Cold Sesame (Zucchini) Noodles

It's the start of a heat wave, or so I've heard, and I'm not about to turn on the oven. And I recognize that it would appear as if I haven't turned on the oven in the past 11 months!! I just realized while watching the French Open this morning, that my last post was in reference to Wimbledon. In July. Of last year. I obviously have a thing for eating while others are playing some hard core tennis. And I'm a super lazy blogger.

Rather than make something sweet today (I did actually get off the couch to go to the gym) I decided to jump on the zoodle bandwagon. For the record: 1. I hate the word "zoodle." 2. It would be a terrible band name. Anyhow...this recipe substitutes fresh zucchini noodles (totally uncooked!) for the more typical egg noodle, therefore saving a few extra calories and excess heat from your stovetop. 

I happen to have a really small spiralizer gadget from OXO so will occasionally make some zucchini (or other veggie) noodles because it doesn't take up a ton of space and it makes me feel healthy...until I pour another glass of wine. Add as much garnish and protein as you like to make this a more substantial salad. Note: The longer your zucchini sits in the sesame sauce, the more watery it will become. Good to know if your sauce is a bit thick. (Like me.) It will ultimately thin out. (I wish!)

Cold Sesame Zucchini Noodles

2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/3 cup tahini, peanut butter, almond butter or a combination
3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice or white wine or other vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Hot sesame oil, chili-garlic paste or Tabasco sauce to taste
2 large zucchini, trimmed and spiralized
2 medium carrot, trimmed and spiralized (if desired)
Optional: Sliced cucumber, cubed tofu, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, hot sauce

1. Whisk together the sesame oil, nut butters, soy, sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic and hot oil in a large bowl. Taste and adjust.

2. Toss zucchini and carrot noodles with the sauce. Garnish as desired. Serves 2 main portions or 4 appetizer portions.

I'll Have Another

Have you ever noticed that you can tell the style of a bar and price of the drinks just by the nuts that they serve? Peanuts in the shell that you crack yourself and throw on the floor?  Chain or dive bar. Salted mixed nuts in little silver bowls? Hotel lounge. The artisanal variety? Upscale restaurant or hotel bar that uses only organic fresh juices as mixers. These tasty snacks may be prepared with a variety of herbs and/or a sweet and salty spice mixture. All the better to to encourage multiple drink orders. If they get stingy on the free refills, make them yourself.

Rosemary Walnuts

Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the rosemary and chipotle powder. Cook, stirring, 15 seconds. Add walnuts, salt, sugar, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring, until glossy and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Christmas Eve Eve

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...well, in the midwest. No snow here in NYC but the decorations around midtown are pretty impressive. And even though it is Christmas Eve Eve, there is still time to bake more cookies! I think I might need to make an extra batch to take to the movies to eat instead of popcorn...

Last week there was a cookie baking fundraiser at work. For every cookie brought in, the Glad company would donate $1 for each to Cookies for Kids' Cancer. (There is a lack of funding for pediatric cancer research and improving therapies. Take a look at the website!) My office mates and I baked 742 cookies and collected cash donations as well. In one afternoon we raised over $1000! (Makes me feel better about all of the cookies that I ate after the count.) I made these two variations of shortbread which I am wishing I had now. Would be good for Christmas Eve breakfast and I have a free afternoon...

Espresso Shortbread

Adapted from Martha Stewart

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons espresso powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioners' or granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Sift together the flour and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), cream the butter until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. 

2. Dissolve the espresso powder in 1 teaspoon of hot water and add to the butter along with the vanilla and sugar. Beat until very light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes more. Add the flour mixture, and beat on low, scraping the bowl if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed.

3.  Form the dough into a disk; wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds. Score a line down the middle of each with the back of a knife and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

4. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes then transfer the cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Cookies will keep, in an airtight container, at room temperature 3 weeks.

Note: This dough can be prepared and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to three months, covered tightly with plastic wrap. Thaw the frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. The baking time for the shortbread will vary depending on the kind of pan and cutters used.

Pecan Sandies

Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup pecans, finely ground
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Heat the oven to 350˚F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

2. Mix the ground pecans with the flour and salt, and add to butter mixture. Beat, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium, until combined, about 1 minute.

3. Lightly flour your palms, if necessary, and roll the dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place on an ungreased baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake until just brown on edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet while still warm; sift confectioners' sugar over tops.

Pasta, Beaches and Vampires. Oh My.

I hope that everyone had a very happy Fourth of July! I decided not to create a recipe for the occasion because, taking place on a Wednesday and having to wake up for work the next morning, it didn't really inspire me to do much. Oh well.

Luckily I did make it to the beach last week and thoroughly enjoyed a fantastic lobster roll at Banzai Burger. Get thee to that restaurant stat. Everything that I had was super delish, including a wild striped bass fish taco. Obviously I had to have an appetizer before my lobster roll. Duh.

Since my beach excursion I haven't gotten around to doing any shopping so the contents of my fridge and cupboards are at a minumum. This pasta recipe has minimal ingredients and since I happen to always have walnuts and garlic on hand  (random I know), it was perfect for me. And the extra added garlic will keep vampires at bay.



Speaking of which, is anyone else as not into True Blood this season as me? I am starting to get a little bit bored (even with the addition of Chris Meloni) and when I thought I had missed an episode with this weird work week, I didn't really care. And that made me sad. C'mon True Blood. Get it together!



Pasta with Ricotta, Garlic and Walnuts
Adapted from Martha Stewart

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound dried pasta
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided
2 heaping tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 3 large lemons)
4 ounces walnuts, toasted well and roughly chopped (1 1/4 cups)
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

1. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat until shimmering. Meanwhile, very thinly slice the garlic. Add to the oil, and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is pale golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain the garlic chips in a sieve set over a large bowl. Reserve the oil. Spread the garlic chips on paper towels; season with salt.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just barely al dente. Drain. Add the pasta to the oil, and toss. Partially cover, and let cool at least 20 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours.

3. Roughly chop 3/4 cup parsley leaves, and add them with the lemon zest and walnuts to the pasta. Toss to combine. Dot with the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine, being careful not to fully incorporate cheese. Garnish with remaining parsley leaves, and serve with garlic chips. Serves 6.

Super Salad

Every other day there's a new super food that we're supposed to be eating so that we can become more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Those aren't quite my life goals, but I figured that I'd give forbidden rice (black rice) a try anyway. This ancient grain was supposedly once eaten exclusively by the Emperors of China. I think I qualify! Forbidden rice is chock full o' good stuff like anthocyanins (an antioxidant also found in blueberries) iron, 18 amino acids and a bunch of other nutrients. It also tastes great and looks pretty cool too. Check out my before and after pictures below.


Forbidden Rice - Dry


Forbidden Rice - Cooked

Since summer is officially approaching with Memorial Day weekend bearing down on us, I thought a cold rice salad might be a good way to sample this super rice (and is an excellent grill-and-chill side dish). Sticking with my Emperors of China theme, I made a toasted sesame oil and tamari (soy sauce) dressing, added in some extra color with snow peas and mango and finished with cashews for crunch. Delish. I may not exactly feel like donning a cape, but I will be making this again.



Emperors of China Forbidden Rice Salad

1 cup Forbidden Rice®
1 3/4 cups water
Salt
8 ounces snow peas
1 mango, diced (see photos below)
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari
2 scallions, chopped
3/4 cup chopped roasted and salted cashews

1. Cook the rice: Bring the rice, water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Remove to a large bowl to cool to room temperature.

2. Prepare the snow peas: In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add the snow peas and cook (blanch) for one minute. Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water until the snow peas are cool. Remove to a cutting board and roughly chop.

3. Prepare the mango: Stand the mango on a cutting board stem end down. Cut through the mango just off center down one side of the pit. Repeat on the other side. Take one half and use a knife to make a cross hatch pattern, without cutting through the skin.



Turn the mango piece inside out and, using a pairing knife, run it along to skin to remove the pieces.



4. Make the salad: In a small bowl whisk together the sesame oil and tamari. Add to the rice followed by the snow peas, mango and scallions. Add the cashews only if serving immediately. Toss thoroughly. (For make ahead salads, do not add the cashews until just before serving to avoid softening.) Serves 4 as a side dish or appetizer. (Recipe can easily be doubled to serve more.)

It's Not Easy Being Green

Like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli rabe is packed with vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B and C. And like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli rabe often gets a bad rap for tasting "bitter." I happen to love it, especially when sauteed with a bunch of garlic. But when I saw this recipe for broccoli rabe pesto, meant as a spread for crostini, I thought that it could be a great topping for pasta, especially for those who think they aren't a fan of it. And it is! In this form it is a much more mellow version of itself, like a Donovan song. Or something.

Broccoli Rabe Pesto

Adapted from Food & Wine

1 cup raw, shelled pistachios (5 ounces)

1 pound broccoli rabe, thick stems discarded

2 garlic cloves

2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Pasta or crostini, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pistachios in a pie plate or sheet pan and toast for about 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Squeeze dry, then transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop.

3. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios with the garlic until coarsely chopped. Add the parsley and broccoli rabe and pulse until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and process until smooth. Stir in the Pecorino, season with salt and pepper and serve. Serve with toasted bread or over pasta.

Oscar the Grouch

It's that time again. Leap year! But since I don't have anything to say on that topic, let's discuss the Oscars and the fact that I haven't seen any of the top ten nominated films. OK. I saw The Descendants which I particularly liked for the Hawaiian music, and the crazy stoner surfer boyfriend who tags along wherever George Clooney takes the fam. But beyond that, I've seen nothing! Normally by this time I would have crammed in every last movie so that I would have been prepared to crush whatever Oscar pool I found myself in. But for some reason, this year I lost interest. Sigh.

Maybe it's my aversion to movie theaters because of my fear of getting bedbugs, or, I've just become even more lazy. That said, there's no reason why I can't still enjoy the red carpet (judging from afar) and then make a plan to see all of the winning films after the fact. Unlike the Super Bowl, there will be no chicken wings and nachos served. Only some bubbles and tasty, moderately healthy snacks. Actually, these peanuts will be perfect for my next Cinco de Mayo party...I should get to work.

Edamame Hummus

1 bag (12 ounces) frozen shelled edamame

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons tahini

3 - 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste

Zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pita chips, crackers, cucumber slices and endive leaves, for serving

1. Bring edamame to a boil in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 4minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water.

2. Pulse the edamame, garlic, tahini, juice, zest, oil, salt, cumin and pepper in a food processor until the mixture is blended. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too thick. Cover and refrigerate until party time. Serve with pita chips, crackers and sliced veggies for dipping. Makes about 2 cups.

Killer Peanuts

4 cups toasted shelled peanuts

1 tablespoon chili oil or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 300˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Add the peanuts and oil ito a large bowl and toss to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat evenly.

3. Transfer the nuts to the prepared baking sheet, spread out evenly, place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.

4. Remove the nuts from the oven, stir with a metal spatula and set aside to cool before serving. Makes 4 cups. Serve with an ice cold drink.

Goldie Collins

1/4 cup vodka

2 tablespoons simple syrup

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Ice cubes

Champagne

Orange peel, for garnish

1. Add the vodka, simple syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top off with Champagne and garnish with the orange peel. Makes one drink.

Hellooo!

I'm still here! My blog hasn't died a long slow death! I just got really, really, really lazy after going on vacay...check out some pics I tweeted (and some I didn't) while I was away! And now all I do is shout!!!


Backcountry Picnic Spot


Jazz Aspen Pre-Steely Dan performance


Premiere Picnic Table


Hiking


The View


Sepia Hike


View of downtown Aspen and Ajax Mountain from my hike

With fall approaching, I am ready to get back into the swing of things and cook like the wind! Fortunately I came across a cookbook, Ying's Best One-Dish Meals, that held a promise of good eats. I uncovered it when I had the good fortune to pack years and years and years of office crap to move to a new (smaller!) office space. It sucks to pack your own stuff for your own move, but let me tell you, it sucks a million times more to pack the accumulated works of other people! Who you've never even met! Now that I think about it, I've had to move at nearly every job I've ever had. Coincidence? Bad timing? Or maybe I just linger too long at these jobs...Hmmm. So between purging old magazines and outdated files, and taking home nonsense that had piled up in my office/closet/annex, I decided to keep this one particular cookbook that looked simple and healthy, and had some interesting recipes.

I first tried the shrimp in spicy garlic sauce, which was essentially a healthier version of General Tso's, but without all of the fried tastiness. It was good, but I would suggest that calling this a garlic "sauce" is a stretch. It's a stir fry. There needs to be liquid to make a dish sauce-y. I did decide to take a few extra minutes to make my own candied walnuts though. The recipe calls for a purchased version, but since they are really easy to make and super delish on salads...or to snack on while watching the Real Housewives of Anywhere, I made my own. Even if you don't make the shrimp, try making the walnuts. Trust.



Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Candied Walnuts

3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 medium bell peppers, cored and cut into strips
1 small white onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup candied walnuts (store bought or see recipe below)

1. Whisk the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat a nonstick saute pan over high heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shrimp, reserving the marinade. Cook until the shrimp turns pink, about 2 minutes. Remove and place on a plate.

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the peppers, onion, salt, additional red pepper flakes if using, and the reserved marinade. Cook until the onion and peppers soften, about 5 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan and stir to heat through. Garnish with the candied walnuts. Serve immediately with rice or quinoa. Serve 4.



Candied Walnuts

1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 ounces walnuts (about one heaping cup; try not to use pieces)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the sugar, cayenne and salt.

2. Bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Add the walnuts and blanch them for 2 minutes. Drain well and then immediately roll the walnuts in the sugar mixture until thoroughly coated. (The sugar will melt slightly.)

3. Transfer the walnuts to a baking sheet or pan and bake, stirring occasionally, until they are a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully because the sugar can burn easily. Let cool completely before serving.

Share and Share Alike

Just like everybody else, last week I did all that I could to avoid dealing with the heat wave, so I took extreme measures by planning a long weekend at a friend's house in the Hamptons. (OK, I actually had planned the weekend well in advance of knowing that there would be extreme weather to avoid, but it dovetailed nicely.) Instead of standing on the subway platform with sweat pouring down my body from my neck to my shins, I read magazines in the pool. Not BY the pool. IN the pool. It was totes relaxing. And even though it was still hot out east, due to some very comfortable A/C, baking was not out of the question.

My little friends, F & A, demand that we bake EVERY time that I see them, and over this long, hot weekend we managed three recipes: peanut butter cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and cowboy cookies. This was my first time making cowboy cookies, but they were a hit, particularly the name. As modern bakers, we decided to be all inclusive, so called them cowgirl cookies as well.

We left out the coconut and nuts (walnuts or pecans) that the recipe often calls for. I asked my small baker friends about the add-ins and they decided that no, they didn't like those ingredients, so chocolate chips and peanut butter chips took center stage. They were delish. And just so you know, we didn't personally eat all of the cookies that we made. Of course we tried them all, but we know how to share.



Cowboy (and GIRL!) Cookies
(Adapted from Epicurious.com)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips, optional
1/2 cup shredded coconut, optional
1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans, optional

1. Whisk the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend.

2. Using an electric mixer (or stand mixer or wooden spoon), beat the butter and both sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, coconut, and nuts, if using. It is recommended to cover the dough and chill 1 hour before baking, but can also be baked immediately. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly before continuing.)

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Form the dough into balls, using about 1/4 cup dough for each. Place on baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten with your hand to form 3 1/2-inch rounds. Bake 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets. Bake until the cookies are golden brown around edges and firm in center, about 4 minutes longer. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.) Makes about 24 cookies.

The Max for the Minimum

Most Indian dishes, like Thai, are best left to the professionals, especially when one lives in NYC where you can order anything for delivery. I have actually taken a Thai cooking class where I learned to make all sorts of things, including a homemade red curry paste, but I have yet to ever make anything from that class...EVER AGAIN. I think the long ingredient lists that are common for both cuisines tend to be a little off putting, even for the more adventurous cooks among us, that we are more than happy to let someone else handle the cooking.

But then I saw what appeared to be a quite abbreviated recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala and I shockingly had most everything in my pantry. It was a long weekend so I figured, why not? Amazingly all I had to buy was the chicken and the yogurt. The recipe is pretty straightforward but should come with a warning: The chicken has to marinate OVERNIGHT. So start this recipe the DAY BEFORE you hope to eat it. (One point for ordering in!) Oh, and regarding the chicken which is meant to be broiled: If you have a tiny stove with a tiny broiler which requires a tiny pan, try TJ Maxx. I stopped into Williams-Sonoma to buy a quarter sheet pan and then turned right around when I saw that they wanted $30 for it. I walked across the street to TJ Maxx where I found the perfect sized pan, though perhaps not as high quality, for $3.99! Yeah! So that's my shopping tip of the day. I also picked up a really good quality "spoonula" for another $3.99. Boom.

Now I don't know how traditional this recipe is because I didn't bother to compare it to any others, but it was pretty darn tasty. And it might not be on the same level as the chicken tikka masala at some of my favorite Indian restaurants, but it was my first time and I think I did pretty well! Next time I think I might pick up some naan to go along with it...but then I'd probably just lazily pick up the rest of the meal while I was at it.



Chicken Tikka Masala
Adapted from Food & Wine

Masala Marinade
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed

Masala Sauce
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons pure chile powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Basmati rice or naan, if desired

1. Make the marinade: In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne, and turmeric. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare the chicken: Using a sharp knife, make a few shallow slashes in each piece of chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade, toss to coat and refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat the broiler and position a rack about 8 inches from the heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade; scrape off as much of the marinade as possible. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and spread the pieces on a baking sheet. Broil the chicken, turning once or twice, until just cooked through and browned in spots, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool and cut it into 1-inch pieces.

4. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add the almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a plate and let cool completely. In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground.

5. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garam masala, chile powder, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Cover partially and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce to desired consistency.

6. Stir in the cream and ground almonds and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in the chicken; simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, and serve. Serves about 6.

Make Ahead: The Chicken Tikka Masala can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Variation: The marinade and sauce can also be prepared with shrimp, lamb, or vegetables.

Celery Side Salad

I am not the biggest fan of celery, never have been, and the fact that it's commonly served as a kids snack smothered in peanut butter astounds me. (Blue cheese dressing? OK.) Kids refuse to eat broccoli but they'll eat celery? Really? Maybe we should be smearing peanut butter on broccoli...Anyhoo, I often have to purchase celery in order to use a single stalk to saute along with a chopped carrot and onion. What's a girl to do with all of the leftovers? Have a side salad!

Now, I generally think of side salads and salads in general as an obvious summer snack, but after an amazing dinner at Maialino where I consumed the maialino al forno (roast suckling pig) among other calorie dense delicacies, the celery salad sounded like the right dish to cut through all of the fat. At Maialino the celery salad is called insalata di sedano and is made with celery, fennel, hazelnuts, and pecorino. I had the celery, hazelnuts, and grana padano at home, so I just made the salad with what I had and I was quite pleased with the results. It's tart yet refreshing and the hazelnuts and cheese make it surprisingly satisfying. It's a side salad I'd like to keep around.



Celery Salad

1/3 cup hazelnuts
4 celery ribs, trimmed and sliced thinly crosswise, delicate leaves reserved
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly shaved Pecorino, Parmesan, or Grana Padano

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, until fragrant and lightly toasted. Cool and then roughly cop the nuts, discarding excess brown skins.

2. Add the sliced celery to a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper, add the toasted nuts and toss gently to combine. Top with the cheese and chopped celery leaves if desired. Makes 2 salads.

Golden Granola Bars

I know that I've posted about making my own granola and granola bars before, but I swear I'm not slacking (well, today anyway) by just cobbling together old posts. The cool thing about making your own granola/bars is that you can customize the recipes according to your tastes. Don't like almonds? Use cashews. Want more coconut? Add it. It's not an exact science. I made these granola bars today for a healthy snack at work (don't ask) and I have to say that I got 100% positive feedback. Some people are even hoarding the extras for tomorrow's breakfast. But I guess it's not really considered hoarding if you're actually going to consume what you're hoarding, right? I mean, that's probably another show altogether...

Golden Granola Bars
(adapted from The Ski House Cookbook)

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Combine the sugar, honey, and oil in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat just until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Combine the oats, wheat germ, coconut, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and salt in large bowl. Pour the sugar mixture over the oat mixture and stir to combine. Spread in a 9 x 13-inch pan and press evenly.

3. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into bars. Cool completely before removing the bars from the pan. Makes about 20 bars.

Resolution Revolution

I'm shockingly still on my veggie kick. It's been 3 whole days! Zucchini on Monday, French Fries on Tuesday (that counts, right?), and Cauliflower on Wednesday. (No, it's not a resolution. Maybe a revolution?) I've found some great veg recipes in The NY Times in the last couple of weeks and I'm totally psyched to have found this salad recipe since I can't ever think of anything to do with cauliflower. This salad is super delicious and filling, not necessarily your typical salad description. Just wait until tomorrow when I combine jicama, parsnips, and celeriac! Or not.



Roasted Cauliflower Salad
(Adapted from The New York Times)

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
2/3 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
5 ounces baby arugula, spinach, or watercress
1/4 pound Gruyere, Manchego or Sharp Cheddar, diced or grated (about 1 cup)

1. Heat the oven to 425˚F. In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and dark golden, 20 minutes. Add the walnuts to the cauliflower and roast together 5 minutes more. Let cool for 10 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar with the remaining salt and pepper, and then whisk in the remaining oil.

3. In a salad bowl, toss the greens, cheese, nuts, and warm cauliflower. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until well combined. Serves 4.

Cool It

I made sure to do an hour of cardio before going to brunch at Cafe Luxembourg yesterday because I planned on ordering the burger. That was until I heard that the special of the day was a grilled prosciutto, gruyere, and caramelized onion sandwich extravaganza. With fries. Um. Yes, please. I will have to try to recreate it at home one of these days. Without fries.

In the meantime it was too hot and muggy to make much of anything else later in the day (and I was still pretty full anyway) but for some reason I decided that I needed to make a childhood dessert fave. Because that's healthy. And no-bake, so perfect for summer.

This is the kind of assembled dessert that I grew up on. I've never liked pudding, but somehow the lady fingers and Cool Hwip (the original recipe calls for store bought whipped topping) make it ok. And that fluorescent green color that comes to life when you add the milk to the powdered pudding mixture? How could you not love it? The original recipe is double the size of the recipe below, so fits in a standard 9 x 13-inch pan (in case you decide to make a double batch for a late night snack), but I found it extremely difficult to find enough of both the lady fingers and the pistachio flavored pudding in NYC (and I don't really need to eat an entire ginormous dessert) so I cut the recipe in half.

You could make this with any flavor of pudding, and actually make it from scratch, but that would sort of miss the point, wouldn't it? If you want something a little more gourmet, make tiramisu. Otherwise go for the green. And Cool Hwip.



Pistachio Delight

1 (3.4 ounce) package pistachio flavored instant pudding
1 1/2 cups cold milk
8 ounces heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 (3 ounce) package lady fingers
1/4 cup chopped pistachios

1. Prepare the pudding in a large bowl according to the package directions, except using only 1 1/2 cups of milk. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer (or whisk) whip the heavy cream and sugar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add half of the whipped cream to the pudding and stir to combine.

3. Split the lady fingers and layer half in the bottom of a small casserole dish (approximately 7 x 10.5"). Cover with half of the pudding mixture. Repeat with the remaining lady fingers and pudding mixture. Top with the remaining whipped cream and garnish with the pistachios. Make at least two hours before serving. Serves 6.

And Now...

...back to our regularly scheduled program. My blog. The wine test is over so I will no longer have to talk about/complain about/stress about/obsess about...it. Even though I won't know the results for, like, a year (it will probably be closer to 3 months) I am ready to move on. So, instead of blathering on about random tests, I will focus on how much I need to slim down before my trip to...ITALY! No more weekends of brownies and bacon for me. (Hey! I was studying and needed energy!)

But before I get all healthy on you, here's a bread recipe that I made while taking a study break. It's not much of a time suck because most of the time spent on it is completely inactive (just start it the day before you actually want to eat it). It spends the first rise chillin' in the fridge overnight, then two more hours rising at room temp. There's really not that much to do...plus you'll have two loaves when you're through. (No more rhyming now, I mean it! Anybody want a peanut?) So throw some dough together, bake it up, and impress your friends. When you find that you still have a loaf leftover a few days later (freeze it!) you can always turn it into french toast...or bread pudding...or a door stop.

Cranberry, Pecan, and Walnut Bread
(Adapted from Bon Appétit)

2 cups warm water (105-115˚F)

3 (1/4 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

5 1/2 cups bread flour

2 cups dried cranberries

1 cup chopped pecans & walnuts (or either or neither)

1. Stir the water and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let stand for 10 minutes, until the yeast dissolves. With the paddle attachment, mix in the oil, sugar, and salt. Add the flour and mix on low until the dough is just starting to come together, then switch to the dough hook and knead for about 8 minutes on low, adding additional flour one tablespoon at a time if needed, until the dough is soft but not sticky.

2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, add the cranberries and nuts and knead in to incorporate. (Pieces may roll around and fall on the floor until completely blended in.)

3. Brush a large bowl (at least twice the volume of the dough) lightly with oil, add the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

4. Line two baking sheets with parchment (or Silpats). Divide the dough in half and then form each into a (6-inch) round. Place on the prepared baking sheets, cover, and let rise in a warm draft-free area until doubled in size, about two hours.

5. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and bake the bread (rotating the pans and alternating position once halfway through baking) until golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when you tap on it, about 45 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Go Nuts!

This is what I'll be eating from a plastic baggy on the way to the airport in the wee hours of the morning. I know that I recently posted a granola recipe, but I still had the ingredients to make another batch, this time a little nuttier. I kept the wet to dry ratios the same and just added a wider variety of nuts and seeds that I had on hand. (I know, I know. Who really has all of this random crap on hand? If you saw my freezer you'd understand.)

If you compare my original granola photo to the one below, you can actually see how much more sugary that original batch was when I made it with the original amounts of 3/4 cup maple syrup and 1/2 cup brown sugar. The sugar crystals are clinging for dear life to the pieces of almond and oats. I prefer it less sweet (as I've written the recipe), but you can adjust it to your liking.

I may not be posting much (or at all) in the next week or so while I'm away, but I'll try to at least upload a photo here and there. Bon voyage! To me!



Extra Nutty Sour Cherry Olive Oil Granola

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raw chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raw cashew pieces
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
1 cup unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dried cherries
Yogurt, for serving (optional)
Fresh berries, for serving (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 300˚F. In a large bowl combine the oats, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, almonds, coconut, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, and salt. Spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown.

2. Transfer the granola to a large bowl and add the dried fruit, if using, tossing to combine. Serve with yogurt and fruit, if desired. Makes about 9 cups.