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Monday, November 30, 2009

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce


My husband and I recently returned home from one of my favorite cities-- Chicago. While we were there we ate at the Italian Village, which is downtown in the Loop. I have wanted to try this restaurant for awhile. The Italian Village is not just one restaurant, but three restaurants in one location. The top floor is traditional style Italian, the main floor is contemporary Italian and the Cellar is more seafood oriented. After perusing the menus that were hanging in the lobby numerous times and my starving husband saying "just pick one", I finally did! The seafood restaurant was the winner and a great choice! I choose the "tortellini con frutta del Mare". This dish was so flavorful and wonderful. I tried to figure out what the ingredients were in it and came up with this recipe. I think it's pretty close.

Ingredients

  • 1 (28 ounce) can tomato pasta sauce (I prefer Dei Fratelli, which is found in some groceries and Italian specialty markets)
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
  • 1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • handful of raw shrimp
  • handful of raw baby scallops

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan combine pasta sauce, half and half, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil. Simmer over low heat for 45 to 50 minutes; do not boil.
  2. Right before serving, toss the shrimp and scallops and cook until they turn opaque--this only takes a couple of minutes, so watch carefully so you don't overcook the seafood.
  3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or to your taste, drain.
  4. Toss pasta with sauce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Although my dinner at La Cantina had freshly made tortellini (yum!), I opted for (Barelli's) angel hair, because it is my husband's favorite and to be honest I have never made homemade pasta. This could be used with any pasta, but I thought the angel hair had better presentation with seafood than say spiral or penne.

MY TIP: My husband is not a huge seafood lover like me, so you can make the sauce to the point of adding the seafood. And if you love seafood like me, you can quickly add it at the end since it only takes a few extra minutes to cook the seafood. Like most sauces, this is even better the next day.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Olive Salad


Ingredients

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup pitted green and black olives, halved
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 3 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 8 fresh basil leaves, shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3 tomatoes)

Directions

Cook the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat until thick, syrupy, and measuring 1/4 cup, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the olives, parsley, anchovies, capers, garlic, basil, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl and toss to combine.

To serve, slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place, slightly overlapping, on a serving plate. Spoon the olive and parsley mixture over the tomatoes. Drizzle the reduced balsamic over the salad and serve.

Tomato salads are best in the summer when tomatoes are at their peak, but because of the intensity of the other ingredients, this salad is good anytime.

MY TIP: You must use a good quality balsamic vinegar or the vinegar will not reduce to a sweet syrup. Balsamic vinegar from Modena, found in an Italian specialty shoppe is recommended.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Easy as pie!


Fall is my absolute favorite time of year! I love everything about it--drives in the country to see the changing leaves, hiking in the woods, hayrides, bonfires, pumpkin picking, harvest parties and football (well, maybe it's tailgating and hanging with friends that I like more!).

When I saw this recipe, I knew I would try it to use up the apples leftover from apple picking. I actually never make apple pie. That task is left to my husband and daughter Jenny. It is their tradition. As soon as we come home from a fun afternoon of picking apples, they start right into making the pies.

Apple Raisin Pie Slices:

1 refrigerated pie crust (I used Pillsbury)
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups finely chopped, peeled baking apples

1/4 cup dark raisins

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon sugar


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll crust. Place crust in center of cookie sheet.

Mix 1/4 cup sugar, the flour and cinnamon. Add apples and raisins, toss to coat. Spoon apple mixture lengthwise down center third of crust to from 5 inch wide strip to within 1/2 inch of top and bottom ends, pressing lightly to distribute evenly. Dot apple mixture with butter.

Fold sides of cruse to center, overlapping center slightly, to enclose apple mixture . Fold top and bottom ends over about 1/2 inch. Brush lightly with water, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.


Bake for 18 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

MY TIP: I noticed the top and bottom edges were browning faster, so I covered the edges in tin foil (just like you would do for a pie).

I think what appeals to me most about this recipe is the rustic shape. I also like that the addition of the dark raisins adds a little color. The taste was also good, so I will use this at our next Oktoberfest party or Beer Tasting Party.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Holiday Party Invitations


I just finished my holiday party invitations for this year. Last year, I found the cutest invitation saying on the internet. Since it is tradition to have the largest snowstorm of the season on the evening of our party, I thought this verse was appropriate:

Oh, the weather outside might be frightful.
But our party
will be delightful.
(then the details of the party)
RSVP to xxx-xxxx
Let us know,
let us know,
let us know!

This year, after singing every Christmas carol I know and coming up with nothing, I ended up with a play on "Twas the night before Christmas".

The stockings were hung
by the chimney with care,

in hopes that you would attend
our holiday affair!


So let's hope for snow, just not a lot of it!


Sunday, November 15, 2009

Chicken three ways

My "Go To Chicken"


NOTEWORTHY"S "Incredible Chicken"




NOTEWORTHY"S "Just Good Chicken"




I love chicken. First, it's healthy and second, it's easy. I like whole roasted chickens but when it's just my husband and me I make drumsticks. There are only 80 calories in a drumstick and since I don't eat the skin there are even less! It is my "go to meal" when I don't feel like cooking or just want to make something simple. Chicken is NEVER requested in my house, because I make it so often. Usually when someone says "What's for dinner?" and I reply "Chicken", I usually hear a very sarcastic "That's great!" followed by me saying "It's healthy for you!" So you can imagine the excitement when I announced that we were going to "taste test" chicken!

I actually decided to make my "go to" recipe and two recipes I found in the NOTEWORTHY cookbook. I had to made the "Just Good Chicken" and "Incredible Chicken"--I am not making these names up! They are baking now so I can be a little sarcastic myself and wonder if they will live up to their names!

So here are the recipes and the verdict will be in shortly.

All the recipes require that you rinse your chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. And cook them for 40 minutes in a lightly oiled roasting pan turning half way though.

"My Go to Chicken":
(such a humble name!) Sprinkle with garlic salt, basil and fresh ground pepper.

"Just Good Chicken": Brush chicken with Dijon Mustard. Season with salt, paprika and basil.

"Incredible Chicken":
Season fairly heavily with garlic salt. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar.


The verdict is in. Nobody thought the "Incredible Chicken" was ... incredible. The results were mixed on the others. All were good. The "Just Good Chicken" scored the best. The "Go to chicken" was identified as one liked a lot but familiar. The incredible chicken was sweet and it you like sweet food you would probably enjoy this recipe. So I guess you will have to decide!

MY TIP: If you need an easy and simple meal, just rip open a bag of baby carrots, toss some extra virgin oil on top and toss them in the pan with the chicken!


Saturday, November 14, 2009

Pear Crostini


I saw a recipe for pear crositni and thought I would just make it for Thanksgiving without testing it first (which is something I never do!). Well then I remembered I had two recipes for pear crostini. Both similar, yet slightly different. So it was pear crostini day at our house! Both recipes were judged first on presentation and second on taste. I know that your thinking that taste should be the first criteria. But for me, if it's not pretty I don't like to serve it no matter how good it tastes!

Recipe 1:
Ingredients:
french baguette
green pear
good quality blue cheese
butter

Directions:
Slice french baguette
Core and slice a pear into thin strips
Saute pears in a little butter until tender
Put 3 pears slices on baguette in a fan style
Top with blue cheese
And bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts

Recipe 2:
Ingredients:
french baguette
green pear
good quality blue cheese
Philadelphia cream Cheese
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Slice french baguette
Lightly oil the baguette slices and bake at 350 degrees until the baguette is toast-like
Core and slice a pear into thin strips
Mix cream cheese and blue cheese to taste
Spread on the toasted baguette and top with a pear slice

It was unanimous: THE WINNER IS RECIPE #2

I am glad I tested them because I was just going to serve the first recipe. Although it was good, the second was better. These will be a good reminder to me that no matter how similar the recipes may be it's always best to try them out before serving them to company!

I think the cream cheese gave the flavor some extra depth. And the crunch and freshness of the raw pear was preferred over the softer sauteed pears. I liked the presentation and thought the green pear gave it more color. I also liked that the pear did not turn brown, which I thought it might. So this was super simple and will make a great addition for my fall appetizers and this will definitely be served at Thanksgiving!

MY TIP: I have used the same cream cheese/blue cheese combination on endive leaves and topped with crushed walnuts. It makes for a little more formal presentation and is great for a cocktail party!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Toffee Candy






















I am getting ready for our annual holiday party and I always make my own chocolates.
Making candy is one of the easiest things to do. All you have to do is use good quality chocolate and melt it in a double boiler. Once melted, add in anything you want from nuts to raisins to dried fruit to crushed hard candies. Here I just mixed in toffee and spooned it into candy molds and let it set up. I think it took me longer to wrap the candy than it did to make it! I love how festive these look wrapped!


MY TIP: It is important not to get any steam or water into the chocolate or it will ruin it.

Monday, November 9, 2009





Butterleaf Salad in a nest of Parmesan


When I saw Giadia's beautiful salad on television I was inspired! And with all recipes I believe you should make it exactly the way it is intended the first time and then make changes. I went for a walk that morning with my neighbor and told her about this gorgeous salad that I was going to make, she said she would love to try it. And she preceded to tell me how she had every kind of salad dressing in her refrigerator. I told her I have none! (I make mine from scratch.)

Later that day I made the salad. Well I loved the presentation but did not care for her dressing--a lemon and orange vinaigrette (although my neighbor liked it). So I experimented with some other options--a Caesar and a poppyseed (that I borrowed from my neighbor). So here is my version:

For the Parmesan Nests:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Take 1/4 cup of good quality grated Parmesan cheese and spread in a circle (I used a tool for making eggs into a perfect circle--I am neurotic like that!)
Spread evenly and bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown.
Once done, remove with metal spatula and press gently using a glass to form a nest into a muffin pan. That's it!

For the salad--
Chiffonade the butterleaf lettuce. I then added very thin slices of red onion and added a little Marzetti's poppyseed dressing and topped with a slice of clementine (I sliced the membrane off one side so the color would pop. I garnished it with a purple mum which picked up the purple from the onion for a beautiful presentation. It not only looked great but tasted great! And YES, I will actually use a store bought dressing!

MY TIP: I have made the Parmesan circles before and left them flat. They make a pretty presentation for sitting on top of a toasted slice of baguette floating in french onion soup!

Pot Stickers



So I always wanted to use won ton wrappers and for some reason I thought they would be hard to use (like phyllo dough is for me!). Turns out they are super easy to use. I found this pot sticker recipe online:


  • Filling:
  • 8 ounces celery cabbage (Napa cabbage)
  • 3 tsp salt, divided
  • 1 pound lean ground pork
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, with tops
  • 1 TB white wine
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Dash white pepper
  • Dipping Sauce:
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Other:
  • 2 - 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 12 ounces of chicken stock

Preparation:

Cut the cabbage across into thin strips. Mix with 2 teaspoons salt and set aside for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess moisture.

In a large bowl, mix the celery cabbage, pork, green onions, wine, cornstarch, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and the white pepper.



Place 1 tablespoon pork mixture in the center of the won ton wrapper. Follow the directions on the back of the won ton wrappers for folding instructions.

Heat a wok or nonstick skillet until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, tilting the wok to coat the sides. If using a nonstick skillet, add 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Place 5 dumplings in a single layer in the wok and fry 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. MY TIP: use a metal spatula for releasing these as there is a reason they are called pot STICKERS!

Add 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cover and cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

To make a dipping sauce, in a small bowl, mix the soy sauce with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Serve with the dumplings.

Since my family requested this 3 times in one week (which NEVER happens!) I knew this recipe would be good to serve for friends! I was right--they ate 75 pot stickers! I am glad I kept the rest of the menu simple because these were labor intensive and took me 4 hours to make!

I served oriental snacks from the Oriental Market and put them in Chinese takeout boxes for presentation. I cut the pineapple and stuck in maraschino cherries for color. I cheated and used Sushi from the grocery. I had experimented with Asian lettuce wraps but they were too sloppy so I skipped those. And of course there were fortune cookies! For drinks I used Chardonnay, mixed in a little cranberry juice for color and put sliced plums on the bottom for a garnish and called it "Plum Fusion". I knew my friends would not drink plum wine or sake! I have used this drink before once for a girls night in and called it "Tickle me Pink" and once for an evening of appetizers with friends before Christmas and called it "Sugar Plum Fairy". It always get rave reviews! And who doesn't like a signature drink!

Sushi Party

































Potstickers:

Since my family requested this 3 times in one week (which NEVER happens!) I knew this recipe would be good to serve for friends! I was right--they ate 75 pot stickers! I am glad I kept the rest of the menu simple because these were labor intensive and took me 4 hours to make!

I served oriental snacks from the Oriental Market and put them in Chinese takeout boxes for presentation. I cut the pineapple and stuck in maraschino cherries for color. I cheated and used Sushi from the grocery. I had experimented with Asian lettuce wraps but they were too sloppy so I skipped those. And of course there were fortune cookies! For drinks I used Chardonnay, mixed in a little cranberry juice for color and put sliced plums on the bottom for a garnish and called it "Plum Fusion". I knew my friends would not drink plum wine or sake! I have used this drink before once for a girls night in and called it "Tickle me Pink" and once for an evening of appetizers with friends before Christmas and called it "Sugar Plum Fairy". It always get rave reviews! And who doesn't like a signature drink!