Recipe: Summer Vegetable and Burrata Salad

 

Summer Vegetable and Burrata Salad

Food and Wine Magazine, Sept 2016, p. 64

4.7 stars

This was the perfect salad for us to use some mint and basil from our herb garden -- plus who doesn't love burrata!!!  Such an easy salad to put together and incredibly flavorful and complex from the herbs, creamy burrata, bitter arugula, crunchy corn, acidic dressing and tomatoes. The only ingredient we didn't include was fava beans as I couldn't find them in our local grocery store.

Ingredients: arugula, burrata cheese, mixed cherry tomatoes, corn, mint, basil, fava beans, extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Make sure to let the corn cool so it doesn't wilt the greens

Recipe: Leek and Potato Galettes

Leek and Potato Galettes

Edible Dallas & Fort Worth, Spring 2017, p. 24

4.6 stars

These galettes were so flavorful even without the two sauces. It's a great side dish that reminded me of latkes. Instead of making small patties (the recipe says it makes 30 3" galettes), we made half the recipe and it resulted in two large pan-sized patties.

Ingredients: red-skinned potatoes, leeks, cilantro, shallot, jalapeno, lime, Greek or full-fat yogurt, flour, canola oil olive oil, sea salt, pepper

Recipe: Spicy Sausage Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash

Spicy Sausage Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash

Food & Wine Magazine, Sept 2020, p. 44

5 stars

Wow. Really delicious, complex, restaurant-worthy dish. In a restaurant, this would be $16 per serving; I would serve this at a dinner party.

I'd had harissa before in restaurants but had never purchased it -- I love the condiment! Our grocery store had the Mina brand which was noted in the recipe.

Super fast to make. Great for a weeknight meal. We'll DEFINITELY be making this one again.

Ingredients: orecchiette or small shells pasta, fresh merguez or spicy Italian sausage, spicy harissa, zucchini, mint, feta cheese, dry white wine, multicolored cherry tomatoes, olive oil, Kosher salt

Recipe: Ricotta and Roasted Grape Crostini

 

Ricotta and Roasted Grape Crostini

Food and Wine Magazine, Dec 2014, p. 88

5 stars

This was so simple and definitely a restaurant-worthy, dinner party appetizer.  So flavorful. We've made crostini before, but this is the best so far. 

Ingredients: baguette slices, ricotta, grapes, balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, rosemary, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, lemon zest, flaky sea salt and pepper

Tip

• Used walnuts instead of pine nuts (don't think pine nuts are actually right for this dish!)

(Find recipe under: Salad - Celery, Fennel and Apple Salad with Pecornio and Walnuts)

Recipe: Heirloom Tomato BLT Tart

 

Heirloom Tomato BLT Tart

Today Show

5 Stars

I was watching The Today Show and saw the New York Times food editor (or maybe critic?) make this. It looked so easy, and I thought it was a great way for us to use up the puff pastry we've had in our freezer.

It was so good but messy (because of the super flaky puff pastry). It would be great for an appetizer at a dinner party. Next time, we may try this but using Tyler Florence's pizza dough recipe.

Ingredients: puff pastry, baby lettuces or arugula, heirloom tomatoes, bacon, mascarpone or creme fraiche, grated Parmesan, light brown sugar, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, flaky sea salt

Recipe: Tomato & Prosciutto Tartines

Tomato & Prosciutto Tartines

Better Homes & Gardens, Sept 2020, p. 78   

5 Stars

So simple yet so incredibly delicious -- AND we were able to use up pesto (we've had lots of pesto in the house as our basil has gone gangbusters this year!).

This recipe would be great as a lunch item or appetizer, but hey, we had it as our entree for dinner and loved it.

Ingredients: French bread, pesto, tomatoes, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, arugula, garlic

Tips/Notes:

• We toasted the bread instead of broiling it and didn't brush the bread with olive oil and garlic -- there's enough oomph and flavor from everything else that we didn't think it was necessary to take this extra step
• Didn't broil the assembled tartines -- may do that in the future but wanted a "cold" dish this time

Recipe: Chopped Kale Salad with Prosciutto and Figs

Chopped Kale Salad with Prosciutto and Figs

Food and Wine Magazine, May 2014, p.150

5 Stars

I've been seeing figs in the grocery store and then found this recipe I'd torn out of the magazine back from 2014. So glad we made this salad as it's now one of my FAVORITE! Definitely restaurant-worthy. I can see this easily being a $16 salad in a high-end restaurant. We had this with Savory Cheese Souffles.

Ingredients: Tuscan kale, Belgian endive, radicchio, figs, prosciutto, Gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, mascarpone cheese, apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, walnut oil, salt, pepper

Notes/Tips:

• I'm not a radicchio fan and raw kale in salads is just, eh... so we substituted mixed greens & arugula
• Made half the dressing -- which still made a lot! Make 1/4 next time
• Didn't want to buy walnut oil so substituted extra-virgin olive oil
• Used Gorgonzola crumbles

Recipe: Frittata-rama

Frittata-rama

Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2018, p. 132

4.8 Stars

I personally LOVED this frittata. Partner-chef-hubby-non-blog contributor the grandcruman prefers other frittata recipes that are baked. 

Regardless, the ingredients in this dish were delish: bacon, potatoes, cheese, eggs ... the perfect lunch/brunch frittata!

Ingredients: eggs, sharp cheddar, chopped bacon, onion, Yukon Gold potatoes, Swiss chard, olive oil, salt, pepper

Notes/Tips:

• Used kale instead of Swiss chard; had to cook the kale separately first
• Because we used more leafy greens (for us, kale) than was called for, we should have added more eggs than just the 8 

Recipe: Cauliflower Soup with Hazelnuts and Bacon

Cauliflower Soup with Hazelnuts and Bacon

Bon Appetit Magazine, Dec 2017/Jan 2018, p.14

4.3 stars

I think this soup was good, but I like Grant Achatz's Silky Zucchini Soup better; now non-blog-contributor the grandcruman liked this soup more than me and more than the zucchini soup (but he's not writing this blog entry!).

My reason for selecting this recipe -- it's not that it sounded that appetizing, but it used up the fennel bulb we had in the fridge. 

The recipe is from a couple of years ago when Bon Appetit Magazine had the "r.s.v.p." section in each issue where readers could ask for the recipe of their favorite dish at a restaurant. This is from Waterfront Wines in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Ingredients: cauliflower, fennel bulb, onion, bacon, blanched hazelnuts, garlic, dry white wine, chicken broth, heavy cream, bay leaves, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Notes:

• Couldn't find hazelnuts so used almonds -- I think hazelnuts next time will definitely add another layer of complexity/dimension to the soup
• The recipe took at least an hour to make (active time)

Recipe: Chicken-and-Gnocchi Bake with Broccolini

Chicken-and-Gnocchi Bake with Broccolini

marthastewart.com

4.4 Stars

Really good easy weeknight GNOCCHI dish! We've had some gnocchi fails so this was an "in-a-pinch" gnocchi dish using pre-made (fresh/frozen ones) -- with Gruyere, one of my favorite cheeses. The dish was bubbling (as you can see) coming out of the oven. Great ski dinner recipe!

Ingredients: Broccolini, fresh or frozen gnocchi, cooked chicken, Gruyere, Parmigiano-Reggiano, butter, garlic, all-purpose flour, chicken broth, Kosher salt, pepper

Notes:

• Used Rotisserie chicken

Recipe: Basil Ravioli

Basil Ravioli

Food & Wine Magazine, Jun 2019, p. 110

Need to make again; Flavor was 4.8 stars

Now this was a new technique for making ravioli that didn't actually work. As you can see from the photos, it involved adding basil leaves between two sheets of dough and then putting it through the pasta rollers. The pasta sheets fell apart due to the wetness and thinness of the dough (yes, we did dry the basil). Instead of this extra step, putting a leaf or two on top of the ravioli filling may work better next time.

The filling was delicious but a little bit on the salty side so go light on the salt!

I liked the raw "fresh tomato sauce" but home chef partner/blog (now, non-)contributor the grandcruman was not a fan.

We'll try this recipe again at some point again but using our notes above.

Ingredients: homemade dough sheets, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, heirloom tomatoes, basil, flour, extra-virgin olive oil, Balsamic glaze (optional), water, Kosher salt, black pepper

Recipe: Smoky Tofu Chili

Smoky Tofu Chili

MarthaStewart.com 

4.7 Stars

You're probably thinking . . . tofu chili?!?!? Yes, we were skeptical too but were willing to try this out based on the ingredient list which looked flavorful. It was definitely flavorful, GOOD and healthy. Anytime I see chipotle in adobo and fire-roasted tomatoes, the dish has an extra punch. Loved the texture of the tofu in this with the red bell pepper.

Ingredients: extra-firm tofu, red bell pepper, red onion, chipotle in adobo, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, black beans, tomato paste, cilantro, ground cumin, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Notes:

• Added cheddar cheese (like you add to regular chili!)
• Had tortilla chips on the side

Recipe: Sheet-Pan Chicken Meatballs and Charred Broccoli

 

Sheet-Pan Chicken Meatballs and Charred Broccoli

Bon Appetit Magazine, p.16, March 2019

4.7 Stars

This recipe had so much flavor -- just take a look at the ingredient list (ginger, garlic, honey, soy sauce and more). It was delicious! Generally, ground chicken is a bit dry, but these meatballs were incredibly moist. Also, although it looks like a lot of sauce, make it all as the sauce goes great on the broccoli and rice.

Meatball and Assembly Ingredients: rice, ground chicken, broccoli, egg, scallions, garlic, ginger, panko, toasted sesame oil, vegetable oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes

Sauce Ingredients: ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, rice cooking wine, honey, soy sauce, ginger, black pepper

Recipe: Fried-Bread Panzanella with Ricotta and Herbs

 

Fried-Bread Panzanella with Ricotta and Herbs

Bon Appetit Magazine, Sept 2018

4.5 stars

Super easy weeknight recipe. Went really well with fried chicken! 

Ingredients: sourdough bread, ricotta, heirloom tomatoes, basil, parsley, shallot, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, red-wine vinegar, flaky sea salt, black pepper

Notes:

• Didn't fry the bread. Toasted and buttered it instead.

• Added fresh mozzarella.

Recipe: Hawaiian Pork Bowl

Hawaiian Pork Bowl

Food and Wine Magazine, July 2017, p.88
5 stars

Restaurant-worthy dish (and as good or better than any True Food Kitchen bowl).

Overall the bowl is layered with so many flavors: rice as the base + marinated pork, bacon, grilled red onion, grilled pineapple, jalapeno, avocado, cilantro and a bright dressing. The inspiration of the dish comes from Graham Elliot. 

This was the first time we've ever marinated meat in tea, and it worked out nicely. According to the recipe, "sweet tea is an ideal marinade for pork because its sugars help to caramelize the meat as it cooks."

Ingredients: rice, pork tenderloin, bacon, pineapple, avocado, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, English breakfast tea bags, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper, boiling water

Pork and Asparagus Stir-Fry

 

Pork and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Bon Appetit Magazine, Apr 2020, p.28
4.2 stars

I'm not an asparagus fan so we made this with green beans instead. Really delicious. I was debating whether I liked this or the Spicy Green Bean and Tofu Stir-Fry with Bison better. They're just different. . . this recipe doesn't require boiling the beans ~ they're sauteed and there isn't a sauce. Both are good but I prefer the tofu/bison recipe.
Ingredients: cooked rice, asparagus, ground pork, scallions, garlic, ginger, Shaoxing wine or medium-dry sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, Kosher salt

Recipe: Seared Salmon with Miso-Honey Sauce

Seared Salmon with Miso-Honey Sauce
Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2019, p. 22
5 stars

Delicious easy weekday meal. Could make less miso sauce but ended up using it on the steamed broccoli we made (plus our leftover broccoli).

Ingredients: salmon, rice, ginger, scallions, white miso, honey, unseasoned rice vinegar, sesame seeds, vegetable oil, Kosher salt

Recipe: Grilled Carrots with Avocado and Mint

Grilled Carrots with Avocado and Mint
Bon Appetit Magazine, June/July 2020, p. 22
5 stars for me/2.5 stars for the grandcruman

This is a little embarrassing. I thought this was a taco recipe from looking at the image on the recipe. It's actually a SIDE DISH, but hey, it worked for us as vegetarian tacos! I really liked the flavors but blog non-contributor the grandcruman wasn't a huge fan, thus the difference in ratings above. We often have all of these ingredients (except for ginger) on hand so this is a great lunch that I can make... for me!

Ingredients: carrots, avocados, mint leaves, serrano chile, ginger, cumin seeds, lemon juice, honey, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Recipe: Charred Focaccia and Steak Salad

Charred Focaccia and Steak Salad
Food & Wine Magazine, Aug 2020, p. 42
4 stars

Blog contributor the grandcruman really liked the salad. I thought it was ok -- good, but could have used avocado. I did like the heat from the Calabrian chiles in the dressing. Good weeknight salad.

Ingredients: strip steak, arugula, tomato, Persian cucumbers, focaccia, watercress, red onion, extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, Calabrian chiles, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips/Notes:

• Used hanger steak (so tender!) instead of strip steak
• Used grilled bread that we had on hand instead of focaccia
• Left out the watercress

Recipe: Pan-Seared Scallops with Chorizo and Corn

Pan-Seared Scallops with Chorizo and Corn
Bon Appetit Magazine, Sep 2018, p.44
5 stars

We made another delicious restaurant-worthy dish that I could see South Carolina Chef Sean Brock or Texas Chef Stephen Pyles making. It's surprisingly a relatively "quick" dish to make!

We had made this before, but bought chorizo that was too oily and that fell apart last time so I hadn't taken a photo or blogged about it. This time, the dish was perfect. When making this dish, make sure to use fresh corn, not frozen.

Ingredients: large sea scallops, corn, smoked Spanish chorizo, scallions, cilantro, garlic, serrano, buttermilk, butter, lime, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Halved the amount of garlic (afraid it was going to overpower the dish)
• Used about half the amount of scallions
• Served gruyere bread on the side

Recipe: Rice Noodle Salad Bowls with Grilled Lemongrass Chicken

Rice Noodle Salad Bowls with Grilled Lemongrass Chicken
Food and Wine Magazine, Feb 2019, p. 74
4.5 stars

We don't have a Vietnamese restaurant near where we live, so I haven't had my "vermicelli bowl" with pork and spring roll in a long time. I found this recipe in my stash, and it's restaurant-worthy! No need to go to a Vietnamese restaurant anymore for the bowls, well, unless we don't want to take the time to make this as there is a lot of chopping and steps. The chicken marinade flavor was so good, we'll have to remember this for other Asian dishes.

Ingredients for the marinade: lemongrass, shallot, light brown sugar, canola oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, cayenne pepper

Ingredients for the bowl: chicken thighs, rice stick noodles, lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro, mint, basil, roasted peanuts or cashews, canola oil

Ingredients for the Nuoc Cham: water, lime juice, maple syrup or sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, carrot, Thai chile or serrano, garlic

Optional: fried shallots or onions

Tips:

• Added carrot to the bowls
• Didn't make or add fried shallots or onions
• This is a "light" dish so next time, serve with gyoza or egg/spring rolls

Burrata and Prosciutto Toast ("Somebody Feed Phil" Inspired)

Burrata and Prosciutto Toast ("Somebody Feed Phil" Inspired from His Chicago Episode)
5 stars

My all-time favorite food show is "Somebody Feed Phil" on Netflix. It makes me so happy watching it -- seeing Phil travel to amazing places around the world, getting to know people and their cultures as well as eating amazing food, all while having fun (I laugh every time!).

We were watching his Chicago episode on Season 3 where he goes to Monteverde restaurant and tries one of the chef's favorite menu items -- an appetizer called Burrata E Ham. On their menu, here is the description:

BURRATA E HAM

rosemary tigelle, culatta prosciutto, arugula, grilled cherry tomato, toasted garlic  24

Tempesta finocchiona  add 5   prosciutto butter  add 4

We made the dish for much less than $24.

At some point, I'll figure out how to make rosemary tigelle, but here's how we made it (similar to how Phil ate it on the show) which is a little different from what is described above:

- Toasted bread
- Buttered the bread
- Added prosicutto
- Added shaved cantaloupe
- Added burrata

Mmmmmmm mmmmmm! (Can you hear Phil saying that? It's what I said it when we ate this!)

Recipe: Melissa Joan Hart's Lasagna Roll-ups

Melissa Joan Hart's Lasagna Roll-ups
Us Weekly, Dec 11, 2017, p.58
5 stars

After having steak and more meat than usual, I was looking for a good vegetarian dish, and THIS IS IT!!!  We've made this before, but I hadn't blogged/logged it in this journal.

This dish is so good, you won't even miss the meat. Note that the dish is a little watery, but that is to be expected because of the zucchini. Really great dish for people who want lasagna but are trying to cut out white pasta/carbs. Interestingly, the red bell pepper adds a nice flavor and crunch. Can't wait to eat the leftovers!

Ingredients: zucchini, 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, ricotta or cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, spinach or kale, carrots, red bell pepper, egg, parsley, basil, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper

Tips/Notes:

• Layered the zucchini instead of rolling them
• Took about 45 min for prep
• Used spinach 
• Used ricotta

Recipe: Burst Cherry Tomatoes and Pancetta

Burst Cherry Tomatoes and Pancetta
Food and Wine Magazine, July 2018, p. 35
5 stars

Of all the dishes we've made that go with bread/toast, this one is my favorite. It has so much flavor because of the pancetta. This dish can be an appetizer, but we had it as our main meal and tossed in some pasta with it. And check it out -- just 7 ingredients including the bread itself!

Ingredients: toasted bread, cherry tomatoes, pancetta, ricotta, yellow onion, garlic, fine sea salt

Tips:

• Add red pepper flakes
• As mentioned above, we boiled pasta on the side and tossed some of the tomato mixture with it
• Add some fresh basil to the top when serving

Recipe: Chicken and Pork Paella

Chicken and Pork Paella
Food and Wine Magazine, Sept 2017, p.112
5 stars

Paella and cava. DELICIOUS!!!!
This was a really different paella recipe as you can see from the ingredient list below -- no seafood! We have been enjoying the leftovers from this as it made quite a bit. I would definitely serve this to guests at a dinner party.

Ingredients: chicken thighs, pork ribs, tomatoes, frozen artichoke hearts, romano beans, scallions, chicken stock, red bell pepper, Bomba rice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, saffron, pimenton de la Vera (smoked sweet Spanish paprika), rosemary sprig, boiling water, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips/Notes:

• Couldn't find Bomba rice so used arborio rice instead
• Excluded romano beans but use green beans next time
• Next time, add chorizo!

(Find recipe under: Entree - Vegetable Tortilla)

Recipe: Quick-Pickled Vegetables

Quick-Pickled Vegetables

I found this recipe and am including it here for reference for when we need it

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced vegetables

• Whisk the unseasoned rice vinegar, sugar and Kosher salt together until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
• Add vegetables and let sit, squeezing gently with your hands occasionally to help them pickle more quickly for about 10 minutes.
• Vegetables can be pickled 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Recipe: Pork Volcanes al Pastor

Pork Volcanes al Pastor
Bon Appetit Magazine, Mar 2020, p. 59
5 stars
Restaurant-worthy!

I've been missing going out to restaurants to try new foods, so I've been thinking about how we can make restaurant-level dishes, and this is definitely one of them. I can't wait to eat the leftovers and make this again!

The chiles give layers of flavor/complexity (note that it's not too spicy, and we actually added jalapenos as a garnish). The flavorful pork along with the crispy tortillas ~ like tostadas and the melted cheese, cilantro, onion -- this is a "wow" dish.

Ingredients: corn tortillas, pork shoulder, Oaxaca cheese, white onion, cilantro, guajillo chiles, morita chiles, achiote (annatto) paste, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Couldn't find achiote paste but did find annatto which we ground up.
• Next time, cube the pork so it's easier to eat.
• The marinade is DELICIOUS. There will be lots of extra marinade so cook it and use it as a sauce or as a dip to eat with chips.
• It didn't take nearly 35 min to crisp up the tortillas. Will note the amount of time the next time we make this.
• Added jalapeno as a garnish to give additional heat.

Recipe: Green Chile Enchiladas

Not a beautiful dish, but it's delish

Green Chile Enchiladas
Better Homes and Gardens, July 2020, p. 96
5 stars

I don't know who subscribed me to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, but I do flip through every issue and have found some valuable content. To be honest, I'm wary of their recipes compared to what I might find in Food & Wine and Bon Appetit Magazine maybe it's because I feel like BH&G caters to more mainstream food tastes, whereas, I really like complex, hot/spicy, non-mainstream flavors.

I was craving enchiladas and saw this recipe that came from Frontier Restaurant which was highlighted in the "Route 66" article as a must-stop place to eat in New Mexico (it's near the University of New Mexico). These enchiladas were so delicious. As I'm writing this, I'm hoping that blog contributor the grandcruman left some for me in the fridge for lunch. We have a couple of other enchilada recipes we've tried that I've blogged about which are good, but different styles; this one is definitely being added to our enchilada repertoire.

Ingredients: flour or corn tortillas, sharp cheddar cheese, ground pork, russet potatoes, canned diced Hatch green chiles, yellow onion, white onion, chicken broth, serrano, yellow cornmeal, garlic, olive oil

Notes:

• As noted in the recipe, there is plenty of leftover green chile stew leftover that you can freeze. (Note for us -- it filled a medium glass containers with a blue top.)
• It made about 9 enchiladas.
• Forgot the serrano so there wasn't a lot of heat even though we used half hot diced Hatch chiles and half mild. Need to remember the serrano next time!

Recipe: Warm Sausage and Lentil Salad

Warm Sausage and Lentil Salad
Food and Wine Magazine, Jan 2018, p. 73
5 stars

I wouldn't call this a salad, per se. It's a delicious entree that is relatively healthy -- I LOVED it. Blog contributor the grandcruman didn't think it was 5 stars, but he's not writing this blog. I thought the flavor was spot on, and I looked forward to eating the leftovers. There was the acidity from the red wine vinegar dressing, the crunch from the walnuts, heartiness from the lentils, complexity from adding the fennel and parsley and who doesn't like sausage? I'd make this again in a heartbeat.

Ingredients: carrots, fennel, garlic sausages, green lentils, shallots, thyme, walnuts, bay leaf, parsley, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Notes:

• Doubled the amount of carros (and used tri-color carrots that I love from Trader Joe's)

Recipe: Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken

Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken
Food & Wine Magazine, Sept 2018, p. 68
4.5 stars

Easy weeknight Asian stir-fry meal. This recipe comes from Charles Phan, the chef at The Slanted Door (been there!) in San Francisco. We had the chicken for dinner with steamed rice and broccoli. The sauce was amazing drizzled over the broccoli -- it had a really nice heat from the Thai chiles.

This recipe was in the "40 Years of Food & Wine" issue back from September 2018 (they selected this has a top recipe from 40 years of recipes!)

Ingredients: chicken, shallot, fresh Thai chiles, cilantro, dark brown sugar, fish sauce, canola oil, water, rice vinegar, garlic, fresh ginger, ground pepper

Tips/Notes:

• Fish sauce has a strong flavor so we used less than the 1/4 cup
• Used chicken breast instead of chicken thighs

(Find paper recipe under: Entree - Pasta with Sausage, Mustard and Basil)

Drink Recipe: Sarah's Garibaldi

Sarah's Garibaldi
Martha Stewart Living, Nov 2019, p.74
5 stars

You have to like Campari for this cocktail! I loved it, but I like bitter drinks with a lot of complexity. The bitterness of the Campari is definitely smoothed out by the orange juice.

This drink is so simple to make -- basically shake up the following in a cocktail shaker and strain into a coupe or martini glass:

• 2 oz Campari
• 1 oz fresh orange juice
• A few dashes of orange bitters
• Garnish with an orange twist

Notes:

• I used 2 oz of orange juice
• Next time, top off with sparkling water or club soda to give it some fizz

Recipe: Salsa de Arbol

Salsa de Arbol
Bon Appetit Magazine, p. 58
4.5 stars

There's fresh, bright non-roasted salsa and then there's fresh roasted salsa with a deeper flavor like this recipe. It's so easy to make and the ingredients are items we (can) always have on hand.

Ingredients: can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes, dried chiles de arbol, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Add jalapeno!

(Find recipe under: Entree - Pork Volcanes al Pastor)

Recipe: Salpicon Tacos

Forgot to get a photo of it in a tortilla

Salpicon Tacos
Food & Wine Magazine, May 2019, p.14
4.5 stars

Fresh, easy and satisfying dish especially for a weekday meal!

Ingredients: tortillas, skirt steak, plum tomatoes, radishes, red onion, cucumber, avocado, habanero chiles, cilantro, orange juice, lime juice, fine sea salt

Tips/Notes:

• Sprinkle queso fresco on top
• Substitute a jalapeno for the habanero
• Make sure to put leftovers in a sealed tupperware container -- otherwise, the vegetable smell (especially the onion and cucumber) will invade your fridge!
• Consider making 1/2 the recipe as leftovers will have lots of water/juices coming out of the vegetables

Recipe: Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles and Blistered Green Beans with Fried Shallots

Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles
Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2020, p. 30
5 stars

Ingredients: ramen or spaghetti, ground pork, ginger, tomato paste, basil, hot chili paste (sambal oelek), garlic, soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, sugar, butter, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt

Blistered Green Beans with Fried Shallots
Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2020, p.74
5 stars

Ingredients: green beans, oyster sauce, shallot, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, vegetable oil, Kosher salt

I loved this meal so much! Packed with flavor and relatively easy to make.
The noodles were like an Asian bolognese, and the the green been dish is now a new favorite to add as a side for the other Asian dishes we make.

Notes:

• The noodles were pretty spicy but we halved the overall recipe and forgot to half the sambal oelek.
• This meal would be great with a side of simple tofu.

Recipe: Farro-Vegetable Hash with Chermoula

Farro-Vegetable Hash with Chermoula
Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2020, p.86
5 stars

Great, healthy recipe that we'll add to our recipe repertoire. I love this recipe as an alternative to the Ancient Grains Buddha Bowl and Farro Salad with Walnuts and Raisins.

Hash Ingredients:  farro, sweet potatoes, bacon, brussels sprouts, eggs, sweet onion, thyme, garlic, sesame or benne seeds, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Chermoula Ingredients: cilantro, parsley, mint, lemon zest, lemon juice, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper, Kosher salt

Tips/Notes:

• Definitely needs the bacon for the umami flavor -- double the amount
• Didn't add the egg, but it needs the egg for creaminess
• Add more red pepper, in general
• Use a mini food processor instead of a blender (the blender wouldn't blend as the herbs kept getting stuck)
• Next time will add balsamic mushrooms from the Ancient Grains Buddha Bowl recipe
• Made half of the chermoula which is more than enough
• Added Parmesan on top 

Recipe: Savory Cheese Souffle Recipe

Savory Cheese Souffle Recipe
seriouseats.com
5 stars

I've made quite a few different souffle recipes, but this one has the best flavor and texture for a basic cheese souffle -- and it was a relatively easy recipe!  Can't wait to make this again.

Ingredients: 4 egg yolks, 5 egg whites, Gruyere or other semifirm cheese, flour, whole milk, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream of tartar, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips/Notes:

• Baked for 35 min
• This recipe was for one large 48 oz souffle; however, next time will test the bake time in small ramekins

Recipe: No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
livingsweetmoments.com/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-bars
5 stars

This is a crazy-good, restaurant-worthy dessert.  Believe me as I've eaten a lot of dessert.  There are 5 layers to it: 1) a graham cracker crust, 2) a cereal crunchy layer, 3) peanut butter mousse, 4) chocolate ganache and  5) peanuts on top as a garnish.  It's the mix of textures and salty/sweet from the chocolate with peanut butter that makes this a top dessert for me.

There not a lot of ingredients, but it does take a little time to make because of all of the layers.

Ingredients: graham crackers, butter, Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, peanut butter, semi-sweet chocolate, cream cheese, confectioners sugar, heavy cream, chopped peanuts

Tips:

• Definitely use Honey Bunches of Oats cereal as it gives the right amount of crunch and also imparts a nice complexity from the honey flavor
• Used regular crunchy peanut butter (not unsweetened)
• Next time, will try beating the peanut butter mousse much less as it looked like the mixture was breaking up
• Sprinkled sea salt on top since our peanuts for the garnish were unsalted
• Forgot to line the pan with aluminum foil!

Recipe: Creamy Baked Pasta with Gruyere and Prosciutto

Creamy Baked Pasta with Gruyere and Prosciutto
Food & Wine Magazine, Feb 2020, p. 43
5 stars

This is a restaurant-worthy, guest-serving worthy, delicious mac & cheese. We made half the recipe because I wasn't quite sure how it was going to turn out as there aren't that many ingredients, and it looked so easy ... too easy to make.  It was incredible! We had this as a side dish with steak and a wedge salad.  I have two other favorite mac & cheese recipes, and this is in the top 3.

Ingredients: a short pasta, Gruyere cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, heavy cream, nutmeg, Kosher salt; can serve with sliced prosciutto

Recipe: Chocolate-Olive Oil Crisps

Chocolate-Olive Oil Crisps

Martha Stewart Living, Mar 2020, p. 102

3.5-4 stars?

I'm not sure if I'll make these cookies again. I liked their texture and depth of chocolate flavor, but to me, they tasted like there was a bit of sesame oil in it. Not sure why or if the honey, vanilla or extra-virgin oil was imparting some odd flavor -- or maybe my tastebuds!

Ingredients: all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, egg, honey, vanilla extract, extra-virgin olive oil, granulated sugar, baking soda, Kosher salt, turbinado sugar

Recipe: Easy Polenta

Easy Polenta
Food & Wine Magazine, Mar 2020, p.36
4 stars

Honestly, I wasn't quite sure about this recipe especially when we started making it and I realized that we literally just needed to boil the broth, whisk in the polenta and then remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 45 minutes.  Overall, for a no stir polenta, it was pretty good.  Some lumps, but not bad (we could have whisked more "vigorously" to break up the lumps).

Had this with a salad and also Magic Crispy Chicken!  Such a great meal.

Ingredients: polenta, chicken broth, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, butter, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tip:

• Made half the recipe (2 cups of uncooked polenta expands and serves a lot of people -- 8)
• Next time, use 10% less broth

Recipe: Spicy Baked Pasta with Cheddar and Broccoli Rabe

Spicy Baked Pasta with Cheddar and Broccoli 
Bon Appetit Magazine, Mar 2020, p. 27
4.5 stars

I was really curious about this recipe as the heading for the article/recipe was "A Very Persuasive Pasta -- Alison Roman couldn't find a baked pasta she liked. So she made one she did."  I would say she did a great job creating this dish. So good and flavorful. I liked the use of the sharp white cheddar and especially loved the crispy topping.

Ingredients: rigatoni, leeks, broccoli rabe or broccolini, sharp white cheddar, chives, fresh breadcrumbs or panko, heavy cream, extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper, Kosher salt

Tips

• Used penne instead
• Used kale instead of broccoli rabe

Recipe: Black-Bean and Sweet-Potato Stew

Black-Bean and Sweet-Potato Stew

Marthastewart.com

5 stars

Super healthy, satisfying, flavorful vegetarian Mexican-style stew.  You won't even miss that there's no meat in this dish, and the leftovers are great!  What "makes" the dish is the chipotle in adobo which again and again proves to add a nice layer of flavor and heat.

Ingredients: black beans, sweet potato, quinoa, white onion, poblano pepper, chipotle in adobo, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, cilantro, shredded cheddar

Tips:

• Added sour cream as you can see from the photo
• Can also add chopped avocado
• Serve with tortilla chips for crunch

Recipe: Cheesy Spinach-Potato Egg Casserole

Cheesy Spinach-Potato Egg Casserole
Martha Stewart Living, Apr 2020, p. 109
4.5 stars

Breakfast for dinner! This casserole was great -- it has my favorite combination of ingredients.  We basically made the recipe but included more potatoes, cheese and spinach than what it called for.   

Ingredients: eggs, fontina cheese, spinach, onion, milk, thyme, nutmeg, butter, Kosher salt, pepper

Recipe: Weeknight Beans on Toast

Weeknight Beans on Toast
Bon Appetit Magazine, Feb 2019, p.24
4.5 stars

This is a nice alternative to the Skillet Bruschetta with Beans and Greens (that we've made many times that goes with toast) -- incredibly delicious and overall healthy!  As noted within the recipe, I can see the leftovers being repurposed and used on top of pasta.

Ingredients: bread, sweet or hot Italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, baby spinach, white beans, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, extra-virgin olive oil, butter, Kosher salt, Parmesan, parsley

Tips:

• Use 2-3x the amount of spinach (recipe also notes that kale could be used)
• Measure the salt
• Use cannellini beans
• Did not make the garlic butter or broil the bread -- simply toasted the bread and buttered it

Recipe: Pork-Meatball Skillet Bake

Pork-Meatball Skillet Bake
MarthaStewart.com
4.5 Stars

I have decided that I am not a sausage and peppers fan (this recipe is essentially that recipe).  However, the dish was good, and I'm recording our thoughts here so that when I, thetaster, is out of town, then blogger the grandcruman can make and enjoy this!

This was a tasty recipe, despite me not loving the combination of sausage and peppers (and onion).  It was very easy to make, and I always love how the addition of fennel seeds can make pork taste like a spiced sausage.

Ingredients: crusty boule, fresh mozzarella, basil, ground pork, red and/or yellow bell peppers, onion, tomato sauce, fennel seeds, Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips/notes/changes:

• 1 pound of pork made 13 meatballs
• Add garlic to the meatballs
• Add red pepper flakes to the sauce
• Toast the bread before putting it in the broiler
• Use shredded mozzarella instead of fresh (fresh has too much water)
• Next time, cut the bell pepper slices in half so it's easier to eat
• Next time, sub the 1/4 cup water for white wine to add depth of flavor

Recipe: Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas

Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas
MarthaStewart.com
5 stars

This dish was so delish.  And easy, easy, easy, easy for a weeknight meal.
The chipotle in adobo always adds complexity to dishes we've made and takes this recipe to the 5 star level.

Ingredients: tortillas, ground chicken, chipotle in adobo, cilantro, Monterey Jack cheese, tomato paste, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper; pico de gallo and sour cream for serving

Tips:

• Use 2.5 Tbsp of chipotle in adobo next time
• Great with chips and also guac on the side too