Beets with Goat Cheese and Microgreen Salad - serves 4

Wow!  Two days in a row!  Well, yes.  And, don't get to comfy because I may be disappearing again, but only until after the holidays.

I had a friend of mine ask me today what would be a good and different salad to serve for holiday gatherings using seasonal vegetables.  Lucky for her, I had concocted one of my favorites for a client just recently.  She was in a rut, and wanted to break away from the traditional "blah" of typical salads and wanted hers to "jump off the plate".  If you're a fan of beets, which are fabulous when roasted, this is the salad is for you.  Now, I know what you're thinking... these beets aren't what your mother used to make.  They aren't boiled and they aren't pickled.  When paired with goat cheese they are simply wonderful.  And, as you can see, quite festive.  Layer as stacks and side them up with this simple salad, using microgreens (available at Central Market, Whole Foods or any specialty grocer) and toss with walnuts and pears, also in season.  Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and fresh lemon juice and yes, your salad with not only "jump off the plate" but your taste buds will be singing with joy.

Ingredients

4 beets, stem/greens removed & washed
6oz goat cheese
1 pkg microgreens (there are all kinds, arugula, kale, radish...just choose)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 pear, diced
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil and sea salt for drizzling/seasoning

Preheat oven to 400.  Individually wrap the beets in foil and bake in oven for about 30-45 minutes or until soft.  Remove from oven and unwrap.  Let cool and peel skin from beets. (Be careful... juice will stain!)  Slice beets about 1/4 in thick.  Making a stack, smear goat cheese between each layer.  For salad:  toss greens with walnuts and pear.  Toss with lemon juice, salt and olive oil.  Mound salad next to beet towers and serve.

A "Make Me Realize How Thankful I Am" Thanksgiving Cheesecake

Yes, I know what you're thinking.  "What the hay is this?", you ask.  Well, I know I've been absent for awhile so let's catch up.  Life has been nuts.  I wrote of it in October and it's only gotten busier.  Family activities aside, my business has been doing great and has kept me running.  Literally.  So, when not one, but two families (not including my own) hired me to cater their Thanksgiving dinner, I ran even faster.  Up two days before the big day, I was smooth sailing.  I was to deliver on Wednesday and head to the in-laws after (that's a whole new post).  Tuesday was final prep work and "make the cheesecakes day".  I had everything to make them and was using my dearly, beloved grandmother's recipe that is by far the best cheesecake in the world.  Men swooned over it, women envied her and her grand-kids always requested it when they visited. So, I was going to make it.  Have I mentioned how much I hate baking?  Well, I followed the instructions to a "T" and 22 minutes into baking time (it's supposed to cook for an hour), I have smoke bellowing out of my oven.  This is what I pull out.  (See pic above) My oven practically caught on fire.  I was so utterly exhausted that right there, in the middle of my kitchen, I had a knock-yourself-out temper tantrum.  It was so bad I scared the cat out of our den, upstairs and into our daughters bedroom where she didn't come out until the following day.  Not one, but TWO cheesecakes destroyed.  I had to make these today so they could set for tomorrow.  What was I going to do?  (Thankful #1)I called my superman husband and between him and his dad, they bought me a new oven.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get it installed until the following AFTERNOON.  Let me assure you that I had cried all my makeup off and grew about 42 more gray hairs. (Thankful #2) My girlfriends, 7 to be exact, took me to dinner that evening and assured me that it would be ok to purchase a cheesecake from Central Market, even though I wasn't too happy about it. I really had no choice.  The next day, 8am, I'm standing at the bakery counter at CM and the baker tells me that "WE DON'T HAVE CHEESECAKES".  I asked him for a towel and I started crying in it.  I mean like, c-r-y-i-n-g.  That's when I heard my grandmother's (and my mother's) voice say, "honey, you can do this! Now wipe those tears and move your tukas!" So, that's what I did.  The poor baker even helped me load the items in my cart (Thankful #2 1/2).  (Thankful #3) My neighbor, Lord bless her, let me use her ovens to not only bake my cheesecakes, but to cater these meals. (Maybe I should take over a cheesecake?)  (Thankful #4) My clients loved everything.  (Thankful #5) I miss Nana, and yes, she would have been oh, so proud, even though I went all mashuga on her. (Thankful #6) My mom told me so. To end, it all worked out.  The moral, I still hate baking.

Voila. 

Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
3/4 cups sugar
2 heaping tbs flour
pinch of salt
4 large packages of Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
Juice of 2 lemons

Preheat oven to 300.  Mix the first 4 ingredients, in a medium bowl, well, to create the crust.  Grease a Springform pan with butter and add crumb mixture.  Press on bottom and along the sides of pan. 

Using a mixer, beat eggs until light yellow, adding sugar slowly.  Break cheese in pieces and add while beating.  Add milk slowly to mixture and beat well.  Add remaining ingredients, mixing well to incorporate.  Pour in prepared pan.  (You can add additional crumbs on top if you'd like, but I did a fruit compote.)

Bake for 1 hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN.  Turn off the oven, still not opening, and leave in oven until oven is cool.  Transfer to refrigerator and let set, 8 hours or overnight.

Not Your Ordinary Salad - serves 4

Reaping the last benefits of my garden, I concocted this wonderful salad kissing the summer (and it's heat) goodbye.  With fall at the backdoor, the only thing that will be missed about summer is her vegetables.  My garden was actually quite pathetic this year; going from an abundance in crops in 2010 to looking like the sun and her heat had eaten everything they could get their hands on. On occasion, there would be a zucchini or squash that would come through to save a dinner, but then a (cuss word) squirrel would be hiding behind a squash leaf and run away with it. I've been known to chase a few but they win, time after time.  But as you can see, I was able to salvage a few, and this salad is our reward. You don't have to have lettuce to make a salad.  You need great veggies and others who share the same passion as you, homegrown-ness.  And, I'm sure the squirrels are feasting on them as well.  That's ok.... they won't be eating my eggplant.  I'm ready.

Ingredients

2 zucchini, washed and cut into thin strips using a mandoline or a peeler
2 squash, washed and cut into thin strips using a mandoline or a peeler
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tbs fresh parsley and/or fresh oregano
White balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Really good olive oil for drizzling
Sea Salt and Fresh ground pepper

Directions

Arrange zucchini and squash as separate mounds on a large platter.  Spread tomatoes around platter and top with parsley and/or oregano.  Drizzle with both vinegar and olive oil.  Top with salt and pepper then serve.

Thrumbprint Cookies, adapted from the Joy of Cooking

I hate to bake.  I get a lot of wrinkled eyebrows when I make this statement since I'm a chef.  The thing with baking is that if you mess it up, you have to start all over.  I haven't always hated baking.  In fact, I used to love it when I was in college.  I dated this guy who happened to be on the baseball team and he loved it when I baked for him.  So, one day I decided to use 3/4th's of my allowance and make him my grandmother's famous Hershey's chocolate cake.  This cake was loved by many and it was going to be a sure hit with this guy.  I followed the recipe to the T.  It's not easy to make, which made it all the more daunting.  After skipping a day's worth of classes (kidding, mom) I retrieved my cake out of the oven to see a beautiful display of chocolate, signifying the love of a grandmother.  That's when it completely deflated right before my eyes.  Not sure if I was more upset of the wasted effort or the loss of my allowance.  I was so mad I began flinging chocolate chunks all over my apartment floor.  Yes, the boyfriend ate it anyway (very nice on his part) but still, it bore a hatred so deep within me I decided I was done with baking.  And, eventually, so was the relationship.  So, I guess that's the one good thing that came out of it.  If your cakes don't rise to the occasion, than likely the person your dating at the time won't either.  Now, I am forced to bake for my children's birthdays.  Taking cookies to school is the one thing I dread until finally my sweet daughter took the hint and asked for something simple, thumbprint cookies.  These won't clean out your wallet and no class skipping is necessary.  Just eat with whom you love and know that the thrill of baking is for these times only.

Ingredients

Whisk together:

1.5 cups all-purpose flour 

1/3 cup cornstarch 

1/4 tsp. baking powder 

1/4 tsp. baking soda

 1/4 tsp. salt 

 

Beat on Med. Speed: 

3 1/2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter, softened 

1 tbsp. canola oil 

1 tbsp. light corn syrup 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 med egg 

1/4 oz. lemon juice 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1 tsp. almond extract 

Jam or Preserves as needed

Directions

 

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk together dry ingredients.
Mix on Medium Speed Wet ingredients until thoroughly blended.
Mix the dry into the wet until combined (but not too wet).
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls.
Use thumb or knuckle to create a well in each cookie.
Fill well with Preserves (do not overfill).
Bake for 6 to 9 minutes until cookies are firm and very lightly brown.
Let rest on warm cookie sheet 2 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool.

Number of Servings: 26

 

Fall Teaser Gumbo - serves a crowd

I'm going to start off by saying this isn't a "quick" recipe that you can just whip out.  And, no, I haven't made it recently because lately, I have felt as if I've been on one of those playground carousels that spins beyond the speed of sound and if I get off, I'm going to be a mess.  No, I fixed this over the summer as we vacationed with the in-laws.  Cooking gumbo during this time with a glass or two (or three) of wine tends to take my mind off, well, I won't go into it, but surely you get where I'm coming from.  With the skies opening up last night that brought us gallons of water and hail in about 20 minutes, a cool, welcomed air followed.  To this I started thinking about the hopeful coming of fall and what it brings with it. Warm stews and hearty meals and of course, football.  It is my hope that such a storm that hit with such velocity kicked this Texas heat out of here along with the mosquito's that have hovered in its wings.  So here's to being hopeful.  If not, I'll just have a glass of wine, hoping the carousel will stop to let me off.  Even for just a bit.

Ingredients

• 1 pound crab meat without the legs, rinsed well and quartered
• 1 pound fresh fish, such as trout, skinned and cut into bite size pieces
• 1 1/4 pounds andouille or other spicy sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped poblano peppers
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 pound small okra, stem ends trimmed and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup lager beer
• 10 cups shrimp or fish stock (available in the frozen section of a specialty grocery store)
• 1 teaspoon liquid crab boil
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup cooled Dark Brown Roux, See How To Roux, recipe follows
• 2 pounds medium (26 to 30 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon Essence, see note below
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Steamed White rice, for serving
• Chopped Green Onion Tops, for serving

*Get Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning located at your local grocery store

Cook the andouille, in batches, in a large stockpot, over medium-high heat until browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove the andouille with a slotted spoon, place on a paper towel-lined plate, and reserve. Add the vegetable oil to the stockpot and heat with any excess fat from the sausage over medium-high heat. Add the onions, poblanos, and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the okra and cook, stirring, until the vegetable has released most of its slime, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, basil, thyme, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the beer to the vegetable mixture, stirring to incorporate, and then slowly add the stock, stirring well. Add the reserved browned sausage, liquid crab boil, salt, and pepper to the stock and bring mixture to a boil. When mixture is at a boil, add the roux, a little at a time and whisking to incorporate. Wait until mixture returns to a boil before adding more roux. When all of the roux has been added, bring gumbo to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Using a clean ladle, occasionally skim any impurities or foam that rises to the top of the gumbo.
Season the shrimp with the Essence in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp, fish,  to the gumbo, stir well, and cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Serve immediately over steamed white rice and garnish with chopped green onions tops, if desired.

How to Roux:  (Specialty grocery stores have this available as well should you not want to make it!)

3 cups vegetable oil

5 cups all-purpose flour

Place a heavy, iron , Dutch oven (or iron skillet with deep sides) over medium heat and heat the oil until just smoking. Whisk in flour, a little at a time and cook, whisking constantly, until roux becomes smooth and thick. Continue to cook, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon and reaching all over bottom of pan, until roux darkens to desired color. Be careful not to produce specs of black. The roux must remain an even color throughout process. If specs appear you must start over.

For a Light Brown Roux, cook the mixture, over medium heat for 2 hours, or until the color of chocolate. Remove about 1 cup of the light colored roux, cool completely. 

Yield: about 4 1/2 cups roux

NOTE: The timings for various shades of roux will vary depending on the cooktop as well as the amount of roux made. (A smaller amount will cook in much less time.) If this is your first time making a roux, the slower you cook it, the less likely you will be to burn it. The important thing is to cook the roux to the desired color, as specified above.

On the Fly Buffalo Tacos - serves 4

These past 2 weeks have been absolutely insane!  And, it's only going to get busier.  The once and not too long ago saying I heard only a couple of weeks ago of, "Mom, I'm bored", seem like a distant memory.  We have hit the ground running and there are no water stands in sight for a quick, refreshing drink.  (Unless you count the glass of wine at 5pm but I can't "chug" like I used to.)  Women have always been known to multi-task but I never thought I could button skirts with my toes, clean the toilet, cook food and scoop cat poop at the same time.  I think they should bring back that show we watched in the 80's called "That's Incredible" with Cathy Lee Crosby and Fran Tarkenton and put us moms on the show.  I mean seriously.  Then, there's the book, now a movie with Sarah Jessica Parker called, "I Don't See How She Does It".  I wish I overheard my husband saying that to someone, anyone, everyday.  Well, that's going to happen like me being in the movie so why not fix something for dinner that has them possibly thinking it?  It's a start and, my wine glass is raised to all of you moms doing (and wishing) the same thing.  Bottoms up!

 Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground buffalo (lean ground beef can be used but I swear this is better!)
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
2 cups water
8 corn tortillas or taco shells
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup iceberg lettuce (I used arugula)
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
Avocado, sour cream, hot sauce all optional


Directions


Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic and buffalo; cook 5 minutes or until meat is done, stirring to crumble.  Add tomato paste and next 4 ingredients (through pepper); stir well to combine.  Stir in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until thick.


Warm tortillas/taco shells according to package.  Fill with meat and assorted toppings and you're good to go!

Linguini with Two Cheese Sauce - serves 4

Well, summer may still be here but school has begun.  My son ventured to his first day of junior high this morning and with weepy eyes, I let him go.  He made his way across the street with not boys, but with a group of very cute girls, all parading their way to a new chapter in lives.  And my son, looking sportier than ever, with a huge "look at me" smile on his face as he escorted the ladies to their first day of junior high.  I was told by a dear friend that I can cry all I want, just stay in car for goodness sakes. I did get out, but along with other moms, we just watched our first-borns walk away.  Although I still have my daughter at home, who starts school on Wednesday, I'm saddened.  My how they grow....  As I was preparing the two of us lunch today, I told her that I'm going to miss my lunches with her and her brother.  It may just be 10 minutes, but I'm going to miss those 10 minutes.  Before you know it, there won't be 10 minutes left.  So, I am reminded of my camp, once again, when I got to share a quick lunch eating pasta, right out of the pot.  Slurping and sucking pasta with cheese is classic kid memories.  Get your 10 minutes in while you can.....

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked linguine
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

Directions

• 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.
• 2. While pasta cooks, combine milk, 2 teaspoons basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl; stir milk mixture with a whisk.
• 3. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add flour to pan, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk mixture; cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and add 1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano and mascarpone cheese to milk mixture. Add cheese mixture to pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with remaining 4 teaspoons basil and remaining 1/2 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Bolognese with Cousins.... serves 4 with leftovers

I've been talking about my cooking camp and the recipes that came with it.  I'm going to take a "side-step" and talk about my trip to California this past week.  I don't get here often, and when I do, I stay with my cousin Kelley, her husband Joe and their 4 girls, Aly, Andie, Georgia and Jackie.  I can't even begin to tell you how much fun we have together.  Not only does the weather put a nice bow on the top, but it's a week of severe fun and laughter.  Kelley has been that "big sister" I never had.  Ever since we spent summers together as kids in Colorado, taking cruises with our beloved Nana, have I grown to look up to her.  She makes me laugh, accepts me for who I am and is always there to listen to my deepest desires and secrets.  I can't imagine my life or summers, for that matter, without her.  I've visited sunny California since college and I can't stop going.  So, with this trip, and as we've aged with our own kids, it's a homecoming of sorts.  Yes, I did cook all but 2 meals during our 7 day stay, but to be honest, it has brought us even closer.  Her kids are blossoming into beautiful young girls and watching them interact with mine makes me reflect to those summers as tots to teenagers.  And, come to find out, they love kale and roasted vegetables.  Kelley is the the final touch in my life of recipes.  Without her, my life would be just bland.  Thanks for a wonderful week.... I truly love you with everything I am. (Despite Andie wearing her "Giants World Series Champions t-shirt as I serve her dinner.)

Ingredients

Olive oil
3/4 cup carrots, finely diced
3/4 cup celery, finely diced
3/4 cup onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4oz pancetta, diced
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup water, diced (reserve water)
1 pd ground chuck
1 pd ground veal
1 pd ground pork
28 oz whole or diced tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup white zifandel
1/2 cup reserved mushroom water
6oz tomato paste

Directions

Add olive oil (enough to cover pan) to large soup pot over medium heat.  Add vegetables and saute until almost burnt, about 15-20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Add pancetta and saute an additional 5 minutes.  Add veal, beef and pork and with wooden spoon, break up meat until almost "minced".  Cook until browned, continuing to break up.  Add porcini, stirring to incorporate.  Add 1/2 cup reserved mushroom water, 1/2 wine and tomatoes.  Again, break up to a "mince".  Bring to a soft boil and reduce, about 10-15  minutes.  Add tomato paste and stir to incorporate.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce thickens.  Add to your favorite pasta.

Gazpacho - serves 4

Day two of my cooking camp the kids and I re-visited our trip to the Farmers Market.  Not only did we peruse through the sheds, we stopped and visited with my sweet friend, Anna, who I've mentioned before in this blog.  She's a passionate farmer who doesn't shy away from the importance of buying local as well as teaching kids that they are our future when it comes to sustainable farming.  She even talked about bees to which she stressed that if we (the kids) don't start taking care of what their peers have done a good job of destroying, will be gone.  Not a good thing for Planet Earth.  She then concocted a treasure of a salad using only vegetables and fruits that she grew herself, had her husband chop up and used only a little salt for taste. 

The kids were served with makeshift plates and were amazed at how little it takes to prepare something so simple.  And, they liked it.  So, shall be a batch of gazpacho.  Summer in a glass or bowl and a toast to the Anna's of the world who work hard to provide us with such and to the kids that will hopefully fill her big shoes.

Ingredients

• 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 large red bell peppers, cored and quartered
• 2 large yellow bell peppers, cored and quartered
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
• 1 large white onion, cut into 1/2-inch slabs
• 2 ears of corn, husked
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

Preparation

• Light a grill. Thread the garlic cloves onto a skewer. Lightly brush the garlic, bell peppers, zucchini, onion and corn with the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables over moderately high heat, turning frequently, until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic and let steam for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the garlic cloves from the skewers, peel them and transfer to a large bowl. Using a large serrated knife, cut the charred corn kernels into the bowl. Peel the peppers and add them to the bowl along with the zucchini, onion, cumin, crushed red pepper, tomato juice, orange juice, lemon juice and vinegar.
• Working in batches, puree the vegetable mixture in a blender or food processor. Pour the gazpacho into a clean bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
• Just before serving, stir the cilantro into the gazpacho. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the cucumber and serve.

Open Faced Plum Sandwiches with Proscuitto -serves 4

I had the wonderful experience of teaching a cooking camp the last two weeks, two different groups, all different in the their own special way.  I had experienced cooks (at least to their standards), I had the "I'll try anything you make/put in front of me" cooks and I had the "that's an oven?" kind of cooks.  All of them, by my standards, deserved a grand toque by the time the camp was complete.  You see, I took on the challenge of teaching kids how to prepare a 4 course meal for their parents as well as, proper table setting, manners and restaurant etiquette.  We nearly lost two fingers, which I thought was a rather low number, 1 burn (shouldn't scar) and enough spills that could have led to a complete meal in itself.  My newly purchased Roomba (the robotic vacuum) was kept at bay as it picked up endless amounts of spillage from these budding chefs.  All in all, if I can get 2 dozen kids to think outside the fast food box, we might, just might, have more "at home" chefs in the kitchens of the future.  Our first course was a "not your typical kids appetizer",  as very well it should be.

Ingredients

• /4 cup fig preserves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/3 cup (3 ounces) soft goat cheese
• 4 (2-ounce) slices country wheat bread, halved diagonally then toasted
• 1 cup loosely packed arugula
• 2 ripe plums, cut into thin wedges
• 3 ounces very thin slices prosciutto

Preparation

• 1. Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; set aside.
• 2. Spread 3/4 ounce cheese evenly over each bread slice; divide arugula, plum wedges, and prosciutto evenly over sandwiches. Drizzle each sandwich with about 1 tablespoon fig preserves mixture.