Recipe: Zucchini and Gruyere Scones

Zucchini and Gruyere Scones
Bon Appetit Magazine, Sept 2017, p. 18
5 stars

I love, love, love these scones!  This is my new favorite biscuit, I mean scone.  I can say that they're semi-healthy since they have zucchini in them (haha).  They were light and flavorful . . . I heart Gruyere.

As an aside . . . I looked up the difference between a biscuit and a scone.  With all the different sites I looked at, I'm still confused.  One site says that a scone usually has a higher sugar content making them sweeter, and they usually contain baking soda which makes them heavier.  Another site says that scones have eggs while biscuits don't.  With those two definitions, I'd say that this recipe is a biscuit recipe.

Ingredients:  all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, heavy cream, zucchini, Gruyere, flaky sea salt, baking powder, sugar, Kosher salt, black pepper, thyme

Tips

• I used a biscuit/cookie cutter that was smaller than the 3" diameter that was recommended, and these still turned out huge!  Next time, I'll be making them smaller but will need to watch the bake time.
• I also shredded the cheese but need to remember to dice the cheese next time instead per the recipe.

Recipe: 12-Minute Saucy Chicken Breasts with Limes

12-Minute Saucy Chicken Breast with Limes
Bon Appetit Magazine, Dec 2017
4 stars

This is a great weekday recipe that's incredibly flavorful (note that you must like the cumin/turmeric/paprika type of flavor profile) and would go great with the Golden Rice recipe.

Ingredients:  chicken, ground cumin, ground turmeric, paprika, olive oil, Kosher salt, limes

Tips:

• Used boneless chicken breast and sauteed the chicken vs. baking it -- it turned out great!  The chicken was moist and there was delicious sauce to spoon over the chicken.

Recipe: Smashed-Banana Bread

Smashed-Banana Bread
Food and Wine Magazine, Nov 2017, p. 118
4 stars

Now I know what to do with bananas that get overripe... freeze the bananas and make Smashed-Banana Bread with them later!  This was an easy recipe but surprisingly took 1.5 hours to bake.  The outcome was good -- I love the outer crispy crust, but it wasn't a blow-my-socks-off amazing recipe.

Ingredients:  pecans, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, eggs, smashed very ripe banana, sour cream, vanilla extract, banana liqueur or dark rum, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar

Notes:

• The recipe calls for banana liqueur or dark rum, though it's so little (3/4 tsp), I'm not sure what it actually does as that flavor doesn't come through at all.  
• 1.5 cups of smashed very ripe banana turned out to be about 5 medium bananas (3 that I froze and thawed + 2 non-frozen ones).

Recipe: Roasted Mushroom and Vermouth Risotto

Roasted Mushroom and Vermouth Risotto
Food and Wine Magazine, Jan 2018, p. 74
4.5 stars

I've made mushroom risotto before but it usually involves cooking the mushrooms in a pan and adding them later to the risotto.  I thought this recipe was interesting in that it calls for roasting the mushrooms in the oven and then adding them later to the risotto.

This is a restaurant-worthy dish.  This confirms that I'm never ordering risotto again from a restaurant -- it's so easy (and inexpensive to make)!

Ingredients:  mixed, wild mushrooms, chicken or vegetable broth, shallots, arborio rice, unsalted butter, dry vermouth, Parmesan cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips

• Made 1/2 the recipe (used 3/4 cup of arborio rice) since arborio rice expands and we usually have too much for leftovers.  Next time, we'll make the full batch since we actually didn't have a ton left over.
• The recipe doesn't call for garlic, but I think it should be added next time for an extra dimension of flavor.

(Find recipe under: Entree - Warm Sausage and Lentil Salad)

Recipe: Stir-Fried Chicken and Green Pepper with Cumin and Cilantro

Stir-Fried Chicken and Green Pepper with Cumin and Cilantro
Food and Wine Magazine, Apr 2018, p. 50
5 stars

A really easy and delicious recipe to make on a weekday (especially when I'm craving Chinese food).

This does not take much time (30 min), but make sure to get the rice going especially if you have a rice cooker.  This stir-fry dish has a lot of my favorite things mixed together -- cumin, cilantro, garlic, heat from the serrano, onion... it almost seems like it would be a Mexican dish!

Ingredients:  chicken, Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, soy sauce, cornstarch, grapeseed or peanut oil, green bell peppers, red onion, serrano chile, garlic, ground cumin seeds, cracked coriander seeds, sugar, Kosher salt, cilantro, black pepper, rice

Recipe: Cheesy Baked Pasta with Cauliflower (Mac and Cheese)

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Cauliflower
Bon Appetit Magazine, Feb 2018, p.38
5 stars

I was skeptical about this recipe.  Cauliflower and tomatoes in a mac and cheese-type of dish?  Turns out the tomatoes added a nice oomph (acidity) to the dish that's not present in regular 'ol mac and cheese, and the cauliflower was there and imparted the health benefits of a vegetable without being noticeable.

This dish was so good that I forgot to take a photo of the dish each time we had leftovers (and this was a dish where we looked forward to the leftovers)!

Ingredients:  medium pasta shells, mozzarella, provolone, sharp cheddar, parmesan, can of lightly crushed cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, heavy cream, salt, pepper

Tips:

• Used can of diced tomatoes (I couldn't find a can of lightly crushed cherry tomatoes)
• Used cauliflower rice
• Didn't need to add any reserved pasta water since the diced tomatoes had a bit of liquid

Recipe: Green-Market Tacos with Corn Crema

Green-Market Tacos with Corn Crema
Food and Wine Magazine, Aug 2016, p.108
5 stars

A go-to recipe for us when we're wanting to eat healthy and vegetarian is Alice Waters' Garden Salad Tacos; however, in recent months we had it a bit too often.  I found this Green-Market Tacos recipe which was absolutely delicious.  It's going in our dinner menu rotation.

Ingredients:  tortillas, corn, haricots verts (green beans), Greek yogurt, extra-virgin olive oil, creamy feta cheese, cilantro, avocado, radishes, cumin, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Used frozen corn (so we didn't end up having corn milk from the cobs, but it was fine!)
• Blanched the corn and haricots verts and then put them in an ice bath so the veggies weren't so raw

Recipe: Creamy Lemon Pasta

Creamy Lemon Pasta

Food and Wine Magazine, May 2018, p. 42

5 stars

(I forgot to take a photo of this dish and will update this post the next time we make the recipe.)

What a simple yet fast and comforting pasta dish!

This recipe took less than 20 minutes to make and is perfect for a weekday meal along with a glass of white wine and a salad and/or meat on the side.

It tastes like an adult version of Mac and Cheese (and a much tastier version of Fettuccine Alfredo) -- it's a cheesy dish but with the brightness of lemon and the additional flavors and complexity from the honey and shallots.

Ingredients:  Meyer lemon zest and lemon juice, shallots, heavy cream, dried fettuccine, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, honey, extra-virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, Kosher salt

It's not many ingredients but the resulting dish tastes restaurant-worthy.

Tips:

• Used regular lemons since our grocery store didn't carry Meyer lemons
• Used strozzapretti dried pasta that we had in our pantry
• Used an Italian mix of cheeses that we had in our fridge
• Didn't top/garnish the dish with Meyer lemon supremes (no need for a weekday meal but nice if serving to guests)

Recipe: Miso Pesto with Ramen Noodles

Miso Pesto with Ramen Noodles
Bon Appetit Magazine, March 2018, p. 28
5 stars

At first glance at the ingredient list, I wasn't sure whether this would be a good recipe.  (Before making it, we even talked about halving the recipe in case it didn't turn out well.)  I'm so glad we made the full recipe because this was so good -- a restaurant-worthy meal.

Ingredients:  fresh ramen, baby spinach, cilantro, white miso, grapeseed or sunflower oil, sesame oil, lemon juice, garlic, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, toasted sesame seeds

Tips

• Since the garlic isn't cooked, used half a clove
• Used extra-virgin olive oil since we were out of grapeseed oil
• Couldn't find fresh ramen but found dry ramen that we boiled
• Served it with sauteed bok choy and gyoza (potstickers)

Loved the leftovers!!!

Recipe: Mushroom-Thyme Pot Pies

Mushroom-Thyme Pot Pies
Bon Appetit Magazine, Nov 2017, p.114
4.5 stars

Delicious umami-laden vegetarian pie for mushroom lovers.
Perfect with a glass of red wine.

Tips

• Made 1 large pie vs. 8 small pies in ramekins
• Dough was a little chewy and is the only pie crust that I've ever made that has egg in it; will use the Thomas Keller Chicken Pot Pie crust recipe next time
• Onion only need 8 min to soften instead of 10-12 min
• Button mushrooms needed only 8 min instead of 12-15 min
• 1 hour was not needed to reduce the broth
• Didn't discard the solids -- we like texture!  The mushrooms were fine.  Didn't need to make the 'gravy' as a result
• Since it was 1 large pie, baked it for 40-45 min

Guide to Dried Chiles

I love this guide that was in Food and Wine magazine's December 2017 issue (p.116).  It's a great reference as I can't seem to remember when to use which chile and what flavor profile each chile imparts.

Recipe: Pork-and-Apple Bedfordshire Clangers

Pork-and-Apple Bedfordshire Clangers
Food and Wine Magazine, Nov 2017, p.54
5 stars

While simple, this took a long time to make as there were many steps.  Start 3 hours before you plan to have dinner.  Note:  The pastry dough is the flakiest dough I've made.  The 4 rolls above have 2 whole sticks of butter in them altogether!

Pastry ingredients:  flour, Kosher salt, unsalted butter, ice water

Sausage ingredients:  ground pork shoulder, fresh breadcrumbs, sage, garlic, sugar, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, Kosher salt, pepper, chicken stock

Apple pie ingredients:  Honeycrisp apples, dark brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, granulated sugar

Other ingredients:  egg

Tips:

• Used fresh ginger
• Didn't do 'half-and-half' with each roll having both sausage and fruit per the recipe;  instead created 2 rolls with sausage (the ones on the right in the photo) and 2 rolls with fruit (the 2 on the left with the slits)
• 1 lb of apples is way too much; next time use 1/2 lb
• Serve with a bold red wine

Timing if you plan to eat at 7:15pm:

• 4:15pm:  make pastry
• 4:30pm:  make filling
• 5:00pm:  freeze the filling
• 5:30pm:  roll out the dough and make the clangers
• 5:45pm:  refrigerate the clangers until chilled
• 6:15pm:  bake
• 7:15pm:  eat

Recipe: No-Knead Bread

No-Knead Bread
nytimes.com;  Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
5 stars

Impress your friends and offer to make the bread for your next get together.  Crusty on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, you'll think you're in Paris!  There are just 5 ingredients (including water), and the recipe is so simple. . .  it just takes time.

Ingredients:  all-purpose or bread flour, instant yeast, salt, cornmeal, water

If you want to have the bread by dinner at 7pm, here's how to time it:

• 9:15pm (the night before):  step 1 - mix the ingredients together
• 3:15pm (the next day): step 2 - fold the dough over itself once or twice
• 3:30pm:  step 3 - shape dough into a ball
• 5:30pm:  step 4 - heat the oven
• 6:00pm:  step 5 - bake

Tips:

• I use all-purpose flour
• Bake time is 45 min altogether (30 and then 15 min)

Recipe: Summer Squash Gratin

Before baking

After baking

Summer Squash Gratin
Food and Wine Magazine, July 2017, p.92
5 stars

Ratatouille-like, this is an impressive and delicious side-dish year round despite the name.  Yes, I know, squash is a summer dish, but this has worked well as a fall side dish in recent months.  It looks complex to make, but isn't, and check out the short ingredient list!

Ingredients:  leeks, zucchini, yellow squash, plum tomato, Gruyere, dry white wine, EVOO, Kosher salt, pepper

Tip:

• After baking and before serving, drain excess water/juice so the bottom of the vegetables don't get soggy.

Recipe: Cheesy Grits with Poached Eggs, Greens and Bacon

Cheesy Grits with Poached Eggs, Greens and Bacon
Bon Appetit Magazine, Feb 2016, p. 28
5 stars

This is one of my favorite dishes -- combining some of my favorite food items including grits, bacon and poached eggs.

Ingredients:  white grits, Fresno or red chile, bacon, Swiss chard leaves, eggs, cheddar cheese, shallot, Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips:

• Used yellow grits instead of white grits since we had yellow grits in the pantry
• Couldn't find a red chile so left that out
• Sauteed mushrooms on the side to top the dish
• Double or triple the amount of Swiss chard

Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Grapes and Walnuts

Brussels Sprouts with Grapes and Walnuts
Kristen Bell recipe for Whole Foods
4.5 stars

We enjoyed this dish during Thanksgiving, and I forgot to take a photo!  Will update this post with a photo the next time we make this dish.  Super simple side dish that's a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:  Brussels sprouts, red seedless grapes, walnut pieces, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, fresh thyme, sea salt, black pepper

Recipe: Broccoli Bolognese with Orecchiette

Broccoli Bolognese with Orecchiette
Bon Appetit Magazine, Nov 2017, p. 48
3.75 stars

I didn't rate this super high and am not adding this to our 'What Not to Make' blog post because this dish was good (not amazing) and easy to make in a pinch for a weeknight meal.  We usually have all the ingredients that this recipe calls for.

By the way, I can't understand why they call this a bolognese?!?

Ingredients:  broccoli, Italian sausage, orecchiette, unsalted butter, Parmesan, garlic, EVOO, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Used frozen broccoli instead of fresh
• Didn't have orecchiette pasta so use any pasta shape you have on hand!

Recipe: Green Corn Soup

Green Corn Soup
Food and Wine Magazine, Aug 2017, p.92
5 stars

Silky Zucchini Soup was our go-to "easy," healthy soup to make until this one came along.  This dish has great flavor (especially with our changes to the recipe) and was just as simple to make -- and just as creamy (without any cream added!) as the zucchini soup. 

Ingredients:  corn, medium onion, garlic, baby spinach, jalapenos, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips/Changes:

• Used frozen corn instead of fresh corn
• Added a pinch of chipotle powder for added heat and complexity
• Added a dollop of sour cream and finishing salt on top
• Served it hot instead of cold

Recipe: Vegetable Tortilla

Vegetable Tortilla
Food and Wine Magazine, Sept 2017, p. 118
4.5 stars

This dish took me back to Spain where we ate a lot of "tortillas."  For those that live in Texas and the Southwest, tortilla here is not the flour or corn type that we get at the typical Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant -- this is a Spanish tortilla that is like a frittata. I gave this 4.5 stars and not 5 because this is a dish where I have to be in the mood to eat it because of the saffron flavor.

Ingredients:  eggs, Yukon Gold potato, small onion, zucchini, red bell pepper, baby spinach, saffron, boiling water, EVOO, mayonnaise, garlic, Kosher salt, pepper


Tips:

• Even if you don't like mayonnaise, make the aioli-like sauce.  It complements the tortilla perfectly and makes the dish (but go light on the garlic); without it, the tortilla is missing something.

Recipe: Lumaconi with Prosciutto and Lemon Breadcrumbs

Lumaconi with Prosciutto and Lemon Breadcrumbs
Bon Appetit Magazine, Sept 2014, p. 129
5 stars

This recipe is from Tosca in San Francisco, and the dish is one of the best cream-based pastas we've made.  While there are a few steps to this, it was not a difficult recipe.  This will be a go-to dish for when we cook while on our next ski trip!

Ingredients:  pasta, parsley, prosciutto, breadcrumbs, radicchio (we used spinach), shallot, garlic, brandy, thyme, bay leaf, lemon zest, lemon juice, heavy cream, olive oil, Kosher salt

Tips/Changes:

• Chopped the prosciutto instead of putting it in the food processor
• Used spinach instead of radicchio (note: use a huge box of spinach next time)
• Used fusilli shaped pasta instead of lumaconi (snail shell shaped) pasta
• Added red pepper to the prosciutto cream
• Did not strain the prosciutto cream through the fine-mesh sieve (no need to!) -- but we did remove the sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf
• Be careful to not oversalt the dish since the prosciutto provides saltiness