Capona(Tina)

When I go to Otto and I'm not in the pizza mood, I'll order a bunch of antipasti. My faves are the caponata, cauliflower, and lentils. Somehow I managed to make them look and taste quite similar to the restaurant version...at home! Truth be told, I made these all weeks ago, but the Breaking Bad finale clearly threw me off my blogging game. Or that's the convenient excuse I'm going with.

Caponata is a Sicilian cooked eggplant salad with a distinct sweet and sour flavor profile called agrodolce. Typically the agro (sour) part comes from vinegar and the dolce (sweet) part from sugar. There are also several variations that may or may not include celery, capers, olives, pine nuts, raisins, or currants. I like a variety of textures so threw in most of the options except for the raisins. Because they are gross. I used Mario Batali's recipe as a base and was surprised to find a touch of cocoa powder. The balsamic vinegar also adds a bit more richness than a red wine vinegar, which is often called for in recipes. I was super happy with the way mine turned out. 

The cauliflower here is simply roasted with some distinctive flavors added in at the end. Mario torches his under the broiler, 4-inches from the flame, but I have a crappy rental apartment oven so...yeah. Roasting seemed like a better idea. This a great way to try cauliflower especially if you are not a fan, possibly because you grew up on plain frozen florets or plain raw florets dunked into ranch dressing on a veggie tray. Not that I know anything about that.

Eggplant Caponata

1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, diced

2 celery ribs, diced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1⁄2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste 

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 1⁄4 pounds each)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup chopped green olives

2 tablespoons capers, drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, pine nuts, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat until the onion is translucent. 

2. Add the eggplant, sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder, and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring often. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, olives, and capers and bring to a boil. 

3. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to simmer for 5 minutes more, or until the mixture has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool and serve at room temperature. It's best made one day ahead to let the flavors develop. Will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Serves 8.

Cauliflower with Olives and Capers

1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Maldon or other flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives (or other favorite olive)
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1½ teaspoons hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3 tablespoons lemon agrumato oil, or 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil in a large bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, for 30 - 40 minutes, or until lightly charred in spots and just tender.

2. Return the cauliflower to the bowl, add the olives, capers, red pepper flakes, if using, and lemon oil, and toss to mix well. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve, or let stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour to bring out the flavors. Serves 6.

Late Summer Saturday

Whoa. It's September. And a college football/US Open men's semi-finals kind of Saturday no less. Quite the day of athleticism. I took my urban rebounding (mini-trampoline to those unfamiliar) class this morning so am feeling entitled to one final glass (or two) of rosé for the season. I'm more of a tennis drinker than football drinker. Champagne and French fries? Sure! Beer and nachos? The nachos sound good...

The end of summer brings one last chance to hoard all the tomatoes and corn that you can. But they won't last very long and I'm not about to start canning. Forgoing my 85th variation on a green salad, I'm breaking out the wheat berries. It's getting crazy up in herre! Wheat berries are the whole grain form of wheat and are a little nutty, a little chewy and are a little more interesting than quinoa (to me), though the wheat berries could be replaced with quinoa or farro or couscous if you preferred. There's no real recipe here, as I kind of eyeballed the whole thing, but I'll give you a general estimate and you can go from there. Now, where are my nachos? I've got some football (and Rafa) to watch!

End of Summer Wheat Berry Salad

Wheat Berries: Simmered for an hour, or until soft, strained and cooled
Heirloom Tomatoes: Chopped
Sweet Corn: Cooked briefly in boiling water, cooled & cut from the cob
Scallions: Chopped, to taste
Feta: Crumbled, to taste
Toasted Walnuts: Chopped, to taste
Cilantro or Parsley: Chopped, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (3 parts)
Lemon Juice (1 - 2 parts)
Dijon Mustard (1/2 part)
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper: To taste

On Top of Spaghetti

I've always had a problem keeping meatballs from turning into meat cubes. How do you keep them from flattening out when you are browning them? Every recipe tells you not to pack them super tight when rolling, but then they deflate once they hit the frying pan and end up totally deformed. In my experience. 

Tossing these bad boys into the sauce without browning them first helps keep the proper spherical shape, but you may find yourself with a bit of an oil slick on top. (Good thing I didn't add any pork.) Either embrace it or skim away.

Served on toasted hoagie rolls with some extra parm and mozz would make for a great Super Bowl party meal. Or just serve classically...

On top of spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball,
When somebody sneezed.

It rolled off the table,
And on to the floor,
And then my poor meatball,
Rolled out of the door.

It rolled in the garden,
And under a bush,
And then my poor meatball,
Was nothing but mush.

The mush was as tasty
As tasty could be,
And then the next summer,
It grew into a tree.

The tree was all covered,
All covered with moss,
And on it grew meatballs,
And tomato sauce.

So if you eat spaghetti,
All covered with cheese,
Hold on to your meatball,
Whenever you sneeze.


Slow Cooker Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Food & Wine

Two (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large basil sprig plus 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ground beef chuck
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes into a slow cooker and add their juices. Add the olive oil, tomato paste, basil sprig, crushed red pepper and half of the garlic. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, until the tomato sauce is very flavorful.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the ground chuck with the remaining garlic and the bread crumbs, egg, 3 tablespoons of Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Roll the mixture into 24 meatballs, being careful not to pack them too firmly.

3. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour longer, until no trace of pink remains in the center of the meatballs. Discard the basil sprig. Uncover and continue to cook on high for one hour more (or up to 2 hours), until the sauce has reduced. 

4. Skim the excess fat from the surface of the sauce and discard. Add 1 tablespoon of the sliced basil to the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the meatballs into bowls, or serve over pasta or in toasted rolls, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sliced basil and serve, passing extra grated cheese at the table.

Note: The cooked meatballs can be refrigerated in the sauce for up to 2 days before serving.

Stormy Sandy's Sunday Sauce

So, just like Irene, we are in for a doozy of a storm. Fortunately this time I already have my flashlights, thanks to buying up the last two from my local hardware store over a year ago. I just picked up some granola bars, filled pitchers with water, and have my iPad juiced up in the event that I lose power.

It cracks me up to see people stocking up on booze like white wine and beer when, unless you have a cooler when you lose power, there will be no way to chill it! I also love how people stock up on toilet paper but forget about some other essentials. Ummm...if you don't have power or water, how are you going to flush? These are the things that concern me. When it comes to choosing between showering or flushing, I am going to pour that spare bucket of water into my toilet tank. Trust. (TMI?) And now I am fattening up for the impending doom by making and eating a vat of buttery tomato sauce drenched pasta because honestly, granola bars are going to get old fast.

Stay safe out there!



Buttery Tomato Sauce
(The Ski House Cookbook)

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with juice, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
Salt
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cooked pasta of choice


1. Add the tomatoes, garlic, butter, onion and a large pinch of salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook uncovered at a low, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have reduced.

2. Discard the onion and taste for seasoning. Toss the tomato sauce with 1 pound of cooked pasta such as spaghetti or penne and serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Makes about 3 cups sauce.

I'm Leaving, on a Jet Plane!

I'm getting ready to get on a very, very, very long flight, so I decided to pack my own meal rather than rely on the overpriced offerings at the airport and the paltry offerings on the plane. I'm also concerned about some serious jet lag as I am flying east and across seven time zones. According to "sources," recovering from jet lag depends on the number of time zones you crosse while traveling. In general, your body will adjust to the new time zone at the rate of one or two time zones per day. For example, if you crossed six time zones, your body will typically adjust to this time change in three to five days. So in essence, I should be recovered just in time to fly home!

In order to help combat jet lag, you should exercise, sleep well, stay hydrated and stay sober (!) well ahead of your flight.  In general you should try to avoid alcohol the day before and during the flight. Alcoholic beverages can cause dehydration, disrupt sleeping schedules, and trigger nausea and general discomfort. Also be sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids, especially since the humidity on the plane is kept at a desert level of only 10%! Other food tips:

•Oranges are thought to help fight stress.
•Almonds and sunflower seeds are high in melatonin, the hormone that helps control your sleep and wake cycles.
•Bananas prevent muscle cramping.
•Ginger ale aids digestion and helps with motion sickness.
•Dark Chocpolate contains anadamine, a chemical that produces a cozy, euphoric feeling. (I got that under control!)
•Apples are rich in fiber and help to stabilize sugar crashes.

Try to avoid:
•Beans, cauliflower, broccoli, for obvious reasons.
•Odorous foods that will annoy your neighbor. Trust.

For more thoughts on bringing your own meals, check out Pack a Picnic.

Happy travels!

I say toe-mah-toe

Apparently my new year's resolution is to blog less. Not to be blogless, just to blog less. I mean, ten days have already gone by and I've already managed to watch two all-new episodes each of Mob Wives (three words: full body surgery...and Big Ang! 5 words!) and It's a Brad Brad World, not to mention countless other shows, and I haven't posted a single recipe or anecdote. I guess I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things after taking a week off from my regular work routine. Plus, with all of the holiday insanity, I had been going out like crazy (like to the Highline Ballroom and Indochine with WendyB) rather than cooking anything for myself.

Now that the holidays are over and it's time to get on a hard core austerity regime, I think I'm going to be making a lot of tofu and salad recipes. Eventually. For now, I have a superbly simple tomato soup recipe (from The Ski House Cookbook). For some reason I am reminded of a time when my mother attempted to make homemade bean with bacon soup for her unappreciative children, who responded with an irritating chorus of, "We like Campbell's better!!" I'm sure that my mom's soup was actually better, but it probably lacked the sodium content of a canned soup that we were familiar with. Well, I don't think it is possible to like Campbell's watery tomato soup better than this one (hello! heavy cream makes toe-MAH-toe soup très elegant!) and the few extra minutes that it takes to make it is well worth it.

Hopefully I'll remember that the few extra minutes (hours!) that it takes me to write future blog posts will be well worth it too. And I might just start incorporating more of my illness that is reality TV and TV watching in general. (The first step is admitting there is a problem, right Dr. Drew?) How I have the time to actually go to work is beyond me...



Creamy Tomato Soup

1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium carrot, diced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/3 cup cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat the broiler. Strain the tomatoes, reserving the juices. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and spread on a small, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil until the tomatoes begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrot and cook until softened, 7 – 10 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, reserved juices and red pepper flakes and simmer for 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Stir in the cream. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Feeling like chicken tonight?

Helloooo Cleveland!!! First of all I'd like to send a hearty thanks to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport for having free wi-fi so that I could finish this post during my 2 hour layover (except for the part where it lost connection and I lost half of this post). Why every other airport seems to charge $9.95 for wi-fi access is beyond me. Anyhoo...I have been experimenting with making something other than shrimp lately. I know, cooking chicken breasts is hardly an experiment, but making it taste like something other than the shoe leather that you typically get in caesar salads IS a challenge! It's a really good base for trying out sauces and toppings if you can keep yourself from over cooking it. (A key is bringing the chicken to room temperature first so that the inside doesn't remain cold while the outside over cooks.)

Wondering about the purple chicken above? That was my experiment with using red wine in my mushroom sauce. Typically I really like reduced red wine sauces, beurre rouge and whatnot, but the color made the chicken look...weird. So I went back to the beige sauce made with stock. And in an effort to clean out my fridge before my weekend trip, I sauteed grape tomatoes and garlic and topped it all off with feta. Pretty darn tasty if I do say so myself. It would even be good on fish. Or shrimp.



Sauteed Chicken With...

Mushrooms

2 boneless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/3 cup chicken stock (or white wine)
1 tablespoon heavy cream



1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken breasts, add to the pan and cook, about 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. (Resist the urge to move them around the pan so that you get a nice golden crust on each side.) Remove to a plate and set aside.

2. To the same skillet, add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme, and stock and cook until reduced by about half. Add the cream and cook until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve. Serves 2.



Cherry Tomatoes

2 boneless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1/2 cup crumbled feta

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken breasts, add to the pan and cook, about 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. (Resist the urge to move them around the pan so that you get a nice golden crust on each side.) Remove to a plate and set aside.

2. To the same skillet, add the tomatoes and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano and cook stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle with additional olive oil. Spoon the tomatoes over the chicken, sprinkle with feta and serve. Serves 2.

Eggplant Assemblage

Holy cow. How good does that look?!? Sometimes I totally surprise myself. Thank you Melissa Clark. Thank you The New York Times. Thank you random folder of recipes that I keep even after the invention of this thing called the web. This recipe is delish.

I've been feeling super lame because I haven't been blogging regularly (get ready because that is going to change!) so this past weekend I decided that I wanted to make something simple yet seasonal and I think I hit the nail on the head with this deconstructed eggplant parm by Melissa Clark. It's fresh and flavorful and you don't have to bake it in the oven! There are more steps than I normally endorse, so takes awhile (2 hours if you are talking on the phone at the same time) but it's worth it! You cook the eggplant, cook the sauce, brown the bread crumbs, assemble, and voila...a gorgeous veggie starter.



Eggplant Parmesan Assemblage

1 large eggplant sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
Black pepper to taste
About 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
5 garlic cloves
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
4 sprigs fresh oregano
3 sprigs fresh basil, plus 5 large leaves
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup ricotta
2 ounces fresh mozzarella

1. Place the eggplant slices in a colander over a bowl or in the sink. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. Drain and pat the slices dry with a paper towel. Season with pepper.

2. Working in batches, heat some of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (you will need about 1/2 cup total for frying, less with a nonstick pan). Add as much eggplant to the skillet as fits comfortably in a single layer. Cook, without moving, until the undersides are dark golden, about 4 minutes; flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the eggplant to a platter. Repeat with the remaining oil and eggplant.

3. Let the skillet cool for a few minutes. Return it to medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of the oil. Smash and peel 4 garlic cloves and add them to the skillet. Cook until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and oregano. Cook, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spatula, until the tomatoes start to form a sauce, 15 minutes. Add the basil sprigs and 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Simmer 5 minutes longer.

4. While the sauce simmers, in a small skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil. Mince 1 garlic clove and add it to the skillet with the bread crumbs. Toast, stirring, until the bread crumbs are just golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 remaining tablespoon of Parmesan and a pinch of salt.

5. Arrange the eggplant on a large platter. Spoon dollops of the ricotta over the eggplant and top with the sauce. Scatter the bread crumbs over the sauce. Top with the mozzarella and garnish with torn basil leaves. Drizzle with more oil and serve. Makes 6 to 8 side dish or appetizer servings.

Vodka Sawce

Yo. The fact that I have not commented on Season 4 of Jersey Shore is ca-razy. First of all: Jersey Shore as a show at all is ridic. Second of all: This group of Eye-talians being filmed in Italy, having never been there before (or any other country for that matter) is ridic. I mean, how many times have they referred to the Duomo as the Vatican or some other prominent Roman architectural location? They don't even know where they are. But who cares? Wherever they are, they manage to find gyms, spray tans, laundromats, and clubs that play house music. And I watch.

I think it is only appropriate to make an Italian-American meal to enjoy while watching the Jersey Shore, even though they are in Italy. Somehow I don't think that the kids are ready for crostini di fegato or pappardelle sulla lepre, so they're probably searching high and low for some chicken parm and sausage and peppas. I figured that penne alla vodka would be perf because they would actually be able to find canned tomatoes in the market (even without being able to speak the language) and you know that the first stop upon arriving in Florence was to the liquor store to stock up on vodka for Ron-Ron Juice. (Nevermind that J-Woww doesn't eat anymore and Snooks will probably have to run up and down the stairs about 50 times to work it all off. Check them out pretending to eat in the photo above!) But hey, I'm not on TV, so I'm going to make a plate and enjoy!



Penne Alla Vodka

Salt
One (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with their liquid
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Crushed hot red pepper
1/3 cup vodka
1 pound penne
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Pour the tomatoes and their liquid into the work bowl of a food processor. Briefly process the tomatoes with a series of quick pulses just until they are finely chopped.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Lower the work bowl with the tomatoes close to the skillet and carefully (they will splatter) slide the tomatoes into the pan. Bring to a boil, season lightly with salt and crushed red pepper, and boil 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka, lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer, and simmer about 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, stir the penne into the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until done, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Just before the pasta is done, pour the cream into the tomato sauce. If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, drain the pasta from the boiling water and add it directly to the sauce in the skillet. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt and red pepper if necessary.

6. Remove the pot from the heat, sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over the pasta, and toss to mix. Serve immediately, passing additional cheese if you like.

Oh, Gratin

I remember going to a restaurant called Bill Knapp's when I was growing up. We would only go after church on Sunday and I would only order the au gratin potatoes. I liked to call them "oh rotten potatoes" because I thought I was funny. Now that I think about it, they weren't all that gratinéed, but I do remember that they were one million degrees, (probably from being put under the salamander right before being served) and they were definitely bubbling, cheesy potatoes with a bruléed top.

That was the start of all things au gratin for me. I remember making an awesome leek gratin for Thanksgiving one year and now there's this tomato gratin that I made at the beach this past weekend. I actually had it for the first time a few weeks ago when I made these Cowboy Cookies, and my friend had made the recipe for the first time. It was super delish and looked EXACTLY like the photo in her cookbook. Three of us devoured the entire dish in a matter of minutes, so we decided to make it again to go with our freshly caught Montauk sea bass. My friend mentioned that it had taken a while to prep everything so I offered to help, and then ended up making the whole thing.


Grilled Montauk Striped Bass

The first go around my friend seeded all of the tomatoes. This time we decided to seed only half of them, figuring that the juices would be soaked up by the bread cubes. And they were. The recipe doesn't call for seeding the tomatoes, and it doesn't really matter if you do, but if you are using extra-ripe, end of summer tomatoes, you might want to seed at least half. After you've finished your prep work and thrown the tomatoes in the oven, pour yourself a glass of rosé and get ready for the cheesy goodness.



Tomato Gratin
(Adapted from Ina Garten)

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups (1/2-inch diced) bread from a French boule, crusts removed
16 plum tomatoes (or heirloom tomatoes), cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.

2. Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.

3. Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.

Did Somebody Say Delivery?

It might seem crazy to make homemade pizza in New York City where you can get everything from a 99 cent slice, to a quintissential NYC pie, to an artisanal pizza from one the newly annointed pizzaiolos. I decided to give it a whirl anyway because somebody (Holla, Michael!) gave me a packet of Fleischmann's "pizza crust yeast" to try (and I just might be a little cray-cray). How is it any different from regular yeast you might ask? If you care? Well, at first I assumed that it was simply a marketing ploy to get you to buy it over regular old yeast packets, until Michael pointed out that it doesn't require any rising time. You just mix it up and roll it out. In the past I've used frozen pizza dough to make pizza, so at least I didn't have to plan ahead to defrost the dough.





I made a mozzarella, tomato, and basil pizza with all-purpose flour in the dough, and a mushroom and fontina pizza (no sauce) with whole wheat flour in the dough. Both versions of the dough mixed up and rolled out easily. My conclusion about the texture, however, left a little something to be desired. In both instances my pizza crust had a slightly bready consistency, so it kind of reminded me of a cheap frozen pizza you might have last had in college. I think I just prefer a little thinner, crunchier crust. I like the idea of having these little packets on hand, but I think I like calling 1-800 pizza delivery more.



Homemade Pizza with Pizza Crust Yeast

1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 envelope Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup very warm water (120 to 130°F)
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 to 1 cup tomato sauce, if desired
Other toppings as desired

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and the oil. Mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add 1/2 cup flour to make a soft dough. The dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead* on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.

3. Pat the dough with floured hands to fill a greased pizza pan or baking sheet, or roll the dough on a floured counter to a 12-inch circle. Place on greased pizza pan or baking sheet. Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.

4. Top with desired toppings and bake on the lowest oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.

*To knead the dough, add just enough flour to the dough and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Flatten dough and fold it toward you.Using the heels of your hands, push the dough away with a rolling motion. Rotate dough a quarter turn and repeat the "fold, push and turn" steps. Keep kneading dough until it is smooth and elastic. Use a little more flour if dough becomes too sticky, always working the flour into the ball of dough.

It's the End of the World as We Know It

And I feel fine. Earl is approaching and it's the last weekend of summer. Some people are behaving like it is the end of the world. Really, it's just going to rain a lot this afternoon and tonight, be super windy, and then be a gorgeously sunny weekend in the mid 70s. I'm not mad at that.

Since we'll only be able to get summer time produce for a tiny bit longer, I thought I'd include a few recipes that you might make for this coming weekend of grillin' and chillin'. With all of the basil that I bought last weekend, I made some pesto and then tossed it with some pasta and veggies for a cold pasta salad. Ordinarily I can't stand pasta salad, but anything coated with pesto is an exception. Because I said so. Use a bit more pesto and salt (use 12 ounces pasta rather than 16 ounces) than you would if you were serving the pasta hot. Flavors tend to diminish when food is cold, so this helps to keep it vibrant. And don't serve the pasta salad super cold right out of the fridge. Let it sit out for about 15 minutes and give it a stir just to make sure to redistribute any pesto that may have accumulated in the bottom of the bowl.



Pesto Pasta Salad

Make the pesto. Meanwhile, cook 12 ounces of pasta according to package directions. During the last minute of cook time, add 1 medium zucchini (that has been cut into matchsticks) to the cooking pasta. Drain and rinse briefly under cool water. Add the drained pasta and zucchini to a large bowl along with the pesto, 1 pint of halved cherry or grape tomatoes, and 1 cup of perlini or bocconcini mozzarella (small mozzarella balls). Stir to thoroughly combine. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. Serves 4 to 6.




I came across this recipe in The New York Times last week. I loved the idea of grating a tomato to make the vinaigrette. I ended up using quinoa because when I first made the recipe using brown rice, my rice was way too sticky to be worthy of being called a salad. It was more of a cold risotto...not a very desirable texture. I also decided that with the flavors of the vinaigrette, it would work really well as a Greek Grain Salad, for lack of a better name, so I added the feta and olives to round out the salad.

Greek Grain Salad with Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette
(Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman)

1 medium to large ripe, locally grown tomato
1 garlic clove, green shoot removed, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cups cooked (and cooled) grains, such as quinoa, brown rice, medium or large bulgur, or a combination
1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts for garnish

1. Cut the tomato in half along the equator (see tomato photo above), and grate the cut side on the large holes of a box grater into a wide bowl. Discard the skins. Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper, vinegar, and olive oil. Add the remaining ingredients, toss together and serve. Serves four to six.




Last but not least, let's not forget about corn on the cob. First, yum! And second, can I please say that it is a major pet peeve of mine when people boil the hell out of their corn on the cob. You don't need to boil corn for 20 minutes. It's not a potato, people! You can eat it fresh. I usually just boil it for about 5 minutes (just to warm through), top with salt, maybe a touch of butter, and eat. You can also make this fabulous fresh corn salad.

Have an amazing weekend!

Big Backyard Barbecue Baby Shower

After recovering from pork fest 2010, I had to gear up for a backyard barbecue baby shower for one of my besties, Amani. Co-party chef, Cheryl, and I made a bunch of tasty salads, kebabs, and bevies for one hot day. Since we didn't use any recipes, I am providing more of a visual documentation of our buffet. I did manage a separate attempt at the orzo salad today because it was actually pretty tasty and would be nice to have waiting in the fridge on a hot day.

Normally I hate pasta salad because the experience of eating it reminds me of eating Twizzlers, but without the "cherry" flavor. Chewy starch that's under-salted and generally under-flavored is not my idea of a good use of calories (unless the chewy starch is covered in pesto). However, using a smaller pasta like orzo and intensely flavored ingredients like sundried tomatoes and Kalamata olives helps to make every bite delicious.

Full disclosure: This second round of making the orzo salad was actually my third. On Friday night while doing prep, I overcooked the orzo while attempting to make 4 full boxes in a single stock pot. (I didn't realize that I wouldn't then be able to lift the pot of boiling orzo. Ooops.) This latest version didn't turn out quite like the first time, or even the second time, probably because I wasn't stressed out that guests would be arriving while I was still making it. Perhaps adrenaline is the missing ingredient.


White wine sangria with peaches, nectarines, and plums and strawberry lemonade. We made a watermelon lemonade after that ran out...

Watermelon feta salad

Cucumber salad with yogurt, mint, and garlic

Orzo salad

The grilled veggies were cooked on separate skewers for even cooking...onion kebabs, squash kebabs, red pepper kebabs...then unskewered for serving.

Chicken and hangar steak were marinated overnight in olive oil, lemon peel, garlic, parsley, oregano, and a tiny squeeze of lemon juice. The kebabs were skewered then seasoned with salt and pepper right before grilling.



Summer Orzo Salad

1 (16-ounce) box dried orzo
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or 5 plum tomatoes, diced
2 (6-ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped Kalamata olives
1 (8.5-ounce) jar sundried tomatoes packed in oil, finely chopped
1 cup crumbled feta, goat cheese, or cubed fresh mozzarella
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Strain into a colander and run under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly.

2. Add the tomatoes, artichokes, olives, and cheese to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add the cooked orzo, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and basil. Stir, taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serves 8.

Big Fat Salad

Let's say that someone gave you a pound of bacon. And let's say that, aside from cooking up the bacon and eating it all in one sitting, another simple presentation that might better enhance this particular pig perfection might be...the BLT? It is a perfect sandwich when prepared with perfect ingredients. Thing is, in the dead of winter (or beginning of spring) amazingly flavorful red tomatoes are nowhere to be found. Similarly, the toasted bread slices that can be the hallmark of a (particularly diner style) BLT, typically shred the roof of my mouth as if I'd just bitten into sandpaper lined with razor blades. How are you supposed to enjoy your sandwich after that experience? You don't. So make a salad instead!

It's much easier to find tasty grape or cherry tomatoes in the off season and making your own bite sized croutons IN BACON FAT...well...there are no words. But just to up the fat ante, I added some avocado. I considered adding blue cheese as well, but that begins to enter into Cobb salad territory, and I was trying to stay focused. Did I mention that you make the croutons in BACON FAT?



B(a)LT Salad

4 bacon slices
2 slices bread (of your choosing), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 avocado, sliced

1. In a large skillet cook the bacon over medium heat, turning occasionally until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon to paper towels to drain. (Once cool, break apart into pieces.) Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet.

2. Heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking, and cook the bread cubes with a pinch of salt and pepper, stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the croutons to paper towels to drain and cool. Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes, lettuce, half of the bacon, and croutons. Toss to coat with the dressing. Divide the salad between 2 plates and top with remaining croutons, bacon, and avocado slices. Serves 2.