil and Shallot Salsa with Aged Balsamic

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I was inspired to make a salmon dish tonight, and wanted to give it some Italian flavors. I dug around for a nice spice blend, and picked one from Penzey's that I haven't used too often. It worked great with the salmon, and the salsa livened the dish up. We really enjoyed this dish, and it was really easy to put together, so I'll probably be making it again soon!

Seared salmon with tomato and basil.

 

Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

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Ricotta stuffed zucchini blossoms on a plate.
I saw some zucchini blossoms at the store today, and was really excited to try to cook with them! It's one of those ingredients that I've always wanted to use, but haven't had the chance yet. I picked up some ricotta, and mixed a few tablespoons with an egg yolk, some freshly chopped basil, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. I stuffed each of the zucchini blossoms with that mixture, twisted them to close, and sautéed them in olive oil until nice and golden. They were great!

Crispy Tofu Cubes with Mango and Avocado In Asian Sweet Chili Sauce

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I wanted to do something new with tofu, and I came across this recipe. I thought it would be good served over brown rice instead of lettuce, so I made it for dinner tonight. It was pretty easy to put together, and it turned out great! I always end up using more cornstarch than what's called for when coating tofu, so I probably used twice what the recipe calls for. I topped it with some toasted sesame seeds, which were a really nice addition. This dish is great - it's sweet and tangy, and the fresh avocado and mango make it a great summer dish. Dino says he'd eat this every night!

Crispy tofu curry with mango and avocado over rice.

Crispy Tofu Cubes with Mango and Avocado In Asian Sweet Chili Sauce
Fab Frugal Food

Serves 4 as an entree; Prep and wait time 30 minutes

½ cup sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
16 ounces extra-firm tofu
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large ripe mango, diced
2 ripe Haas avocados, diced
four large lettuce leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces

Stir together the chili sauce, vinegar, ginger and soy sauce and set aside.

Wrap tofu block with a kitchen towel and set between two dinner plates. Place a large can on top to press down, pressing liquid from tofu. Let stand 20 minutes or so.

Cut pressed tofu into ½ inch cubes. Toss in cornstarch until evenly coated. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Cook tofu cubes in 2 batches so as not to crowd pan. Turn occasionally until cubes are lightly browned. Remove to paper towels and pat off excess oil.

Toss together sauce, tofu cubes, mango and avocado. Spread lettuce leaves on a salad plate. Mound the tofu mixture on top of lettuce leaves and serve immediately.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Carrot Beet Juice

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My latest juice idea was carrot beet. I used almost 5 pounds of carrots, and added 4 or 5 beets that I had boiled and removed the skins from for the pickled beets and eggs that I made the same day.

This juice was wonderful - the beets added just the right amount of sweetness, and made it a beautiful color.

Glasses of fresh carrot beet juice.

Chicken Noodle Soup

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I swear, my husband is the best ever when I'm not feeling well. I called him from work to tell him that I was going home early because I had a nasty cold. He told me to pick up chicken, soup veggies, noodles and chicken stock on my way home so he could make homemade chicken noodle soup. It was AWESOME. He makes this stuff from scratch, with no recipe, and is very methodical about it - it takes him hours...and it really does have healing powers!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I asked him if he could write this latest chicken noodle soup recipe, and this is what he came up with:

Chicken Noodle Soup
Dino Covelli

Notes: I try to avoid cooking with MSG, especially when someone is sick. That means I don't use bullion. Creating a flavorful soup without bullion takes a bit of practice. I gave a list of herbs that I sometimes use, as well as some prefab seasoning mixes that you may already have in your pantry. Using stock instead of water, cooking with the chicken bones in, and including a mirepoix really help develop the familiar chicken soup flavors you're used to.

Ingredients
2 Bone-In Chicken Breasts, or 2 Legs and Thighs
2 Large Carrots, Halved
2 Stalks Celery, Halved
1 Large Onion, Halved
1 Turnip
1 Parsnip
2 32 oz Boxes of Low Sodium Chicken Broth
6 oz Egg Noodles (dumpling style)
1 Handful Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms
Various Dried & Fresh Herbs or Seasoning Mixes

Some suggestions for herbs to add: salt, parsley, sage, thyme, marjoram, savory, coriander, white or black pepper, bay leaf, dill.

Or, some prefab spice blend suggestions: Mrs. Dash Original Blend, McCormick Poultry Seasoning, Morton Nature's Seasons Seasoning Blend, Sylvia's Soulful Seasoned Salt.

Directions
1. Put the chicken and halved veggies in a large soup pot and cover with the stock. Heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken meat falls off of the bones, skimming off the foam every so often.

2. Take everything out of the pot. Strain the broth. Pick the meat off of the bones and chop the veggies.

3. Season the broth to taste.

4. Bring the broth back up to a boil and drop in the egg noodles. They should cook quickly.

5. Return the chicken and chopped veggies the pot, adding the mushrooms.

6. Stir together, and serve.

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Spicy Roasted Kabocha with Thyme & Rosemary

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Roasted kabocha seeds on a plate.

I wanted to roast the seeds from the kabocha squash after I made that wonderful gratin, so Dino and I thought that a similar spice blend would be good on the seeds. I picked out all of the seeds, rinsed them and put them in a bowl with a healthy drizzle of olive oil, some freshly chopped rosemary and thyme, salt and cayenne pepper. I roasted them at 325°F for about 30 minutes, stirring them after 15. These are spicy and tasty little snacks!

This is what they looked like before I roasted them:

Kabocha squash seeds with oil and seasonings.

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

Fresh Concord Grape Juice

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Glasses of fresh concord grape juice.

I saw a sign at the Farmers' Market next to these grapes that said they had a "foxy" flavor. It made me laugh, and I figured I should give them a try. I've never eaten this type of grape whole before. They're really good! They have really hard seeds in them though, so be careful! The inside of the grapes is green, and is the texture of jelly. Dino suggested that we juice these grapes, so we did, and we ended up with a very intense grape juice. I ended up thinning it out with a little water so it would be a little more mellow.

Concord grapes being juiced.
Concord grapes being juiced.

Tomato-Corn Salad

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I've heard about using fresh corn raw, but didn't want to try it until the season was right, and I was able to pick up some really fresh corn from the Farmers' Market. I also used that giant heirloom tomato and some leaves from my new basil plant in this recipe. It's fresh and sweet, and tastes amazing! The vinegar adds a nice tang, and the basil brightens the salad up. This was a huge hit!

Small bowls of tomato-corn salad with fresh basil.

Tomato-Corn Salad
Sunset August 2006

Fresh corn is often so sweet and tender that there is no need to cook it. Prep Time: 15 minutes. Notes: Chef Bart Hosmer uses basil flowers in this dish. Just pull the flowers from the stalks and sprinkle them like confetti into the salad in place of (or in addition to) the chopped basil. They add a light, floral note.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 ears sweet corn
1 pound tomatoes, diced
¼ cup diced torpedo onion or red onion, rinsed in cold water and patted dry with paper towels
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
¼ cup chopped basil
Salt and pepper

1. Over a large bowl, cut kernels off corn cobs and stir in tomatoes and onion. Toss with vinegar and basil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tomatoes with wine: Parcel 104's Master Sommelier, Randall Bertao, likes wines with clean, focused flavors and a medium acidity to balance the tomatoes--such as Charles Melton Rosé 2004 (Barossa Valley, Australia; $12) and Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2005 (Russian River Valley, CA; $27).

Nutritional Information

Calories: 58 (12% from fat)
Protein: 2.3g
Fat: 0.8g (sat 0.1)
Carbohydrate: 13g
Fiber: 2.4g
Sodium: 14mg
Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

Zucchini Pickles

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I got a zucchini from a friend's garden a few days ago, so when I saw this listed in the "New uses for zucchini" section of the current issue of Cooking Light, I knew I wanted to try it out. This was a great chance to use my mandoline - I usually forget that I have it until I slice a bunch of things super thinly. On a side note...always use the hand guard on your mandoline. I stupidly didn't and I nicked my thumb. It could have been much worse, but it was still pretty nasty.

Anyway, this is a great spin on traditional pickles, and it only has to sit in the fridge for a day. The red pepper flakes make them nice and spicy, and the sugar sweetens the vinegar up just the right amount. I'll definitely make these again - they're great! The other suggestions for new ways to use zucchini in the same article include reinventing coleslaw and moistening lean meatloaf.

Small bowls of pickled zucchini.

Zucchini Pickles
Cooking Light August 2010

Combine 4 cups ⅛-inch zucchini slices, 1 cup slivered sweet onion, and 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves in a glass bowl. Bring 1 cup white vinegar, ½ sugar, ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt to a boil; pour over zucchini mixture. Cover and chill 24 hours.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Fresh Cavatelli

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In her book, Lidia says that this is the easiest of the handmade pasta recipes. The dough comes together very quickly in the food processor, and only has two ingredients.

I wasn't able to roll mine out thin enough, so they took a bit longer to cook, but they were great! I froze half of the cavatelli so we can have fresh pasta on a busy night again soon.

Fresh uncooked cavatelli pasta on a baking sheet.

Fresh Cavatelli
Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes - Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali

Makes about 1 ½ pounds, serving 6

1 pound fine durum-wheat flour (about 3 ¼ cups), plus more as needed
1 ¼ cups very cold water, plus more as needed

Recommended equipment: a food processor fitted with a steel blade

Put the flour inn the bowl of the food processor, and process for a few seconds, to aerate. With the food processor running, pour in the water through the feed tube. Process for about 30 seconds, until a dough forms and gathers on the blade. If the dough does not gather on the blade or process early, it is too wet or dry. Feel the dough, then work in more flour or cold water, in small amounts, using the processor or kneading by hand.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand for a minute, until it's smooth, soft, and stretchy. Press it into a disk, wrap well in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for at least ½ hour. (You can refrigerate the dough for up to a day, or freeze it for a month or more. Defrost in the refrigerator, and return to room temperature before rolling.)

To form the cavatelli, lightly flour your work surface. Pinch off golf-ball-sized pieces of dough, and roll them out under your palms into long ropes about the thickness of a pencil. Cut the ropes into 1-inch segments or short cylinders; keep pieces in front of you, horizontally (left to right). Flour your hands, especially the tips of the three middle fingers of your right hand unless you are left-handed. Hold these fingertips tightly together, and press them into one of the cut segments, and gently roll toward you.

As your fingertips make indentations in the segment, roll it toward you more so the dough both lengthens and curls around the fingertips. As the curl is complete, lift your fingers up quickly, so the dough segment drops off. It should now resemble a short concave shell - or a hollowed-out boat or canoe - with the impression of your fingers in the hollows and along the edges.

Adjust the pressure of your fingers as needed - if the dough cylinders are not lengthening or forming a hollow, press harder. If they're just flattening beneath your fingers, press a bit more gently. Once you get up to speed, you should be able to roll the cavatelli with a quick downward flick of your fingertips.

Sprinkle the finished cavatelli liberally with flour, and spread them out in a single layer on floured baking sheets. Leave them uncovered, to air-dry at room temperature, until ready to cook. (Or freeze the cavatelli on the sheets until hard, and pack them in airtight plastic bags.)

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Carrot Apple Juice

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The other part of my birthday present came in the mail - The Juicing Bible. It's a great resource with tons of information and recipes for juices, smoothies and roughies. I couldn't wait to try out one of the recipes, so I looked in the index for something using carrots. This recipe rocked! It's the best juice I've made so far, and definitely one of the best blends that I've ever tasted. I hope to make a lot more winners like this one. I always chill my juices in the fridge before drinking them, and I'm a big fan of doubling recipes so that Dino and I can have a small glass at night, and I can fill a travel mug to take to work for breakfast.

Two glasses of orange juice.

Carrot Apple Juice
The Juicing Bible (Second Edition) - Pat Crocker

4 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 apple
4 sprigs fresh parsley

1. Using a juicer, process carrots, celery, apple and parsley. Whisk and pour into a glass.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Big Flavors Turns 4! (And A Nutella Banana Panini)

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Wow. I can't believe that I've been taking photos of everything I cook for 4 whole years now. It seems kinda crazy, but it's been such a wonderful experience for me.

My cooking skills have improved, my photography skills have improved, and I've met tons of great people along the way.

Thanks to everyone for making this obsession of mine so fulfilling!

Sliced panini with banana and Nutella inside.

Dino made this fantastic challah nutella panini for dessert - one of our favorites!

But really, how can you go wrong with a sandwich that consists of grilled, melted Nutella with bananas smushed inside?

He even dusted it with powdered sugar to make it extra pretty...but that didn't stop us from devouring it in about 30 seconds flat!

Want to see more blogiversary celebrations?

Check out my latest posts...

Spinach Refresher

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I wanted to try my hand at concocting a juice recipe to get us on our way for a birthday road trip. The other juices I've made so far were all orange, so I went for some nice greens. This turned out great - nice and sweet and hearty. The spinach proved to be the trickiest thing I've juiced so far. You need to kind of pack it together to push it through the feeder, but you can't pack it too tight or it will get stuck.

As a side note, I found a wonderful shop to buy an assortment of napkins (including this lovely yellow one!) from. The seller was wonderful - she helped customize a big and kind of complicated order for me, and she was very friendly and quick to get the goods in the mail. She has tons of great items in lots of fun patterns.

Two glasses of green juice.

Spinach Refresher
Ashley Covelli

2 green apples
½ stalk celery
7 ounces baby spinach
½ English cucumber

Chop ingredients and process through your juicer. Chill, whisk and enjoy!

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Cucumber Celery Cooler

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While I was waiting for my juicing book to get delivered, I decided to look at some websites to find more combinations of juices to try out. This one was definitely refreshing, and this site has tons more. The only change I made was not to peel the cucumber.

Two glasses of orange juice.

Cucumber Celery Cooler
healthrecipes

4 medium carrots, greens removed
¼ medium cucumber, peeled
1 stalk celery
1 apple, sliced
½ lemon, peeled (optional)

Process the ingredients in a juicer and serve

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Assortment of veggies and fruits ready to be juiced.

Orange Carrot Juice

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Two glasses of orange juice.

This is what freshly squozen juice looks like. I know "squozen" isn't a word, but I like it. It has more character than "squeezed". Plus, they use that word on the menu at one of my favorite, Alice in Wonderland inspired tea houses.

I had 4 carrots and 2 oranges at home, so I decided to give the new gadget a test run. It was awesome! I can't wait to stock up and make some more freshly squozen goodness.

Side note: I got this lovely tea towel from a great shop called Casa Murriguez. This seller is awesome - she sources local and organic materials and turns them into lovely housewares. The illustrations that she creates are beautifully screen printed by hand, and she has a ton of cool designs. Check it out!

Steak with Parmesan Herb Butter

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Grilled steak topped with compound butter.

I wanted to make something quick for dinner tonight, so I seasoned some steaks with salt & pepper and threw them on the cast iron grill pan. While they were cooking, I mixed some softened butter, grated Parmesan, sliced basil, chopped green onion, salt & pepper in a small bowl. When the steaks were done, I put a spoonful of the herb butter on each, and let it melt down into the meat. It was great! The butter gives the steak a lot of flavor, and it makes the meat extra juicy. While the steaks were resting, I put some trimmed asparagus on the grill, and seasoned it with salt & pepper. It was a quick and tasty meal.

Semolina Pudding with Blueberry Sauce (Mazzafrissa)

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Semolina pudding with blueberry sauce in a cup with a small spoon.

We recently received a few containers of blueberries from a friend's garden. They've been waiting in the freezer, and I decided to use the first batch on another Sardinian recipe from Lidia's book. It can be tricky finding semolina flour - I almost missed it at my grocery store. It says "pasta flour" and then in tiny print, fine semolina and durum. When making it, the semolina mixture came together much quicker than 10 minutes for me, and it didn't really lose much fat when I drained it. I'd probably skip that part next time. I think the whole batch lost about ¼ teaspoon of fat.

As a side note, I found a lovely linen towel from a shop called The Wheat Market. I ordered it on Thursday, and it was waiting for me at home on Monday! The seller is very nice, and she has some great items.

Semolina pudding with blueberry sauce in a cup with a small spoon.

Semolina Pudding with Blueberry Sauce (Mazzafrissa)
Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes - Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali

Serves 6

For the Blueberry Sauce:
1 pint blueberries, rinsed
⅓ cup honey
Juice of 1 orange, freshly squeezed (about ¼ cup)

For the Semolina Pudding:
2 ½ cups heavy cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup semolina flour

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: A sturdy wire whisk; a fine mesh strainer or sieve, 6 inches wide, or larger

-To make the blueberry sauce: Stir together the blueberries, honey, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then adjust the heat to keep the sauce simmering gently. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the berries break down and the juices reduce to a syrupy sauce. Keep the sauce warm while you make the pudding.

-To cook the semolina: Pour the cream into a medium saucepan, add the salt, and set over medium heat. When the cream comes to a boil, whisk in the semolina, pouring it into the pan gradually, in a thin, steady stream. Continue whisking until all the flour is incorporated. Cook and whisk until the mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 10 minutes or so.

-Set the strainer over a bowl, and scrape in the cooked semolina. Let the fat drain into the bowl for at least 5 minutes (or longer, if you wish). The amount of excess fat will vary with the heavy cream; discard any that collects in the bowl.

-Serve the pudding warm or at room temperature, topped with the blueberry sauce.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Chicken with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

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Chicken with balsamic BBQ sauce.

I saw this recipe online and was really intrigued by the combination of balsamic and BBQ. I baked mine, and it turned out great! It didn't look appetizing at all...but it tasted great! The sauce is rich and tangy, and the chicken stayed nice and juicy. I baked chicken thighs as instructed at the end of the recipe. It was a big hit! I served the chicken with some fingerling potatoes that I sliced and tossed with oil and some Penzeys Northwoods Seasoning. I baked them on a rack under the chicken, and stirred them around when I added the BBQ sauce. Dino made a chipotle aioli to go with the potatoes, and they were perfect!

Chicken with balsamic BBQ sauce on a fork.

Chicken with Balsamic BBQ Sauce
Giada De Laurentiis

1 cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup ketchup
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces chicken (any combination of breast or leg-and-thigh pieces)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the they are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by ⅓, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly coat the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the meat on the grill.

Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Brush sauce over the chicken during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time.

Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the BBQ sauce alongside.

NOTE: The chicken can be baked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Spaghetti with Cold Tomato-Mint Sauce

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I picked up one of Lidia's books from the library, and picked out a summery pasta recipe to make first. It was in the section of recipes from Sardinia. It was pretty easy to put together, especially since you don't cook the sauce! I used whole wheat spaghetti, and by the time the water boiled, I was almost done prepping the sauce. Fresh mint really makes this sauce different, and the depth that you get from toasting the pine nuts is really wonderful. I happened to have some toasted pine nuts leftover from the Balsamic Zucchini I made a few days ago, so that made it even easier. Bonus!

Bowl of spaghetti with sauce.

Spaghetti with Cold Tomato-Mint Sauce
Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes - Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali

Serves 6

For the Sauce:
12 ounces ripe cherry tomatoes, about 2 ½ cups
½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 small anchovy fillets, finely chopped (2 teaspoons)
1 plump garlic clove, crushed and peeled
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup small capers, drained

For the Pasta:
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder flavor), plus more for passing

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: A large pot for cooking the pasta; a food processor; a large, deep serving bowl

-Fill the big pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts with a tablespoon kosher salt), and heat to a rolling boil.

-To make the sauce: Rinse the cherry tomatoes, basil, and mint leaves, and pat dry. Put them all in the food-processor bowl along with the pine nuts, anchovies, garlic, salt, and peperoncino. Process until puréed, scraping down the work bowl as needed. With the machine running, pour in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, forming a thick, emulsified sauce. If serving now, scrape the sauce into a warmed deep serving bowl, and stir in the whole capers.

-When the pasta water is boiling, drop in the spaghetti, stirring and separating the strands. Cover the pot, return the water to a boil over high heat, then set the cover ajar, and cook the pasta until al dente. While the pasta cooks, ladle some of the boiling water into the serving bowl to warm it. Scrape in the sauce, and stir in the capers.

-Lift the spaghetti from the pot, let drain for a moment, drop it into the bowl, and toss well, until all the strands are coated with sauce. Sprinkle over it the parsley and grated cheese, and toss again. Serve immediately, passing more grated cheese at the table.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars