Roasted Potatoes with Creamed Peas

Moving along to another recipe from a Cuisine at Home magazine. I just got the new issue - April 2012 - and couldn't wait to try something.

Last night we had baked haddock and these Roasted Potatoes with Creamed Peas - very yummy!

The recipe calls for mace, which I do not have, so as recommended, I subsituted it with nutmeg. (Mace is the ground waxy red covering of the nutmeg).

Serves 4

Potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Peas:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
2 cups milk
2 cups frozen petit peas
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss potatoes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet; roast until golden, about 20-25 minutes, stirring midway through.

Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is translucent, 5-7 minutes. Whisk in flour and mace or nutmeg; cook 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.

Whisk in milk and increase heat to medium. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Add peas; cook 1-2 minutes more. Stir in dill, zest and lemon juice. Season peas with salt and cayenne and serve over roasted potatoes.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

For my birthday my mom got me this book, "homemade" by Clodagh McKenna. It's full of great entertaining and decorating ideas as well as recipes. And the photos are so beautiful and inspirational. I highly recommend this book!

So far I have made 2 recipes from it. Today I will talk about one and tomorrow the other.

Yesterday for dinner I tried my hand at mushroom risotto for the very first time! And I think it came out quite well. Adam wasn't fond of the taste - I think it was too starchy for him. But I was proud of it - maybe because of all stirring that goes into making the dish.

Here's the recipe from homemade:

scant 1/2 cup (just over 3/4 stick) butter

1 onion, very finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped, divided

1 1/2 cups aborio rice

1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons dry white wine

4 cups hot vegetable stock (I made mine - recipe to follow)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

9 oz mixed wild mushrooms (I only used a 4 oz mix prepackaged and sliced in produce aisle)

sea salt and pepper

sprig of fresh sage, finely chopped (I omitted)

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt 2/3 stick butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and 1 chopped garlic clove, and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Add the rice and stir for a minute or so to coat it in the butter. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

Every couple of minutes, add some stock, stir and allow the rice to absorb the juices. Repeat until all of the stock has been absorbed and stir continuously.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the remainder of the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the wild mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

When the rice is tender and all the stock has been absorbed, remove from the heat and let rest for 30 seconds.

Stir in the mushrooms, the remaining butter, the sage and Parmesan cheese.

Season to taste and serve immediately.

Vegetable Stock Recipe (modified from allrecipes.com)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion

1 shallot

2 large carrots

2 stalks celery with leafy greens

5 garlic cloves

1 bell pepper

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs thyme

1 teaspoon salt

2 quarts water

**These are the ingredients I had on hand - you can add so many others: green onions, potato, mushrooms, parsley or other savory herbs, corn cobs, the list goes on. **

Chop scrubbed vegetables into 1-inch chunks. Mince garlic.

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add all ingredients except salt and water. Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently.

Add salt and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain. Discard vegetables.

Chicken Satay with Cucumber Mango Rice

Chugging through my Cuisine at Home magazine, I came across this chicken satay recipe and let me say, it was my favorite meal from this magazine yet!

So many flavors are in the chicken paste and all flavors I love - lime, ginger, coconut! Mmm!

This recipe uses cashews and cashew butter instead of the traditional peanuts. I assume you could also use peanuts and peanut butter and have the same results. According to Cuisine at Home, cashews are "richer" and have a "lighter flavor" for the sauce.

For the Paste:
1/3 cup coconut milk
3 cloves garlic
2 shallots
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 Tablespoon minced lime zest
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled (2-inch)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground tumeric

12 chicken breast tenders, cut in half lengthwise, seasoned with salt and pepper (1 1/4 lb)

For the dipping sauce:
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup chopped cashews
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup cashew butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill grate with oil.

For the paste, puree all of the paste ingredients listed above in a mini food processor until smooth.

Toss chicken with paste and thread onto 12 pre-soaked wooden skewers; set aside (Can be made and refrigerated up to a day ahead).

For the dipping sauce (use amounts as listed above), head oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add cashews, garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in water, coconut milk, cashew butter, brown sugar, chili garllic sauce and soy sauce, simmer 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in lime juice. Divide into little bowls for each person dining.

Grill satay, covered, until chicken is browned, 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve with a side of the cashew dipping sauce and cucumber mango rice.

We loved this rice so much! We even took some to work the next day for lunch and it was just as good then!

3 cups coconut water (I used 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups water - either works)

1 1/2 cups dry jasmine rice

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups half-moon sliced cucumbers

1 mango, pitted, peeled and diced

chopped cashews

Boil coconut water in a large saucepan.

Stir in rice, butter and salt. Return mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook rice until tender, 15 minutes.

Add cucumber and mango, season with additional salt if needed and garnish with chopped cashews.

Cayenne Chicken with Avacado Salsa & Chili Sweet Potato Wedges

I am quite sad I haven't posted in awhile! It's not that I haven't been cooking but it's just that I haven't made to many unique or special things. I know that shouldn't matter. But today I have pledged to post much more often. We'll see how long I can keep the fresh posts!

Last week I was searching for something very easy to make for dinner with the ingredients I had.

We had pan seared chicken breasts with avacado & tomato salsa and chili sweet potato wedges. A very coloful and spicy meal!

For the chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the cayenne and salt. Add chicken to the pan and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.

For the salsa:

1 avacado, peeled, pitted and chopped (I kept the chunks large)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (I kept the chunks large)

juice of 1/2 a lime

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. You can also add chopped red onion or diced jalapenoes if you have any.

For the sweet potatoes (a favorite recipe from Everyday Foods, Jan./Feb. 2006):

2 large sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges. If the wedges are too thick slice them lengthwise again.

On a parchment paper lined baking sheet toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, sugar, chili, salt and pepper, until coated. Arrange wedges on a single layer, cut side down.

Roast potatoes until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Oven Fries

Ok, I totally failed on my photography skills here. This photo may not look super pretty but these oven fries are super tasty!

g

This recipe is from the July 2010 Food & Wine magazine. Plan on making more than you think you'll need because they will be gobbled up quickly!

g

2 large baking potatoes, cut into 4-by-1/2-inch sticks

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced (garlic powder can be used as a substitute)
1 teaspoon each fresh rosemary, minced & fresh sage, minced (I used only rosemary)

1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

salt & pepper

;

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potato sticks with the olive oil until evenly coated. Spread the potato sticks evenly on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake in upper third of the oven, turning once or twice with a spatula, until they are golden and crispy, about 30 minutes.

g

Sprinkle the minced garlic and herbs over the fries and toss well. Roast for about 5 minutes longer, until the herbs are fragrant and the garlic is lightly browned. Transfer the fries to a large bowl and toss with the grated Pecorino Romano. Season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Potatoes and Veggies with Dill-Lemon Vinaigrette

Last week we got a new bbq grill! It's big and shiny and looks great in the backyard. So to celebrate we had a few guests over so I could test out the big boy.

This is the grill.

While I was in a small grocery store in Pine Grove, a small bag of fingerling potatoes caught my eye. I have always wanted to cook with fingerlings but have found that they are just too pricey at Giant or Wegmans. But at BG's, I got a 1.5 pound bag for $2.70! Can't beat that! So I snatched them up and used Adam's iPhone to find a grill recipe. I found this on Epicurious but it was originally from Bon Appetit Magazine, Aug 2006.

I adapted the recipe a little - it originally called for fresh marjoram but I used dried dill instead because it's what I had.

Photo from www.motherearthnews.com

I didn't have a grill pan for this recipe so I lost a few of the little potatoes through the grill plates. A grill pan is a must for this recipe!!

And unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the process or finished dish :(

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced shallot
dried dill (2 teaspoons used in total)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound small fingerling potatoes, unpeeled, halved lengthwise
1 pound assorted summer squash, cut on diagonal into 1/3-inch-thick slices
1 large red or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 package baby bella mushrooms, cleaned

Whisk lemon juice, shallot, 1 teaspoon dill, and lemon peel in small bowl. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat).

Place potatoes in large saucepan; add enough cold salted water to cover. Boil just until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Transfer potatoes to medium bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon dill and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Combine squash and bell pepper in large bowl; add remaining 1/2 teaspoon dill and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Arrange potatoes in single layer in grill basket. Grill until tender, 5 minutes per side. Transfer to large bowl. Grill squash and bell pepper until tender, turning occasionally, 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with potatoes.

Add vinaigrette; toss. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chickpea Curry over Rice

I was cooking from the Everyday Food magazines a lot this weekend! I asked Adam to go through an edition and look for what he'd like and he chose was Chickpea Curry.
[
This can be a main course but we ate it as a side dish, which worked out nicely because I had some leftover to bring to work for lunch.

Use a plastic spoon if you can because the curry slightly stained my wooden spoon :(

Like yesterday's post, this is also from Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2010
l;
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced small
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches) - mine were short so I used 2
ground cloves - I omitted because I didn't have any
2 cans (15 oz. each) no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons ketchup
salt and pepper
chopped cilantro & lemon wedges for serving
[
In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, curry, cinnamon and pinch of cloves and cook, stirring until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chickpeas, ketchup, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes.
;
Uncover and increase heat to medium-high; cook until sauce is slightly reduced, 5 minutes.
[

Serve over a bed of rice and top with chopped cilantro and lemon juice.

Broccoli Fried Rice with Candied Bacon

I came across a recipe for Vegetable Fried Rice with Bacon on the Food Network website and thought it sounded good. I had never made fried rice the traditional way with scrambled eggs so I was excited to try it. Not only did the recipe sound easy to make, it was full of flavorful ingredients.

;

I made it tonight and both Adam and I loved it!!! The candied bacon is so interesting - a delicious mix with the red pepper flakes and ginger.

'

This recipe is a definite keeper and I highly recommend it! You can add any other veggies you want - mushrooms, carrots, baby corn. We ate this as a main course but it would be a nice side dish too.

'

I adapted this from foodnetwork.com:

1 teaspoon

1/4 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 head broccoli, florets and stalks cut into 1/4-inch pieces
5 cups cooked long-grain white rice
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Place a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil and bacon and stir-fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the sugar over the bacon and toss. Add 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce (watch out-the oil will bubble up) and continue to stir-fry until the bacon is glazed, about 30 seconds. Transfer the bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the drippings in the pan and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice, the remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the broth and glazed bacon. Toss to heat through.

Push the fried rice to one side of the pan, crack the eggs into the other side and scramble until set, about 1 minute. *** I wasn't able to scramble the eggs in the same pan. I used another pan and once the eggs were done, I mixed them with the rice.

Cauliflower & Spinach Gratin

photo source: Wegman.com

I found this recipe on the Wegman's website and since there was cauliflower and spinach in the fridge, I thought we'd make it. It was soooo good! I altered the recipe a bit - you'll see my notes. Everyone loved it and it was gone in a flash between 4 people!

I didn't have a camera while making it so I added a pic from the Wegman's website.

I highly recommend this dish!

1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets (or 2 lbs cauliflower florets)
1 pkg (10 oz) Fresh Spinach, stemmed (large stems only), rinsed - 10 oz is a lot. I didn't use that much. Use your judgement.
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Bread Crumbs, divided - I used panko
1 jar (13 or 15 oz) Alfredo Sauce
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

You'll Need: 13x9x2-inch baking dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add cauliflower and spinach to large mixing bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup bread crumbs, alfredo sauce, and mozzarella; mix well. Set aside.

Make topping: Combine remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and 1 T oil in small bowl. Set aside.

Grease baking dish with olive oil; add vegetable-cheese mixture to dish.

Bake 40 min, uncovered, stirring halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven; sprinkle with topping. Return to oven; bake 15 min, until topping is light golden brown.

Bulgur & Roasted Vegetable Salad

This week I got my first issue of the Food & Wine magazine. In bold lettering on the cover, I was happy to read 40 Healthy Recipes. After weeks of Adam and I talking about eating better, this issue gave me a kindly nudge to get started. Last night I made Bulgur Salad with Lightly Roasted Vegetables.
=
I bought the bulgur at The Healthy Grocery in Camp Hill. I know most health food stores have it in their bulk section, as does Wegmans.
=
Also, whole grains, like bulgur, are on my 20 Health Foods list - a list I sadly haven't blogged about in awhile but will get better.
-
Here's how it goes, as adpted from Food & Wine:
p
2 cups coarse ground bulgur, rinsed
2 cups hot water
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
Sea salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 medium cucumber - peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
Crush red pepper
=

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cover the bulgur with hot water. Cover the bowl with a plate and let stand until the water has been absorbed and the bulgur is tender, about 20 minutes.
=

Meanwhile, on a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the zucchini, carrot and bell pepper with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Roast for 12 - 15 minutes. Stir half way through.
=

Fluff the bulgur with a fork. Stir in the tomato paste. Fold in the roasted vegetables, lemon juice, cucumber and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.

I think I would like it warm but it was room temperature when we ate it. Later today I will eat it chilled.

Now I'm once again hooked on bulgur! I just got done eating Bulgur Breakfast Porridge. I just found a recipe for Green Lentil and Bulgur Soup I may try soon too!

Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans

Continuing on with healthy food, sweet potatoes are sooo delicious and good for you! I have been making this sweet potato and black bean salad for a long time. I found it in a Martha Stewart Everyday Foods Magazine. They recommend serving it alongside roasted pork but I think it's a good side for almost any meat. You can eat it warm or at room temperature.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes - optional but I recommend. It's good with the lime!
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime), plus wedges for serving
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped - I added too much this time. 1/4 onion is more appropriate
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro - I didn't use any this time but I highly recommend it!

Place sweet potatoes on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil. Season with red-pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Roast on lower rack, until tender, tossing once during cooking, 25 to 35 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk lime juice with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Add sweet potatoes, beans, onion, and, if using, cilantro; mix gently to combine.

SPs in olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes waiting to be roasted.The dressing.

Final product.

Ultimate Scalloped Potatoes

This is a recipe my Aunt Bet makes and it's so delicious! She is an excellent cook but it turned out just as well when my mom and I make it - which we've done twice in the past month! A very rich and creamy potato dish! I'm not sure where the recipe came from but it's a winner in my book!

Serves 6

1 teaspoon butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup milk

salt and pepper

2 lb russet potatoes, cleaned, peeled and evenly sliced 1/8" thick - use a mandolin if you have one to get the slices even

1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2 quart glass baking dish. Mix two cheeses together in a bowl. In a small saucepan, heat cream, milk, garlic and a generous amount of salt and pepper until it begins to bubble around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Arrange half of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour half of the cream over the potatoes and sprinkle with half of the cheese mix. Repeat. Bake for 60-70 minutes until bubbly and brown on top and potatoes are tender.

This was a big pan of the potatoes my mom made for the Labor Day Party.

Photo by Bec.

Labor Day Weekend Fête - Part 2

On Friday evening before the picnic, I made the Barefoot Contessa's tabbouleh. I made this for Easter Dinner this year so you can see that post with the recipe here. This is a very simple side dish and the bulgur wheat is very nutritious!

Tabbouleh.

With all of the Roma tomatoes we grew, I decided to make bruschetta. I seeded and chopped a ton of tomatoes and mixed them with chopped fresh basil, a few minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper and olive oil. For the bread, we sliced baguettes in 1/2 inch slices, brushed them with olive oil & sprinkled them with salt and put them in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

A very easy snack that you can whip up in no time! A great way to use up your garden tomatoes.

Bruschetta.

Next, Mary recommended these yummy nuts for a snack. Sweet and spicy, these are a special treat.

Spiced Mixed Nuts (from Cooks Illustrated - from a chopped salad recipe)

Makes about 2 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups pecan halves
1 tablespoon sugar *I used a bit more than this*

Melt butter in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, then stir in pecans. Toast nuts in skillet, stirring often, until color of nuts deepens slightly, 6 to 8 mins. Transfer to bowl, toss with sugar, then spread out on a plate to cool.

Remember, watch the nuts VERY closely because as you can see in the photo, they can get brown very quickly.

While shopping for the picnic, my mom picked up the new Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook. This iced tea recipe is in there - it's so sweet with the apple juice it needs no further sweetner.

Makes 8 cups

4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea bags
4 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags
4 cups pure apple juice

Steep the 8 tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Combine the tea with the apple juice and refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice.

This is the iced tea dispenser I bought at the Amish Auction earlier in the summer. A classic vintage glass container I snatched up for $6!

MORE TO COME....

Photos by Bec.

Labor Day Weekend Fête - Part 1

Last Saturday we had some friends over for an end of the summer cookout so my mom and I were busy bees in the kitchen from Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon. Everything from berry iced tea to shrimp kabobs to tabbouleh to roasted nuts - after lots of chopping, boiling, peeling and stirring, we were ready for our guests. Below are two collages Rebecca created with the photos she took of the food. What great talent she has!

Over the next few posts, I will tell you about what I made, beginning with the Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches.

At our house we get so many food magazines, filled with recipes that look absolutely delicious. There are way too many for us to make! I went back through the Paula Deen magazines and found this delicious recipe from a few months ago. I planned on 1/4 lb of beef per person - so that was a 6 lb loin - fortune for our party and fellowship but unfortunate for the amount of meat - more people came than I prepared for so those 6 pounds went very quickly!

This recipe serves 12

3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 (4 1/2 lb) trimmed beef tenderloin
12-15 onion rolls, split, buttered, and toasted (We used regular, poppy seed and sesame seed rolls and we didn't toast them - if I were to make 5 instead of 24, I would butter and toast them!)
arugula
Bacon Horseradish Sauce (see below)


In a large resealable plastic bag, combine soy sauce, oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Add tenderloin, seal bag, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. ** We used a big plastic container (instead of a bag) that we could keep flipping throughout the marinading processes. We let it marinade overnight and through to our afternoon cooking time.**


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a broiler pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place rack on pan; spray with nonstick cooking spray.


Drain tenderloin, discarding marinade. Place tenderloin on prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion reads 145. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. ** Of course my mom and I argued over when it was done. I enjoy this type of beef cut medium rare, otherwise it gets tough. You will have to adjust the cooking time depending on how big your loin is but this is a very appropriate cooking temp and time.**

Spread desired amount of Bacon Horseradish Sauce (See recipe below) over botttoms of buns. Top with desired amount of arugula. Top with sliced tenderloin. cover with bun tops. Serve immediately.


Bacon Horseradish Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used like 9 slices! - my rule of thumb: ALWAYS use more bacon than called for!)
4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons green onions, minced
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, bacon horseradish,green onion, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cover and chill.

** Sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance.

The tenderloin right out of the oven, as I attack it with the electric knife! Oh and thank you to Bunny for taking over that knife for me.

We kept the beef warm in the chafing dish for serving.

The assembled sandwich.

Another creation was Carolina Coleslaw - a very colorful combination with a vinegar-based dressing.

1 head cabbage (red, green or mix) shredded
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, grated (bought a bag of the carrot matchsticks)

Dressing:
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp celery seed
1 cup cider vinegar
2/3 cup Vegetable oil

In a large bowl, toss vegetables together

In a small sauce pan, mix together sugar, salt, mustard, and celery seed. Add vinegar and oil. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Pour hot dressing over salad; toss well

Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before serving.

All photos by Bec.

Greek Rice Salad

I have a weakness for any and everything Greek: history, liquor, men, language, but especially food! Thetraditional combo of feta, cucumbers, tomotoes and olives are a mix made in heaven. Light and healthy - scrumptious!


This is a Williams Sonoma recipe. So yum and easy for a summer picnic!

3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard (we used whole grain dijon)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano (or 1 T dried)
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
6 oz sliced black olives
1 lb grape tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup fresh chopped mint leaves


Bring water and salt to a boil. Add rice and simmer for 20 minutes or until done.


In a salad bowl, whisk together lemon juice and mustard. Whisk in olive oil. Add oregano, feta, olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Toss well.


Rinse cooked rice in cold water. Drain. Add to bowl of dressing and other ingredients. Add mint and stir well. Serve at room temperature or chilled (I prefer chilled).

Zucchini Pancakes

This is a specialty of my late Aunt Joyce who was a wonderful cook and known for this simple yet delicious recipe. We had two huge zucchinis and besides roasting them or making bread, I was craving these little treats. They are a great side dish but we made them for a mid-morning snack. Yum!

1/2 cup flour
2 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, separated
oil
Butter or ketchup for serving

In a bowl, mix flour, zucchini, salt, pepper and egg yolks. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into zucchini mixture. Drop by heaping tablespoons into about 1/4-inch hot oil in skillet and brown both sides. Serve immediately.



The batter fries in a layer of canola oil. Make you put them on a plate of paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

A crispy fried delight! I prefer to eat mine with butter but ketchup is supposedly good too.

What to do with the rest of the zucchini....mmm...

Summer Party Series - Potato Salad

Here is yet another potato salad for my blog! There are just so many good combos out there, I have yet to decide my favorite. This recipe is my mom's favorite and she makes it quite often. It is Ina Garten's recipe. It was a hit at the party!

3 pounds small red potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk, milk, or white wine (we just use milk)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.) Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

This is a very creamy salad and my mom makes lots of dressing with it.

The dill and the whole grain mustard gives it a fresh taste. We made tons of this and kept the big trays of it in the refrigerator and kept filling the serving bowl (see below) as needed.

I've found that I love keeping the skin on the potatoes for the salad - it looks more colorful which makes it more appetizing (to me, anyway) and you don't have to peel the potatoes!

We made this 2 nights before the party so the flavors were mixed nicely. If you're lucky, you'll have some left over from your party to snack on later!

Photo by Bec.

Potato Salad

Well again I slacked on getting a photo of my creation but really wanted to share the recipe anyway. If you try hard enough, I'm sure you can imagine what it would look like! The ingredients make this salad colorful.

I wanted to make a potato salad for our church choir picnic last evening. Because there are so many recipes out there for potato salad, I feel like I have to keep experimenting to find my favorite. I love my mom's dilly potato salad (she's making it this weekend) and Susi's German potato salad, but I found something a little different in the June 2009 issue of Country Living. Here it is:

Potato Salad

3 pounds red skinned potatoes
1/4 cup chopped white onion (but I used chopped scallions - the white and green parts)
3 chopped hard boiled eggs (I omitted, much to Greg's disappointment)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
3/4 cup mayo
salt & pepper

Scrub potatoes and cut out any eyes. Place in a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until done - about 40 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients. Once potatoes are just cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized cubes (leave skin on) and add to bowl. Mix all together. Let chill for a few hours for flavors to mix.

It's important to dress your potatoes while they are still warm because the potatoes are porous and you want the flavors of the ingredients to really settle into each bite of potato.

I've learned that I love pickles in my potato salad... mmm!

Easter Dinner

In an effort to mix things up, we did not have a traditional ham dinner yesterday, but instead grilled steak and veggies! It was a nice summer meal and now I'm so excited for the weather to warm up!

I marinaded some NY Strip steaks in Lawry's Signature Steakhouse marinade for about 5 hours. I skewered up whole button mushrooms, halved brussel sprouts, cubed orange pepper and sliced yellow squash. I added plenty of olive oil, salt and pepper before grilling.

In addition, I made scalloped potato gratin by Tyler Florence. This was so yummy and everyone enjoyed it:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 sprig fresh thyme (used 3 or 4 sprigs)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Butter (used Pam)
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for broiling (I think I used more like 1 cup - I love cheese!)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg.
While cream is heating up, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper. Remove cream from heat, then pour a little over the potatoes. Top with some grated Parmesan. Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes (baked it for about 55 minutes because my potato slices were on the thick side). Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 3 minutes.

I didn't get a solo shot of the gratin but here it is in the center of the photo (that's Greg's plate with a gigantic steak!). To the right of the potatoes is the tabbouleh.

For a salad, I made tabbouleh. I have had this a few times at restaurants but never ventured to make it myself. I also made it as a test because it's on Arielle's graduation party food list. It passed the test with flying colors so I'll be making it again (a huge batch) in June for the party. The recipe is from Barefoot Contessa Parties! :

1 cup bulgur wheat (I found some organic bulgar at my local health food store)

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the bulgur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.

I didn't use a cup of each parsley and mint - it seemed excessive.
Finally, I made white wine sangria. A bottle of cheap chardonnay, a frozen melange of tropical fruit and a liter of ginger ale made a refreshing treat to go with dinner. I put the wine in a pitcher, added the fruit and refrigerated it for about 4 hours. Then I added the ginger ale and refrigerated it for another hour. Sparkling refreshment!
Additional Easter Day pictures:

Arielle, Adam, Greg & Hope after we found our Easter baskets.

My dad surprised my grandparents and my mom with this light post in town that is dedicated to Parents Bob & Pat Swenson and Merle & Ruth Adams.

In the photo from left: my dad, grandpa, grandma, me, Adam, Arielle, my mom and Chester in the front. And Greg behind the camera.

Greg and I in downtown New Bloomfield looking like we just rolled out of bed!

NOTE: I am going to be investing in a new camera soon so my pictures will get better...

Baked Beans by John Ash

To go with the previous post of Chicken Chipolte Rolls, I made baked beans from my new cookbook by John Ash: Cooking One on One. These are a slightly heathier variation of my mom's delicious summer beans which contain lots of molasses, brown sugar and ketchup. John's had a great taste with the carrots and soy sauce, which is unconventional in my mind.

¾ cup thinly-sliced onions (I chopped mine)
½ cup diced carrots
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ cup white wine
3 cups cooked Esther's Swedish beans (I used two 14 oz. cans Great Northern Beans)
⅓ cup dark molasses
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt; to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper; to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan saute the onions, carrots and garlic in olive oil over moderate heat until lightly browned. Combine with remaining ingredients and place in a lightly-buttered or oiled casserole. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes. This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

I baked them for about 45 minutes. The sauce was still kind of runny. I like my baked beans extra thick, which probably is due to the hours of slow cooking and tons of sugar my mom traditionally uses. But these were very good! Sweet and savory.

A meat (bacon or pancetta) could be added but I really enjoyed them vegetarian.

Of course, I could not find Ester's Swedish beans at our local Giant, but I'll keep my eyes out for them when I'm elsewhere because I'll definitely make these again.