Calming Down

The last month has been crazy busy and I've felt like I've had so much on my place and nothing to do all at once. How does that happen? I guess after traveling, many of the things I had to do just felt too trivial or boring to actually consider them to be of any importance. But no worries, I'm out of my post-traveler's-melancholy and I'm back in school (one and a half weeks in). Now that I have a normal schedule, the blogs should be coming out more regularly. The more things I have to do, the more productive I get.

I've been obsessed with zucchini and yellow summer squash lately--probably because I can't resist these beautiful vegetables whenever I go to the farmer's market or the co-op. Browning them in a skillet with a little bit of salt and pepper is definitely my new favorite thing to do. I'm putting it in every dish imaginable! I also had a short lived obsession with orange cherry tomatoes, because there was such a bountiful supply of them at the co-op. Seriously, living so close to this place is going to be the death of me. Or at least my bank account (ignore that, mom and dad)! This meal is such an easy fix on hot nights, when I wanted to be using my new kitchen, but I also feel like exercising little-to-no movement plus having a delicious meal on the table. 

Summer Vegetable and Polenta Mess

Ingredients:
A few slices of prepared polenta
A handful of cherry tomatoes
A few chunks of garlic
1/4 a red bell pepper, sliced
A big handful of sliced zucchini and yellow summer squash
A big spoonful of marscarpone (cream cheese, craime fraiche or sour cream works as well)

Directions:
Fry up the polenta with some oil on both sides.
Meanwhile, brown the zucchini and squash. Add the garlic, pepper and finally the cherry tomatoes closer to the end. Season with salt and pepper.
To construct, dollop the marscarpone on the polenta, then top with the sauteed veggies.
Devour.

So simple. So beautiful. Perfect for the end of summer. I love using up all of my delicious vegetables and having it come out this good!

After-School-Meal

The other day, I got home and I wanted to make something simple but super tasty. Here's what I ended up doing.

Easy Tofu and Green Beans

Ingredients:
1/3 brick tofu
A handful of green beans
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce (this can be found in the Asian foods section of the grocery store)
Vegetable oil or butter

Directions:
Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil
Cut the tofu into squares and then fry in the the oil or butter (depending on what you prefer. I go back and forth on my preferance) until golden and crunchy on both sides.
Once the water has been brought to a boil, throw in the green beans and cook for about 5 minutes or until they are the crunchiness that you prefer (I like them to be more crunchy than mushy).
Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar and the chili garlic sauce together. Adjust to your liking.
Once the tofu and the green beans are cooked, place in a bowl and pour the sauce over top. Enjoy!

This dish is easy, healthy and satisfying. What more could you ask for?

Scallop Cravings

I've been really craving scallops for weeks now, so I was really excited when I saw some at the farmer's market. The guy at the farmer's market sells freshly caught fish so I knew it would be good. I wanted something simple that wouldn't take away from the taste of the scallops. I found this recipe that originally calls for tofu as the protein, but it sounded like it could be perfectly adapted for scallops.

Scallop "Sushi Bowl"
Inspired by 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:
(for one serving):
1/4 Cup rice
2 Scallops
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 Tablespoon soy sauce
Butter
1/4 avocado sliced

Directions:
Cook the rice according to the directions on the package.
Mix together the orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce.
Wash and dry the scallops. Season them with salt and pepper. When the rice is almost ready, Melt the butter on medium high heat. Cook the scallops 1-3 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the scallop. They will turn white instead of pinkish and when they are white all they way through, they are ready. When they are almost done, pour a few teaspoons of the dressing over the scallops. Mix the rice with as much dressing as you'd like and top with the scallops and avocado. Drizzle with a bit more dressing.

This was a perfect way to satisfy my scallop craving! The dressing was delicious really pulled together all of the flavors. A perfect, light dinner.

Grilling Out

A few weeks ago, I attempted red meat for the first time, with the help of my dad. It was a lot harder to bring myself to handle than fish was. We chose a nice Tri Tip Steak. Tri Tip steak is a cut that comes from a Tri Tip Roast and is a great cut for grilling. It is less expensive than some other steak cuts but is still very flavorful, has great marbling and is very tender, when cooked correctly. The marinade I used was meant for a quick marinade--perfect for a busy day.

Quick Marinated Tri Tip Steak
Adapted from Noble Pig

Ingredients:
1/2 Pound-1 Pound Tri Tip Steaks
1/4 Cup grainy mustard (I used Dijon that was not grainy)
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon hoisin
1 Teaspoon minced garlic
1 Teaspoon minced peeled ginger
1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Whisk together the mustard, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, hoisin, garlic, ginger, pepper and salt.

Coat all sides if the steaks with the marinade. Cover and chill for 1 hour or longer.

The grilling technique will depend on the size of the steak, the type of the grill and how well done you would like it. We cooked ours away from the flame for about 8 minutes on each side...I'd say? But it's really variable. Ours turned out a little more well done that I had hoped for but they still turned out delicious. The meat was very tender and the marinade was delicious. I love ginger and garlic in any thing and the hoisin, lime and mustard worked wonderfully together. This would be great sliced and placed over a salad.

Food Weekend Post #1

Last weekend, mom came into town on Friday for a visit and to take me home for easter. It was a weekend full of delicious food! After I got out of class on Friday, I took her to Fat Face (of course) and had a delicious meal made up of 3 different sandwiches, a bowl of soup and a salted carmel custard for dessert. Then we stopped next door at Let Them Eat Cake to get a few cupcakes--they had a new one, tiramisu, and it was so tasty! That night, we went out with my roommate, Caitlin, to Katmandu--my favorite place in davis for Indian/Himalayan food. The next morning, we woke up early to go on our next food adventure at the Davis Farmer's Market! We bought plenty of delicious food for our Easter meal and then we settled down to a breakfast sandwich and beignets from Fat Face (yes, they are at the Farmer's Market too!) delicious! I love being able to show my mom around all of my favorite food places when she visits.

Mom eating her dessert at Fat Face.

Then, we set out for Berkeley to have lunch with my brother (and convince him to go back to Fresno with us). We continued our incredible food weekend there by stopping by The Cheese Board Pizza Collective for lunch. The Cheese Board Pizza Collective was born from the original Cheese Board Collective which began as a small bread and cheese shop and was (and is) an employee owned business. They eventually started making pizza a few days a week and it became so popular that along with a new, larger space, they were able to make their pizza sales a full time thing. The 6 members of The Cheese Board Collective searched for new members to form The Cheese Board Pizza Collective and thus it was born. They only serve one type of pizza a day and you can find out the Pizza of the Day by stopping by their website.

The Cheese Board Pizza Collective 
1512 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA
510-549-3055

As we waited in the massive line outside the pizzeria, the walls/doors were opened up so we could see the inside of the shop and hear the musicians playing. After ordering our pizza, we took it across the street to the meridian--a tad weird, I know, but this is what you do at The Cheese Board. Despite numerous signs around the restaurant and on the grassy meridian telling people not to, it seems to have become quite the tradition to take your pizza and picnic on the meridian. By the time we left, the whole meridian was completely covered by people eating their delicious pizza. What a tradition!

Tomato with gruyere cheese, onions and fresh herbs

I'm not a huge pizza fan...actually in might be a better description to say that I'm an extremely picky pizza eater. But this pizza was delicious! I'm surprised I was able to stop at 2 pieces and not devour the whole thing in one sitting. The ingredients were simple, but they worked so well together. (Once, my mom went and the pizza had lemon olive oil, caramelized onions, figs and blue cheese! Oh my.) Normally, I really don't like fresh tomatoes on pizza, but somehow they made it work here--I think it was the thinness of the slices of tomato. I can't think of a better lunch than sitting in the grass with the sun shining down and eating a slice of Cheese Board Pizza.

After having our fill of pizza, we ventured over to the cheese and bread part of The Cheese Board Collective to buy a few cheeses for appetizers on Easter. I've never seen so much cheese in one place! The cheese wrapped around the store and you had to take a card and wait to be called by one of the employees. Once you were called, the employees were so nice and would help you decide what you wanted by giving plenty of generous samples.

The Cheese Board Collective
1504 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley
510-549-3183

We ended up buying a triple cream that completely melted and tasted almost like butter and a brie that was much stronger and went perfectly with a nutty bread that we bought from the Davis Farmer's Market that morning. Ever since, I've been wanting a really good cheese, but Safeway's collection just doesn't cut it. I see a trip to the Davis Coop in my near future.

Bringing My Favorites Home

My three favorite cuisines are Thai, Indian and Ethiopian. These are three cuisines, however, that I am not very experienced at cooking. Over spring break, one of my favorite blogs posted a recipe for green curry and it looked so easy that I just had to try it! Mmm, Thai food made at home is simply perfect.

Thai curry typically consists of coconut milk, curry paste and meat or vegetables. Green curry is one of the hotter curries, but it is also characterized by a sweetness that isn't usually found in other curries.

Green Curry with Shrimp Over Coconut Rice
Adapted from Noble Pig

Ingredients:
13.5 Ounces coconut milk
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 Cups long grain white rice (I prefer white Jasmine rice)
1 Tablespoon green curry paste (This can be found in the Asian section of the grocery store. Make sure you're getting the paste and not an already-prepared sauce...although that could work as a substitute if you want to cut out on time/ingredients.)
1 Bunch of asparagus
A few handfuls of snow peas
1 Pound frozen shrimp-peeled, deveined
Juice of 1/2 lime

Directions:
Bring 2 1/2 cups water and 2/3 cup coconut milk to a boil. Salt and add the rice. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. This should take 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, head the remaining coconut milk over medium heat in a large skillet. Whisk in the curry paste. Stir in the asparagus and cook for 6 minutes. Add the peas and shrimp and cook until the shrimp is done, About 3-4 minutes. Stir in the like juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve over the coconut rice.

I fell in love with this dish! Not only is it very simple, it tasted just like the curry from my favorite Thai restaurants. The coconut rice was so simple but so full of flavor! I don't want to eat regular rice again. This was just too good. I've already make this once again since the first time (without the shrimp though). Substitute the shrimp with tofu or your favorite meat and switch up the vegetables to your liking. Enjoy!

Variations

Traditionally, risotto is an Italian rice dish, cooked slowly in broth and usually combined with a cheese. The broth and the starch from the rice combine to make a creamy liquid. This recipe is a new variation on risotto, substituting the rice with Cannellini beans. It still has that typical creamy risotto texture and creates the same flavor experience of a simple risotto.

Cannellini and Chard No-Rice-Risotto
Adapted from Green Kitchen Stories

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup vegetable broth
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Large onion (finely chopped)
2 Cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 Chard cut into small pieces
16 Ounces cannellini beans (rinsed well)
6 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1/2 Lemon juiced and zest
Fresh thyme to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring the vegetable broth to a simmer over medium heat and then set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the chard and 1 cup of the brother. Cook until absorbed. Add thecannellini beans and the rest of the broth. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Add the mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, thyme, salt and pepper.

Mmm! Delicious. It was creamy and rich and very filling. The lemon and the thyme worked together to give the dish a perfect tang. A perfect, simple weeknight meal.

All Wrapped Up

When my Greek Professor first said that we were going to have a potluck on our last day of class, I knew I wanted to make either Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) or Spanakopitas. When the grocery store didn't have any grape leaves, I knew I'd be making Spanakopitas--fine by me! I absolutely love these little pockets of heaven.

Spanakopitas
Adapted from The Best Traditional Recipes of Greek Cooking

Ingredients:
1 Onion, chopped
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3 Eggs, beaten
1 Pound fresh spinach
8 Ounces chunk feta, crubled (it just tastes better when it's not pre-crumbled)
1/2 Cup cream cheese
Freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste
1 Pound thawed phyllo pastry
Olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375º
In a large skillet, heat up the olive oil and saute the onion until translucent. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
Meanwhile, combine the eggs, cheeses, salt and pepper.
When the spinach is ready, drain and then add to the eggs and cheese mixture.
Unwrap the phyllo dough from it's box. Lay one sheet of pastry in front of you, lengthwise. Brush the dough with the olive oil and top with another piece of phyllo dough. This part is a bit tough, just because phyllo dough is so fragile. Cut the layered dough into 5 strips from top to bottom.
Place a few tablespoons of the spinach mixture at the bottom of the phyllo dough and roll it up to the top. Repeat this until the mixture is gone. This should make between 25 and 30 Spanakopitas.
Place the pockets on an oiled cookie sheet and gently brush the tops with olive oil. Bake the Spanakopitas until they are lightly browned, 30-35 minutes.

I've been wanting to make these for ages. You really can't go wrong with spinach, cheese and phyllo dough. These actually weren't as hard as I thought they would be. Phyllo dough is hard to work with, but it's doable. And the finished product is just so delicious!

Roll, Roll, Roll It Out

I've always wanted to try ravioli, so I was really excited when I found this recipe. I decided that I wanted to pair it with a simple tomato sauce that I've been dying to make for quite a while. One day, I was having an adventure at the farmer's market, and while looking for ricotta cheese, I found a vendor selling quark cheese. I tried it and while it was similar to the texture of ricotta (except with a little more moisture), but it had a much saltier and full flavor than ricotta cheese--almost like the taste of cream cheese in the form of ricotta! I was sold. I adjusted this recipe to use quark cheese instead of ricotta and I couldn't be happier. I know quark cheese is harder to find, so if you can't, ricotta would work just fine.

I had a lot of fun making this recipe with my roommate, Caitlin. I'd been dying to make this sauce from our favorite food blog, Smitten Kitchen. It is so simple, you just have to try it, even if you don't have the time to make the ravioli.

I loved how hands-on this was, between rolling out the dough and filling the squares with the dough. It definitely was time consuming, but it's the perfect recipe to make over the weekend.

The result was so exciting. It was so fun to see the ravioli and know that I had made it from scratch. Caitlin and I felt very accomplished.

Four Cheese Ravioli and Tomato Sauce
Sauce adapted from Smitten Kitchen. Pasta dough adapted from Annie's Eats. Ravioli filling adapted from Annie's Eats.

Ingredients:
For the Sauce:
28 Ounces whole peeled canned tomatoes
5 Tablespoons butter
1 Medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste
For the Pasta Dough:
4 Large eggs
1 Tablespoon water, plus more as needed
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 1/2 Cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
1/2 Cup quark cheese or ricotta
1/2 Cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 Cup shredded fontina
1/2 Cup shredded parmesan
1 Clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 Teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 Teaspoon dried basil
1/4 Teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 Teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Start with the sauce. Place the tomatoes and and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions so that the open ends of the onion are face-down. Once it comes to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and keep at a simmer for at least 45 minutes or until your ravioli is ready. Stir occasionally, and work to break up to tomatoes with a wooden spoon. A pastry mixer also works well so smash up the tomatoes.
Combine the eggs, water, and olive oil. Add the flour slowly until it forms a dough. If the dough isn't coming together properly, add more water. Transfer the dough to a works surface. Knead for 2 minutes. Cover with a clean towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
While waiting, in a mixing bowl, combine the 4 cheeses, garlic and spices. Mix well.
After the dough has rested for 20 minutes, it is ready to form. I don't have a pasta sheet roller, so I had to do it the old fashioned way. If you have a pasta roller, you can follow the directions at Annie's Eats. Without a pasta sheet roller, you're in for some work. Roll the dough out as thin as you can get it (on a slightly floured surface). This will take a while, but you want it to be thin or else it will be too tough and will take over the ravioli and be unbalanced with the cheese filling. No need to go to the gym today--this will give you a work out--but the result is so worth it! Roll, roll, roll, and every once in a while, let the dough rest (and your arms) and then roll, roll, roll again. Cut the pasta into squares. Make sure they're big enough to have a good amount of filling in the middle but still enough of an edge to close the ravioli. Mine were about an inch and a half with about a tablespoon of filling in each. Once the squares are cut out, place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of a square, making sure there is an edge, free of filling. Dip your finger in water and lightly brush the edges of the dough, place another square on top and press the edges together to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the ravioli until al dente. This will be between 5 and 10 minutes, depending on how thin you were able to get your dough.
At this point, remove the sauce from the heat, discard the onion and add salt.
Place the pasta into individual bowls and top with sauce.

Wow. The pasta dough's texture was so smooth, the filling tasted incredible and the sauce...oh that sauce! Store-bought ravioli will never be the same. The dough had a completely different texture than store-bought. It was a lot more light, airy and tender. The four cheese filling tasted far different from any four cheese filling I've ever had. The cheeses worked perfectly together and the quark cheese gave it this wonderful tang. This sauce is hands down the best red sauce I have ever tasted. The butter makes it so smooth and the minimal amount of ingredients make it such a clean, simple taste. I had some of the leftover sauce later in the week with some angel hair and it was still just as incredible. If you don't have the time to make the ravioli, at least make this sauce! It is so easy and simply irresistible.

In the Midst of Finals...

Two finals down, two to go. That means I get rewarded with a blog post! I figured this recipe would be appropriate during finals week because it is a great example of a very quick and easy meal that can be thrown together in the middle of a crazy week--something that really comes in handy when I have 4 huge tests in 4 days.

Fried Rice topped with Crispy Garlic and Ginger
Adapted from Humble Bean, via Mark Bittman in The New York Times, originally a Jean-Georges Vongerichten recipe

Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
3 Tablespoons garlic, chopped
3 Tablespoons ginger, chopped
Salt
1/2 Yellow onion, chopped
6 Stalks green onion, chopped
4 Cups day-old cooked rice (It won't be near as good if it's not day-old! Fresh rice is just too moist to fry. Oh, and I used White Jasmine Rice.)
1 Large egg
2 Teaspoons sesame oil
4 Teaspoons soy sauce

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat up the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are browned. With a slotted spoon or spatula, take the garlic and ginger out of the oil and place onto paper towels. Salt lightly.
Reduce the heat of the skillet to medium-low and add the onions to the leftover oil (which is now deliciously infused with garlic and ginger). Cook abut 10 minutes, until very tender. Season with salt.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, scramble the eggs and cook until fairly dry. Mushy eggs and fried rice just don't go together.
Raise the heat to medium and add the rice, eggs and green onions. Cook until the rice is heated up. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil around the edge of the pan. Stir to combine.
Serve the rice topped with a sprinkle of crispy garlic and ginger.

This is my favorite fried rice I've tried. It was very light since the only sauce consisted of a conservative amount of soy sauce and sesame oil. The crispy garlic and ginger were delicious! I was skeptical since you're usually supposed to avoid letting garlic get brown, but the flavor was perfect paired with the rice. This was extremely simple and I was very happy with the result.

Getting Braver

Confession: in my whole life, the only raw meat I have worked with has been sausage...that is, until yesterday! I've been wanting to work with meat for months but I just couldn't get up the courage to do it. Yesterday, while I was at the farmer's market, I was looking for ricotta cheese. I stopped by one of the cheese places and they didn't have ricotta, but they did have European Style Lemon Shallot Butter. The man said that it was great with any kind of meat, especially fish, so I decided that I would go for it! I went to the fish man at the market and told him that I have never handled raw meat, but that I had gotten the butter and I wanted to make my first attempt. He sold me half a pound of flounder and said to just sauté it with the butter-easy enough. The flounder had been caught the day before and looked great. Quality of the meat is very important to me and another reason why I haven't attempted cooking fish yet-the fish at my supermarket just doesn't cut it for me.

Flounder with Lemon Shallot Butter and Fresh Thyme

Ingredients:
A few Tablespoons European Lemon Shallot Butter
Fresh Thyme
1/2 Pound flounder
Freshly ground pepper and salt

Directions:
Melt the butter in a skillet on medium-high. If you don't have any herbed butter, regular butter will do just fine. European butter is very high in fat content (80-90% instead of 30% in the butter we're used to), which gives it a much different flavor. Because of this, you don't need to use as much of the European butter as you would use normal butter. Add the fresh thyme, pepper and salt.
Meanwhile, wash the flounder in cold water, then dry it and season the fillets on each side with salt and pepper.
Place the fillets in the skillet and cook from 1-4 minutes, depending on how thick the fillet is. Flip the fillets and cook on the other side from 1-4 minutes. When they are cooked completely, the should flake easily and be opaque in the middle.

I still can't believe cooked with raw fish! And it wasn't near as bad of an experience as I thought it would be! The fillets didn't event feel that gross when I was working with them. They almost felt cool. I'm so excited that I can finally use fish. This dish was really satisfying. The butter was so smooth and worked perfectly, paired with such a delicately flavored fish. I see a lot more seafood dishes in my near future.

Another Addition to the Comfort List

Here it is. My mom has been asking for this post for weeks. I made this dish a while back, while I was visiting home and my whole family loved it. My mom has a list of her comfort foods which includes my Macaroni and Cheese, Thai Red Curry, Indian Chana Masala, and now this casserole. So if you're in need of a warm, comforting meal, try this one out!

Arroz Verde al Horno (Green Rice Casserole)
Adapted from Lottie + Doof

Ingredients:
1 Poblano chile, seeds removed
1 Green bell pepper, seeds removed
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
1/4 Cup Mexican oregano leaves, loosely packed
5 Cloves of garlic
4 Cups vegetable broth
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Cup chopped onion
2 Cups long grain rice
A few cups of water
1 1/2 Cups grated Oaxaca cheese
1 1/2 Cups grated Manchego cheese
1 Cup heavy cream

Directions:
Place the first six ingredients in a blender and puree. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for a couple minutes. Add the puree and bring to a boil. Add a couple of tablespoons of salt to taste. Add the rice to the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered. Every few minutes, stir the rice and add water as the broth becomes absorbed. Keep this up until the rice is thoroughly cooked. You don’t want it to have a crunch.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the rice mixture with 2 cups of the cheeses and the cream. If you cannot find these cheeses, they can be replaced by mozzarella or quesadilla cheese. Place the mixture in a casserole dish and cover with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes and then turn the oven on to broil until the cheese browns on top.

This is a perfect winter casserole. The oregano gives it a really earthy taste and there is just the right spice, while the cheeses give it that comfort-factor.

Simple Staples

As I’ve said before, I really tried to stay away from pastas last quarter, but I’ve given up on that goal and I’m definitely happy to be back in the world of pasta. This dish, is perfect when I don’t have much time, but I want something delicious. Plus, I usually have all of the ingredients in my fridge and freezer.

Zesty Pasta with Sausage and Greens

Ingredients:
(This is for 1 pound of pasta, but I usually make it by the 1/4 or 1/8 pound.)
1 Pound Angel Hair Pasta
4 Spicy Italian Sausages
1 Cup reserved water
6 Cups fresh spinach
2 Cups edamame
1 Cup parmesan
1-2 Lemons juiced and zested
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring a salted pot of water to a boil. Once it is boiling, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Before you drain the water, reserved 1 cup of the starchy water. Don’t forget this step! Otherwise, your pasta will be very dry and you'll have to substitute it with olive oil and then you'll just have an oily mess...not appetizing.
While the water is coming to a boil, cook the sausages in a pan with some oil. Cook them on both sides, until they are cooked all the way through, about 10-15 minutes. Cut the sausage up into pieces once it is cooked.
Meanwhile, in a pan with some olive oil, cook the spinach and edamame until the spinach is wilted.
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss so that everything is evenly distributed.

This dish tastes light and fresh with the greens and the lemon but the sausage gives it a certain heartiness. It is quickly becoming my new staple on busy nights when I’m buried under homework and readings. We all have days like that and this pasta can spare you some extra time to get all of your work done, without sparing any deliciousness.

Color My Plate

I’m a sucker for a beautiful presentation. Especially if it’s easy to achieve! I saw a picture of this salad and immediately decided I had to try it and reading the recipe only gave me more conviction. Yes, this is probably more of a summer recipe, but maybe if you make it, you’ll feel like it is summer and all of the cold and rain will melt away.

Purple Cabbage and Citrus Salad
Adapted from Veggie Wedgie

Ingredients:
1/2 Small purple cabbage
2 Navel oranges, supremed
2 Blood oranges, supremed
1 Avocados
Alfa alfa sprouts (as much as you’d like)
1 Lemon, juiced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
Chop the cabbage into shreds. Supreme the oranges by cutting off the ends and the rind and then cutting the pulp out of the membrane. This video will help if you’ve never supremed an orange. Cut the avocado into slices or smaller pieces. Combine the cabbage, oranges, avocado, and sprouts in a bowl and top with the lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Toss and serve

This is such a great alternative to a classic green salad. The colors are exciting and the taste is unique. Purple cabbage is a favorite flavor of mine and combined with the earthy flavor of the sprouts and the bite of the citrus, this salad is definitely a crowd pleaser. I made it a second time and added grapefruit and a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar! Mmm. A perfect meal to brighten up your plate!

A Comforting Meal for a Cold, Cold Week

I tried this recipe a while ago, before I made Polenta from the dried cornmeal for the first time. For this meal, I used the already prepared kind. Though I made this from a log of polenta, I would definitely suggest making the Polenta from scratch like I did in my previous post and letting it set up and then slicing it up to make this dish. You can find the directions in that blog. I would probably make 1/2 cup of dried Polenta to make a good amount for this casserole. I’m sure it would add a much better taste than the already prepared Polenta. But if you don’t have the time or the desire, this recipe comes out great with store bought, prepared Polenta.

Tamale Pie

Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake, originally from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics  

Ingredients:

1 15 Ounce can pinto beans with liquid

1 Cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 Cup chunky salsa

1 Teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 Teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 Teaspoon salt

12 Ounces prepared Polenta

1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 Cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 baking dish

Drain the beans and mash them with a fork. Add the corn, salsa, cumin, oregano and salt.

Slice the Polenta into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Arrange them in the skillet so that they are overlapping a bit. Spoon the mixture on top and then sprinkle it with the cheese. Top with the cilantro.

Cover it with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes or until the beans and sauce start to bubble. If the cheese doesn’t brown but it seems ready, turn the broiler on for a few minutes until you get the cheese to your liking.

Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving so that all the juices can come together.

This is another dish that is great for cold days. μὲν the polenta and cheese is so comforting δὲ¹ the beans, cumin and salsa give it just the right spice. Try it with some sour cream if you want. I’m sure it would be delicious. I am very anxious to try this recipe again with fresh Polenta. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out. I swear, I could live solely off of Polenta dishes. Enjoy!

1. μὲν...δὲ, pronounced "men...day" is a common term in Attic Greek, which I am in the midst of learning. It is best translated into English as "on the one hand...on the other hand". The phrase is meant to indicate a parallel between two ideas. While writing this post, my brain automatically said "μὲν...δὲ" and when I told my fellow Attic Greek student, she said to go ahead and use it and just add a footnote so that is exactly what I'm doing. I would also like to say that if this were true to Attic Greek, I would have placed the μὲν and δὲ between the article, "the" and the subject (just in case any Attic Greek speakers are out there policing my site). Also, if I were you, I'd go on a google search to find out what my blog's name has to do with my love of Greece and Attic Greek...that is, if you haven't already.

Breakfast or Dinner?

Last quarter, I kept away from pasta. Pasta has always been my thing, so I wanted to branch out and see if I could go a quarter with barely making any. Plus, if I make a good pasta, I will want to prepare and eat the whole pound in one sitting…not a good thing. This quarter, pasta is looking more and more appealing again, so I’m following my desires and adding a fair amount of pastas to my menu. I saw this one on my favorite food blog a while ago and instantly wanted it! It’s very simple and combines some of my favorite flavors—eggs, bacon, pasta and parmesan! What more could I want in my dinner?

Spaghetti with Bacon, Eggs and Parmesan
Adapted from Noble Pig, originally from Real Simple

Ingredients:
1 Pound of spaghetti
12 Pieces of bacon
4 Eggs
1 Cup parmesan
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat a pot of water with a splash of olive oil and a few teaspoons of salt. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. I am not usually a big spaghetti fan unless it's paired with a great red sauce but in this case, spaghetti seemed like the right direction to go and it turns out it was. The thickness and texture of the spaghetti just seems right with the crunchy bacon and the egg. Before you drain the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the water. Don’t forget!
Cook the bacon in a skillet on medium-high, until crispy. Don’t cook it till it’s too crunchy and dried out. Drain the bacon on paper towels and then chop it up into small pieces.

Mix the spaghetti with the bacon, 3/4 cup of the parmesan, salt, pepper and reserved water.

Divide the pasta into 4 bowls and top with the extra parmesan and the eggs.

This pasta was a new twist on breakfast for dinner. Eggs, bacon and….pasta? It might look a little weird, but it really is an amazing dish. Simple ingredients, easy preparation, great taste!

Experimenting with Polenta

I remember falling in love with Polenta the first time I tried it. Something about Polenta is just so different from any other dish. I think its flavor is one of the most comforting flavors out there. Until now, I’ve always just bought it in the prepared logs and fried it and topped it with a sauce (Usually, a spinach and cheese sauce! Mmmm). However, I’ve been wanting for a while to try to make Polenta from the dried cornmeal. Since it’s been cold around Davis lately, I decided that it was a perfect week to make one of my favorite comfort foods.

Parmesan Polenta with Eggs and Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
For the Polenta:
Salt
1 Cup instant Polenta (this will yield leftover Polenta which can be used in my next recipe)
3/4 Cup Parmesan
4 Tablespoons butter
For the Tomato Sauce and Eggs:
Olive oil
1 Onion
3 Cloves of garlic
15 Ounce can of Italian tomatoes or diced tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped basil
4 eggs

Directions:
Start the water boiling for the Polenta. When it comes to a boil, add the salt and the Polenta. Stir continuously until it thickens. This should take about 3 minutes. Once it has thickened, add the butter and let it melt. Then add the Parmesan.
Meanwhile, heat up the olive oil in a large skillet and chop the onions. Add the chopped onions to the oil and then mince in the garlic. Once the onions start to soften, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Let it all come together for about 5 minutes then add the basil.
Move the tomato mixture to one side of the large pan and then crack the eggs onto the empty side of the pan, without breaking the yolks. Top with salt and pepper and cover with a lid. Check the eggs every few minutes until the yolk is the consistency that you like. I like mine to be runny but for all of the whites to be well cooked (covering it with a lid helps ensure that the whites won't be runny).
Once all of the components are ready, spoon some Polenta into a bowl and top with the tomatoes and a couple eggs and extra parmesan if you want.
Take the leftover Polenta from and place it into a greased 8x8 pan. Place in the refrigerator over night to allow it to set up for future use.

A perfect meal for a cold, rainy day! I made this for my friend, Melanie, while we were "studying". Much better than reading a textbook. Much better.

Rosemary and Parmesan Polenta Chips
I saw Giada make these on the Food Network a few years ago and I have wanted to make them ever since. I searched for the recipe, but with no luck, so I decided to just experiment a bit on my own.

Ingredients:
Left over Polenta (You could make Polenta just for this purpose if you don’t want to make the previous dish. Just follow the directions on the back of the bag to make the Polenta and then put it in a pan and chill it till it is set.)
Olive oil
Rosemary to taste
Freshly grated parmesan to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Take the left over Polenta and gently turn it out of the pan. You may need to urge it a bit by taking a spatula or a knife along the edges. Cut the Polenta up into 2cm x 1.5 inch pieces…approximately. Heat up enough oil in a pan so that it will cover the Polenta slices. To place the Polenta strips in the oil, place them onto a spatula and then lower them into the oil. There is a lot of moisture in Polenta so it will spit out a lot of hot oil. A thorough clean up will be necessary afterward. Let the Polenta strips fry for about five minutes or until they start to become golden brown. When they are ready, take them out and place them on a paper towel to drain some of the oil. Top with rosemary, parmesan, salt and pepper while the Polenta is still hot. Continue frying in batches until all of the Polenta is used.

My roommates and I could not stop eating these! I could barely make them as fast as we were devouring them. They are reminiscent of french fries but so much better! Experiment with the toppings to find what flavors work for you.

Macaroni and Cheese Obsession

A few years ago, my friend Alyssa and I went to the theaters to see Becoming Jane. I don’t know if you’ve seen this movie but for a Jane Austen enthusiast, I found the movie to be horribly depressing and so did Alyssa! We left the theater in a stupor, intent on finding some way to cheer ourselves up. We wandered over to Borders and went straight to the cooking section. Alyssa and I had already shared our love of pasta with each other, so we started looking through a pasta cookbook and in it we found a recipe for Macaroni and Cheese. The picture in the book looked to die for so we wrote down the recipe in our phones, went to the store to get the ingredients and then went home to make the Macaroni and Cheese and spend the night watching uplifting movies. The Macaroni and Cheese worked like magic! We were out of our stupor and hooked on Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. Later on, we both became obsessed with the Macaroni and Cheese from the Whole Foods hot bar. We would go to Whole Foods together every couple of months and eat mounds of Macaroni and Cheese, paired with a Brie, Turkey, Pesto Mayonnaise and Basil Panini on a Croissant and a piece of Chocolate Decadence Cake. One day, we wrote down the ingredients in the Whole Foods Macaroni and Cheese so we could incorporate it into our other recipe. We made Macaroni and Cheese several more times, always adjusting the recipe until we got it JUST RIGHT. This is now one of our all-time-favorite dishes. This week is the beginning of a new school quarter and I wanted to get a few of my friends together to catch up on our breaks and share some delicious Macaroni and Cheese. I actually adjusted Alyssa’s and my fool-proof recipe a bit because I wanted to use white cheddar (a suggestion from a friend) and I ended up going a little cheese crazy and adding more than I normally do. The sauce came out a little grainier than normal, but it was still delicious and ever so satisfying. Here's the non-grainy recipe.

Alyssa and Brittany’s Fool-Proof Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
1 Pound pasta (I used Campanelle this time, but I really like using Cellentani too. Normal shells or elbow macaroni would do the trick though.)
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
3 Cups milk, half-and-half or cream (Go for the good stuff! You know you want to!)
Salt and White Pepper to taste
2 Pinches of nutmeg (This is optional and I know some people don’t like nutmeg but I really believe this dish isn’t worth making without it! It adds so much to the flavor. Be a little adventurous)
1/2 Pound Sharp Cheddar (White cheddar works as well and I added a little Parmesan too. Feel free to experiment with the cheeses. Like Swiss? Go for it!)
1 Cup additional cheese to top
1/2 Cup bread crumbs
3 Tablespoons butter

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Boil water and cook the pasta.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan on medium heat and then whisk in the flour. Whisk quickly without letting it burn. Add in the milk and whisk the mixture, making sure that all of the butter and flour are mixed in well. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to thicken. Be careful to make sure it doesn’t start to burn. Turn up the heat to medium-high. No matter how many times I make white sauce, I always feel like it will never thicken. Don't worry-it always does. Once the sauce has thickened, add in the 1/2 pound of cheese and let it all melt into the sauce.
Mix the sauce with the cooked and drained pasta. Pour the pasta into a 9x13 inch pan.
Spread the remaining cup of cheese over the pasta.
Melt the remaining butter and mix with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the cheese.
Bake at 350 until the cheese and bread crumbs start to brown. The sauce will begin to bubble and become less liquidy.

I would really make this every week in the winter if I didn’t have any self control. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do.

A Simple Holiday Meal

Christmas Eve was a hectic day in my house! My mom and I spent the vast majority of the day baking cookies and wrapping presents. When it came time to think about dinner, we realized we hadn’t planned out our Christmas Eve menu like we usually do. A busy day, mixed with our lack of preparation led us to throw together a quick meal of whatever we had in the fridge. Despite the way it came about, our Christmas Eve dinner turned out to be simple and scrumptious.

Herb Frittatas Topped with Home Style Potatoes and Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
For the Potatoes:
8 Small red potatoes cut into small cubes
1/3 Cup olive oil
4 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 Small onion chopped
For the Frittatas:
8 Eggs
4 Tablespoons of a mixture of basil, thyme, marjoram and oregano finely chopped
6 Tablespoons goat cheese
6 Tablespoons milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil
For the Topping:
Goat Cheese

Directions:
First, get the potatoes going. Place them in a microwave safe bowl and toss them with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the microwave until the potatoes start to soften but aren’t falling apart. I set my microwave to the potato setting and set it to two potatoes. This starts them cooking a lot faster than on the stove. Drain the potatoes.
Melt the butter in a skillet at medium-high and add the onion and rosemary. Cook for a few minutes and then add the potatoes. Let the potatoes sit without tossing or stirring them for at least five minutes. This will allow them to brown. Keep them in the skillet, tossing them every five minutes until all of the potatoes have been browned.
Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, herbs, goat cheese, milk, salt and pepper for the frittatas. Heat a small, oiled skillet to medium high. Pour in about 1/3 cup of the frittata mixture into the small skillet and make sure it covers the whole skillet. The mixture will begin to set and when it does, flip it over to cook the other side. Transfer to a plate and keep it in a warm oven. Repeat until all of the mixture is used up.
To serve, top a frittata with the potatoes and then crumble some goat cheese over top.

This dinner was so easy and was really delicious. It’s such an easy meal to adjust to what’s in your fridge. You can change the cheese or the herbs or do away with potatoes all together and top it with whatever strikes your fancy! Enjoy.

Before the Season Ends

I called my mom the other day to make sure the Zucchini season hadn’t ended yet…thankfully it was not quite over. I got a large zucchini from the farmer’s market so I could make zucchini cakes before the season is over.

Zucchini Cakes
Adapted  from Life's Ambrosia

Ingredients:
1 Large zucchini grated
1/2 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Cup bread crumbs
A pinch of ground nutmeg
1 Teaspoon paprika
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Egg
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
After grating the zucchini, remove the excess water by placing it in a colander and pressing on the zucchini with paper towels.
Mix all of the ingredients, except olive oil.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once heated, add patties by scooping a spoonful and flattening it into a circle on the pan. Cook until golden brown. About 3-4 minutes per side.

My first set were too soggy so I added some more bread crumbs. I paired it with an easy salad with green apple, avocado, parmesan cheese and lettuce and a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. It tasted light and refreshing but was still satisfying and fulfilling. Enjoy!