Noodle Soup Who?

As a kid, whenever we were sick, my mammy made Chicken Soup with Rice. Sometimes I would feel sorry for myself that we never got chicken noodle soup like all the other kids. But then I'd take one bite of this succulent, flavorful deliciousness and I felt sorry for the other kids! And now, I make it during the winter just because - no need to be sick to make this delectable heart-warming treat!

This recipe is adapted from "Thermador's Convection Micro-Thermal Cooking Guide" - not that I'm lucky enough to have a Thermador oven! My mom assisted in writing the recipes for this one. Someday I hope to be creative enough to write recipes too!!

Chicken Soup with Rice

Makes 4-6 servings (I always double it)

**This is one of those recipes where you can add more or less of anything. I will give you the measurements from the recipe, but I actually do a heaping cup of each veggie and about one extra cup of chicken broth - the rice sucks it up, and if you don't add more broth, your left overs will look more like a stew.**

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth (I boil the chicken breasts in a pot of water (just enough water to cover the breasts with about 1 extra inch of water) with the tops of celery, chunked up onions, salt, pepper, and sometimes fresh parsley. After the chicken is cooked, I strain the stock and use the left over liquid as part of the 6 cups of chicken broth directed above.)

2 cups diced, cooked chicken (about 3 breasts - see above for instructions on how to cook)

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/3 cup diced carrots

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup long grain rice

2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper (I use any color - whatever I have, and I always use a whole pepper)

2 sprigs parsley, minced

1 teaspoon salt (I recommend you use Kosher salt if you use your left-over stock which is already fairly salty)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 bay leaf

2-3 whole cloves

Instructions:

Throw it all together and cook until the rice is done. Usually about 20-25 minutes. Serve it up with some yummy crusty bread and enjoy! A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Happy Appies

I am toying with the idea of having a Christmas Cocktail Party - the longer I "toy" the more likely it won't happen. At least until after the new year. I've always wanted to have a Christmas party, but we never seem to plan enough in advance and all the weekends are booked. How about you guys? Alas, we will have an Epiphany Party! Yessssss....and I will be making these: Bruschetta with Peppers and Gorgonzola. Can you guess where I got it? Yep, my girl Ina - Back to Basics.

The best part about this recipe is that you can do everything in advance, then throw it together to heat it up. I am always trying to figure out a way to actually enjoy little parties that I throw. I haven't done such a fab job, as I seem to always been in the kitch instead of mingling. This is the perfect answer to my desire to mingle!

Bruschetta with Peppers & Gorgonzola

Makes 32-36 appetizers - Back to Basics

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing bread

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips

2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons drained capers

1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

32 to 36 (1/4" to 1/2" thick)baguette slices

4 to 5 ounces creamy Gorgonzola, at room temperature (I used blue cheese because that is what we had on hand!)

Instructions

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

2) Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add all the peppers and saute for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Sprinkle with the sugar and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the capers and basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.

3) Arrange the bread slices in rows on sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush each slice lightly with olive oil and toast for 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

4) To each toast with a spoonful of the pepper mixture. Dot each one with Gorgonzola. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm.

* To make ahead, make pepper mixture, and toast the bread. When you are read to serve, start from number 4.

Marshmallow Madness

My friend Betsy and I spend lots of time looking through cookbooks, cooking magazines, talking about food, and...eating lots of food. She spotted this recipe in dear Ina's Family Style (I've always flipped right past it) and made them just the other day.

From Betsy:
I picked this recipe for two reasons. 1. My mom had a recipe for homemade marshmallows sitting out all summer, which I waited and waited to taste, but she never made them! 2. It has a toasted coconut option and I am currently obsessed with all things coconut.


Homemade Marshmallows from Barefoot Contessa Family Style
Makes 20-40 marshmallows
Warning: need to plan ahead, this needs to sit overnight or at least all day.

Ingredients:
SUGAR
haha, just kidding...but not really.

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 T pure vanilla extract
Confectioners sugar and or toasted coconut (definitely recommended) for dusting. (Note: I used unsweetened coconut, which I think you need to do and it can be hard to find. Try Whole Foods)


Instructions:
1. Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

2. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and another 1/2 cup water in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer (mine got to 230 and that worked). Remove from heat.

3. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. (the gelatin didn't really look dissolved, but more like creepy jello, fyi, and beware of the steam from mixing the hot sugar syrup. We don't want any ER visits....Jamie. Side story: when Betsy lived in Hong Kong one summer with Jamie, Jamie managed to melt off quite a bit of skin on her finger with hot molten marshmallow making rice crispy treats. Beware, the power of hot sugar). Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

4. Generously dust an 8x12" non metal baking dish with either toasted coconut (see below) or confectioners sugar through a sieve. (I had either a 7x11 or 9x14 and opted for smaller, which made for too-tall marshmallows (jamie: I loved them) so I'd go for larger dish next time). Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more coconut or confectioners sugar.

5. Allow to stand uncovered overnight, until it dries out.

6. Turn the marshmallows onto a board, cut into squares, and dust with MORE topping.

7. Serve on super tasty hot chocolate, or shove in your face. OR Martha-fy and put in little cellophane bags, with adorable ribbon, and give as gifts (if they make it that far).


Toasted Coconut:
If interested in the toasted coconut, Ina happens to have a recipe for that in the Back to Basics book (that goes with roasted butternut squash soup and curry condiments, which I have also made...because it had coconut).

Toast coconut in a single layer on a sheet pan at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes. But really it is just 5 minutes.

Meat and Potatoes

Okay, so this picture was taken last summer on the old camera - so it isn't really capturing how freaking amazing this meal was!! On a whim, I treated my new groom to Filet of Beef au Poivre with Matchstick Potatoes...it was wonderful! Although, we totally set the smoke alarm off multiple times whilst frying the taters...I cannot wait until we own our own place and can disable the smoke alarm. Just kidding! Maybe.

Filet of Beef au Poivre

Serves 6 - Barefoot in Paris

6 filets mignon, cut 1 1/4 inches thick

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (take the "unsalted" seriously - I erroneously used salted when it called for unsalted and it was a disastrous mistake!!)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)

1 cup canned beef broth

1/2 cup good Cognac or brandy

1. Place the filets on a board and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the filets with salt and then press the black pepper evenly on both sides. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the butter almost smokes. Place the steaks in the pan and lower the heat to medium. Saute the steaks for 4 minutes on one side then for 3 minutes on the other side for medium rare. (I cooked my filets 5 on one side and 4 on the other = v.v. medium rare...) Remove the steaks to a serving platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
3. Meanwhile, pour all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the saute pan. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and cook over high heat for 4-6 minutes, until reduced by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Cognac and cook for 2 more minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Serve the steaks hot with the sauce poured on top.

Matchstick Potatoes

Serves 4 - Barefoot in Paris

Peanut or canola oil

2 large oval Idaho potatoes, peeled

Sea salt or kosher salt

Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour at least 1 inch of oil into a deep pot and heat it to 350 degrees.
2. Slice the potatoes into thin matchsticks (1/8 inch thick) with a vegetable slice or mandoline, dropping them into a bowl of cold water as you cut. Drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Drop the potatoes in batches into the hot oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the pot with a wire basket skimmer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest of the potatoes.
3. Sprinkle the potatoes with parsley, if desired, and serve hot.

Cornbreadalicious

The other night we had a good friend from Fort Lewis in town - what a wonderful excuse for a little Fort Lewis reunion and some Pumpkin Chili and Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread?? I am absolutely addicted to this corn bread (and the pumpkin chili for that matter). It is super easy and so tasty. Stop buying store-bought cornbread mixes and get yourself some cornmeal!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Makes 12 Large Pieces - from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups milk

3 extra large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan

8 ounces aged extra-sharp cheddar grated, divided

1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish (3 scallions)

3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers (2 to 3 peppers - I used one large)

So I went to pour the milk in and it turns out our milk had gone bad - and the "sell by" date was still a week off! My little Helper Monkey ran down to the corner store and got us some milk - thank you Helper Monkey!

Be careful when you cut and seed the jalapeno peppers - i.e. don't touch your eyes! Which is what I did, and do every single time I chop up a jalapeno. So ridiculous. But totally worth it!

Have you tried this chili yet? It is an absolute staple in our house. I am so excited to have left-overs for lunch tomorrow!

Instructions

1) Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't over mix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions (except for the garnish!!), and jalapeno, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperate for 20 minutes. (I added all the cheese, and then read the rest of the instructions. I've been doing that alot lately. REMEMBER to read the whole recipe before you get started! We didn't have any left over cheddar for the top - which was fine, but its always nice to have a cheesy top, right?)

2) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 - inch baking pan.

3) Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bon Appetit!

So, I've been baking...

I don't normally bake. At all. I generally fail miserably at baking. But my cousin JJ was in town a few weekends ago and brought us some Ultimate Ginger Cookies by our dear friend Ina. They were phenomenal. I mean it. Amazing. So I thought I'd try my hand at them. And they were divine! Mine were a bit dense - I might make them a little smaller next time, but otherwise, they were great!

Check out how thick that dough is...maybe I blended for too long and this why they were a bit dense? The instructions are fairly specific on how long to blend/cook. I'll be a bit more careful next time. And there will be a next time!

Ultimate Ginger Cookies

Makes 16 cookies - from Barefoot Contessa At Home

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup unsulfured molasses

1 extra-large egg, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger (6 oz) - (I couldn't find crystallized and used candied ginger from Trader Joe's.)

Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Chopping the candied ginger took about 45 minutes - seriously SO sticky!! Ina's side note states that you want the dry crystallized ginger, not the wet kind. Word, Ina. Just tell me where to find it...Although, I loved the texture of the candied ginger in the cookies...

Instructions

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

2) In a large bow, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger (not the crystallized ginger), and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

3) Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in the granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for a minute or two, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Bon Appetit!

Fall Fave

So I am trying out my new fancy pants camera - I'm still working on taking awesome pics of food. I kind of like th focuse of this one on the garlic. Thoughts? Anyfood, I forgot to take pictures in stages, and literally only caught the last mouthful of this fabulous butternut squash recipe. YUMMMMMM. This one is brought to us by my friend Ina, out of "Back to Basics." Super easy, super yummy, and *somewhat* healthy.

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
Serves 6 ~ Back to Basics

Ingredients
1 large butternut squash (mine weighed in at 2.8 pounds - I wish I had a little bit more - ours only served 4)
1 head garlic, seperated but not peeled
2 tbsp good olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 oz thinly sliced pancetta, chopped (Trader Joes sells it already diced - excellent time saver! You can also use thick, center cut bacon)
16 whole fresh sage leaves
French bread, for serving (we skipped the carbo loading, kind of. We had an app that involved bread, so we took it easy here...)

Instructions
1) Preheat over to 400 degrees.

2) Peel and seed the butternut squash and then cut it into 3/4 to 1 inch cubes. Place the squash and the whole unpeeled garlic cloves on a sheet pan in one layer. Toss with the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the squash begins to brown, turning once during baking. (I only baked for 15 minutes, I have a real aversion to mushy butternut squash and prefer mine a little more firm.)

3) Sprinkle the pancetta and sage leaves evenly over the butternut squash and continue to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the squash and garlic are tender and caramelized. (Again, to avoid mushiness, I only baked for 20 minutes.) Season to taste and serve hot with French bread for guests to spread with the roasted garlic. (Aaahhhh, didn't read this last part re: the importance of bread with the lovely melt-in-your-mouth buttery garlic. I cannot tell you how many times my mother has instructed me to read the recipe all the way through - lesson learned.)

*Note: the maple syrup makes a bit of a mess in the second round of baking. If you don't want to make a huge baked on syrupy mess, line your pan with foil. I used a Wilton nonstick jelly roll pan and it came off fairly fast with a little soaking over night.

Smokey Joes

I'd like to meet the cook who saw these little guys and came up with this little gem of a dish! Seriously, I doubt I would have perused the deli aisle and said, "Yum, tiny little wieners all mashed together in some juices, I need to get me some of those!" But someone clearly did. And then they added bacon. Be still my heart, I'm in love. And I'm happy to report, that I now am not afraid of aesthetically unpleasing food :)

I've used this recipe for brunches and cocktail hour - its great for both. In fact, I made them for a baby shower for my girlfriend Julie (who just asked for the recipe and is now living in El Salvador - not sure where she'll be getting the smokies unless there is some sort of commissary...) and they were a hit!

Get some tiny little wieners and some bacon and get wrapping!

Little Smokey Wraps
Serves alot - although I usually double the recipe...

Ingredients
1 pound little smokies
1 pound bacon
3/4 box brown sugar
toothpicks

Instructions
Slice bacon into thirds. Wrap sliced bacon around each smokey. Secure wit a toothpick. Place on a 2 piece broiler pan (I usually get the disposable aluminum foil pans as this recipe makes a giant mess that I am unwilling to clean up - if you still want to go with the broiler pan, at least line the bottom with aluminum foil). Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 2 hours at 250*.

Bon Appetit!

Super Simple!

Bon jour! The J man and I have returned from galavanting around Europe. Sigh, it was tres magnifique! While in Paris, I read "My Life in France" by Julia Child and it was simply divine - all you foodies out there MUST read it! I garnered the following invariable advice from the Culinary Queen: "Learn how to cook - try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!"

On that advice, I got "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" whilst in Paris - I cannot wait to start trying it out and describing what I've discovered! We had so many amazing meals in Europe - I will post some pictures later this week. For now, here is a tasty, easy, weeknight meal. I had three girlfriends over when the J man was out of town, and I cannot believe how simple and elegant this Bon Appetit recipe turned out! You must try it!

Seared Mahi Mahi with Green Gazpacho Sauce

Bon Appetit, September 2009 ~ Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped English hothouse cucumber (about 1/2 large)

3/4 cup coarsely chopped green onions

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

5 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons (or more) white balsamic vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar as I couldn't find white balsamic vinegar - I LOVE living in Northern Virginia. Love it. Seriously.)

2 1/2 teaspoons chopped seeded serrano chiles (Again, couldn't find serrano chiles in this fine city, so I used jalapenos - which were a tad bit hot, so I added more cilantro and cucumber to mellow it out)

4 7-8 ounce mahi-mahi fillets

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

6 ounces small red and yellow cherry, pear, or grape tomatoes, halved

Instructions

* Combine cucumber, onions, cilantro, 4 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, and chiles in processor (I used a blender). Using on/off turns, blend mixture until finely chopped. Transfer to bowl. SEason with more vinegar, if desired, and salt and black pepper.

* Sprinkle fish fillets on both sides with salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook 5 minutes. Turn over, cover and cook until fish is just opaque in center, 4-5 minutes (this technique steamed the fish - I would have preferred the fish to be browned...)

* Divide gazpacho sauce amount 4 plates. Top each with 1 fish fillet. Scatter tomatoes atop and around fish and serve.

And in the sage words of Julia Child: Bon Appetit!

J'adore anything French

For serious.    The J man and I are heading to Paris at the end of September and I cannot wait for crepes, baguettes with brie and cucumber, champagne, and macaroons.  But in the meantime, I will settle for French Toast Souffle.  And I'm really not settling - because it is absolutely excellent.  I'm not even kidding. I made this little gem for a girlfriend's baby shower and it was a hit.  It is not low cal - unless you have incredible self control of course - but it is totally worth it.  If you are watching your calories, I will include the Cooking Light version (boooo - you need to make the fully loaded version!!!!).

French Toast Souffle

Serves a ton - from my mom's kitchen

Ingredients

16 oz cream cheese (I actually only used 12 oz or a cube and a half of Philly 1/3 fat)

16 slices french bread (I used the freshly baked loaves from the bakery section of the grocery store - 1 lb of bread)

12 eggs

2 cups milk (I used nonfat milk)

1/2 cup pure maple syrup (my mom prefers Log Cabin because it has a little more fava flav)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Instructions

Remove crust and cube bread (if I were you, I'd leave the crust on, it makes it more rustic. It is best if the bread is a bit stale, so let it sit out for a bit after you cut it).  Layer 1/2 of the cubed bread in greased 9X13.  Cube cream cheese and place on bread.  Place remainder of bread on top of cream cheese.  Sprinkle 1st and 2nd layer of bread with nutmeg & cinnamon.  Mix together eggs, milk, syrup, and vanilla and pour over bread.  Cover and let stand over night in fridge.  Bake in preheated oven @ 375* for 45 minutes.

Cooking Light Version

Ingredients

10 cups bread

2/3 cup half & half

1/2 cup maple syrup

8 eggs

8 oz. cream cheese

powder sugar on top

1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Beat cream cheese, add eggs, milk, 1/2 and 1/2, and pour over bread.  Refridge over night.  Remove from the fridge and let stand for 30 minutes.  Bake for 50 minutes at 375*.

Bon Appetit!

Heirloom tomatoes, let me count the ways...

I love to call Little Martha and tell her all about the yummy things my hubbie and I have been cooking from our garden. It's finally time that I share on the blog!

The most fun things coming from our garden are the 6 different varieties of Heirloom tomatoes. I can take almost no credit for their beauty. Jesse is the gardener and has a compost pile that he tends to often--I think for the sole purpose of creating soil for his tomatoes! Either way, I am lucky to get to EAT all of these loverlies.

(Warning, I couldn't contain myself with the amount of pictures...sorry)

There are SOOOOOOo many good things to make with them:
1) Good ol' caprese salad. A nice thick slice of tomato, a delicious slice of fresh buffalo mozarella (mucho dinero, but worth it), a bit of fresh basil, salt, pepper, thick balsamic, and olive oil...YUM.

2) We even tried drying the many, many little tomatoes in our food dehydrator. The salted/peppered ones were the best.3) Ina's Cream of fresh tomato soup. OH MY. SO good. Don't think I need to post this because I assume everyone reading this has the new Ina Back to Basics (check out page 59)

4) Tomato and BREAD salad. This is like a caprese, but chunk everything, add some onion, and toasted bread. DELISH.
5) Pizza. 'Nuff said.
6) THIS I will post: GAZPACHO from the Dona Tomas cookbook. Dona Tomas is a fab "Authentic" Mecican restaurant in Oakland. My mom and sis first had this gazpacho at the restaurant, raved, and then we all tried making it from their cookbook. SO good. Jesse raved ALL night about how this was the best soup he has EVER had (no joke). So here goes.
*************************************************************************************

GAZPACHO: Chilled Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Soup with Avocado

1 large English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

About 1 ½ Tablespoons kosher salt

4 pounds heirloom tomatoes (that little number in the pic at the top weighed in at over a pound!!)

½ white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic

1 small jalapeno chile, stemmed and coarsely chopped

2 avocados, cut into ¾ inch dice, for garnish

½ bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped, for garnish

Place the cucumber in a blender and puree on a low speed until a coarse consistency is achieved. Add the vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pulse 2 to 3 time to incorporate. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Place a saucepan filled about halfway with water over high heat and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Stem the tomatoes and slash an X into the skin at the bottoms. Submerge the tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen the skins, drain, and immediately plunge into the ice bath. Drain again, then peel off the skins. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze the tomatoes into the strainer, using your fingers to extract as many of the seeds as possible. The goal is to remove and discard the seeds while still reserving the precious juice in the bowl.

Working in batches if necessary, transfer the tomatoes and their juice and the onion, garlic, and jalapeno to a blender. Puree on high speed until liquefied and smooth. Pour into the bowl with the cucumber puree, stir well, and adjust the seasoning with salt if necessary (cold soups will often need more salt than hot soups).

Cover and place the soup in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, until well chilled. Ladle into chilled bowls and garnish with the avocado and cilantro. This soup can be refrigerated in a plastic container for up to 2 to 3 days, but is best enjoyed within 24 hours of preparation.

************************************************************************************

Pictures of the actual gazpacho to come...didn't take any at the time...but am making it again tomorrow!!

ENJOY!

Happy Eating, Jamie

All Dressed Up - Part Deux

No pictures today - but that doesn't mean this recipe isn't worthy! This is one of my favorite dressings (and salads). However, the dressing recipe makes a boat load, so I end up using the dressing on just about every salad. SO YUMMY.

Poppy Seed Dressing and Spinach Salad

Makes 3 cups of dressing ~ from my mom (who got it from Bon Appetit)

Spinach Salad

1 pound fresh spinach, torn into bite sized pieces (I used baby spinach, it tastes better to me and it doesn't need to be torn up)

1 pint fresh strawberries or other seasonal fruit

1/2 cup each - walnuts and blue cheese or gorgonzola

Toss together and add poppy seed dressing just before serving

Dressing

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 onion - finely chopped

2 cups salad oil ( I use canola)

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Mix together sugar, mustard, salt, vinegar, and onion in a blender. Process until onion is super small (almost liquified). With blender running, slowly add oil and continue blending until thick. Add poppy seeds and whirl a few more seconds.

Bon Appetit!

All Dressed Up

Isn't summer wonderful?!  I am simply addicted to anything I can get my hands on at our local Farmer's Market or our farm co-op!  This yummy Salad Nicoise was made with potatoes and tomatoes from our local farmer's market, and amazing, I mean simply delish, green beans from our farm co-0p.  This salad is so satisfying, we had it again today for lunch, sans salmon.  Yummy!  

The dressing we used was from the Silver Palate - I've only made a few things out of this little gem and, oh my heavens, it has all be great!  I used chives and parsley straight from our balcony herb garden :)

Our Favorie Vinaigrette

Makes 1 Cup ~ The Silver Palate

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Minced fresh parsley and/or snipped fresh chives to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1.  Measure the mustard into a bowl.  Whisk in the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and herbs.

2.  Continue to whisk the mixture while slowly dribbling in the olive oil until the mixture thickens.  Adjust the seasoning to taste.  Cover until ready to use.  (Vinaigrette is best if made just before it is to be used.)  If necessary, whisk again before serving.

**For our tasty Nicoise we had red potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, eggs, salmon, olives, a little lemon (for the salmon).  But you can add whatev you want!  For lunch today we added cucumbers, green onions, and yellow bell peppers - all locally grown :)

Get Grilling

We have been getting amazing, I mean absolutely amazing, fruit and veggies from our farm co-op.  This past week we have gotten more peaches than we know what to do with!  I was flipping through the July 2009 Real Simple and came across a treasure trove of 20 minute summer meals - so far we've tried two and both have been fantastic!  And, oh by the way, the J Man made this delectable dish of grilled chicken, grilled peaches, and grilled onions!  YUM.  And no, we are not violating Arlington County's restriction on BBQ's, we used are fabulous All Clad grill pan...I love me some All Clad.  Fo shizzle.

Chicken with Grilled Peaches and Arugula

Serves 4 - Real Simple, July 2009

Ingredients

4 6-oz boneless skinless chicken breasts (I always put them in between some plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet so they cook a little more evenly...)

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

2 medium red onions, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds (not an exact science...I used one large onion and sliced the rings in halfster)

3 peaches, cut into wedges (if they are on the small side, like my organic ones are [and man are they delish!!] just throw one more in there)

1 bunch arugula, thick stems removed (about 4 cups) (and again, didn't really follow this one...we used mixed baby romaine)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 oz blue cheese, broken into pieces

Instructions

> Heat grill to medium-high (or if you are going for the grill pan option, medium-high on the burners).  Brush the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  In a bowl, toss the onions, peaches, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

>Grill the chicken and onions until the chicken is cooked through and the onion are tender, 5-6 minutes per side.  Grill the peaches until charred, 2 minutes per side.

>Toss the arugula (or baby romaine) with the onions, peaches, vinegar, and remaining oil.  Top with the cheese; serve with the chicken.

Roots

So probably not the prettiest specimen, but delish nonetheless!  We got collard greens in our farm basket and I had to school myself in the fine art of Southern cooking.  The J-man's Michigander roots were actually planted in Central Tennessee and grew their way up to Motown - thus collard greens were up his ally.  As my roots are firmly planted in So Cali, I was at an absolute loss as to what to do with these "assertive greens" as the fine folks of America's Test Kitchen call them.  Don't you just marvel at the term "assertive greens?"  I guess greens such as Swiss chard, spinach, or beet greens are "passive greens?!  Anyfood, I went to my cooking bible, The New Best Recipe cookbook, and came up with this tasty side dish...absolutely amazing.  When I described the recipe to my sweet MIL, she declared it was a real "hillbilly recipe" - love it.  So ya'll get yourself some "assertive greens" and get cookin' Paula Dean style!  

Assertive Greens with Bacon and Onion

Serves 4 ~ The New Best Recipe Cookbook

Blanched Assertive Greens

Makes about 2 cups

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 lbs assertive greens, such as kale or collard, mustard, or turnip greens, stemmed, washed in 2-3 changes of cold water, and chopped coarse.

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven or large, deep saute pan.  Add the salt and greens and stir until wilted.  Cover and cook until the greens are just tender, about 7 minutes.  Drain into a colander.  Rinse the Dutch oven or pan with cold water to cool, then refill with cold water.  Pour the greens into cold water to stop the cooking process.  (This all seemed to be a giant waste of time so I just drained them in a colander and ran cool water over them...)  Gather a handful of the greens, lift out of the water, and squeeze dry.  Repeat with the remaining greens.  Roughly cut each bunch of greens and proceed with the following recipe...

Assertive Greens withe BACON and Onion

Serves 4

 2 ounces bacon (about 2 slices - but really, who are they kidding?  I at least doubled this one...) cut crosswise into thin strips

Vegetable oil (not entirely necessary if you increase the tasty bacon)

1/2 medium onion, chopped fine

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 recipe Blanched Assertive Greens

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tsps cider vinegar (I don't have cider vinegar on hand, I substituted red wine vinegar)

Salt

1.  Fry the bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the bacon to a place lined with paper towels.  Refrain from sampling.

2.  If necessary, add oil to the bacon drippings in the pan to make 2 tablespoons (but if you follow my suggestion above and just use more bacon, this step is wholly unnecessary.)  Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the greens and stir to coat them with the fat.  Add the broth, cover, and cook until the greens are heated through, about 2 minutes.  If any excess liquid remains, remove the lid and continue to simmer until the liquid has thickened slightly, about 1 minute longer.  Sprinkle the greens with the vinegar and bacon bits and season with salt to taste.  Serve immediately.

Bon Appetit!

The Princess and the Pea

I have been rather lackadaisical this summer in terms of posting yummy foodie finds on the blog.  This is partly due to a very very busy summer and partly due to me dividing my crafty attention between cooking, knitting, sewing, and gardening.  Now, I know what you are thinking, gardening?  Yes, on my little tiny balcony I have planted a world of succulents that my dear Grammy and my Auntie Wink gave me from their gardens.  There is just something about "passing along" a garden - I love that all of my succulents are from my Gram's and Auntie's plants.  Next post I will have pictures to share.  I've also planted a bell pepper plant that is flourishing and some fresh herbs (pronounced like Martha with a hard "h").    

Anywho, a while back I posted a little ditty about our camping trip to the Eastern Shore.  On the drive back I begged the J Man to stop at a roadside Farmer's Market to check it out.  We got melon, tomatoes, and some peas in the pod - I've never in my life had to shell peas, have you?  It took me a good hour to shell these puppies but it was TOTALLY worth it.

Aren't they pretty??  So I was trying to figure out what to make, and I decided to try the Pesto Pea Salad that Coxina posted earlier - A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!  We practically inhaled it!  I wish I could have fresh peas every day!!  They were so plump and crisp and totally different than frozen jobbies you get from the super market.  It's going to be hard going back, but alas, this salad is totally worth it!

I thought I'd repost that delectable little treat as it is totally worth it!  I decided to make a meal of it, rather than just as a side dish, so I added some tasty rotisserie chicken - yummo!!

Pesto Pea Salad

Serves 4 to 6 ~ adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients

1/4 pound baby spinach leaves

1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas, defrosted (if you can get fresh peas in the pod - DO IT!!!)

1/2 cup prepared pesto (is anyone else a little surprised that Ina is recommending prepared pesto instead of making your own??)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (pignolis)

1 rotisserie chicken (optional - I just cut of chunks of the breast meat until I thought we had enough to keep us full :)

Instructions

Wash the spinach leaves and spin them dry.  Place the spinach and the peas in a large bowl.  Add the pesto and Parmesan, then sprinkle with salt.  Toss well, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

Food for the Proletariat

Wasabi Foodies,

Here is your latest installment of Cooking with Soja. I realize that there was only one prior installment about a year ago, but whatevs, I didn't have a computer before. So, a couple of days ago, I "entertained" the Stephens in my Julia Child-era kitchen, which says nothing about my skills or lack thereof as a cook, as it does about the age and state of my 1960s kitchen. These are the breaks when you live in an area that doesn't ever seem to be affected by the housing depression the rest of the country is suffering from, thereby precluding my ability to actually purchase a house with a useable kitchen. I'd even take something circa 1985. I don't need Viking and Subzero...just something newer than I am....I digress.

Here is our lovely menu from Tuesday night that everyone seemed to enjoy. I put my own take on a Food and Wine 2006 recipe called Salmon with Leek Fondue. We had a side of rice pilaf and some sauteed squash. Here's what I did to serve 3-4 people:

Buy four nice filets of salmon. I normally just hit up Whole Foods for my fishticles but Mrs. Stephens advised me of a fish market right off 395 in Alexandria called Slavin and Sons Market. Do not be put off by the aquarium smells when you walk in; they have tons of fresh and frozen fish that do not smell once you get them home and cook them up. I purchased four filets of Wild Alaskan Salmon. Do not faint when when you go to pay- its worth it!

Season the salmon with salt and pepper, brush with olive oil and broil four inches from the heating element for 10-11 minutes. Done.

While the salmons are broiling, make the leek Fondue. Here's what you'll need:

2 leeks
1 onion
2 garlic cloves diced

Saute everything in a large skillet until everything is very soft- about ten minutes. Sprinkle two tablespoons of flour on the sauteeing veggies. Cook for 2-3 minutes, add 1.25 cups of chicken stock and simmer until it gets noticeably thicker. Transfer to a blender and puree. Return the puree to the skillet and add 1/3 cup of half and half or whole milk or if you are feeling too thin or your thighs could use some cellulite, heavy cream. Stir it all up and season to taste. Keep warm on the back burner.

Make the rice: Dry roast some pine nuts on the stove top- about a handful is good for a cup of rice. It takes about 5-8 minutes to get them nice and dark. Empty toasted nuts into a bowl and set aside. In the same pot, saute some onions and a piece of garlic with some butter for five minutes or so. Then, add the 1 cup of rice and toast the grains for about 2 minutes. Dump 2 cups of chicken stock and the pine nuts into the pot, bring to a boil and cover, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 16 minutes. Once it was finished cooking, I dumped some edamame in the pot, but you don't have to.

Saute the Squish. I had some yellow squash but you can use anything you can find. Like eggplant or zucchini or butternut. Whatevs, this is not Gordon Ramsey's kitchen holmes. So just take some panchetta or bacon and get it crispy in the pan, add the squash and about one small diced onion and just cook it down until its really soft- about 15 minutes.

Now you are ready to eat: Pour the leek fondue over the salmon, get yourself some squish and some rice and a big glass of vino and have fun. I like to get myself an additional big glass of vino during the cooking process and so should you.


Here is a picture of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Because this is a food blog, I mention this because there are alot of great places to get delicious meals, and because I was there for a month last month, here's a pic from my hotel room. I enjoyed a similar meal as this post in New Orleans at Emeril's NOLA restaurant in the French Quarter. This is not a town conducive to losing weight or eating healthy or not drinking. My next posts may be about eating hay and soy and wheatgrass and "shakes" made of lemon juice and cayenne pepper. yum.