Grilled Asparagus Chopped Salad

Day 147: Bobby Flay’s Grill It!

May 27, 2011

I am on a salad kick that is now combined with grilling. I rarely make a meal using my oven in the summer but I do get tired of the traditional grilled chicken breasts. Mix it up when you grill and add in something fun like grilling fruits and vegetables.

Bobby Flay is that cutie pie grilling Iron Chef master that can be seen on the Food Network. His focus is on the grill, and when he writes a cookbook, I pay attention. This cookbook is full of 150 dishes that are not all that complicated but as always full of flavor.

The Ruling: So good! I can’t wait to make this one again. We did not have Meyer Lemons, and used just regular lemons and it was still delicious. Did my fussy eaters try the salad…..nope. Too bad for them!

Grilled Asparagus Chopped Salad with Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and Grilled Pita Chip Croutons, pg 14

Ingredients:

• 2 pocketless pita breads
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups mesclun greens
• ½ pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 8 ounces aged white Cheddar cheese, cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 English cucumber, cut into ½ inch dice
• ½ cup black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed and drained again
• Perfectly Grilled Asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (recipe follows)
• Meyer Lemon Dressing (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to high.
2. Brush the pita on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill until golden brown and crispy, about 1 minute per side.  Remove the pita to a cutting board and cut each pita in half.  Cut each half into ½ inch slices.
3. Combine the mesclun, tomatoes, cheese, cucumber, olives, chickpeas, and asparagus in a large bowl.  Add half of the dressing and toss well to coat; season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with more of the dressing and top with the pita chips.

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Perfectly Grilled Asparagus, pg 11

Ingredients,

• 1 ½ pounds (about 24 medium stalks) fresh asparagus
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to high.
2. To trim the asparagus, snap the spears with two hands; the tough part should break right off.   For a cleaner look and less waste, you can cut off the tough bottoms with a knife and peel the bottom half of the stalk if necessary.
3. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, toss with the oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the asparagus, perpendicular to the grates of the grill, for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until just crisp-tender.

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Meyer Lemon Dressing, pg 15

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice or 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice.
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Directions:

1. Whisk together the Meyer lemon juice, vinegar, honey, mayonnaise, both mustards, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.  Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified and then stir in the tarragon.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.ididit-fargo.com/.

• Interested in starting your own Professional Organizing business, visit http://www.mssimplicity.com/ to learn about how Melissa can help you! 
• Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@mssimplicity.com.
• MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click hereto find out the latest offerings!
• For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page here.

Grilled Vegetables With Saffron Rice

Day 141: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking Made Light

May 21, 2011

I really have been on a grilling kick lately and I don’t anticipate it going away anytime soon. Winter was long and all I can hope for is for summer to last even longer…..since we didn’t get a spring. Have you ever tried grilling vegetables before? It takes the vegetable and takes it to the next level and adds several different layers of flavor. If you have never tried to grill vegetables, I challenge you to do so….you will thank me!

Sandra Lee is one of the Food Network starts whose philosophy is to use 70% store-bought ingredients and 30% fresh combine to make simple and delicious meals for your family. I always enjoy her cookbooks as they have wonderful photos and are pretty straight forward in both their ingredient list and instructions. This cookbook is filled with chapter after chapter of so many easy recipes. From breakfast smoothies to desserts and from vegetarian to salads and soups. Something to please everyone in your household.

The Ruling: Tasted great. But of course the fussy two didn’t eat any…..that is sad for them. Some day I know my boys will read my blog and regret all the great food that they passed by. But the trick to getting kids to eat food they don’t want to eat is to not nag them…..but to keep putting it in front of them and offering it to them. I am seeing hints of my middle child becoming a better eater as he will at least try new foods. He use to vomit at the sight of certain foods. Now he has tried sushi, salmon and shrimp….which is a huge step! I am keeping the faith!

Grilled Vegetable With Saffron Rice, page 196

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 packet (5-ounce) saffron –flavored rice
• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, woody ends removed
• 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 zucchini, cut into ¼ inch slices
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted

 Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil over high heat.  Add rice; reduce heat to low.  Cover; simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is fluffy.
2. Set up grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat.  Coat a grill pan with cooking spray.  Preheat pan.  Working in batches, place asparagus, peppers, and zucchini on pan and grill just until tender.  Use tongs to remove from heat.  Cut zucchini and asparagus into bite-size pieces.
3. In a large bowl, toss together rice, grilled vegetables, and capers.  Top with toasted almonds.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click here to find out the latest offerings! For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Simple Asparagus Tarts

Day 131: Entertaining Vegetarians

May 11, 2011

You know Spring is here when you can find the asparagus on sale. Growing up my mom had an entire garden bed dedicated to growing asparagus. They do take up a lot of room, but they are tasty when you can get them fresh. I love to eat asparagus all year-long and I am always looking for new ways to prepare. My favorite is to oven roast them with some balsamic and sea salt. You could even top it with some shavings of fresh Parmesan on top at the end. Once summer is here I take the oven roasting outside to the grill. When grilling asparagus I do like to pop them in the microwave for under a minute to give them a quick jump-start to cooking.

Chances are that if you have a party, one of your guests will probably be vegetarian. I live in the upper midwest and I am finding more and more vegetarians. We are blessed to live in an area where we can find grass-fed beef and organic beef and chickens. So the turn towards vegetarianism is slower than it is in other areas of the country. I know I can be a vegetarian, but I live with carnivores who need to be fed meat or they get grumpy. If you are a meat eater but have friends who are vegetarians, this would be a cookbook that would help you find some good offerings for those friends. The cookbook has great photos and most of the recipes are fairly simple to prepare. I think the tortellini skewers with herb oil sounds great!

The Ruling: Well, since only three of us eat asparagus only three of us ate it. We liked it, but there was some problems in the execution of the dish. Some of the pastry cream overflowed and made a mess in the oven. I think we also underbaked it as well….it should have stayed in the oven for an extra 5 minutes. So when you make it, check on it every so often to make sure it is behaving and doing what is supposed to be doing!

Simple Asparagus Tarts, page 76

Ingredients:

• 1 pound 2 ounce medium-thickness asparagus spears trimmed
• 2 teaspoons semolina or cornmeal
• 13 oz. ready-rolled puff pastry
• 2 egg yolks
• scant 1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
• a pinch of salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• heaping 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus, return to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes. Drain under cold running water until cool, then pat dry.
2. Sprinkle the semolina or cornmeal over a large cookie sheet, or over two small ones. Divide the puff pastry into two rectangles and place on the sheet. Using a sharp knife, score a 3/4 inch border around the egg of the pastry, not cutting through completely. Arrange the asparagus inside the pastry frames. To ensure that each slice has a fair share of the delicious tips, alternate the direction of the tips. Mix together the egg yolks, creme fraiche or sour cream, and seasoning in a measuring glass. Pour the mixture evenly into the middle of the two pastry frames, which should allow the borders to puff up in the oven before the custard runs off the edge. Quickly sprinkle the Parmesan over the two pastries and place int he preheated oven immediately.
3. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the custard is patched with gold. Serve warm, each tart cut into four pieces. Cold tarts can be successfully reheated in an oven at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

 If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Green Olive and Arichoke Tapenade

Day 129: Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

May 9, 2011

You know that I am always on the look out for a new appetizer. I am of the belief that appetizers should be listed as a food group. Appetizers are fun foods to eat, usually small in size and big on flavor. The thing to remember is that appetizers do not need to be coated in cheese to make them good. You can find appetizers that do not have any dairy products in them. When I find an appetizer that is without dairy I want to cheer it from the roof tops. Then add in something that has tons of flavor, I have a home run!

The Moosewood cookbook does just that. The creators of the Moosewood brand is based in New York. They have found a combination of vegetarian food with flavor. I enjoy the variety of their dishes and most of the items I am able to find in our local grocery store. Eating vegetarian does not mean just eating tofu. You can get full off of many other interesting everyday items. This cookbook should be a staple in the vegetarian kitchen but also in the average home cooks. What we would consider side dishes like Two Carrot salad, or Chilean Artichokes would make most meat eaters drool. When I turn vegetarian, this will be my go-to cookbook!

The Ruling: We liked it….well those of us who like green olives. I like the fact that it was made with green olives instead of black, which is the norm with tapenades. My hubby even liked it enough to pack in his lunch the next day. We just served with some pita chips and called it good. I think it would taste great on top of chicken or fish as well. Because I have a food processor, it took me minutes to prepare!

Green Olive and Artichoke Tapenade, page 209

Ingredients:

• 5 artichoke hearts (14 ounce can, drained)
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup pitted green or Spanish olives
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel (optional)
• 3 to 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• cracked or ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, whirl the artichoke hearts, walnuts, olives, garlic, parsley, and lemon peel, if using, for a few seconds until everything is uniformly minced. Scrape down the sides if necessary, add the lemon juice and live oil, and process for a few more seconds until the mixture forms a rough paste (not a smooth puree but a cohesive paste). Season with pepper to taste.
2. Tapenade is best served at room temperature and can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Caesar Pita Pizza

Day 124: The Family Dinner: Great Ways To Connect With Your Kids, One Meal At A Time

May 4, 2011

I was intrigued by the idea of a pita pizza served with a Caesar salad on top of it. I am one of those people who don’t even like to have my food to touch. So idea to put a salad on top on a warm pita pizza really put me over the edge. Yet I was intrigued.

By now I am sure that you know that I am a sucker for cookbooks that promote family mealtime and family together time. This cookbook not only gives you recipes but it also gives you games to play with your family around the dinner table. For example if you were to travel with your family where would you go? How about if you were to travel with a friend? And what if you were to travel by yourself? This really is a jam-packed cookbook full of so many different things. It is so much more than a cookbook. Film producer Laurie David shows us how passionate she is in between the pages of the cookbook.

The Ruling: We liked it…..the fussy don’t eat their vegetable kids skipped on the salad and just had the pizza. Those of us who did top it with salad enjoyed it, yes, even me. We ate it like a pita and held it in our hand instead of putting it on a plate and eating it with a fork and knife. Sometimes it is a good idea to go outside your comfort level. I know I was glad that I did. I did create a short cut and used a bagged Caesar salad mix….so much faster than making homemade dressing.  You will notice that the recipe is written so that a child can make it. I in fact had my child make it….never mind that he is 17 and works in a kitchen at a local fine dining restaurant. The recipe doesn’t say put the salad on top of the pizza, but we followed along with the picture and did just that! Leave off the pepperoni and turn it into a vegetarian meal.

Caesar Pita Pizza Pies, page 124

Ingredients:

• 6 pita breads
• Olive oil
• 1 ½ cups tomato sauce or your favorite jarred pizza sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Optional toppings of pepperoni, chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced onions or sliced mushrooms

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Put a baking sheet on the bottom rack of your oven. Brush both sides of the pitas with olive oil, then spread the tops with tomato sauce and sprinkle with the mozzarella and any topping you please.
3. Using pot holders, take the baking sheet out of the oven and gently place your pizzas on it (you might need a grown-up to help you with this). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until your think they are perfect.

Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 heads romaine lettuce, inner leaves best, torn into bite-size pieces
• Bunch of croutons
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put all the salad dressing ingredients into a large bowl and whisk, whisk, whisk until smooth.
2. Now take a lettuce leaf, dip it into the dressing, and see how it tastes. Does it need more salt? Or lemon? Make it taste exactly how you like it best, then toss with the lettuce and cheese

 

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Crispy Smoked Mozzarella with Honey and Figs

 

Day 120: Giada’s Kitchen New Italian Favorites

April 30, 2011

Looking for a grown-up version of a mozzarella stick? Then look no further. No traditional breadcrumbs on this one, but it is covered with phyllo dough. The mozzarella is kicked up a notch with placing in smoked mozzarella. Then to take it one step further, the sauce is honey and figs! Much better than marinara sauce.

Who doesn’t love Giada’s smiling personality? She can convenience anyone that they too can make some scrumptious Italian meals. I love whoever her food stylist is, as every picture makes my stomach rumble. Great pictures and great ideas. While the food is not all strictly your grandmothers spaghetti and meatballs, you will be sure to find something irresistible to make….just by looking at the pictures.

The Ruling: They were great. Fairly simple to make. The most difficult part was the deep-frying, but if you can do that, you can do anything. We used more than one sheet of dough when making ours, I think they turned out great. I did take the time to make the honey and the figs and boy am I glad I did. What a flavor combination!

Crispy Smoked Mozzarella with Honey and Figs, page 26

Ingredients:

• 6 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted if frozen
• 6 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese at room temperature, cut into 6 sticks of equal size
• vegetable oil for deep drying
• 8 ounces dried figs, stemmed and quartered
• 3/4 cup honey, plus more for drizzling
• 3 teaspoons black sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Unfold the phyllo sheets and place on a dry work surface with a slightly damp towel on top to keep them from becoming brittle. Take out 1 sheet of phyllo and place it vertically on a work surface, with a short edge toward you. Place 1 piece of cheese near the bottom of the sheet. Fold the end up loosely over the cheese, then fold in the sides. Keep folding until you have a tidy package about 3 1/2 x 4 inches. Make 5 more packets with the remaining cheese and phyllo.
2. In a large pot, heat an inch of vegetable oil to 250 degrees over medium heat. Fry the phyllo and cheese packages, 2 or 3 at a time, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
3. While the cheese packages fry, combine the figs and honey in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the honey is warm.
4. To serve, place 1 cheese package on a plate. Spoon some figs onto each cheese package and drizzle some honey cover each serving. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and serve immediately.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Wild Rice Dried Cranberry Salad with Clementine Vinaigrette

Day 119: The Minnesota Table

April 29, 2011

So I live .2 miles from Minnesota and what is a great stable that is grown in Minnesota, why wild rice of course. My favorite way to eat wild rice is in a soup or as a side to Thanksgiving with slivered almonds and mushrooms in it. But every once in a while I find it in the form of a cold salad and I am surprised at how good it tastes. A little nutty and a little bit of a bite to it and then you mix in some sweet and savory combinations and you have a great side dish.

If you live in Minnesota or are a fan of the state, this is a lovely cookbook that takes you through the seasons of the state along with the food that is in its prime season. April you will find Asparagus and August will find tips to oven roast tomatoes. Whenever you can prepare food that is in season for your family, remember you can save some money. Buying local also saves on gas prices and helps support the local economy. Find a local CSA where you will be sure to be filled with an abundance of produce all season long.

The Ruling: I have a confession to make, I forgot about the rice. So instead of it being nutty and a little bit hard, it was more on the soft side. Like really soft. Truth be told however my mom really liked it. I was just ok with it, but I know if I would have prepared it right, I would have loved it. I will try making this again in the upcoming months. If you have to make a salad for a group gathering, this would be a fun one to bring. I think my cousin has brought this to a few family gatherings and when she made it….it tasted great!

Wild Rice Dried Cranberry Salad with Clementine Vinaigrette, page 80

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw (3-4 c. cooked) wild rice, washed and prepared according to basic cooking instructions
• 1 c. long-grain white or brown rice (2c. cooked)
• 3/4 c. unsalted toasted, hulled, hazelnuts, pecans, or hickory nuts
• 3-4 Clementines, peeled, sectioned, and seeded (tangerines, tangelos, or navel oranges can be substituted)
• 1 c. dried cranberries
• 2 bunches small scallions, cleaned and thinly sliced at an angle
• coarse salt, to taste
• pinch of dried red pepper flakes, or freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. A day before, wash wild rice in cold water, and cook according to directions.
2. Cook long-grain or brown rice in a separate pot. Use 2 c. lightly salted water for every 1 cu. uncooked rice. Bring water to a boil and add salt and rice. Bring back to a boil, lower heat to simmer, and stir to loosen rice grains stuck on the bottom of the pan, Simmer, covered, until the rice has absorbed most of the water, about 15-20 minutes; the surface should be marked by little steam holes. Brown rice needs a bit more water and will take a little longer than white.
3. Remove rice from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Toss cooked rice with a little canola oil to keep the grains separate. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small opening to vent any steam, and refrigerate.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, placing a rack in the center. Spread hazelnuts evenly over the surface of a sided sheet pan. Place in oven for a few minutes, or until the nuts begin to color. Shake pan to redistribute the hazelnuts, return to oven and continue browning. To remove husks, wrap hot, roasted nuts in a cotton dishtowel and rub. If not using immediately, let the hazelnuts cool to room temperature, store in a tightly covered dry container (tin or glass), and set aside. This step can be done a day ahead too. To keep their crunch, the nuts are the last ingredient incorporated into the salad.
5. Peel, section, and seed Clementines and place in large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, green onions, and chilled, cooked rice. Dress with Clementine Vinaigrette, and toss several times to mix well.

Clementine Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• Fine zest of one Clementine
• 1/2 c. freshly squeezed Clementine juice
• 2-3 tbsp. white wine or champagne vinegar
• coarse salt, to taste
• pinch of dried red pepper flakes, or freshly ground black pepper
• 1 scant c. canola oil, plus 1 tbsp. hazelnut oil if available

Directions:

1. Combine zest, juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper flakes or pepper in a blender, a metal bowl with a whisk, or a glass jar that has a tight-fitting lid. Blend (or whisk or shake) until well mixed. Add oils in a steady stream. Blend or whisk again until very thick. Taste and adjust seasonings. If it is too vinegary, add cold water to cut the acidity. If it is too vinegary, add cold water to cut the acidity. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before dressing the salad.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Artichoke and Potato Tunovers

Day 118: The Baker’s Dozen

April 28, 2011

Always looking for appetizers that are quick and easy to entertain but take little time in the kitchen. The important thing when making appetizers for entertaining is to always make sure that you get time to enjoy the party. Make appetizers that you can make ahead and quickly assemble and pop in the oven or pull out when your guests arrive.

I like to bake very often as it requires skills in measuring and patience, that I don’t have much of. People wonder how I get so much done….it is because I get things done quickly because I have little patience. But sometimes I do like to take some time and smell the roses….or bake bread….or bake a cake from scratch. The Baker’s Dozen cookbook is full of  the take time and bake recipes that I like to make when it is raining or I find myself in a blizzard. This is a lovely cookbook based on friendship….there is not a better reason to write a cookbook!

The Ruling: I cheated and used store-bought pie crust dough. I think it is ok to cheat. It made a lot of filling and we ate the leftover filling as a potato salad, and it was tasty. When we baked it, it seemed to have lost some flavor. Easy appetizers to make as you can make ahead and pop in the oven when ready.

Artichoke and Potato Turnovers, page 153

Ingredients:

• 1 large all-purpose potato, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (1 cup)
• 1 cup cooked and coarsely chopped artichoke hearts (you can use thawed frozen hearts)
• 2 Roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Savory pie dough

Directions:

1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potato cubes and cook until barely tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool.
2. In a bowl, mix the potatoes, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, scallions, garlic, sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of dough into a 1/8-inch-thick round. Using a saucer as a template, cut out 6-inch rounds; set the rounds aside. Gather up the scraps, cover, and return to the refrigerator. Repeat with the other disk of dough. Gently knead the scraps together and roll out again to make 10 rounds total.
4. Place a spoonful of the filing on the bottom half of a round, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold over and use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges closed. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rounds and filling. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preheating the oven.
5. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
6. Bake the turnovers until they are golden brown and the edges are firm about 30 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Broccoli, Avocado, And Pistaschios With Pistachio Oil

Day 114: The Provence Cookbook

April 24, 2011

Green vegetables do not have to be served boring by just steaming them. There are so many options out there when serving the vegetable side dish. Light, healthy and full of flavor is what I look for in a side dish. Do not give me a cheese sauce so as to mask the taste of the vegetable. My kids are learning to eat their vegetables without the yellow/orange cheese sauce.

If you have ever been to the South of France you know why cookbook author Patricia Wells has written so many cookbooks about the area. She writes not only a cookbook, but gives tips on if your oil goes rancid to food pairing for a springtime dinner with friends or an August Dinner at Sunset. Even where to get some of her personal favorites are listed in the cookbook. I would call this more a guide-book and a cookbook, you are getting the best of both worlds, kind of like a culinary roadmap through the south of France.

The Ruling: We found the longer you let it sit, the more flavor it developed. We did not have pistachio oil so we used olive oil. I can only imagine how flavorful this would be with the pistachio oil. This is such a nice change of pace from the typical steamed broccoli! Our hints would be to double the dressing and to make sure that you drain the broccoli really well. We also steamed the broccoli and did not boil it.

Broccoli, Avocado and Pistachios with Pistachio Oil, page 38

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup pistachio oil, pine nut oil, almond oil, or extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• 8 ounces broccoli florets, about 2 cups
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup salted pistachios, coarsley chopped
• fleur de sel to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small jar, combine the lemon juice and fine sea salt, and stir to blend. Add the oil, cover the jar, and shake to blend.
2. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the coarse sea salt and the broccoli. Boil, uncovered, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately drain the broccoli and plunge the florets into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The vegetables will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. After that, it will soften and begin to lose crispness and flavor.) Transfer the broccoli to a colander and drain.
4. Halve, peel, and very thinly slice the avocado. Arrange a mound of broccoli in the center of a serving plate. Arrange the avocado slices in a circle around the broccoli. Sprinkle with the pistachios. Drizzle with the lemon and oil mixture, then season with salt and pepper. Let infuse 3 to 4 minutes before serving as a first course or a vegetable course.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Grilled Shrimp, Scallion, and Bacon Quesadillas with Smoky Guacamole

 

Day 107: “Down Home with the Neelys”

April 17, 2011

Quesadillas are turning into my go to meal this Spring instead of the Paninis that we made during the winter. Quesadillas like Paninis are so versatile when it comes to their fillings. Last week we had one filled with BBQ chicken that was a little overpowering with the BBQ flavor. When I am rushed for dinner I always grab a rotisserie chicken and shred it to make quesadillas for a quick week night meal. You simply add in what your family likes to eat. I favorite add ons are green onions, green chilies and salsa. If I leave out the onions, everyone will eat it.

I was just talking about the Neelys over lunch last week. One person I knew could not stand the show, we got it down to the fact that she didn’t like all of their syrupy love for each other. Whenever people show that much PDA to each other, I am always a little skeptical. But then I know if the world of celebrity chefs, you need something to hold you apart from your competitions. For the Neelys, that something different is their love for each other. Could be worse! Their cookbook continues their theme of love and is filled with pictures of them, both together and alone growing up. As someone who is married to her high school sweetheart, I say bring the love on! The recipes are fun and full of Southern charm. I wish they lived near me as I know I would invite them over for a party on our deck.

The Ruling: I loved them! Their is only one other person in my family who likes shrimp and he liked it as well. Can I say this again….I loved the quesadillas. If you love shrimp, you will love these. Spend the extra money on the big shrimp, as i think they have so much more flavor than their little cousins. Youngest child just had a cheese quesadilla….that is ok because that meant more shrimp for me! The smoky guacamole was great as well….though we did think it was a little heavy on the onion. Take the extra time and make the guacamole! You can make this as an appetizer or a main dish. Leave the bacon out and serve it to your vegetarian friends and family.

Grilled Shrimp, Scallion, and Bacon Quesadillas with Smoky Guacamole, page 66

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying tortillas
•  4 strips thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 scallions
• four 12 inch flour tortillas
• 8 ounces shredded jack cheese

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and fry until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Heat the grill (or grill pan) to a medium-high setting. Place the shrimp, garlic, remaining tablespoon of oil, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl, and toss to combine. When the grill is hot, use tongs to place the shrimp and scallions across the grates. Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm (2 to 3 minutes on each side), and the scallion are charred and softened (turning them as necessary for even cooking). Transfer the shrimp and scallions to a plate to cool briefly, then coarsely chop both ingredients, toss them together in a clean bowl and keep warm.
3. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
4. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, return it to the heat, and add another drizzle of oil and a tortilla. Cook the tortilla for 30 seconds, then flip it. Cover half of the tortilla with a couple of spoonfuls of cheese. Arrange a quarter of the shrimp-and-garlic mixture and a quarter of the bacon over the cheese, and fold the tortilla over. Press down gently with a spatula and cook the tortilla for a minutes or so on each side, to melt the cheese and crisp. Transfer the cooked quesadilla to a baking sheet and hold in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla into 5 wedges, and transfer to plates with your spatula. Top the wedges with liberal amounts of Smoky Guacamole.

Smoky Guacamole, page 67

Ingredients:

• 2 large rip avocados
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• kosher salt

Directions:

1. Peel and pit the avocados, and place them in a medium bowl. Add the onion, chipotle pepper, lime juice, and cilantro, and mash together with a fork until combined but still chunky. Season to taste with salt.

 

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

 MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.