Senin, 17 Desember 2012
Jumat, 14 Desember 2012
Recipe Swap: Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus
I love asparagus. It's one of my all-time favorite vegetables and I can't get enough of it in early spring when it's in season. The theme for this week's recipe swap was Side Dishes and when I did the swapping and ended up with Katie's Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus I felt like I'd hit the jackpot.
The original recipe says this feeds 8-10 people as a side dish but that must not be for true asparagus lovers like us. My two bunches were a little over 2lbs and the two of us polished it off between dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. Maybe someday Baby Girl will realize how awesome asparagus tastes and like more than just snapping the ends off and tossing the spears with oil and seasoning.
My spears were so thin I skipped the blanching step altogether, opting to let them roast in the oven. The balsamic drizzle was a delicious finishing touch. Definitely take the recipe's advice and open your windows. Even though it was a brisk night I had the kitchen window and the back slider open for a cross breeze, as well as the ceiling fan on in the living room and the exhaust fan on over the stove. There's nothing like inhaling a big ol' whiff of boiling vinegar - it's not pleasant so don't do it!
Thanks for a delicious recipe, Kate!
Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus
As seen on Kate's Recipe Box, originally from Leite�s Culinaria
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar or a few drops top-notch balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
2 lbs. asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup (about 4oz.) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 350.
If using top-notch balsamic vinegar, skip this step. Otherwise, open a window and turn on the exhaust fan. Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the vinegar is reduced by half, anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the saucepan. Remove from the heat.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the asparagus and blanch until barely tender, about 1 minute for spears of average thickness, more for thicker spears. Skip this step if you have pencil-thin spears. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat the asparagus dry with paper towels. (You can keep the asparagus at room temperature or refrigerate it for up to several hours.)
Place the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Add salt to taste, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle the asparagus with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake until the spears are tender and the cheese is browned and almost bubbling (it won�t actually melt), about 5 minutes.
Transfer asparagus to a platter. Drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar or a few drops of the really top notch stuff. Serve immediately.
Click the links below to see side dishes made by my fellow swappers.
The original recipe says this feeds 8-10 people as a side dish but that must not be for true asparagus lovers like us. My two bunches were a little over 2lbs and the two of us polished it off between dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. Maybe someday Baby Girl will realize how awesome asparagus tastes and like more than just snapping the ends off and tossing the spears with oil and seasoning.
My spears were so thin I skipped the blanching step altogether, opting to let them roast in the oven. The balsamic drizzle was a delicious finishing touch. Definitely take the recipe's advice and open your windows. Even though it was a brisk night I had the kitchen window and the back slider open for a cross breeze, as well as the ceiling fan on in the living room and the exhaust fan on over the stove. There's nothing like inhaling a big ol' whiff of boiling vinegar - it's not pleasant so don't do it!
Thanks for a delicious recipe, Kate!
Balsamic Parmesan Asparagus
As seen on Kate's Recipe Box, originally from Leite�s Culinaria
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar or a few drops top-notch balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
2 lbs. asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup (about 4oz.) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 350.
If using top-notch balsamic vinegar, skip this step. Otherwise, open a window and turn on the exhaust fan. Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the vinegar is reduced by half, anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the saucepan. Remove from the heat.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the asparagus and blanch until barely tender, about 1 minute for spears of average thickness, more for thicker spears. Skip this step if you have pencil-thin spears. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat the asparagus dry with paper towels. (You can keep the asparagus at room temperature or refrigerate it for up to several hours.)
Place the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Add salt to taste, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle the asparagus with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake until the spears are tender and the cheese is browned and almost bubbling (it won�t actually melt), about 5 minutes.
Transfer asparagus to a platter. Drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar or a few drops of the really top notch stuff. Serve immediately.
Click the links below to see side dishes made by my fellow swappers.
Rabu, 12 Desember 2012
Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans
I've been trying to perfect Chinese-style dishes at home since we don't have a good Chinese restaurant nearby. Christine raved about this recipe for Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans so I knew I had to try it.
I used the leftover green beans from Thanksgiving since they were already steamed and needed to be used up anyway. This came together in no time and was delicious, with a nice, mild heat from the Sriracha thanks to the sugar.
Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans
As seen on Christine's Kitchen Chronicles
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable, divided
2 teaspoon chili sauce (recommend Sriracha!)
2 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 4 tsp cold water
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 cups green beans, steamed
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar sugar, garlic, ginger, 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and chili sauce in a bowl. Whisk to combine and then set aside.
In a large non-stick skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until white and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the steamed green beans to the skillet. Pour in sauce mixture and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry. Return to a simmer and cool until thickened (it should coat a spoon).
Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.
Allergy note - I left out the sesame oil and seeds because of Baby Girl's nut allergy (according to the research I've done it isn't safe).
I used the leftover green beans from Thanksgiving since they were already steamed and needed to be used up anyway. This came together in no time and was delicious, with a nice, mild heat from the Sriracha thanks to the sugar.
Spicy Garlic and Ginger Chicken with Green Beans
As seen on Christine's Kitchen Chronicles
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable, divided
2 teaspoon chili sauce (recommend Sriracha!)
2 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 4 tsp cold water
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 cups green beans, steamed
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar sugar, garlic, ginger, 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and chili sauce in a bowl. Whisk to combine and then set aside.
In a large non-stick skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until white and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the steamed green beans to the skillet. Pour in sauce mixture and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry. Return to a simmer and cool until thickened (it should coat a spoon).
Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.
Allergy note - I left out the sesame oil and seeds because of Baby Girl's nut allergy (according to the research I've done it isn't safe).
Senin, 10 Desember 2012
Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache
My mom was in charge of Thanksgiving dessert. She always makes pumpkin pie but this year I sent her this recipe for Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache after seeing it on the Rachael Ray Show. Chocolate makes everything better, right?
We all enjoyed the ganache even if it was a little thick. My mom wasn't sure how much to use since the recipe didn't specify so she used it all. I think a thinner layer would have been better but hey, chocolate is good so we all suffered through.
The ganache will harden a bit in the fridge so when I ate a leftover slice I reheated it slightly in the microwave to melt it a bit. Yum!
Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache
Recipe from Carla Hall
1 pumpkin pie
1 10-ounce bag good quality bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
Crushed graham crackers
Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Heat up heavy cream to a boil, do not scald. Pour heavy cream over the chocolate and whisk the mixture very slowly creating a shiny emulsion. If the ganache is too thick, add in hot water to thin out to desired consistency.
Top the pumpkin pie with the ganache (may not use all of it). Sprinkle crushed graham crackers around the edge of the pie.
We all enjoyed the ganache even if it was a little thick. My mom wasn't sure how much to use since the recipe didn't specify so she used it all. I think a thinner layer would have been better but hey, chocolate is good so we all suffered through.
The ganache will harden a bit in the fridge so when I ate a leftover slice I reheated it slightly in the microwave to melt it a bit. Yum!
Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache
Recipe from Carla Hall
1 pumpkin pie
1 10-ounce bag good quality bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
Crushed graham crackers
Place chocolate in a glass bowl. Heat up heavy cream to a boil, do not scald. Pour heavy cream over the chocolate and whisk the mixture very slowly creating a shiny emulsion. If the ganache is too thick, add in hot water to thin out to desired consistency.
Top the pumpkin pie with the ganache (may not use all of it). Sprinkle crushed graham crackers around the edge of the pie.
Jumat, 07 Desember 2012
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Just like last year I opted to make a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. I decided to use Ina's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast recipe, mainly because I love her perfect roast chicken recipe and because I saw her make this the week before Thanksgiving and loved the sound of marinating the meat the night before.
I'm still trying to decide if I prefer roasting a whole turkey or doing a turkey breast. The breast is certainly easier but I kind of like having a whole bird. Something to think about for next year. This year I added in two turkey legs for SP and my stepdad since they prefer dark meat. I upped the amount of the herb marinade so I'd have enough to go around. You could really taste the flavors in the meat so definitely plan to marinate overnight. Delicious!
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ina Garten
1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Marinate overnight in a pan covered with plastic wrap.
When ready to cook, place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.
Make Ahead - The meat needs to marinate overnight so plan to mix together the marinade the day before.
I'm still trying to decide if I prefer roasting a whole turkey or doing a turkey breast. The breast is certainly easier but I kind of like having a whole bird. Something to think about for next year. This year I added in two turkey legs for SP and my stepdad since they prefer dark meat. I upped the amount of the herb marinade so I'd have enough to go around. You could really taste the flavors in the meat so definitely plan to marinate overnight. Delicious!
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ina Garten
1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Marinate overnight in a pan covered with plastic wrap.
When ready to cook, place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.
Make Ahead - The meat needs to marinate overnight so plan to mix together the marinade the day before.
Rabu, 05 Desember 2012
Baked Brie in Mini Phyllo Cups with Strawberry Jam
I love baked brie. There's a restaurant near my house that serves a slice of baked brie topped with raspberry jam, slivered almonds and a brown sugar glaze. I knew I wanted to try making some sort of baked brie for Thanksgiving but I wanted it to be easier to eat.
There are hundreds of recipes out there so this is basically a method, not a recipe. I had to leave out the almonds because of Baby Girl's nut allergy and since I already had strawberry jam open I used that instead of raspberry. I added a pinch of brown sugar to each cup for that added sweetness. These were delicious and so simple to make.
Baked Brie in Mini Phyllo Cups with Strawberry Jam
Makes 24 cups
2 boxes mini phyllo cups
6oz Brie, rind removed, cut into 24 cubes
Fruit jam of your choice
Brown sugar
Sliced almonds (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Remove phyllo cups from their packaging and place on a baking sheet. Add one piece of Brie into each phyllo cup. Top the cheese with some of the jam and sprinkle with brown sugar. Top with sliced almonds, if using.
Bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cups start to brown. Serve warm.
There are hundreds of recipes out there so this is basically a method, not a recipe. I had to leave out the almonds because of Baby Girl's nut allergy and since I already had strawberry jam open I used that instead of raspberry. I added a pinch of brown sugar to each cup for that added sweetness. These were delicious and so simple to make.
Baked Brie in Mini Phyllo Cups with Strawberry Jam
Makes 24 cups
2 boxes mini phyllo cups
6oz Brie, rind removed, cut into 24 cubes
Fruit jam of your choice
Brown sugar
Sliced almonds (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Remove phyllo cups from their packaging and place on a baking sheet. Add one piece of Brie into each phyllo cup. Top the cheese with some of the jam and sprinkle with brown sugar. Top with sliced almonds, if using.
Bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cups start to brown. Serve warm.
Senin, 03 Desember 2012
White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
This year I decided we needed some appetizers to nosh on before Thanksgiving dinner. I made a list of a few different recipes and asked SP to pick three. He was most excited about this White Bean Dip with Pita Chips.
This was a huge hit and couldn't have been simpler to make. You could save even more time by using store-bought pita chips but, really, making your own takes next to no time. I made the dip the night before and brought it to room temperature before serving. I also used whole wheat pitas for the chips to make this a bit healthier.
White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
Giada De Laurentiis
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.
Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.
Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.
Make Ahead: Make the dip up to 2 days before and keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
Giada De Laurentiis
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.
Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.
Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.
Make Ahead: Make the dip up to 2 days before and keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
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