Tested and Approved Recipes from Everywhere

INDEX OF ALL RECIPES

2008-08-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

I will be visiting my family for the next month, so I won't be able to blog for a while, but here is the updated index from beginning to today.

There are too many recipes without an index on this site because blogger isn't really set up for it. So I've decided to add an index of recipes at the end of each month. So far, there are over 250 recipes, and I'm hoping this will make it easier to find the recipes.

APPETIZER RECIPES:
Bbq Onion Steaks with Honey-Mustard Sauce
Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Squares
Cheese Souffle
Chickpea Fritters - Panelle
Crunchy Chili Onion Rings
Eggplant Rolls with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Fried Mozzarella with Puttanesca Dipping Sauce
Fried Zucchini
Garlic Knots
Goat Cheese in Grape Leaves with Tomato and Olive Salad
Gouda and Feta Pizzettes
Mushroom Pesto Crostini
Pinto Beans cooked in Olive Oil - Pilaki
Stuffed Aubergines with Rice
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Yaprak Dolma
Tomato Eggplant Spread
Tomato Ricotta Tart
Zucchini Fritters With Herbs And Cheese
Tarragon Pizza Bianca
Wine and Ham Croquettes
White Bean Puree with Sun-dried Tomatoes

SOUP RECIPES:
Brandied Onion Soup with Croque-Monsieur Croutons
French Onion Soup
Lentil Soup with a Curry Crema and Lentil Crackers
Red Lentil and Mint Soup
Spicy Tomato Soup

SALAD RECIPES:
Avocado and Tomato Salad
Baby Greens Tossed with a Chardonnay Hazelnut Vinaigrette, Roasted Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese
Beet And Goat Cheese Salad With Pistachios
Big Island Tomato and Maui Onion Salad with Maui Onion Dressing
Black-eyed Pea Salad
Bulgur Wheat Stuffed Tomato
Chervil Shallot Potato Salad
Crisp Goat-Cheese Salad with Potatoes
Cucumber Dill Salad
Cucumber, Mustard and Dill Salad
Eggplant, Lentil and Bulgur Salad
Frisee with Flaked Salmon and Cucumbers
Garlicky Eggplant Salad with Tomato Sauce
Grilled Zucchini Ribbon Salad
Lentil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Lentil Salad With Tomato And Dill
Marinated Zucchini and Radicchio Salad
Mesclun Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
Mixed Green Salad with Citrus Dressing
Mixed Lettuce Chiffonade with Gorgonzola-Herb Dressing
New Potato Salad with Sauteed Onion Vinaigrette
Orzo with Tomaotes, Feta, and Green Onions
Orzo, Feta and Tomato Salad with Marjoram Vinaigrette
Potato and Parmesan Salad
Potato and Pea Salad with Chive Aioli
Ratatouille Salad
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Bacon Dressing and Pine Nuts
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Feta Cheese
Tabbouleh
Tomatoes Stuffed with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil
Veal Cutlets with Arugula and Tomato Salad
Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Grilled Olive Bread

VEGETABLE DISHES:
Baby Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Pecans
Baked Garden Tomatoes with Cheese
Brussel Sprouts with White Beans and Pecorino
Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin
Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Eggplant, Zucchini, Onion, Tomato, And Feta Cheese Napoleons
Greek Style Stuffed Eggplant
Grilled Zucchini with Greek Spices and Feta Salad
Hand-Mashed Pinto Beans with Cheese
Imam Bayildi - The Imam Fainted
Naples Style Marinated Zucchini
Pinto Beans cooked in Olive Oil - Pilaki
Roasted Eggplant Puree - Hunkar Begendi - Sultan's Delight
Rustic Porcini Onion Stuffing
"Soda Jerk" Beans
Spinach with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Toasted Parmesan Crumbs
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Yaprak Dolma
Stuffed Zucchini

SANDWICH RECIPES:
Croissant Steak Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Mayonnaise
Croque Monsieur
Eggplant and Smoked GoudaOpen-Faced Grilled Sandwiches
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches
Grilled Ham and Gouda Sandwiches with Frisee and Caramelized Onions
Grilled Prosciutto, Soppressata and Mozzarella Panini
Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Sauce and Bell Peppers
Homemade Sandwich Bread
Made Up Toast Souffle
Monte Cristo
Muffuletta Sandwich on Sourdough Bread
Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich
Pocket Sandwiches
Roast Beef Sandwiches with Lemon-Basil Mayonnaise and Roasted Red Onions
Taverna Veggie Sandwiches
Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

SAUCES/DRESSINGS/DIPS:
Aioli Sauce for French Fries/Frites
Basic Marinara Sauce
Basic Tomato Sauce
Cafe de Paris Sauce and Butter Recipes
Caramelized Onion Dip
Chimichurri Sauce
Citrus Dressing
Creamy Mustard Sauce
Creamy Oven-cooked Bacon Dip
Creamy Tomato Sauce
Creole Olive Salad
Cucumber Dill Sauce
Eggplant Dip
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Gorgonzola Sauce
Grilled Eggplant Spread
Guacamole
Guacamole with Fresh Corn and Chipotle
Haydari with Feta Cheese
Herbed Mustard Sauce
Homemade Steak Sauce
Lemon Caramel Sauce and Candied Lemon Slices
Methods for Making Sour Cream
Mushroom Pesto Crostini
Pesto Oil
Mustard-Cognac Sauce
Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers
Puttanesca Dipping Sauce
Puttanesca Sauce
Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper with Feta Dip
Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
Tahini Sauce and Tahini Paste
Tzatziki Sauce
White Bean, Garlic, and Tomato Salsa

BEEF RECIPES:
Andouille Burgers with Grilled Sweet Onions and Creole Remoulade Sauce
Antep Kebab
Baked Meatballs and Potatoes - Firinda Kofte Ve Patates
Beef Braised in Red Wine (Beouf Vigneronne)
Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Mustard-Cognac Sauce
Beef Tenderloin with Chanterelle Sauce
Cafe de Paris Sauce and Butter Recipes
Cider Glazed Lamb Chops
Cumin-rubbed Rib-Eye Steaks with Two Salsas
Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce
Hasanpasa Meatballs
Herbed Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir Sauce
Kicked Up Breaded Pork Chops
Lady's Thigh Meatballs - Kadinbudu Kofte
Lamb Burgers with Feta Sauce
Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce and Red Onions
Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich
Red Wine Pot Roast with Porcini Mushrooms
Sliced Steak With Arugula
Sloppy Joes
Steak Au Poivre
Steak Diane
Steak Pizzaiola
Stewed Kebabs in a Bowl - Tas Kebab
Veal Cutlets With Thyme Butter Sauce

SEAFOOD RECIPES:
Baked Halibut with Tomato, Capers, and Olive Vinaigrette
Frisee with Flaked Salmon and Cucumbers
Salmon Cooked in Parchment Paper
Tequila Shrimp

CHICKEN RECIPES:
Chicken Provencale
Grilled Chicken with Mustard Dill Sauce
Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers
Roasted Chicken Dinner
Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
Wild Mushroom Chicken Basted in White Wine

POTATO RECIPES:
Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs
Basic Mashed Potatoes
Caramelized Onion-Potato Pancakes
Caramelized Shallot and Sage Mashed Potatoes
Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes
Creamy Herbed Potatoes
Frites
Grilled New Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs
Oven Fried Potato and Sweet Potato Chips
Perfect French Fries
Potato and Red Pepper Frittata
Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce
Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese and Garlic
Potato Gratin With Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, And Olives
Potato Roesti
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted New Potatoes with Spring Herb Pesto
Roasted Potato Wedges With Rosemary Butter
Spotted Pig's Ricotta Gnudi
Warm New Potato Salad with Grainy Mustard

PASTA RECIPES:
Bucatini Carbonara with Zucchini
Baked Pasta - Pasta Gratin
Baked Ravioli
Castellane with Mascarpone and Roasted Grape Tomatoes
Cheese Tortellini and Creamy Tomato Sauce
Farfalle with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cream
Fettuccine With Roasted Tomato Sauce And Parmesan
Fried Ravioli
Greek Style Penne with Fresh Tomaotes, Feta, and Dill
Grilled Vegetable Lasagna with Puttanesca Sauce and Pesto Oil
Handmade Pasta with Pancetta, Cherry Tomatoes and Herbs
Herbed Spaghetti with Butter
Pappardelle Pasta with Olives, Thyme and Lemon
Pasta with Chicken and Pepper Sauce
Pasta with Kalamata Olives and Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
Pasta with Pancetta and Tomato Sauce
Pasta with Roasted Provencal Vegetable Sauce
Penne with Roasted Tomato Sauce
Roasted Vegetable And Prosciutto Lasagna With Alfredo Sauce
Sausage, Cheese And Basil Lasagna
Spaghetti Carbonara
Tricolor Tomato Fettucine

RICE RECIPES:
Basil Risotto
Bulgur and Green Lentil Pilaf
Creole Vegetable Jambalaya
Rice Pilaf
Risotto Con Parmigiano-Reggiano
Roasted Tomato Risotto
Saffron Rice with Tomatoes and Fresh Oregano
Yellow Rice with Sofrito

BREAKFAST RECIPES:
Chorizo and Scrambled Egg Breakfast Tacos
Frittata with Potato and Prosciutto
Goat Cheese Quiche with Hash-Brown Crust

MISC RECIPES:
Black-Bean Tostados with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce and Tostadas
Basic Pizza Dough
Caramelized Shallots
Charred Red Onion and Balsamic Vinegar White Beans
Cilantro Garlic Pita Crisps
Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Crepes
Dominican Beans
Falafel
Flat Zucchini Omelet
Fried Carrots
Garlic Croutons
Herb Pita Crisps
Lemon Vodka Whipped Cream
Lentil Crackers
Parsley Oil
Parmesan Crisps
Parmesan Popovers
Parmesan Toasts
Pesto Oil
Pinto Bean and Feta Cheese Quesadillas
Pita Crisps
Ricotta Squash Gnocchi
Spiced Pita Toasts
Salami Crisps with Sour Cream and Basil
Tostadas

COFFEE, DRINK AND COCTAIL RECIPES:
9 1/2 Weeks
Caffe Medici and Cappuccino Cream
Cosmopolitan
Cucumber Gimlet
target="_blank">Electric Blue Margarita
Frozen Margarita
Italian Lemonade
Hemingway Daiquiri
Hummingbird
Hurricane
Lemon Peel Vodka
Limoncello
Magnificent Melon
Orange Peel Vodka
Peach Margarita
Peach Passion
Pomegranate Martini
Simple Syrup
Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Strawberry Caipirinha
Turkish Coffee
Vanilla Simple Syrup
Vanilla Vodka
Wild Berry Caipiroska
Wild Berries Splash

DESSERT RECIPES:
Almond Plum Buckle
Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Angel Food Cake
Bourbon Balls
Caramelized Clementines
Chocolate Amaretti Peaches
Chocolate-Amaretti Tortes
Chocolate Fondue a La Chalet Suisse
Chocolate-Orange Pots de Creme with Candied Orange Peel
Coconut Flan
Coconut Pecan Bars
Coffee Ice Cream and Mexican Chocolate Sundaes with Cinnamon-Sugar Tortilla Crisps
Dark Chocolate Souffles With Cardamom Creme Anglaise
Dark Chocolate Torte With Spiked Blackberry Coulis
Dark Molten Chocolate Cakes
Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Dipped Strawberries
Double Chocolate Orange Pudding
Espresso Sambuca Tapioca Pudding
Figs with Balsamic Vinegar, Mascarpone and Walnuts
Fruit-And-Almond Gratins
Grand Chocolate Brownie Wedges with Chocolate Sauce
Grilled Pineapple with Nutella
Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate Chocolate Souffle with Grand Marnier Chocolate Sauce
Honey-Ginger Pineapple Crepes
Individual Peach Upside-Down Cake
Jumbo Black Bottom Coconut Macaroons
Le Bete Noire
Lemon Creme Brulee With Fresh Berries
Lemon Spice Bread Pudding with Sauteed Peaches
Limoncello Cheesecake Squares
Meyer Lemon Budino
Mosaic
Old-Fashioned New York-Style Cheesecake with Berry Coulis
Puff Pastry Tart Filled with Almond Cream
Raspberry Tiramisu
Russian Toast with Bananas Flambe & Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce
Salep Ice Cream
Super Lemony Lemon Squares
Vanilla Lime Pineapple Skewers
Vodka Berries Romanoff
Wine Soaked Berries

Eggplant, Lentil and Bulgur Salad

2008-08-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

According to Food and Wine Magazine, this is a two salads in one type of a recipe. I think it is a wonderful and very easy recipe. And somehow the flavors complement each other. I would have not thought of putting these ingredients together. I've tried it with zucchini instead of eggplant and it really didn't work for me.

And they recommend a rich, jammy red wine, thick with fruit and lush on the palate, is just what is called for here. Try an Australian shiraz or cabernet-sauvignon and shiraz blend.

Enjoy:)

EGGPLANT, LENTIL AND BULGUR SALAD

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils
5 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup bulgur
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 eggplant, peeled, quartered, and sliced thin
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
4 scallions, white bulbs only, sliced
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
1 tomato, diced

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, 3 1/2 cups of the water, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the bulgur and continue cooking, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and bulgur are just done, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, partially covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the eggplant and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very tender and no liquid remains in the pan, about 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir the lentil mixture, Tabasco, scallions, and half the parsley into the eggplant.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining parsley with the cucumber and tomato. Serve the lentils over the cucumber salad.

Hasanpasa Meatballs

2008-08-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

I love this meatball recipe. It is an authentic Turkish recipe where meat and potatoes are used to make a complete meal that looks and tastes yummy!

It does take some time to prepare, but it isn't difficult and it's well worth it.

In Turkey we use a cheese called Kashkaval which is the tastiest cheeses around and you can find it in Middle Eastern markets. I use the Greek version which is a little bit sharper, although not as sharp as you would find it in Turkey. If you don't have it, you can use Parmesan, or even Mozzarella depending on how strong you want the cheese taste to be. Parmesan would be quite sharp which is what I like, but Mozzarella would melt wonderfully. Try and see which one you like best.

Enjoy:)

HASANPASA MEATBALLS

Ingredients:
For Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs
2 slices of stale bread, discard outer ring OR 1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil

For mashed potatoes:
5-6 potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons of Kashkaval, or Parmesan cheese
Salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup water

Directions:
For Meatballs:
In a large bowl add meat, onion, eggs and breadcrumbs and remaining salt/pepper and blend with your hands until just combined well (do not overmix). Form mixture into walnut-size balls and push the center with thumb to make a depression. You will be adding mashed potatoes to the depressed hollow space. Arrange on large baking sheets.

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook in 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes. Do not overcook as it will dry the meatballs.

For mashed potatoes:
Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 1 inch in a 5-quart pot, then simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 18 minutes.

Drain potatoes well in a colander, then return to pot along with egg, butter, salt, and pepper and mash with a potato masher until combined well.

Add milk slowly and blend well forming the mashed potatoes. Add desired cheese.

After the meatballs and the mashed potatoes are ready prepare tomato sauce by blending the tomato paste in the cup of water.

Add mashed potatoes to the hollows of the meatballs. Pour prepared tomato paste mixture over the tomatoes lightly and return to oven. Bake until golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Caramelized Clementines

2008-08-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

Very easy and good looking dessert from Self. It's a healthy and tasty substitute to higher calorie desserts and it hits the spot.

I have tried using mandarins or grapefruit, but oranges work best.

I can find pomegranate seeds ready to be used at Trader Joes which makes preparing this very easy, but you can use fresh pomegranates. Just be careful while cutting them, they can get pretty messy and will stain. Here is one way to prepare them which is a little bit less messy: Cut off the flowery end of the pomegranate. Score into sections. Place in a bowl of water. Allow fruit to soak for 5 minutes. Break the sections of the fruit open in the bowl of water. Allow the seed kernels to separate from the rind and sink to the bottom. Discard the rind and drain the kernels.

CARAMELIZED CLEMENTINES

Ingredients:
12 clementines, peeled
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur (or dark rum)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Directions:
Loosen segments of each clementine from the top without detaching from the stem end. Place in a bowl. Sprinkle on liqueur. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.

To start the sauce, bring 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until liquid is clear. Remove from heat; set aside. Line baking sheet with foil.

To make the shards, stir remaining 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar is moistened. Bring to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until syrup turns a golden caramel color. Remove from heat. Pour half the caramel onto baking sheet; set aside about 30 minutes to harden.

To finish the sauce, add sugar-lemon syrup to remaining caramel in pan. Simmer, stirring often, until caramel dissolves. Transfer to a bowl; cool 15 minutes.

Pour over clementines. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours. Break hardened caramel into shards; store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Before serving, garnish fruit with caramel shards and pomegranate seeds.

Makes 6 servings.

Pinto Bean and Feta Cheese Quesadillas

2008-08-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

I use this Bon Appetit recipe as a base recipe and make changes according to what I have on hand.

You can use almost any kind of beans you like, including black beans.

Instead of feta cheese, use jack cheese, or any other favorite cheese.

I like serving it with guacamole, I think it completes the dish which always hits the spot:)

PINTO BEAN AND FETA CHEESE QUESADILLAS

Ingredients:
1 1/2 15- to 16-ounce cans pinto beans, drained, rinsed
3/4 cup chopped red onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 jalapeño chilies, seeded, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

8 whole wheat flour tortillas (about 8-inch diameter)
8 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
Vegetable oil

Directions:
Combine first 6 ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, process until very chunky puree forms. Transfer to bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Place 1 tortilla on work surface. Spread with 1/4 of bean mixture. Top with 2 tablespoons cheese, then another tortilla. Heat heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Brush with oil. Add quesadilla; cook until beans are heated and tortillas are brown, about 4 minutes per side.

Transfer to warm plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas, bean mixture and cheese. Cut each quesadilla into 8 wedges and serve.

Makes 8 Servings

Eggplant Rolls with Spicy Tomato Sauce

2008-08-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

Very easy recipe from Gourmet. Although it's supposed to be a main dish, it really is an appetizer which goes great with a salad.

You can broil the eggplant in the oven instead of using a grill. But make sure you don't cut the eggplant into too thin, they will come apart when you try to roll it.

I like adding basil along with the ricotta.

EGGPLANT ROLLS WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 (1 1/4-lb) eggplant
12 1/2 oz ricotta (preferably fresh; 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Special equipment: a well-seasoned ridged grill pan or a gas grill (see cooks' note, below)

Directions:
Make sauce:
Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in 1 tablespoon oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

Grill eggplant while sauce cooks:
Heat grill pan over high heat until hot.

Peel 2-inch-wide strips of skin from opposite sides of eggplant and discard. Holding a knife parallel to a peeled side, cut eggplant lengthwise into 8 (1/3-inch-thick) slices. Brush both sides of slices with 3 tablespoons oil (total), then season with salt and pepper.

Grill slices in batches, turning over once and brushing grilled sides with some of remaining oil, until golden brown and tender, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a tray.

Assemble eggplant rolls:
Stir together cheeses, 2 tablespoons basil, pepper, and remaining salt. Divide cheese mixture among slices (3 to 4 tablespoons per slice), leaving an 1/8-inch border along edge. Roll up each slice, beginning with a short end, and serve rolls topped with sauce and sprinkled with remaining basil.

Cooks' note:
• Eggplant can be grilled using a gas grill. Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium. Grill eggplant on lightly oiled grill rack, covered with lid, turning over once, until tender and grill marks appear, 4 to 5 minutes total.

• If you want you can also layer this and bake in the oven just before serving.

Makes 4 main-course or 8 first-course servings.

Baby Greens Tossed with a Chardonnay Hazelnut Vinaigrette, Roasted Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese

2008-08-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

An Emeril recipe that I needed to post so that I don't lose it.

It's one of the tastiest dressings that I have ever tasted. Hazelnut oil is the key here.

It's a bit expensive and it's usually found in gourmet shops, although some supermarkets may have a supply. You can also find it at amazon.com.

It's very popular in French cooking and it must be stored in the refrigerator after opening. It does not go solid, and the expiration is about 1 year beyond the purchase date.

Enjoy:)

BABY GREENS TOSSED WITH A CHARDONNAY HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE, ROASTED HAZELNUTS AND GOAT CHEESE

Ingredients:
1/2 cup hazelnut oil
1/4 cup Chardonnay wine
1/4 pound (about 1/2 cup) finely chopped hazelnuts
4 cups baby greens
8 ounces Goat Cheese, crumbled
1/4 pound whole roasted hazelnuts
Salt and black pepper

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, whisk the oil and wine together. Add the hazelnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the greens with the dressing. Mound the greens in the center of the platter. Crumble the cheese over the greens. Sprinkle the hazelnuts around the greens. Garnish with black pepper.

Makes 4 servings

Figs with Balsamic Vinegar, Mascarpone and Walnuts

2008-08-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

Figs are such wonderful fruit, I can't wait for them to be in season. And they are also very versatile. This recipe is easy and very quick to prepare.

I took the recipe is from Gourmet and I have used it more than a couple of times. The presentation is also wonderful.

Instead of mascarpone, I like using ice cream. See if you like it better that way.

You can also try to use different nuts, but for me the walnuts are the way to go.

And the balsamic makes it rich, rich, rich. This is truly a tasty dessert.

FIGS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR, MASCARPONE, AND WALNUTS

Ingredients:
1 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 lb dried Mission figs, stems discarded
3/4 cup walnut pieces (2 oz), toasted
1/2 cup mascarpone

Directions:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring wine, vinegar, and sugar to a boil in a 3-quart heavy nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then add figs and gently simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.

Pour figs with liquid into a 2-quart shallow glass or ceramic baking dish and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake, uncovered, until figs are softened and have absorbed about two thirds of liquid, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

Serve warm figs with sauce and a dollop of mascarpone.

Makes 6 servings

Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Sauce and Bell Peppers

2008-08-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

I used to order extra chimichurri sauce until I found this recipe from Bon Appetit. Now, I prepare it at home:) It is very very tasty.

I grill my steak in a pan, and although it's not barbecued it still comes out great because of the sauce.

I also grill onions and add it to the sandwiches. To me onions are a must with any steak sandwich.

The only thing I do different is to double the sauce, everything else stays as is:) Enjoy....

GRILLED STEAK SANDWICHES WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE AND BELL PEPPERS

Chimichurri is an Argentine parsley sauce with bright flavors and a kick from crushed red pepper. To save time: Prepare the fresh parsley and cilantro for the processor by simply cutting off the tops of the bunches and discarding the bottom stems.

Ingredients:
1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup olive oil
2 large bell peppers (preferably 1 red and 1 yellow), cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips
2 12-ounce rib-eye steaks
4 sourdough demi-baguettes, halved horizontally

Directions:
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Combine first 6 ingredients in processor; add 2/3 cup oil and puree until almost smooth. Season chimichurri with salt and pepper.

Brush pepper strips, steaks, and cut side of bread with remaining 1/4 cup oil. Sprinkle peppers and steaks with salt and pepper. Grill peppers until tender, about 5 minutes per side. Grill steaks to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Grill bread, cut side down, until beginning to brown lightly, about 2 minutes. Thinly slice steaks crosswise; divide among bread bottoms. Spoon chimichurri over steak (about 1/4 cup per sandwich), then top with pepper strips. Cover with bread tops and serve.

Recipe Remix:
Toss any remaining chimichurri sauce with potato wedges and roast in 400°F oven until just tender, about 40 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Bucatini Carbonara with Zucchini

2008-08-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had copied this recipe from Bon Appetit a long time ago. It's rich and delicious, and not heavy at all. And very easy to make.

You can add cooked chicken breast pieces or shrimp to make it a more complete meal.

If you like your pasta with a lot of sauce you need to to use twice the cream and cheese. For me the recipe is enough, which barely coats the pasta.

You can also add a bit of white wine to the cream sauce which gives it a nice bite.

BUCATINI CARBONARA WITH ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:
6 ounces sliced pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, thinly sliced

1 pound bucatini or spaghetti

3 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook pancetta in medium skillet over medium heat until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels; drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add cream, garlic, and crushed pepper to drippings in skillet; bring to boil. Set aside.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; sauté until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large plate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Pancetta, cream mixture, and zucchini can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, place eggs in their shell in small bowl. Add enough hot water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Crack eggs into large bowl and whisk to blend. Bring cream mixture to boil in skillet. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into eggs. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Add sauce to pasta and toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta (do not boil). Add pancetta and zucchini and toss to heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing remaining cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Grand Chocolate Brownie Wedges with Chocolate Sauce

2008-08-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

I copied this easy and fast recipe from Nestle's recipe site and have been using it for my brownie recipe.

It is very rich, so you should cut the pieces smaller than usual:) You could say that one of the reasons that this one is my favorite is because of how rich it is. It hits the spot:)

I actually skip the chocolate sauce and just go for the brownie. But, I do use some whipped cream on top, especially if I have some strawberries to go with them.

There is really no changes that can be made to this recipe, it is just perfection. Enjoy:)

THE "RATED R" FOR RICHNESS GRAND CHOCOLATE BROWNIE WEDGES WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ CHOCOLATIER™ 62% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325º F. Line 8-inch-square baking pan with foil; grease. Set aside 3 tablespoons morsels for chocolate sauce.

Heat 1 cup morsels, sugar, butter and water in small, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until morsels and butter are melted. Pour into medium bowl. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until mixed in. Stir in vanilla extract. Add flour and salt; stir well. Stir in remaining morsels (except sauce morsels) and nuts, if desired. Pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 33 to 35 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift brownie from pan with foil to cutting board. Carefully remove foil. Cut brownie square into half. Cut each half into thirds, for a total of 6 pieces. Cut each piece in half diagonally to form triangles for a total of 12.

Place cream in small, uncovered, microwave-safe dish. . Microwave on high (100%) power for 25 to 30 seconds. Add reserved 3 tablespoons of morsels; stir until smooth. (Sauce will thicken as it cools.) Place wedge on serving plate; top or drizzle with a teaspoon of sauce. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Antep Kebab

2008-08-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

This is a kebab recipe that is authentic to the Antep city in Turkey. It isn't grilled kebabs as we are used to, but it's cooked in the oven. I love all the ingredients in this recipe, so it's one of my favorites:)

Basically you are preparing Turkish meatballs and cooking it with eggplants.

I use less olive oil in the meatballs, and I don't miss it. And it comes out much better if you can rest the mixture in the fridge overnight. If you don't have the time, let it rest in the fridge while you are preparing the vegetables, and form them just before you start preparing the eggplant. So eggplant should be the last ingredient you prepare because once you cut it, it can start going dark which doesn't look nice.

Enjoy:)

ANTEP KEBAB

Ingredients:
For meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
2 slices of stale bread, discard outer ring or 1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1 bunch parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

For vegetables:
4 Japanese eggplants
8-10 green peppers, (if you want, you can choose hot ones, I use ones that have no heat)
5-6 tomatoes
20-25 small onions or shallots
1 garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Blend with your hands until just combined well (do not overmix). Form mixture into walnut-size balls

Prepare the green peppers by discarding the seeds. Slice the tomatoes into rounds. Peel the onions and the garlic.

Peel 1/2 inch wide strips of skin from opposite sides of eggplant and discard. Cut eggplant into 1/3 inch thick rounds.

In a large baking dish arrange the meatball and eggplant rounds in rows. Add the green peppers, onions and garlic on top. Arrange tomatoes on top and add the olive oil all over the dish.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Move the rack to the lowest possible level. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake about 60 minutes, until the meatballs and the eggplant is cooked. Remove the aluminum foil the last 5 minutes to get a nice golden color.

Mushroom Pesto Crostini

2008-08-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

A very easy to make and delicious appetizer recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. And I love trying different pesto recipes, so I had to give this one a try. You can actually make a dip out of it by adding extra olive oil.

Although the recipe uses 2 kinds of mushrooms, you can use just as many or as little kinds of mushrooms as you want. And sauteing them beforehand intensifies the taste wonderfully. You can also saute the walnuts a bit.

I like adding a little bit more garlic to this recipe. To me, it wasn't enough.

You can also add some chives or green onions that are chopped finely on top of the crostinis, because although the taste is great, the color is not all that appetizing. And it can turn darker as it waits around. I will try to add a couple of drops of lemon next time, that should help with the browning.

You can use the leftovers as a part of a sauce for a pasta dish. Just add some to cream and Parmesan, and then add to pasta.

MUSHROOM PESTO CROSTINI

Ingredients:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh Italian parsley leaves
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
36 slices (1/2-inch-thick) baguette bread

Directions:
Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl of hot water; press to submerge. Let stand until the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes. Scoop out mushrooms, being carefully not to stir any dirt that may have sunk to the bottom of the water. Discard mushroom water.

Combine the porcini mushrooms, button mushrooms, walnuts, garlic, and parsley in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup of the oil, blending just until the mushrooms are finely chopped.

Transfer the mushroom mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste. If not using mushroom pesto right away, cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent possible discoloration of mushrooms.

Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Arrange the bread slices on pan, cut-side down. Brush the remaining 1/4 cup of oil over the bread slices. Cook until pale golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

Alternatively, you can toast the bread in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheet. Brush the remaining 1/4 cup of oil over the bread slices. Bake until pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.

Spread the mushroom pesto over the crostini. Arrange the crostini on a platter and serve.

Raspberry Tiramisu

2008-08-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

I watched Giada De Laurentiis prepare this recipe on TV, and since I love tiramisu and have never seen it prepared with raspberries I had to give it a try.

This is very fast to make and has a great presentation. It's also a heavenly dessert, and here are some pointers.

Use soft ladyfingers, the hard ones would need to be soaked. And it takes some time for the ladyfingers to absorb the flavors, so prepare it about 6-7 hours ahead. It can stay overnight.

But it doesn't make great leftovers, they can get too soggy. So you can halve the recipe if you don't need to prepare it for 8, and they do look great if you put them in individual bowls.

The taste of Grand Marnier can be overpowering, so you can use less alcohol if you prefer. You can also use Chambord instead of the Grand Marnier.

You can also use strawberries instead of raspberries, the taste is completely different, but it's still superb.

Enjoy:)

RASPBERRY TIRAMISU

Ingredients:
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
6 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
1 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
28 soft ladyfingers or 2 (12-ounce) pound cakes, cut into 3 by 1 by 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 (1/2 dry pint) baskets fresh raspberries (about 3 3/4 cups total)
Confectioners' sugar, for serving

Directions:
Stir the jam and 4 tablespoons of the orange liqueur in a small bowl to blend.

Combine the mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur in a large bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.

Line the bottom of a13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish or other decorative serving dish with half of the ladyfingers. Spread half of the jam mixture over the ladyfingers. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the jam mixture, then cover with half of the fresh raspberries. Repeat layering with the remaining ladyfingers, jam mixture, mascarpone mixture and raspberries. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve.

Biba's Ricotta Squash Gnocchi

2008-08-03T06:50:00.000-07:00

I found this wonderful gnocchi recipe which I love at Martha Stewart. I don't know who she is but according to Martha Stewart this recipe was passed down to chef Biba Caggiano from her mother. Thank God for that:)

It's a little time consuming, but you can prepare it a day ahead and cook it later on.

I love the fact that this is a gnocchi that uses a vegetable instead of traditional potatoes or just flour. It is really delicious.

There is really nothing to change or add to this recipe. Just grab a glass of white wine and enjoy:)

BIBA'S RICOTTA SQUASH GNOCCHI

Ingredients:
For the gnocchi:
2 pounds butternut squash
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
5 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/3 to 1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

For the sauce:
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 fresh sage leaves, torn
Coarse salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Place on prepared baking sheet, cut side down. Cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil. Bake until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool slightly; remove and discard the seeds, and scrape the pulp from the skin. Place the pulp in a large kitchen towel (not terrycloth), wrap it around the squash, and squeeze out approximately 3/4 cup of the juices.

In a large bowl, combine the squash pulp, egg, ricotta, Parmigiano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/3 cups flour. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until thoroughly blended together. Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured wooden board, and, with your hands, work gently into a dough, gradually adding a little more flour if the dough sticks too much to your hands and to the board. Dust the dough lightly with flour, and place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

To form the gnocchi, cut off a piece of dough about the size of an orange. Flour your hands lightly. Using both hands, roll out the piece of dough with a light back-and-forth motion into a rope about the thickness of your index finger. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Hold a fork with the tines against the work surface, the curved part of the fork facing away. Starting from the bottom of the tines of the fork, press each piece of dough with your index finger firmly upward along the length of the tines, then let the gnocchi fall back onto the work surface. Repeat with the remaining dough until all the gnocchi have been formed. Transfer gnocchi to a lightly floured platter or baking sheet. The gnocchi can be cooked immediately or refrigerated, uncovered, overnight.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add remaining tablespoon salt and gnocchi. Cover pot, and cook until water returns to a boil. Uncover, and cook until the gnocchi rise to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cook for just 20 to 30 seconds more.

While the gnocchi are cooking, make the sauce: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add sage, and stir a few times.

Remove the gnocchi from the pot with a slotted spoon or a skimmer, draining the excess water back into the pot, and place in the skillet. Season lightly with salt, and add a small handful of the Parmigiano. Stir over medium heat until the gnocchi are well coated with butter. Taste, adjust for seasoning, and serve immediately with a sprinkling of Parmigiano.

Makes 4 servings

Red Wine Pot Roast with Porcini Mushrooms

2008-08-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

Wonderful pot roast recipe from Bon Appetit, which takes some time to cook. But because of the cooking time the meat comes out wonderfully soft, and almost shreds into pieces.

There aren't much you would change about this recipe, but there are some additions that I like

During the last 1,5 hours of cooking, add carrots or baby carrots. You can even add potatoes. It makes a complete meal.

The mushrooms almost disappear in the sauce because of the cooking time, so if you want to be able to see mushrooms, add half in the beginning and the rest the last half hour.

I also like adding pearl onions during the last hour. I like the way they look in the dish, and some more onion never hurts with this recipe:)

This is a great company dish. One of the reasons is that you can prepare it in advance. And the smell of this dish is divine. But if you are cooking for 2, just use less beef, but keep the sauce amount about the same. The cooking time also stays the same.

I like using thyme instead of marjoram. You can also go for herbs de provence. It gives great depth to the sauce. If you don't have fresh marjoram, dried also works.

The wine is important, because it really comes through, so choose it carefully. And you don't really need to boil the wine or the broth as they do boil down in the oven with all that cooking time.

I skip the celery, because I don't like celery, and I don't miss it in the recipe. So if you don't like it also, just skip it:)

RED-WINE POT ROAST WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS

Ingredients:
1 cup low-salt chicken broth or beef broth
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 4-pound boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks with some leaves, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram plus sprigs for garnish
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 cup dry red wine

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Bring broth to simmer in saucepan. Remove from heat; add mushrooms, cover, and let stand until soft, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to cutting board. Chop coarsely. Reserve mushrooms and broth separately.

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total. Transfer beef to large plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pot.

Place pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, chopped marjoram, and reserved porcini mushrooms; sauté 1 minute.

Using hands, crush tomatoes, 1 at a time, into pot. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Add wine; boil 5 minutes. Add reserved mushroom broth, leaving any sediment behind. Boil 5 minutes.

Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot. Cover; transfer to oven. Cook 1 1/2 hours. Turn beef and continue cooking until tender, about 1 1/2 hours longer. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cool. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

Transfer beef to cutting board; tent with foil. Spoon fat from surface of juices in pot. Bring juices to boil; cook until liquid is reduced to 4 cups, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut beef into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to platter. Spoon juices over, garnish with marjoram sprigs, and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Fried Zucchini

2008-08-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

I took this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, but when I tried it, it didn't turn out to be as crunchy as I thought it would be. So I made changes.

Panko is really great, but it doesn't adhere, so I used flour before the egg mixture. I have also heard that cornstarch does a great job, instead of flour. It comes out even crunchier with the cornstarch.

I serve it with a garlic yogurt sauce, which is very similar to tzatziki, but without the cucumbers. Actually I like it with cucumbers and use it in the sauce. You can prepare the sauce and see if you want to add them.

Enjoy:)

FRIED ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:
Olive oil, for frying
1 3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 medium zucchini, cut into 3-inch long by 1/2-inch wide strips

Directions:
Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.

Stir 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, the panko, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Whisk the eggs in another medium bowl to blend. Working in batches, dip the zucchini in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl.

Coat the zucchini in the panko mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the zucchini strips on a baking sheet.

When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the zucchini sticks until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried zucchini to paper towels and drain.

Arrange the fried zucchini on a platter. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.

INDEX OF ALL RECIPES

2008-07-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

Here is the updated index from beginning to today.

There are too many recipes without an index on this site because blogger isn't really set up for it. So I've decided to add an index of recipes at the end of each month. So far, there are over 250 recipes, and I'm hoping this will make it easier to find the recipes.

APPETIZER RECIPES:
Bbq Onion Steaks with Honey-Mustard Sauce
Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Squares
Cheese Souffle
Chickpea Fritters - Panelle
Crunchy Chili Onion Rings
Fried Mozzarella with Puttanesca Dipping Sauce
Garlic Knots
Goat Cheese in Grape Leaves with Tomato and Olive Salad
Gouda and Feta Pizzettes
Pinto Beans cooked in Olive Oil - Pilaki
Stuffed Aubergines with Rice
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Yaprak Dolma
Tomato Eggplant Spread
Tomato Ricotta Tart
Zucchini Fritters With Herbs And Cheese
Tarragon Pizza Bianca
Wine and Ham Croquettes
White Bean Puree with Sun-dried Tomatoes

SOUP RECIPES:
Brandied Onion Soup with Croque-Monsieur Croutons
French Onion Soup
Lentil Soup with a Curry Crema and Lentil Crackers
Red Lentil and Mint Soup
Spicy Tomato Soup

SALAD RECIPES:
Avocado and Tomato Salad
Beet And Goat Cheese Salad With Pistachios
Big Island Tomato and Maui Onion Salad with Maui Onion Dressing
Black-eyed Pea Salad
Bulgur Wheat Stuffed Tomato
Chervil Shallot Potato Salad
Crisp Goat-Cheese Salad with Potatoes
Cucumber Dill Salad
Cucumber, Mustard and Dill Salad
Frisee with Flaked Salmon and Cucumbers
Garlicky Eggplant Salad with Tomato Sauce
Grilled Zucchini Ribbon Salad
Lentil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Lentil Salad With Tomato And Dill
Marinated Zucchini and Radicchio Salad
Mesclun Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
Mixed Green Salad with Citrus Dressing
Mixed Lettuce Chiffonade with Gorgonzola-Herb Dressing
New Potato Salad with Sauteed Onion Vinaigrette
Orzo with Tomaotes, Feta, and Green Onions
Orzo, Feta and Tomato Salad with Marjoram Vinaigrette
Potato and Parmesan Salad
Potato and Pea Salad with Chive Aioli
Ratatouille Salad
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Bacon Dressing and Pine Nuts
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Feta Cheese
Tabbouleh
Tomatoes Stuffed with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil
Veal Cutlets with Arugula and Tomato Salad
Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Grilled Olive Bread

VEGETABLE DISHES:
Baby Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Pecans
Baked Garden Tomatoes with Cheese
Brussel Sprouts with White Beans and Pecorino
Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin
Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Eggplant, Zucchini, Onion, Tomato, And Feta Cheese Napoleons
Greek Style Stuffed Eggplant
Grilled Zucchini with Greek Spices and Feta Salad
Hand-Mashed Pinto Beans with Cheese
Imam Bayildi - The Imam Fainted
Naples Style Marinated Zucchini
Pinto Beans cooked in Olive Oil - Pilaki
Roasted Eggplant Puree - Hunkar Begendi - Sultan's Delight
Rustic Porcini Onion Stuffing
"Soda Jerk" Beans
Spinach with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Toasted Parmesan Crumbs
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Yaprak Dolma
Stuffed Zucchini

SANDWICH RECIPES:
Croissant Steak Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Mayonnaise
Croque Monsieur
Eggplant and Smoked GoudaOpen-Faced Grilled Sandwiches
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches
Grilled Ham and Gouda Sandwiches with Frisee and Caramelized Onions
Grilled Prosciutto, Soppressata and Mozzarella Panini
Homemade Sandwich Bread
Made Up Toast Souffle
Monte Cristo
Muffuletta Sandwich on Sourdough Bread
Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich
Pocket Sandwiches
Roast Beef Sandwiches with Lemon-Basil Mayonnaise and Roasted Red Onions
Taverna Veggie Sandwiches
Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

SAUCES/DRESSINGS/DIPS:
Aioli Sauce for French Fries/Frites
Basic Marinara Sauce
Basic Tomato Sauce
Cafe de Paris Sauce and Butter Recipes
Caramelized Onion Dip
Chimichurri Sauce
Citrus Dressing
Creamy Mustard Sauce
Creamy Oven-cooked Bacon Dip
Creamy Tomato Sauce
Creole Olive Salad
Cucumber Dill Sauce
Eggplant Dip
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Gorgonzola Sauce
Grilled Eggplant Spread
Guacamole
Guacamole with Fresh Corn and Chipotle
Haydari with Feta Cheese
Herbed Mustard Sauce
Homemade Steak Sauce
Lemon Caramel Sauce and Candied Lemon Slices
Methods for Making Sour Cream
Pesto Oil
Mustard-Cognac Sauce
Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers
Puttanesca Dipping Sauce
Puttanesca Sauce
Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper with Feta Dip
Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
Tahini Sauce and Tahini Paste
Tzatziki Sauce
White Bean, Garlic, and Tomato Salsa

BEEF RECIPES:
Andouille Burgers with Grilled Sweet Onions and Creole Remoulade Sauce
Baked Meatballs and Potatoes - Firinda Kofte Ve Patates
Beef Braised in Red Wine (Beouf Vigneronne)
Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Mustard-Cognac Sauce
Beef Tenderloin with Chanterelle Sauce
Cafe de Paris Sauce and Butter Recipes
Cider Glazed Lamb Chops
Cumin-rubbed Rib-Eye Steaks with Two Salsas
Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce
Herbed Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir Sauce
Kicked Up Breaded Pork Chops
Lady's Thigh Meatballs - Kadinbudu Kofte
Lamb Burgers with Feta Sauce
Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce and Red Onions
Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich
Sliced Steak With Arugula
Sloppy Joes
Steak Au Poivre
Steak Diane
Steak Pizzaiola
Stewed Kebabs in a Bowl - Tas Kebab
Veal Cutlets With Thyme Butter Sauce

SEAFOOD RECIPES:
Baked Halibut with Tomato, Capers, and Olive Vinaigrette
Frisee with Flaked Salmon and Cucumbers
Salmon Cooked in Parchment Paper
Tequila Shrimp

CHICKEN RECIPES:
Chicken Provencale
Grilled Chicken with Mustard Dill Sauce
Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers
Roasted Chicken Dinner
Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
Wild Mushroom Chicken Basted in White Wine

POTATO RECIPES:
Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs
Basic Mashed Potatoes
Caramelized Onion-Potato Pancakes
Caramelized Shallot and Sage Mashed Potatoes
Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes
Creamy Herbed Potatoes
Frites
Grilled New Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs
Oven Fried Potato and Sweet Potato Chips
Perfect French Fries
Potato and Red Pepper Frittata
Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce
Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese and Garlic
Potato Gratin With Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, And Olives
Potato Roesti
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted New Potatoes with Spring Herb Pesto
Roasted Potato Wedges With Rosemary Butter
Spotted Pig's Ricotta Gnudi
Warm New Potato Salad with Grainy Mustard

PASTA RECIPES:
Baked Pasta - Pasta Gratin
Baked Ravioli
Castellane with Mascarpone and Roasted Grape Tomatoes
Cheese Tortellini and Creamy Tomato Sauce
Farfalle with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cream
Fettuccine With Roasted Tomato Sauce And Parmesan
Fried Ravioli
Greek Style Penne with Fresh Tomaotes, Feta, and Dill
Grilled Vegetable Lasagna with Puttanesca Sauce and Pesto Oil
Handmade Pasta with Pancetta, Cherry Tomatoes and Herbs
Herbed Spaghetti with Butter
Pappardelle Pasta with Olives, Thyme and Lemon
Pasta with Chicken and Pepper Sauce
Pasta with Kalamata Olives and Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
Pasta with Pancetta and Tomato Sauce
Pasta with Roasted Provencal Vegetable Sauce
Penne with Roasted Tomato Sauce
Roasted Vegetable And Prosciutto Lasagna With Alfredo Sauce
Sausage, Cheese And Basil Lasagna
Spaghetti Carbonara
Tricolor Tomato Fettucine

RICE RECIPES:
Basil Risotto
Bulgur and Green Lentil Pilaf
Creole Vegetable Jambalaya
Rice Pilaf
Risotto Con Parmigiano-Reggiano
Roasted Tomato Risotto
Saffron Rice with Tomatoes and Fresh Oregano
Yellow Rice with Sofrito

BREAKFAST RECIPES:
Chorizo and Scrambled Egg Breakfast Tacos
Frittata with Potato and Prosciutto
Goat Cheese Quiche with Hash-Brown Crust

MISC RECIPES:
Black-Bean Tostados with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce and Tostadas
Basic Pizza Dough
Caramelized Shallots
Charred Red Onion and Balsamic Vinegar White Beans
Cilantro Garlic Pita Crisps
Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Crepes
Dominican Beans
Falafel
Flat Zucchini Omelet
Fried Carrots
Garlic Croutons
Herb Pita Crisps
Lemon Vodka Whipped Cream
Lentil Crackers
Parsley Oil
Parmesan Crisps
Parmesan Popovers
Parmesan Toasts
Pesto Oil
Pita Crisps
Tostadas
Spiced Pita Toasts
Salami Crisps with Sour Cream and Basil

COFFEE, DRINK AND COCTAIL RECIPES:
9 1/2 Weeks
Caffe Medici and Cappuccino Cream
Cosmopolitan
Cucumber Gimlet
target="_blank">Electric Blue Margarita
Frozen Margarita
Italian Lemonade
Hemingway Daiquiri
Hummingbird
Hurricane
Lemon Peel Vodka
Limoncello
Magnificent Melon
Orange Peel Vodka
Peach Margarita
Peach Passion
Pomegranate Martini
Simple Syrup
Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Strawberry Caipirinha
Turkish Coffee
Vanilla Simple Syrup
Vanilla Vodka
Wild Berry Caipiroska
Wild Berries Splash

DESSERT RECIPES:
Almond Plum Buckle
Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Angel Food Cake
Bourbon Balls
Chocolate Amaretti Peaches
Chocolate-Amaretti Tortes
Chocolate Fondue a La Chalet Suisse
Chocolate-Orange Pots de Creme with Candied Orange Peel
Coconut Flan
Coconut Pecan Bars
Coffee Ice Cream and Mexican Chocolate Sundaes with Cinnamon-Sugar Tortilla Crisps
Dark Chocolate Souffles With Cardamom Creme Anglaise
Dark Chocolate Torte With Spiked Blackberry Coulis
Dark Molten Chocolate Cakes
Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Dipped Strawberries
Double Chocolate Orange Pudding
Espresso Sambuca Tapioca Pudding
Fruit-And-Almond Gratins
Grilled Pineapple with Nutella
Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate Chocolate Souffle with Grand Marnier Chocolate Sauce
Honey-Ginger Pineapple Crepes
Individual Peach Upside-Down Cake
Jumbo Black Bottom Coconut Macaroons
Le Bete Noire
Lemon Creme Brulee With Fresh Berries
Lemon Spice Bread Pudding with Sauteed Peaches
Limoncello Cheesecake Squares
Meyer Lemon Budino
Mosaic
Old-Fashioned New York-Style Cheesecake with Berry Coulis
Puff Pastry Tart Filled with Almond Cream
Russian Toast with Bananas Flambe & Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce
Salep Ice Cream
Super Lemony Lemon Squares
Vanilla Lime Pineapple Skewers
Vodka Berries Romanoff
Wine Soaked Berries

Dominican Beans

2008-07-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

This Latin American bean recipe from Gourmet is one of the tastiest bean dishes that I know of. It's easy, but you need to simmer it for a while.

It's great with rice, or you can just have it by itself with some salad on the side. Add some shredded cheese on the side too, although I'm not sure that's how Dominicans would have it:)

Because it takes some time to prepare, you might want to double the recipe and freeze the leftovers for later use.

Enjoy:)

DOMINICAN BEANS

Ingredients:
2 (14- to 15-oz) cans pink or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups water
1 (2-oz) bunch cilantro (without roots)
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 Cubanelle or Italian frying pepper (not spicy; 4 oz), halved lengthwise, stem and seeds discarded
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Special equipment: cotton kitchen string

Directions:
Purée half of beans in food processor with 1 cup water until smooth.

Tie cilantro into a tight bundle with string.

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened but not brown, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, vinegar, and 1 cup water, then bring to a boil and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Add puréed and whole beans, Cubanelle pepper halves, cilantro, bay leaves, salt, oregano, pepper, and remaining 2 cups water, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours (mixture will reduce and thicken). Remove and discard Cubanelle pepper halves, cilantro, and bay leaves, then serve.

Makes 4 (main course) or 8 (side dish) servings.

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

2008-07-28T05:20:00.000-07:00

This recipe is not the regular Philly recipe, it is upgraded by Emeril and it is gooood:)

If you want to make it a little bit more sophisticated add some mushrooms to the vegetables. Next time I'm going to add some red wine to the veggies too, I think it will compliment it.

Emeril has even given the method to cut the steak thinly, and it works wonderfully. I don't have an electric knife but a regular knife worked just as well.

PHILLY CHEESE STEAK

Ingredients:
1 pound shell, sirloin, or rib steak, well trimmed and boneless
About 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 to 6 Italian frying peppers, halved and stemmed, seeds discarded
4 soft hero breads or hoagie rolls, halved lengthwise
Balsamic vinegar
1/4 pound imported fontina or sharp, aged provolone, thinly sliced

Directions:
Slice the beef on an electric meat slicer, or use the following method: with plastic wrap, tightly roll the steak into a torpedo or log shape. Put the beef in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes to firm it until tight but not frozen. Remove the plastic wrap and, working quickly; use an electric knife to slice the beef into paper-thin slices, almost shaving the beef. If this does not produce very thin results, cut the beef into the thinnest slices possible and flatten, using a meat pounder. Once all the beef has been cut, refrigerate until the remaining ingredients are ready.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan set over low heat. Put in the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until nicely softened and lightly caramelized but not browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside. Add the pepper halves to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and fry until soft and tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onions. Keep the onions and peppers covered and warm.

In a clean, heavy-bottomed saute pan, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the beef in batches and lightly brown, seasoning with salt and pepper as you cook, adding more oil if necessary.

Pull out a little of the doughy insides of each loaf, then drizzle lightly with the oil, a splash of vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put 1/4 of the beef inside each roll, top with onions and peppers, and finish with several slices of cheese. Cover with the top half of the bread. Wrap snugly in sandwich wrapping paper, slice diagonally in half, and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Caramelized Shallots AND Caramelized Shallot and Sage Mashed Potatoes

2008-07-27T07:42:00.001-07:00

I'm going to add two recipes today. I watched Barefoot Contessa prepare caramelized shallots and I had to try them out. I'm glad I did.

Perfect side dish to meats, potatoes, chicken, fish or anything else you can think of. The recipe actually works great with onions too. I've found this wonderful and easy side dish where you can use these wonderful shallots, so I'm going to add that recipe below.

I do slice the shallots which speeds up the cooking time, and makes them easier to eat. But it does depend on the size of the shallots.

CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots intact
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof saute pan, add the shallots and sugar, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and toss well.

Place the saute pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the shallots, until they are tender. Season, to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

Here is a recipe from Bon Appetit that updates mashed potatoes. The shallots and sage add a nice sweetness to the potatoes and make a wonderful side dish.

This recipe also has a section where you caramelize the shallots which takes a shorter time to prepare, but I would use the recipe above.

If you like rosemary, substitute with the sage, but I would try the sage first:)

Just a great side dish that doesn't require many changes. Enjoy....

CARAMELIZED SHALLOT AND SAGE MASHED POTATOES

Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes (unpeeled)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt

Directions:
Place potatoes in large saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until tender, about 20 to 40 minutes. Drain well; cool slightly. Peel and mash potatoes; place in large saucepan. Over medium heat, dry out potatoes for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat milk in small saucepan until warm. Stir butter into potatoes. Add warm milk and stir until completely absorbed. Season with salt.

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add shallots; sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir until shallots are golden, about 5 minutes longer. Add fresh sage, white balsamic vinegar, and sugar; stir until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Stir shallot-sage mixture into potatoes. Season with salt.

Makes 6 servings.

Imam Bayildi - The Imam Fainted

2008-07-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

This is probably the most delicious eggplant recipe that I know of. It's an authentic Turkish recipe, and according to the story it was prepared for the head Imam who fainted after he saw how much olive oil was used to prepare this dish. I don't know how true the story is but I think it is the best and worth fainting for:)

It's very very easy to make although the cooking time is long. To me it's definitely worth it. Because the preparation time is not long at all. It takes me about 5-10 minutes of preparation time and then I simmer it for about an hour. All I have to do is to remember to set my timer and check the water level around 30 -35 minutes after it starts simmering.

Although the recipe has instructions for the eggplant to be fried, I don't; just to make it a little bit more healthy and it really doesn't lose that much from the taste. Actually I think it really is better. Use the Japanese type long eggplant, not the round ones. And choose meatier ones, not very tiny ones.

And I don't salt the eggplant because they are not really that bitter as they used to be. So using them right away hasn't been a problem for me. Maybe I'm being lazy, so go ahead and prepare as you wish.

And this is a dish that gets better over time. So if you can have it stay around for a day it will taste much better. Enjoy...

IMAM BAYILDI - THE IMAM FAINTED:)

Ingredients:
4 small eggplant (about 1 1/ 2 pounds)
Salt
10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium-size onions, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 medium sized green peppers, not hot, you can use green bell peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Peel off strips of the eggplant skin at 1-inch intervals to make a stripped effect. Cut off the stem portion, then cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Make a deep lengthwise slit along the flesh side of the eggplant, making sure you don't puncture the skin. Salt the flesh and set aside, flesh side down, on some paper towels for 30 minutes to leach the eggplant of its bitter juices. Dry with paper towels.

In a large skillet, heat 1/ 4 cup of the olive oil over high heat and once it's smoking, fry the eggplant, flesh side down, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the skillet to drain on some paper towels.

In the same skillet you cooked the eggplant, add the remaining oil and heat over medium-high heat, then cook the onion and garlic until soft and yellow, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn't burn. Transfer the onions to a medium-size bowl and mix well with the tomatoes, green peppers, parsley, dill, sugar, salt to taste, and a few tablespoons of the cooking oil.

Arrange the eggplant halves in a large skillet or casserole with the slit side up. Gently open the slit so that they can accommodate as much of the stuffing as possible. Season the eggplant with salt, then stuff each one so that the stuffing fills the slits and is spread to cover all the flesh. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the eggplant. Pour any remaining sauce or juices, along with the water, into the skillet, cover, and cook over low heat until the eggplant is soft, about 50 minutes, adding water to the skillet if it is getting too dry. Let the eggplants cool in the skillet and serve whole at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings

Stuffed Zucchini and Basic Tomato Sauce

2008-07-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

I think nobody cooks Italian like Mario Batali does. This was such a great tasting recipe, but I did make changes to it. Below you'll find the original recipe just in case you want to try the original.

I used basil instead of mint. Mint just didn't sound right to me, and I don't like mint all that much anyway.

I used sausages that I had at home instead of lamb which turned out to be really really good.

You could probably prepare this recipe without any meat at all, and it should make a nice vegetarian side dish.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound ground lamb, crumbled
2 eggs
1 bunch fresh mint leaves, picked but left whole
1 cup basic tomato sauce, recipe follows
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Trim the zucchini and cut in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or melon baller, remove the flesh making a canal down the center of each zucchini half, leaving 1/4-inch all around and the ends closed. Roughly chop the excess zucchini flesh and set aside.

In a 10 to 12-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil until just smoking. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until softened, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the zucchini pieces and crumbled lamb and cook until the lamb is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain the fat from the lamb mixture and place in a large mixing bowl.

Add the eggs, half of the mint leaves and the tomato sauce and mix well. Season both the mixture and the zucchini boats with salt and pepper. Stuff the lamb mixture into the zucchini boats and pile it high.

Place in an oven-proof baking dish just large enough to hold all the zucchini and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp on top, and remove. Serve warm or at room temperature and sprinkle with remaining mint leaves.

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped in 1/4 inch dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt, to taste

Directions:
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often.

Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve.

This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Yield: 4 cups

Steak Pizzaiola AND Herbed Spaghetti with Butter

2008-07-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

This easy recipe is from Martha Stewart. And it's a quick version of pizzaiola. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to have it ready.

Serve it with a side of your favorite pasta. It actually had a herbed quick pasta recipe to go with it, so I will add that recipe below.

The steak dish cooks all in one skillet. As the name implies, the steak is topped with sauce and cheese, like a pizza. For a spicier topping, add crushed red pepper with the garlic.

Inexpensive eye of round is used for this recipe, but you could use any other small steak, such as minute steak. Chopped fresh tomatoes (about two pounds) also work well in place of the canned ones.

Enjoy:)

STEAK PIZZAIOLA

Ingredients:
4 small eye of round steaks (each 6 ounces and 3/4 inch thick)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried), plus more for garnish
2 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1/3 cup)

Directions:
Generously season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.

Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding pan, add the steaks, and sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium; add garlic. Cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and oregano. Cook over high heat until sauce is thickened, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.

Return steaks and any accumulated juices from plate to skillet; cover, and cook until steaks are just heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. To serve, transfer steaks to plates, and top with sauce and mozzarella; garnish with more oregano.

HERBED SPAGHETTI WITH BUTTER

Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 pound thin whole-wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, and chives

Directions:
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot.

Stir in butter, lemon zest, juice, and herbs; season with salt and pepper. Add some of the reserved pasta water to adjust consistency, if needed. Serve.

Potato and Red Pepper Frittata

2008-07-15T07:40:00.000-07:00

According to Martha Stewart this dish is based on tortilla Española. In Spain, it is traditionally accompanied by garlic mayonnaise—but it is also delicious served on its own. You can use leftover boiled or baked potatoes in place of the raw ones. Simply slice them, and add to the onion mixture at the end of step 2.

It's okay if the potatoes do not cook evenly. Some will be browned; some will only be translucent.

I have tried substituting the red pepper with other vegetables, and they turn out to be great also.

Enjoy:)

POTATO AND RED-PEPPER FRITTATA

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, stem, ribs, and seeds removed, then thinly sliced in strips
2 russet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into thin slices
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 large eggs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. In an 8-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in skillet. Add potatoes; season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, tossing often, until potatoes are tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer potatoes to bowl with onion mixture; toss to combine. Return mixture to skillet; flatten with a metal spatula.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Pour over potato mixture; tilt pan to distribute evenly. Bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into wedges, and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2008-07-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

This IS the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich from Bon Appetit. The Asiago and prosciutto work great together. Just give it a try, and you would never go to regular grilled cheese again:)

If you have a panini maker, just go with that one, but keep in mind that putting the tomatoes in afterwards might be a problem.

Serve with some tomato soup and enjoy:)

ULTIMATE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Ingredients:
Butter
4 slices country white sourdough bread, cut on deep diagonal into 1/3-inch-thick slices (each about 7x3 1/2 inches)
4 thin slices prosciutto
8 large fresh basil leaves
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices young Asiago cheese or drained fresh mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 (1/3-inch-thick) slices heirloom tomato (from about 1 large)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Lightly butter 1 side of each bread slice. Place 2 bread slices, buttered side down, on work surface.

Top each with 2 prosciutto slices, then 4 basil leaves, then 4 cheese slices. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper. Top with remaining 2 bread slices, buttered side up.

Heat olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add sandwiches to skillet and cook until golden on bottom, about 4 minutes.

Turn sandwiches over; transfer skillet to oven and bake until golden and cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven. Carefully lift off top bread slices from sandwiches and insert 3 tomato slices into each, then cover with bread tops and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Penne with Roasted Tomato Sauce

2008-07-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

According to Michael Smith you haven't lived until you've roasted a tomato! Sounds a little bit too strong, but roasting a tomato does work wonders. The simplicity of this method reveals a deep satisfying tomato flavor that will make this one of your favorite ways to dress pasta.

Unfortunately the tomatoes that you buy at the market today aren't really that flavorful, so roasting them like this helps by concentrating the taste. And one thing to keep in mind is not to put the tomatoes in the fridge. If you expose them to cold they lose all the flavor they have. Just leave them outside, preferably where they can have the sun hit them, and they will ripen more, giving them a little bit more flavor.

You can also roast tomatoes then refrigerate them for a wonderful addition to any salad. To be able to add them to a salad, you should roast the tomatoes at 250 degrees, for about 5-6 hours, to dry them. And skip the additions of pancetta, onions and garlic. Just add the olive oil, salt and pepper. You would end up with wonderful dried tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and arrange skin side down in tight rows on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Drizzle a touch of oil on each and lightly season with salt and pepper. Because ovens – and tomatoes – vary it may take six to eight hours in total or even overnight. You’ll know they’re done when they shrink noticeably, lose their fleshiness and taste amazing.

I haven't tried it, but I think adding some black olives to the pasta sauce will give this sauce a kick. And if you can help it, don't skip the pancetta. Enjoy:)

PENNE WITH ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:
12 plum tomatoes, halved
8 slices of pancetta or 4 slices of bacon, optional
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup of olive oil
penne pasta or other type

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C).

Thinly slice the pancetta or bacon then toss with the tomatoes, onions, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss into a casserole dish and roast until the tomatoes shrivel and begin to brown a bit, about one hour. The pancetta or bacon will infuse the tomatoes with lots of flavor and the tomatoes will caramelize and become very tasty. You'll know when it's done because it will look awesome and smell wonderful!

When you cook the pasta be sure to use lots of well-seasoned water. Taste it. It should be pleasingly briny and remind you of a day at the beach. Remember: as the pasta cooks it will absorb the seasoned water and in turn be properly seasoned. A pinch or two of salt is not enough! When the pasta is done don't rinse it. The starches that would rinse away will help the tomatoes stick to the pasta.

Toss the hot pasta with the hot sauce.

Yields 4 Servings

Grilled Zucchini Ribbon Salad

2008-07-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

This one is a great summer salad. Especially if you have a lot of zucchini lying around like I do:)

I skip the garlic, the taste just didn't work out for me. If you want, prepare it without the garlic and see how you like it before adding it.

I also added some cherry tomatoes. If you don't cut them into halves or so it doesn't get the zucchini moist, which is what I preferred.

Enjoy:)

GRILLED ZUCCHINI RIBBON SALAD

Ingredients:
6 to 8 large zucchini, roughly 4 pounds
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt, preferable gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 lemons juiced
2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoon freshly chopped basil leaves
6 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, optional
Shaved Parmesan, to taste

Directions:
Prepare a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high.

Wash the zucchini and trim the ends. Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise. Toss the zucchini with 1/3 of the olive oil, gray salt and pepper, to taste.

Quickly grill the zucchini ribbons on 1 side, until lightly marked and wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a plate or a baking dish and let cool slightly.

When slightly cooled toss zucchini in a bowl with the remaining ingredients except nuts, if using and Parmesan. Spread onto a serving platter, top with pine nuts, if desired and shave Parmesan over the top.

Chervil Shallot Potato Salad

2008-07-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

This easy and tasty potato salad recipe is from Emeril. And it's a nice alternative to the classic potato salad, which I loveeee:) Plus, I love Emeril recipes, they are full of fat, but usually great taste combinations.

Chervil is often referred to as the “gourmet or French parsley,” and tastes mildly of licorice combined with pepper imparting certain freshness to a dish. Fresh or dried, it is a bright green and quite delicate and should be added to a dish at the end of cooking. Chervil has a tendency to enhance the flavors of other herbs when used in combinations.

You can think of this recipe as a base recipe and add ingredients as you like. I add cooked and diced hot dogs and it becomes a complete meal:)

CHERVIL SHALLOT POTATO SALAD

Ingredients:
10 small red skin potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons diced red pepper
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/2 cup packed chervil leaves

Directions:
In a small saucepan of boiling, salted water boil the potatoes until just tender.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a small saute pan. Add shallots and red pepper, and cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a mixing bowl. When potatoes are just tender, drain and add them to bowl along with shallots.

Add vinegar, and toss to coat. Cool salad to room temperature and add chervil. Adjust seasonings.

Meyer Lemon Budino

2008-07-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

I thought what could be better than fresh lemons during those hot summer days. So I started looking for a dessert recipe and found one that I really liked a lot. This is a great pudding recipe (Budino is Italian for "pudding.") which is not too sweet. The recipe is from Bon Appetit and very very easy to make.

If you can't find Meyer lemons, you can use regular lemons instead, but the pudding will be more tart. Or use Key Lime juice and regular lime zest, which will make the pudding sweeter.

Enjoy:)

MEYER LEMON BUDINO

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh regular lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon peel
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

1/4 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, flour, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl; whisk until well blended. Whisk in milk.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in medium bowl until frothy. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into lemon mixture in 2 additions.

Divide mixture among prepared custard cups. Place custard cups in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups.

Bake puddings until tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched, about 30 minutes. Remove cups from water.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Greek Style Stuffed Eggplant

2008-07-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

Yummyyyy. I love this recipe. It's been adapted from Gourmet Magazine, and it's a classic.

It does take some time to prepare but it is completely worth it. It is very easy to make and the best part is you can't ever go wrong with it:) And it freezes well.

If you don't have ground lamb, you can use ground beef. I actually like it better with ground beef because it is lighter, but then it's not completely Greek style.

I also skip the mint because I don't like it all that much. You can try different fresh herbs and change the recipe a bit, but like I said, you can never go wrong with it, it will come out great every time.

Enjoy....

GREEK STYLE STUFFED EGGPLANT

Ingredients:
3 (1/2-pound) eggplants
1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground lamb
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
3 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into julienne strips
1 cup crumbled feta

Directions:
Halve 2 of the eggplants lengthwise, score their pulp deeply with a sharp knife, being careful not to pierce the skins, and with a grapefruit knife scoop out the pulp, reserving it and leaving 1/2-inch-thick shells.

Sprinkle the shells with 1 teaspoon salt and invert them on paper towels to drain for 15 to 30 minutes. Cut the reserved pulp and the remaining whole eggplant into 1/2-inch pieces, in a colander toss the pieces with the remaining salt, and let them drain for 15 to 30 minutes.

Pat the shells dry with paper towels, brush them with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and broil them on the rack of a broiler pan, skin side down, under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

In a skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Saute the onion and the garlic until translucent. Add the ground lamb and the eggplant pieces, patted dry, stirring, until meat loses all color and eggplant is tender.

Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the parsley, mint, tomatoes, feta, and salt and pepper to taste, and divide the filling among the shells, mounding it. Broil the stuffed eggplants in a large flameproof baking dish for 5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and golden.

Makes 4 servings

Roasted Tomato Risotto

2008-07-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a basic risotto recipe and found this one that uses roasted tomatoes which I love. Roasting the tomatoes always concentrates the taste for me, and it's very simple to prepare. Just drizzle them with some olive oil and salt, turn the oven to 250 degrees and roast them for about 45 minutes to one hour. You would be able to smell them when they are ready:)

I almost always use a 1/2 cup of white wine when cooking risotto. Add it before you start adding the chicken broth. To me it's a must. And instead of onions I used shallots. I like the onion garlic mixture taste instead of using garlic and onions separately.

The trick to risotto is to make sure that the broth you are adding has been boiled and simmering along. It has to be hot, otherwise you will end up with a strange rice dish:) And I use a soup ladle and add the broth one ladle at a time. Cooking the risotto seems to go along much faster when I do that. The broth evaporates faster and you have more control over when you think the rice is ready. To me it has to be al dente without being crunchy, so having this control works for me wonderfully.

I also add some shave Parmesan before serving. It makes the dish look nicer too. Enjoy:)

ROASTED TOMATO RISOTTO

Ingredients:
2 cups slow-roasted tomatoes, cut up in large chunks if necessary, with their juice
1 medium onion, 1/2 inch dice
1-1/2 C Arborio rice
6-8 threads saffron
4 T butter
4 C low sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, shredded
chopped fresh parsley or basil for garnish

Directions:
Scoop the tomatoes into a sieve. Drain, pressing gently with a spoon, and reserve the juice.

Mix the chicken broth with the reserved tomato juice and set to warm on the stove. Place the rice, 2 tablespoons of the butter and the onion in your risotto pot over medium high heat and cook several minutes, stirring, until the rice starts to color.

Add two cups of the broth mixture and all the saffron. Adjust the heat to a high simmer and cook, stirring constantly and adding more liquid to keep the pot fairly soupy as the rice absorbs it, for 20 to 25 minutes. After the first 10 minutes add about 2/3 of the drained tomato chunks and half the garlic.

When the rice is nearly done (still firm but no longer chalky at the center) start letting the mixture get a little drier. Add the cheese and the remaining tomatoes, garlic, and butter. Correct the seasoning and serve immediately. Garnish with the chopped fresh herbs if desired.

Monte Cristo

2008-07-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

The origins of this sandwich is probably a diner in Los Angeles, but that's not really agreed on....

This is a recipe that I have created using different recipes. It's a very tasty sandwich but you can basically use it just as a base recipe. And it's fun to decide if you want a triple decker or a regular sandwich. It's good both ways:)

You can change the cheese and the meat according to what you have handy or like. And it is fun with some favorite jam.

Traditionally it is dipped in its entirety in batter and deep fried. In some regions of the United States it is served grilled, and in some regions it is served open faced with just the bread battered. I like grilling it; at least it seems healthier:)

MONTE CRISTO

Ingredients:
One-fourth cup butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
12 slices white bread
6 slices swiss cheese, cut in half
6 slices cooked ham
3 eggs, beaten
One-third cup milk
Powdered sugar and fruit preserves, optional

Directions:
On a work surface, lay out 2 slices of bread.

In a small bowl, mix together the butter and mustard until well blended. Spread the mixture on one side of each slice of bread.

For each sandwich, top one slice of bread, butter side up, with a half-slice of cheese, one slice of ham, another half-slice of cheese and a second slice of bread, butter side down.

OR

Top each slice with the 1 slice of cheese and 1 slice of ham each. Put the third slice of bread on top of one stack, and flip the remaining stack on top, cheese-side down, to make a triple-decker sandwich.

Using a knife, cut the crusts off the sandwich (this helps to pinch and seal the ends). Wrap the sandwich tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours. (Wrapping the sandwich in plastic wrap, compacts it, and prevents the egg batter from seeping in.)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Unwrap the sandwich and dip it in the egg batter, to coat evenly.

Gently place it in the skillet, and fry, turning once, until golden brown and hot, about 5 minutes total.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Slice each sandwich in half, sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with preserves if desired.

Serves 6

INDEX OF ALL RECIPES

2008-06-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here is the updated index from beginning to today.

There are too many recipes without an index on this site because blogger isn't really set up for it. So I've decided to add an index of recipes at the end of each month. So far, there are over 200 recipes, and I'm hoping this will make it easier to find the recipes.

APPETIZER RECIPES:
Bbq Onion Steaks with Honey-Mustard Sauce
Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Squares
Cheese Souffle
Chickpea Fritters - Panelle
Crunchy Chili Onion Rings
Fried Mozzarella with Puttanesca Dipping Sauce
Garlic Knots
Goat Cheese in Grape Leaves with Tomato and Olive Salad
Gouda and Feta Pizzettes
Pinto Beans cooked in Olive Oil - Pilaki
Stuffed Aubergines with Rice
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Yaprak Dolma
Tomato Eggplant Spread
Tomato Ricotta Tart
Zucchini Fritters With Herbs And Cheese
Tarragon Pizza Bianca
Wine and Ham Croquettes
White Bean Puree with Sun-dried Tomatoes

SOUP RECIPES:
Brandied Onion Soup with Croque-Monsieur Croutons
French Onion Soup
Lentil Soup with a Curry Crema and Lentil Crackers
Red Lentil and Mint Soup
Spicy Tomato Soup

SALAD RECIPES:
Avocado and Tomato Salad
Beet And Goat Cheese Salad With Pistachios
Big Island Tomato and Maui Onion Salad with Maui Onion Dressing
Black-eyed Pea Salad
Bulgur Wheat Stuffed Tomato
Crisp Goat-Cheese Salad with Potatoes
Cucumber Dill Salad
Cucumber, Mustard and Dill Salad
Frisee with Flaked Salmon and Cucumbers
Garlicky Eggplant Salad with Tomato Sauce
Lentil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Lentil Salad With Tomato And Dill
Marinated Zucchini and Radicchio Salad
Mesclun Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
Mixed Green Salad with Citrus Dressing
Mixed Lettuce Chiffonade with Gorgonzola-Herb Dressing
New Potato Salad with Sauteed Onion Vinaigrette
Orzo with Tomaotes, Feta, and Green Onions
Orzo, Feta and Tomato Salad with Marjoram Vinaigrette
Potato and Parmesan Salad
Potato and Pea Salad with Chive Aioli
Ratatouille Salad
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Bacon Dressing and Pine Nuts
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Feta Cheese
Tabbouleh
Tomatoes Stuffed with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil
Veal Cutlets with Arugula and Tomato Salad
Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Grilled Olive Bread

VEGETABLE DISHES:
Baby Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Pecans
Baked Garden Tomatoes with Cheese
Brussel Sprouts with White Beans and Pecorino
Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin
Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Eggplant, Zucchini, Onion, Tomato, And Feta Cheese Napoleons
Grilled Zucchini with Greek Spices and Feta Salad
Hand-Mashed Pinto Beans with Cheese
Naples Style Marinated Zucchini
Pinto Beans cooked in Olive Oil - Pilaki
Roasted Eggplant Puree - Hunkar Begendi - Sultan's Delight
Rustic Porcini Onion Stuffing
"Soda Jerk" Beans
Spinach with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Toasted Parmesan Crumbs
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Yaprak Dolma

SANDWICH RECIPES:
Croissant Steak Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Mayonnaise
Croque Monsieur
Eggplant and Smoked GoudaOpen-Faced Grilled Sandwiches
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches
Grilled Ham and Gouda Sandwiches with Frisee and Caramelized Onions
Grilled Prosciutto, Soppressata and Mozzarella Panini
Homemade Sandwich Bread
Made Up Toast Souffle
Muffuletta Sandwich on Sourdough Bread
Pocket Sandwiches
Roast Beef Sandwiches with Lemon-Basil Mayonnaise and Roasted Red Onions
Taverna Veggie Sandwiches

SAUCES/DRESSINGS/DIPS:
Aioli Sauce for French Fries/Frites
Basic Marinara Sauce
Cafe de Paris Sauce and Butter Recipes
Caramelized Onion Dip
Chimichurri Sauce
Citrus Dressing
Creamy Mustard Sauce
Creamy Oven-cooked Bacon Dip
Creamy Tomato Sauce
Creole Olive Salad
Cucumber Dill Sauce
Eggplant Dip
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Gorgonzola Sauce
Grilled Eggplant Spread
Guacamole
Guacamole with Fresh Corn and Chipotle
Haydari with Feta Cheese
Herbed Mustard Sauce
Homemade Steak Sauce
Lemon Caramel Sauce and Candied Lemon Slices
Methods for Making Sour Cream
Pesto Oil
Mustard-Cognac Sauce
Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers
Puttanesca Dipping Sauce
Puttanesca Sauce
Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper with Feta Dip
Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
Tahini Sauce and Tahini Paste
Tzatziki Sauce
White Bean, Garlic, and Tomato Salsa

BEEF RECIPES:
Andouille Burgers with Grilled Sweet Onions and Creole Remoulade Sauce
Baked Meatballs and Potatoes - Firinda Kofte Ve Patates
Beef Braised in Red Wine (Beouf Vigneronne)
Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Mustard-Cognac Sauce
Beef Tenderloin with Chanterelle Sauce
Cafe de Paris Sauce and Butter Recipes
Cider Glazed Lamb Chops
Cumin-rubbed Rib-Eye Steaks with Two Salsas
Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce
Herbed Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir Sauce
Kicked Up Breaded Pork Chops
Lady's Thigh Meatballs - Kadinbudu Kofte
Lamb Burgers with Feta Sauce
Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce and Red Onions
Sliced Steak With Arugula
Sloppy Joes
Steak Au Poivre
Steak Diane
Stewed Kebabs in a Bowl - Tas Kebab
Veal Cutlets With Thyme Butter Sauce

SEAFOOD RECIPES:
Baked Halibut with Tomato, Capers, and Olive Vinaigrette
Frisee with Flaked Salmon and Cucumbers
Salmon Cooked in Parchment Paper
Tequila Shrimp

CHICKEN RECIPES:
Chicken Provencale
Grilled Chicken with Mustard Dill Sauce
Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers
Roasted Chicken Dinner
Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
Wild Mushroom Chicken Basted in White Wine

POTATO RECIPES:
Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs
Basic Mashed Potatoes
Caramelized Onion-Potato Pancakes
Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes
Creamy Herbed Potatoes
Frites
Grilled New Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs
Oven Fried Potato and Sweet Potato Chips
Perfect French Fries
Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce
Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese and Garlic
Potato Gratin With Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, And Olives
Potato Roesti
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted New Potatoes with Spring Herb Pesto
Roasted Potato Wedges With Rosemary Butter
Spotted Pig's Ricotta Gnudi
Warm New Potato Salad with Grainy Mustard

PASTA RECIPES:
Baked Pasta - Pasta Gratin
Baked Ravioli
Castellane with Mascarpone and Roasted Grape Tomatoes
Cheese Tortellini and Creamy Tomato Sauce
Farfalle with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cream
Fettuccine With Roasted Tomato Sauce And Parmesan
Fried Ravioli
Greek Style Penne with Fresh Tomaotes, Feta, and Dill
Grilled Vegetable Lasagna with Puttanesca Sauce and Pesto Oil
Handmade Pasta with Pancetta, Cherry Tomatoes and Herbs
Pappardelle Pasta with Olives, Thyme and Lemon
Pasta with Chicken and Pepper Sauce
Pasta with Kalamata Olives and Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
Pasta with Pancetta and Tomato Sauce
Pasta with Roasted Provencal Vegetable Sauce
Roasted Vegetable And Prosciutto Lasagna With Alfredo Sauce
Sausage, Cheese And Basil Lasagna
Spaghetti Carbonara
Tricolor Tomato Fettucine

RICE RECIPES:
Basil Risotto
Bulgur and Green Lentil Pilaf
Creole Vegetable Jambalaya
Rice Pilaf
Risotto Con Parmigiano-Reggiano
Saffron Rice with Tomatoes and Fresh Oregano
Yellow Rice with Sofrito

BREAKFAST RECIPES:
Chorizo and Scrambled Egg Breakfast Tacos
Frittata with Potato and Prosciutto
Goat Cheese Quiche with Hash-Brown Crust

MISC RECIPES:
Black-Bean Tostados with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce and Tostadas
Basic Pizza Dough
Charred Red Onion and Balsamic Vinegar White Beans
Cilantro Garlic Pita Crisps
Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Crepes
Falafel
Flat Zucchini Omelet
Fried Carrots
Garlic Croutons
Herb Pita Crisps
Lemon Vodka Whipped Cream
Lentil Crackers
Parsley Oil
Parmesan Crisps
Parmesan Popovers
Parmesan Toasts
Pesto Oil
Pita Crisps
Tostadas
Spiced Pita Toasts
Salami Crisps with Sour Cream and Basil

COFFEE, DRINK AND COCTAIL RECIPES:
9 1/2 Weeks
Caffe Medici and Cappuccino Cream
Cosmopolitan
Cucumber Gimlet
target="_blank">Electric Blue Margarita
Frozen Margarita
Italian Lemonade
Hemingway Daiquiri
Hummingbird
Hurricane
Lemon Peel Vodka
Limoncello
Magnificent Melon
Orange Peel Vodka
Peach Margarita
Peach Passion
Pomegranate Martini
Simple Syrup
Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Strawberry Caipirinha
Turkish Coffee
Vanilla Simple Syrup
Vanilla Vodka
Wild Berry Caipiroska
Wild Berries Splash

DESSERT RECIPES:
Almond Plum Buckle
Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Angel Food Cake
Bourbon Balls
Chocolate Amaretti Peaches
Chocolate-Amaretti Tortes
Chocolate Fondue a La Chalet Suisse
Chocolate-Orange Pots de Creme with Candied Orange Peel
Coconut Flan
Coconut Pecan Bars
Coffee Ice Cream and Mexican Chocolate Sundaes with Cinnamon-Sugar Tortilla Crisps
Dark Chocolate Souffles With Cardamom Creme Anglaise
Dark Chocolate Torte With Spiked Blackberry Coulis
Dark Molten Chocolate Cakes
Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Dipped Strawberries
Double Chocolate Orange Pudding
Espresso Sambuca Tapioca Pudding
Fruit-And-Almond Gratins
Grilled Pineapple with Nutella
Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate Chocolate Souffle with Grand Marnier Chocolate Sauce
Honey-Ginger Pineapple Crepes
Individual Peach Upside-Down Cake
Jumbo Black Bottom Coconut Macaroons
Lemon Creme Brulee With Fresh Berries
Lemon Spice Bread Pudding with Sauteed Peaches
Limoncello Cheesecake Squares
Mosaic
Old-Fashioned New York-Style Cheesecake with Berry Coulis
Puff Pastry Tart Filled with Almond Cream
Russian Toast with Bananas Flambe & Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce
Salep Ice Cream
Super Lemony Lemon Squares
Vanilla Lime Pineapple Skewers
Vodka Berries Romanoff
Wine Soaked Berries

Vodka Berries Romanoff, Orange Peel Vodka, Lemon Vodka Whipped Cream, Vanilla Vodka

2008-06-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a recipe that uses with vodka. If we can cook with all these other spirits, why not give a try to vodka?:) It doesn't effect the taste of the dish, but gives it a great kick. It's from the Vodka Cookbook which is a great cookbook. But I do skip the steps of preparing the infused vodkas at home.

Nowadays, you don't really have to prepare vodkas infused with anything. They sell them ready and I buy the vodkas infused with vanilla and oranges ready because I never think to prepare things two weeks ahead:) It works out just fine. But just in case you want to prepare them yourself, the recipes are below.

The presentation of this dessert with all the berries is really mouthwatering. Enjoy:)

VODKA BERRIES ROMANOFF

Ingredients:
2 pints strawberries or mixed berries
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons Orange Peel Vodka (see recipe below) or vodka
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup Lemon Vodka Whipped Cream (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons shredded fresh mint leaves

Directions:
Wash, hull and dry the strawberries or rinse the berries. Toss in the sugar and lemon juice and arrange on a serving platter.

Whisk together the Orange Peel Vodka and sour cream in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the ice cream and fold in the Lemon Vodka Whipped Cream.

Pour the cream mixture on top of the berries or serve on the side. Decorate with fresh mint.

ORANGE PEEL VODKA
Ingredients:
3 large oranges
3 cups vodka

Directions:
Wash the oranges. Using a zester of vegetable peeler, peel the skin to create narrow ribbons. Scrape away any remaining pith. Put the peel into a large jar and add the vodka. Store in a dark, dry place for about 2 weeks, shaking the jar occasionally.

Strain through cheesecloth, discard the peel and store in a bottle ready for use.

LEMON VODKA WHIPPED CREAM
Always make whipped cream fresh. Don't even think about making this ahead of time or refrigerating it for future use. Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Vanilla Vodka (see recipe below)

Directions:
Whip the cream until stiff in a large, chilled bowl.Gradually stir in the sugar and vodka.

VANILLA VODKA
Ingredients:
5 vanilla beans
2 cups vodka

Directions:
Split the vanilla pods lengthwise down the center to expose the seeds, keeping the ends of the beans intact. Place the beans with the vodka in a large jar with an airtight seal. Store in a dark, dry place for at least 4 weeks, shaking the jar several times each week.

When ready, transfer the extract and the beans to a bottle. As you use the extract, top off with more vodka to replenish your supply. The beans will continue to impart flavor for many months.

Wild Berries Splash AND Wild Berry Caipiroska

2008-06-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

It is so hot out there, so I was looking for something refreshing and ran into these great vodka drinks that are simple and also very refreshing. Just what the doctor ordered for hot days:)

Try the vodka which is infused with boysenberries, strawberries, raspberries, wild mountain berries and black raspberries. Just to give a try to this vodka is probably worth making this drink. Enjoy:)

WILD BERRIES SPLASH

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Finlandia Wild Berries Vodka
Sprite
Splash of Grenadine

Mixing Instructions:
In a tall glass, pour vodka over ice and fill with Sprite. Add grenadine on top and garnish with fresh berries.

WILD BERRY CAIPIROSKA

Ingredients:
2 oz Finlandia Wild Berries Vodka
2 oz sweet and sour mix
4 fresh raspberries
4 fresh blackberries
2 fresh lime wedges
1 teaspoon of sugar

Mixing Instructions:
With a muddler or wooden spoon, muddle berries and lime wedges with sugar in a short highball glass.

Fill glass with crushed ice and add vodka and sweet and sour mix.

Either shake and pour back into glass or stir briskly. Garnish with fresh berries.

Bourbon Balls

2008-06-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

I like preparing this recipe. It's fun to put together and the taste is out of this world:) But you can make changes to it and it still will come out great. For example, although the recipe is with Bourbon, you can substitute with Rum or Brandy.

Or you can substitute pecans with walnuts, macadamia nuts or any other nut that you like.

They are easy to make and you can definitely find one combination that you like best. Have fun...:)

BOURBON BALLS

Ingredients:
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate bits
1/2 c. sugar
3 tbsp. light corn syrup (Karo white)
1/3 c. bourbon
2 1/2 c. (about 5 dozen) finely crushed vanilla wafers
1 c. finely chopped pecan nuts
Powdered sugar to roll balls in

Directions:
Melt chocolate over hot water. Remove from hot water and stir in sugar and syrup. Blend in bourbon. Combine wafers and nuts and add to chocolate mixture; mix well.

Form 1-inch balls and roll in confectioners sugar. Let ripen in covered container at least several days.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen.

Will keep 3-4 weeks in tightly covered container!

Caramelized Onion Dip with Cilantro Garlic Pita Crisps

2008-06-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

This dip is time consuming, and it does turn out to be sweet because of the caramelizing, so keep it in mind before preparing it. I've taken the recipe from Bon Appetit, and the only time I use it is when I need to prepare appetizers for company, and I can have it ready a day ahead.

I like the idea of pita crisps, but again, this is also time consuming, and sometimes using crackers might work better. But,the idea is good, so you can substitute the herbs and use them with other dips too. So why am I adding it? Because it tastes really really good:)

Add some feta or goat cheese to the dip, it perks it up quite a bit.

CARAMELIZED-ONION DIP WITH CILANTRO-GARLIC PITA CRISPS

Ingredients:
Dip:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups chopped sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Maui; about 2 medium)
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1 8-ounce container crème fraîche or sour cream (1 cup)

Pita crisps:
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed

6 pita breads

Chopped fresh chives

Directions:
For dip:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onions are deep brown and begin to crisp slightly, stirring often, about 40 minutes. Add garam masala; stir 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl and cool completely. Mix in crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.

For pita crisps:
Finely chop enough cilantro leaves to measure 2 tablespoons. Chop enough cilantro stems to measure 3 tablespoons. Combine oil and garlic in heavy small saucepan; cook over medium heat until oil begins to bubble around garlic, about 5 minutes. Add chopped cilantro stems. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes. Strain oil into small bowl; discard solids in strainer.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut each pita bread round horizontally in half. Cut each round into 6 wedges. Place pita wedges on 2 rimmed baking sheets; drizzle with cilantro-garlic oil and toss gently to coat. Arrange pita wedges in single layer; bake 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves and bake until pita wedges are crisp and golden, about 5 minutes longer. Cool.

Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Sprinkle dip with chives; place on platter. Surround with pita crisps.

Makes 8 servings.

Marinated Zucchini and Radicchio Salad / Naples Style Marinated Zucchini

2008-06-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a basic zucchini recipe when I ran into this Mario Batali recipe. I couldn't believe how good this recipe tasted.

The only thing that I didn't like about it is that I had to wait a day to eat it:) It's especially hard stopping yourself from eating them right after you fry them:)

Then I found this great dressing that I could use with this zucchini and mix is with radicchio and prepare this wonderful salad. So I'm adding the recipe for the salad and the dressing at the bottom also. Enjoy:)

NAPLES STYLE MARINATED ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds zucchini
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 pinch red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
Wash and dry the zucchini. Cut lengthwise into slices 1/3-inch thick. Place the zucchini slices in a colander, sprinkle with salt and set aside to drain for 2 hours.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the drained zucchini slices in the pan and cook gently until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side, being careful not to burn the slices. Set aside.

In another saucepan, bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of pepper flakes and a pinch of salt.

Place the zucchini slices flat in a shallow bowl, with the garlic slices, basil and parsley scattered throughout.

Pour the vinegar over the zucchini slices and let marinate, covered, for at least 24 hours before serving.

MARINATED ZUCCHINI & RADICCHIO SALAD

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shredded radicchio
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions:
Toss radicchio with dressing. Arrange zucchini on a platter in a circle. Mound radicchio in the center.

Sprinkle with Parmesan and pine nuts. Salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade Steak Sauce

2008-06-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

A while ago, while checking around for sauces I had found this steak sauce which I like a lot. It's easy to make and makes a not so nice of a cut of steak a better dish to enjoy. So I wanted to have it handy.

You can keep this sauce in the fridge for about a month, if you can keep yourself from using it long before it:)

HOMEMADE STEAK SAUCE

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 x onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 x 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup of red wine vinegar
1 cup of brown sugar
dash of Worcestershire sauce
dash of soya sauce
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp of ground ginger
1/2 tsp of chili powder
1/2 tsp each of nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin, caraway seed and coriander

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add onions, and sweat them until they have softened. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until the mixture reduces by half and thickens.

Beef Braised in Red Wine (Beouf Vigneronne)

2008-06-22T05:57:00.000-07:00

This looks like a long recipe, and it does take time, but it's actually easy, and you can take your time with it. I found this recipe from Gourmet, and for me it's the best make ahead dish. It really is rich and delicious.

The dish gets better with time. So, don't worry if you have leftovers (if there can be leftovers:) )

Don't skimp on the wine--the wine makes the dish. I like Merlot, so I use that, and the dish turns out great for us.

Although noodles work and balance the sauce, the beef also works wonderfully with potatoes. I like it with mashed potatoes.

Cooking time does take longer than what recipe says, so keep that in mind when preparing this dish. If you have a slow cooker, it might be a good idea to use it.

Another pointer is not to use bacon, that way you won't have to worry much about skimming fat before serving. I personally would not skip it:)

BEEF BRAISED IN RED WINE (Boeuf Vigneronne)

Ingredients:
2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (preferably Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône)
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise (2 cups)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley plus 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large shallots, finely chopped 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 oz thick-sliced bacon (preferably from slab bacon, rind removed if necessary; not smoked)
1 (10-oz) package pearl onions (2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup water
Special equipment: parchment paper
Accompaniment: buttered egg noodles

Directions:
Put beef, wine, onion, thyme, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, and carrot in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag, pressing out excess air, and put in a bowl. Marinate beef, chilled, 16 to 24 hours.

Drain beef in a colander set over a large bowl, reserving marinade. Wipe off any solids clinging to beef, then pat beef dry. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart heavy ovenproof pot with lid over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef well in 2 batches, without crowding, about 8 minutes per batch, transferring as browned with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Reduce heat to moderate, then add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallot begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until shallot and flour are browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add reserved marinade liquid to flour mixture, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add beef along with any juices accumulated on plate and cover with a round of parchment paper and lid. Simmer mixture while you prepare bacon.

Cut bacon slices crosswise into 1/4-inch strips and cook in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is beginning to crisp. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to beef (reserve fat in skillet). Re-cover beef with parchment and lid and braise in oven, 1 1/2 hours.

While meat is braising, blanch pearl onions in a 3- to 4-quart pot of boiling water, 1 minute. Drain onions in a colander, then peel, leaving root ends intact. Cook onions in reserved bacon fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

Pour off excess fat, then add 1/4 cup water and scrape up brown bits with a wooden spoon or spatula.

After meat has braised 1 1/2 hours, add pearl onions (with liquid in skillet), remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to beef and continue to braise, covered with parchment and lid, until onions are tender and meat is very tender, about 1/2 hour more.

Skim any fat from surface of beef and serve beef with buttered egg noodles sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley leaves.

Note: Boeuf vigneronne can be made and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered, up to 4 days. Reheat slowly over moderately low heat, adding water if necessary to thin boeuf vigneronne, until heated through.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Le Bete Noire

2008-06-20T04:51:00.000-07:00

I am back from my vacation. It was actually a birthday celebration for me. We've put both together and although it rained every day we still enjoyed every moment of it. So, since it is the occasion I thought a nice birthday cake recipe would be in order:)

This flourless chocolate cake is a chocolate lovers dream. It is very very rich, so a little goes a long way. It's from Bon Appetit and there's really nothing you can change with this recipe.

Make sure that you don't skip the step with the foil around the pan. If it isn't used properly the water of the bath gets into the cake, so be careful with it.

Use half bittersweet and semisweet chocolate if you can, it comes out better. And use the best quality you can use since this is really the only ingredient that is in the recipe and will make a big difference on taste.

This cake keeps well in the fridge for about 4-5 days, so don't worry if you have leftovers. Make sure you bring it to room temperature before serving.

The ganache can be used on all sorts of desserts that you like, such as brownies, cheesecake or even ice cream. Use semi-sweet chocolate for the ganache.

The whipped cream is a must, and if you add some fresh strawberries next to it, mamma mia!!!!

LA BETE NOIRE

Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, diced
18 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs

Ganache
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Directions:
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment round; butter parchment. Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim.

Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.

Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.

for ganache:
Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cake still in pan. Gently shake pan to distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate cake in pan until ganache is set, about 2 hours.

Do ahead:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Makes 16 servings.

Vacation:)

2008-06-01T17:10:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be taking a vacation with my wonderful husband until around the 20th. See you then with more recipes.......:)

INDEX OF ALL RECIPES

2008-05-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

Here is the updated index from beginning to today.

There are too many recipes without an index on this site because blogger isn't really set up for it. So I've decided to add an index of recipes at the end of each month. So far, there are over 200 recipes, and I'm hoping this will make it easier to find the recipes.

APPETIZER RECIPES:
Bbq Onion Steaks with Honey-Mustard Sauce
Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Squares
Cheese Souffle
Chickpea Fritters - Panelle
Crunchy Chili Onion Rings
Fried Mozzarella with Puttanesca Dipping Sauce
Garlic Knots
Goat Cheese in Grape Leaves with Tomato and Olive Salad
Gouda and Feta Pizzettes
Pinto Beans cooked in Olive Oil - Pilaki
Stuffed Aubergines with Rice
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Yaprak Dolma
Tomato Eggplant Spread
Tomato Ricotta Tart
Zucchini Fritters With Herbs And Cheese
Tarragon Pizza Bianca
Wine and Ham Croquettes
White Bean Puree with Sun-dried Tomatoes

SOUP RECIPES:
Brandied Onion Soup with Croque-Monsieur Croutons
French Onion Soup
Lentil Soup with a Curry Crema and Lentil Crackers
Red Lentil and Mint Soup
Spicy Tomato Soup

SALAD RECIPES:
Avocado and Tomato Salad
Beet And Goat Cheese Salad With Pistachios
Big Island Tomato and Maui Onion Salad with Maui Onion Dressing
Black-eyed Pea Salad
Bulgur Wheat Stuffed Tomato
Crisp Goat-Cheese Salad with Potatoes
Cucumber Dill Salad
Cucumber, Mustard and Dill Salad
Frisee with Flaked Salmon and Cucumbers
Garlicky Eggplant Salad with Tomato Sauce
Lentil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Lentil Salad With Tomato And Dill
Mesclun Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
Mixed Green Salad with Citrus Dressing
Mixed Lettuce Chiffonade with Gorgonzola-Herb Dressing
New Potato Salad with Sauteed Onion Vinaigrette
Orzo with Tomaotes, Feta, and Green Onions
Orzo, Feta and Tomato Salad with Marjoram Vinaigrette
Potato and Parmesan Salad
Potato and Pea Salad with Chive Aioli
Ratatouille Salad
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Bacon Dressing and Pine Nuts
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Feta Cheese
Tabbouleh
Tomatoes Stuffed with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil
Veal Cutlets with Arugula and Tomato Salad
Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Grilled Olive Bread

VEGETABLE DISHES:
Baby Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Pecans
Baked Garden Tomatoes with Cheese
Brussel Sprouts with White Beans and Pecorino
Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin
Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Eggplant, Zucchini, Onion, Tomato, And Feta Cheese Napoleons
Grilled Zucchini with Greek Spices and Feta Salad
Hand-Mashed Pinto Beans with Cheese
Pinto Beans cooked in Olive Oil - Pilaki
Roasted Eggplant Puree - Hunkar Begendi - Sultan's Delight
Rustic Porcini Onion Stuffing
"Soda Jerk" Beans
Spinach with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Toasted Parmesan Crumbs
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Yaprak Dolma

SANDWICH RECIPES:
Croissant Steak Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Mayonnaise
Croque Monsieur
Eggplant and Smoked GoudaOpen-Faced Grilled Sandwiches
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches
Grilled Ham and Gouda Sandwiches with Frisee and Caramelized Onions
Grilled Prosciutto, Soppressata and Mozzarella Panini
Homemade Sandwich Bread
Made Up Toast Souffle
Muffuletta Sandwich on Sourdough Bread
Pocket Sandwiches
Roast Beef Sandwiches with Lemon-Basil Mayonnaise and Roasted Red Onions
Taverna Veggie Sandwiches

SAUCES/DRESSINGS/DIPS:
Aioli Sauce for French Fries/Frites
Basic Marinara Sauce
Cafe de Paris Sauce and Butter Recipes
Chimichurri Sauce
Citrus Dressing
Creamy Mustard Sauce
Creamy Oven-cooked Bacon Dip
Creamy Tomato Sauce
Creole Olive Salad
Cucumber Dill Sauce
Eggplant Dip
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Gorgonzola Sauce
Grilled Eggplant Spread
Guacamole
Guacamole with Fresh Corn and Chipotle
Haydari with Feta Cheese
Herbed Mustard Sauce
Lemon Caramel Sauce and Candied Lemon Slices
Methods for Making Sour Cream
Pesto Oil
Mustard-Cognac Sauce
Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers
Puttanesca Dipping Sauce
Puttanesca Sauce
Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper with Feta Dip
Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
Tahini Sauce and Tahini Paste
Tzatziki Sauce
White Bean, Garlic, and Tomato Salsa

BEEF RECIPES:
Andouille Burgers with Grilled Sweet Onions and Creole Remoulade Sauce
Baked Meatballs and Potatoes - Firinda Kofte Ve Patates
Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Mustard-Cognac Sauce
Beef Tenderloin with Chanterelle Sauce
Cafe de Paris Sauce and Butter Recipes
Cider Glazed Lamb Chops
Cumin-rubbed Rib-Eye Steaks with Two Salsas
Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce
Herbed Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir Sauce
Kicked Up Breaded Pork Chops
Lady's Thigh Meatballs - Kadinbudu Kofte
Lamb Burgers with Feta Sauce
Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce and Red Onions
Sliced Steak With Arugula
Sloppy Joes
Steak Au Poivre
Steak Diane
Stewed Kebabs in a Bowl - Tas Kebab
Veal Cutlets With Thyme Butter Sauce

SEAFOOD RECIPES:
Baked Halibut with Tomato, Capers, and Olive Vinaigrette
Frisee with Flaked Salmon and Cucumbers
Salmon Cooked in Parchment Paper
Tequila Shrimp

CHICKEN RECIPES:
Chicken Provencale
Grilled Chicken with Mustard Dill Sauce
Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers
Roasted Chicken Dinner
Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
Wild Mushroom Chicken Basted in White Wine

POTATO RECIPES:
Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs
Basic Mashed Potatoes
Caramelized Onion-Potato Pancakes
Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes
Creamy Herbed Potatoes
Frites
Grilled New Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs
Oven Fried Potato and Sweet Potato Chips
Perfect French Fries
Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce
Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese and Garlic
Potato Gratin With Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, And Olives
Potato Roesti
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted New Potatoes with Spring Herb Pesto
Roasted Potato Wedges With Rosemary Butter
Spotted Pig's Ricotta Gnudi
Warm New Potato Salad with Grainy Mustard

PASTA RECIPES:
Baked Pasta - Pasta Gratin
Baked Ravioli
Castellane with Mascarpone and Roasted Grape Tomatoes
Cheese Tortellini and Creamy Tomato Sauce
Farfalle with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cream
Fettuccine With Roasted Tomato Sauce And Parmesan
Fried Ravioli
Greek Style Penne with Fresh Tomaotes, Feta, and Dill
Grilled Vegetable Lasagna with Puttanesca Sauce and Pesto Oil
Handmade Pasta with Pancetta, Cherry Tomatoes and Herbs
Pappardelle Pasta with Olives, Thyme and Lemon
Pasta with Chicken and Pepper Sauce
Pasta with Kalamata Olives and Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
Pasta with Pancetta and Tomato Sauce
Pasta with Roasted Provencal Vegetable Sauce
Roasted Vegetable And Prosciutto Lasagna With Alfredo Sauce
Sausage, Cheese And Basil Lasagna
Spaghetti Carbonara
Tricolor Tomato Fettucine

RICE RECIPES:
Basil Risotto
Bulgur and Green Lentil Pilaf
Creole Vegetable Jambalaya
Rice Pilaf
Risotto Con Parmigiano-Reggiano
Saffron Rice with Tomatoes and Fresh Oregano
Yellow Rice with Sofrito

BREAKFAST RECIPES:
Chorizo and Scrambled Egg Breakfast Tacos
Frittata with Potato and Prosciutto
Goat Cheese Quiche with Hash-Brown Crust

MISC RECIPES:
Black-Bean Tostados with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce and Tostadas
Basic Pizza Dough
Charred Red Onion and Balsamic Vinegar White Beans
Couscous with Spiced Zucchini
Crepes
Falafel
Flat Zucchini Omelet
Fried Carrots
Garlic Croutons
Herb Pita Crisps
Lentil Crackers
Parsley Oil
Parmesan Crisps
Parmesan Popovers
Parmesan Toasts
Pesto Oil
Pita Crisps
Tostadas
Spiced Pita Toasts
Salami Crisps with Sour Cream and Basil

COFFEE, DRINK AND COCTAIL RECIPES:
9 1/2 Weeks
Caffe Medici and Cappuccino Cream
Cosmopolitan
Cucumber Gimlet
target="_blank">Electric Blue Margarita
Frozen Margarita
Italian Lemonade
Hemingway Daiquiri
Hummingbird
Hurricane
Lemon Peel Vodka
Limoncello
Magnificent Melon
Peach Margarita
Peach Passion
Pomegranate Martini
Simple Syrup
Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Strawberry Caipirinha
Turkish Coffee
Vanilla Simple Syrup
Vanilla Vodka

DESSERT RECIPES:
Almond Plum Buckle
Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Angel Food Cake
Chocolate Amaretti Peaches
Chocolate-Amaretti Tortes
Chocolate Fondue a La Chalet Suisse
Chocolate-Orange Pots de Creme with Candied Orange Peel
Coconut Flan
Coconut Pecan Bars
Coffee Ice Cream and Mexican Chocolate Sundaes with Cinnamon-Sugar Tortilla Crisps
Dark Chocolate Souffles With Cardamom Creme Anglaise
Dark Chocolate Torte With Spiked Blackberry Coulis
Dark Molten Chocolate Cakes
Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Dipped Strawberries
Double Chocolate Orange Pudding
Espresso Sambuca Tapioca Pudding
Fruit-And-Almond Gratins
Grilled Pineapple with Nutella
Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate Chocolate Souffle with Grand Marnier Chocolate Sauce
Honey-Ginger Pineapple Crepes
Individual Peach Upside-Down Cake
Jumbo Black Bottom Coconut Macaroons
Lemon Creme Brulee With Fresh Berries
Lemon Spice Bread Pudding with Sauteed Peaches
Limoncello Cheesecake Squares
Mosaic
Old-Fashioned New York-Style Cheesecake with Berry Coulis
Puff Pastry Tart Filled with Almond Cream
Russian Toast with Bananas Flambe & Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce
Salep Ice Cream
Super Lemony Lemon Squares
Vanilla Lime Pineapple Skewers
Wine Soaked Berries

Russian Toast with Bananas Flambe & Raspberry-Lime Vodka Sauce

2008-05-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

This one is a really elaborate brunch dish, probably best when you have company. I found it when I was looking for vodka drinks, and had to make a note of it. It sounds delicious. And I thought, enough of drink recipes, let's get back to food anyway:)

I have not tried this recipe, but plan on doing so one day. Until then I'm just posting the recipe so that I don't lose it.:) If anyone tries it, please give us feedback.

RUSSIAN TOAST WITH BANANAS FLAMBE & RASPBERRY-LIME VODKA SAUCE

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Vanilla Vodka (see recipe below) or vanilla extract

4 thick (about 1-inch) slices of dense bread, cut diagonally to make 8 triangular half slices
1 cup vodka
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 bananas, thickly sliced

Raspberry-lime Vodka Sauce (see recipe below), warmed

1/2 cup creme fraiche or ricotta cheese
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Directions:
Whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl with the sugar, salt and Vanilla Vodka.

Lay the bread slices in a large dish or platter and pour about half the vodka over them.

Melt half the butter in a skillet over a moderate - high heat. Cooking in batches, dip 3-4 vodka-soaked bread slices into the egg mixture and place in the skillet. (Be sure to cover the slices completely with the egg, but do not allow the egg to soak completely through the break or it may break apart.)

Cook the slices until medium brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes each side. The slices should be crisp on the surface, but tender inside. When ready, cover to keep warm and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the bread.

Add the remaining butter and brown sugar to the pan. As soon as the sugar has completely melted, add the sliced bananas and cook until slightly tender and coated in the butter/sugar mixture, about 1 minute. Add the remaining vodka to the pan and ignite (stand clear!).

Immediately top two slices of toast per plate with some of the bananas flambe and drizzle with Raspberry-lime Vodka Sauce. Add a large dollop of creme fraiche or ricotta cheese and a lime wedge. Serve to applause.

Serves 4

RASPBERRY-LIME VODKA SAUCE

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh raspberries, or defrosted frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons Vodka Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Grated zest of 1 lime
3 tablespoons of Lemon Peel Vodka (see recipe below)

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food-processor, pulse to a chunky mixture and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator until needed. Raspberry-lime Vodka Sauce will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.

VANILLA VODKA

Ingredients:
5 vanilla beans
2 cups vodka

Directions:
Split the vanilla pods lengthwise down the center to expose the seeds, keeping the ends of the beans intact.

Place the beans with the vodka in a large jar with an airtight seal. Store in a dark, dry place for at least 4 weeks, shaking the jar several times each week.

When ready, transfer the extract and the beans to a bottle. As you use the extract, top off with more vodka to replenish your supply. The beans will continue to impart flavor for many months.

VODKA SIMPLE SYRUP
Sugar is slow to dissolve, especially in cold food or drinks, so Vodka Simple Syrup to the rescue.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups still mineral water
2 pounds granulated sugar
1/2 cup vodka

Directions:
Bring the water to the boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat to moderate, add the sugar and stir until it dissolves completely.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes until the mixture has a syrup consistency.
Add the vodka, mix well and cool.

Transfer to a jar or container and reserve for use.

In a tightly sealed container, Vodka Simple Syrup keeps indefinitely, though it may begin to crystallize over time. If it crystallizes, simply warm the container in a pot of slow-simmering water.(The recipe can be doubled or tripled as necessary.)

LEMON PEEL VODKA

Ingredients:
4 lemons
3 cups vodka

Directions:
Wash the lemons. Using a zester of vegetable peeler, peel the skin to create narrow ribbons. Scrape away any remaining pith.

Put the peel into a large jar and add the vodka. Store in a dark, dry place for about 2 weeks, shaking the jar occasionally.

Strain through cheesecloth, discard the peel and store in a bottle ready for use.
Makes about 2 cups

Strawberry Caipirinha

2008-05-28T18:35:00.000-07:00

The caipirinha is a well-known drink from Brazil, consisting of Cachaca rum, lime, sugar and ice. It is a crisp and refreshing cocktail, great to enjoy as an aperitif or throughout entire dinner. Actually Cachaca is not exactly rum. It's made from sugarcane juice while rum is made from either molasses or sugarcane juice then aged in oak barrels.

But this recipe is a variation as it is made with my favorite: Tequila:) I'm also adding an original recipe made with Cachaca.

STRAWBERRY CAIPIRINHA

Ingredients:
2 oz Tequila
1 oz Coco Lopez (Cream of Coconut)
1/4 tsp brown sugar
Fresh Strawberries
Fresh limes
Soda
Garnish: Lime wedge

Mixing Instructions:
Muddle the limes and strawberries with brown sugar, add tequila. Top with soda and garnish with lime wedge. (Created by mixologist Ben Pundole, the Sky Bar, Miami FL)

And here is the original recipe:

Ingredients:
2 oz. Leblon Cachaca
4 Strawberries
1/4 Lime - sliced
1 tbsp superfine sugar (or 1 oz. simple syrup)

Mixing Instructions:
Place strawberries, sliced lime and sugar in a shaker and muddle well. Fill shaker with ice and add Leblon Cachaça. Shake vigorously and pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with a strawberry.

Peach Margarita

2008-05-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

Peaches and tequila:) How can you go wrong?:)) If the mix is too thick once blended, add more juice: if it's too thin, add more ice.

PEACH MARGARITA

Ingredients:
1 cup ice
1 1/2 oz tequila
1/4 oz Triple Sec
1/4 oz Peach Schnapps
1/4 oz Lime Juice
1 skinned, pitted, fresh medium peach or equivalent canned peaches

Mixing Instructions:
Pour the ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the contents into a chilled margarita glass.

Cucumber Gimlet

2008-05-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

This refreshing cocktail is perfect for summer. I had seen this recipe at Bon Appetit, and the picture grabbed me instantly:)

I have tried it with vodka instead. But it is much better with gin although I'm not much of a gin drinker.

And I add a little bit more lime juice, this way I can use less sugar which tastes better to me.

Be careful as this is really potent if you drink too much, and it is easy to drink a lot because it is refreshing:)

CUCUMBER GIMLETS

Ingredients:
2 large cucumbers (1 1/2 pounds total)
1/2 cup gin
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup ice cubes
4 lime slices

Directions:
Slice four 1/4-inch-thick slices from 1 cucumber. Peel and coarsely chop remaining cucumbers; transfer to processor and puree until smooth. Pour through fine strainer set over large bowl, pressing on solids in strainer. Discard solids in strainer.

Mix 1 cup cucumber juice, gin, lime juice, and sugar in pitcher; stir until sugar dissolves. Add ice; mix well. Immediately strain mixture into 4 small Martini glasses. Garnish with lime and cucumber slices and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Pomegranate Martini

2008-05-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

I have been trying different cocktails and ran into this pomegranate martini recipe. Actually there are so many different ones out there that it gets to be very confusing. For example, you can also add about 1 oz. of Cointreau liqueur to the recipe below and you still end up with a wonderful tasting martini. And pomegranates are good for you:) Have fun:)

POMEGRANATE MARTINI

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Stoli Blueberi vodka
1 oz. Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice
1 1/2 oz. fresh blackberry puree
1 oz. cranberry juice

Mixing Instructions:
Combine ingredients in a shaker half filled with ice. Shake well. Serve in a martini glass and garnish with a fresh orange slice.

Peach Passion

2008-05-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

The picture looked so delicious to me that I had to copy this cocktail. I love peaches too, so this is a wonderful combination of flavors for me. And a good use of vodka:)

PEACH PASSION

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Grey Goose Vodka
1/2 oz. Peach Schnapps
3 oz. Looza peach nectar
1 tsp. orange marmalade
1 tsp. Rose’s Grenadine
4 fresh raspberries
1 sprig of mint

Mixing Instructions:
In a shaker combine vodka, schnapps, peach nectar and orange marmalade. Shake vigorously. Strain into a glass and add grenadine for color. Garnish with raspberries and mint sprig.

Magnificent Melon

2008-05-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't had time to post for a couple of days so I'm adding more than one recipe today.

And I have to have a Vodka recipe if I'm adding drinks to the recipes:) This is a really tasty cocktail for summertime with all the great fruits. Enjoy!!!

MAGNIFICENT MELON

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Part Vodka
1 Part DeKuyper Melon Liqueur
Splash of Pineapple Juice
Pineapple Leaves
Watermelon
Honeydew
Cantaloupe

Mixing Instructions:
Mix in a shaker half-filled with ice. Pour into a chilled martini glass. To garnish, overlap three long pineapple leaves and place into glass. Spear large watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe balls and place over the leaves.

Electric Blue Margarita

2008-05-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

I love Tequila, so here is an interesting looking and tasting margarita recipe. Enjoy:)

ELECTRIC BLUE MARGARITA

Ingredients:
1 oz Cointreau
1 oz Silver Tequila
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
1/2 oz Blue Curacao
4 oz Sour Mix
Garnish: Lemon slice

Mixing Instructions:
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Fill glass with ice. Strain the mixture over fresh ice and garnish with lemon slice and serve.

Italian Lemonade

2008-05-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

I thought that since summer is around the corner, and since there has been crazy heat waves going around I should start adding some refreshing drinks that I enjoy. This one is a really interesting cocktail. I think it's a lot of fun. And it sure is not a simple lemonade. Try it and see how you like it.:)

This drink uses simple syrup which is very easy to make and is a staple in any beverage maker's repertoire. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil; simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. The syrup will keep in the fridge for at least a month as long as you keep it in a "glass" jar/bottle.

ITALIAN LEMONADE

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Belvedere Cytrus Vodka
3/4 oz Campari
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
Cold Soda Water or 7-up 2
Lemon Wheels

Mixing Instructions:
In an ice filled mixing glass, add Cytrus, Campari, lemon juice and simple syrup: shake until well blended.

Prepare a 14 oz Goblet by filling with ice and placing the lemon wheels inside the glass so they appear to be floating against the sides of the glass.

Strain drink into goblet while spritzing with soda water or 7-up.

Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Peppers

2008-05-20T04:24:00.000-07:00

Although it needs to cook for a while, this is such an easy recipe to prepare. I wanted to have a different recipe than the classic tomato sauce recipe for pasta. And I found this basic recipe from Micheal Smith. I love the way he cooks, easy and quick:)

You can make this sauce a bit more sophisticated by adding mushrooms. But cook it separately and add them in during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking because they will let go of their juices if you just add them to the sauce.

Enjoy:)

PASTA SAUCE WITH CHICKEN AND PEPPERS

Ingredients:
6 to 8 chicken thighs
3 tbsp of olive oil
2 x onions, diced
8 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 cup of red wine
1 x red pepper, diced
1 x green pepper, diced
1 x 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 x 156 ml can of tomato paste
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Place a large pot on the stove and turn heat to high. Add oil and begin to brown thighs, skin side down. When skin is golden brown, flip the thighs and brown the other side. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Drain excess fat from the pan and put back over heat. Add onions and stir and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. When the onions are golden and caramelized, add garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes.

Add 1 cup of red wine, chicken pieces, peppers, tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover with a lid and let simmer for an hour. Serve over pasta such as penne or rotini.

Cheese Tortellini and Creamy Tomato Sauce

2008-05-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

This is the easiest and fastest creamy tomato sauce that you can use with any pasta. I don't remember where I got the recipe from, but it's very versatile, and you can make a lot of changes to it. Such as adding leftover roasted vegetables.

If you want, you can add some white or red wine to the sauce while simmering, I always add a little bit.

You don't necessarily have to use cheese tortellini, try different fillings. This is a great weeknight meal, with great leftovers. Enjoy:)

CHEESE TORTELLINI & CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup minced onion
2 Large garlic, minced
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Large pinch dried oregano and chili pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. each salt and sugar
1 Cup (8 ounces) whipping cream
1 Pound cheese tortellini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a 10-inch skillet saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.

Add tomatoes, rinsing can with 2 tablespoons water.

Stir in oregano, chili pepper flakes, salt and sugar. Simmer, bubbling gently for 10 minutes.

Whisk in cream.

Cook tortellini according to package directions.

Serve sauce over tortellini.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin

2008-05-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

I love gratins, simply because I love cheese:) I had never thought of putting squash together with spinach until I saw this recipe at Gourmet.

I used a regular knife to cut the squash, you don't really have to have a mandolin. You can roast the squash slices for 20 min. in a 450 oven to bring out the sweetness. And you can probably find bagged spinach ready to go at your local market. Trader Joes has bags, and they are better than frozen ones. Make sure you get rid of juices as much as possible from the spinach, otherwise the dish will become soggy.

And because I like cheese, I actually used more Parmesan cheese between layers. I'm glad I did:) You can also add ricotta for texture.

Cooking time was a little bit longer than the recipe. I had to keep it in the oven an extra 10 minutes.

If you don't like heavy cream use a classic bechamel and stir the onion/spinach mixture into the bechamel. Then layer the butternut with the bechamel to make a "lasagna" type structure.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CREAMED-SPINACH GRATIN

Ingredients:
3 lb fresh spinach, stems discarded, or 3 (10-oz) packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for greasing pan
3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 small)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
4 lb butternut squash (2 large), peeled, quartered, and seeded
1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 cup)
Special equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer

Directions:
If using fresh spinach, bring 1 inch water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pot over high heat. Add spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water.

Thoroughly squeeze cooked fresh or thawed frozen spinach in small handfuls to remove excess moisture, then coarsely chop and transfer to a bowl.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then cook onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion mixture to spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cream and stir to combine.

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 9 inches; not glass).

Cut squash to separate bulb section from solid neck section, then cut pieces lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with slicer.

Layer squash and spinach mixture in baking dish, using about one fifth of squash and one fourth of spinach for each layer, beginning and ending with squash. Sprinkle top layer of squash evenly with cheese and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then cover directly with a sheet of parchment or wax paper.

Bake until squash is tender and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove paper and bake gratin until browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes, or broil 3 inches from heat, 2 to 3 minutes.

Note: Gratin can be assembled, but not baked, 1 day ahead and kept, surface covered with parchment or wax paper and then covered with plastic wrap, chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before baking.

Orzo, Feta and Tomato Salad with Marjoram Vinaigrette

2008-05-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

I love orzo salads, and look for different recipes. This one is a great base recipe from Bon Appetit, and it makes a great side dish.

If you don't like marjoram, which can be a very strong taste, you can substitute it with parsley, or oregano, or thyme, or dill. My personal preference is oregano. It works great with feta and olives. You can play with the dressing and see what tastes better for you. I also add a little bit of garlic to the dressing.

You can also add vegetables that you have around. Anything works with this. It can be artichokes, grilled zucchini, roasted carrots etc.

It tastes best when served at room temperature, so don't forget to take it out of the fridge about half hour before serving. It does taste better after you refrigerate it. The flavors blend together, which is a must for this recipe. It actually tastes better the next day. But keep in mind not to add the tomatoes until you are ready to serve.

ORZO, FETA, AND TOMATO SALAD WITH MARJORAM VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:
1 pound orzo
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 teaspoons finely chopped fresh marjoram
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
24 ounces cherry tomatoes, stemmed, halved

Directions:
Cook orzo in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well.

Transfer to large bowl. Whisk lemon juice, 5 teaspoons marjoram, mustard, and lemon peel in small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Set aside 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Add remaining vinaigrette, cheese, onions, and olives to orzo; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate salad and remaining vinaigrette separately.)

Toss tomatoes with reserved vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix tomatoes into orzo. Sprinkle orzo with remaining 1 teaspoon marjoram and serve.

Makes 8 servings