Spicy Forbidden Rice Salad

 

 

Recently while at a farmers' market, I ended up in a friendly conversation with a fellow shopper about Korean melons and kholrabi. At the end of our chat, she remarked that I was so lucky to have learned how to cook from my mom as a child. I get that a lot. People assume if you enjoy cooking you must have been doing it all your life and learned from your momma or granny. I actually learned from neither and oddly enough, until a few years ago I hardly cooked a lick. Now don't get me wrong, I've loved food ALL my life...but my zest for cooking? That started just short of 5 years ago. (Up until then my claim to fame was a half-assed green salad and a rubbery shrimp scampi.) Cooking's not in my blood. Growing up, my mom had about a half a dozen recipes in her repertoire and my dad would burn hot dogs so badly on the grill I would have to peel the charcoaled outer skin off to get to the edible core. These days my mom rarely cooks, maybe a pot of rice here or there and if the mood strikes she may grill some mackerel. My dad sticks to making the one recipe he does best- homemade spaghetti sauce. Neither of my parents would give Ina Garten a run for her money. In fact, they store pots and pans in their oven and dry goods in their dishwasher, that's how often they cook. They did however encourage me to be open-minded and try all kinds of food when I was growing up- from matzo balls to deep-fried chicken gizzards to natto. Although these days I may have surpassed them in my passion for new delicious foods, as they tend to scratch their heads quizzically when I wax on about foie gras, sweetbreads and quinoa during my visits home. As for the cooking part, over the past few years I've taught myself- mostly by experimenting in the kitchen, pouring over recipes and gleaning handy tips from friends who are amazing cooks. So when people tell me they can't cook...I like to point out that they can cook, they just choose not to. They just need to put the time and the effort into learning how to cook. Start with the simple dishes and work your way up...and most importantly- have fun!

One of the things that keeps cooking interesting for me is stumbling upon new and unique ingredients. For example, one of my recent finds at my local grocery store was a mysterious-sounding rice by Lotus Foods called "Forbidden Rice."* The name was just so cool and the color so intriguing, I couldn't resist picking up a small bag to play around with. As it turned out Forbidden Rice is a heirloom short-grain rice with a bit of a nutty taste, chewy texture and an intense inky purple hue (once it's cooked). This Thai black rice is pretty versatile and you could use it in many of the same dishes that you would use wild rice in. Additionally, it's quite the healthy addition to any diet as it's high in antioxidant-rich anthocyanins, iron and is a good source of fiber.  For my first attempt at using it, I wanted to keep it uncomplicated so I opted to make a rice salad. Prowling around the Internet, I found an easy recipe by Charlie Ayers utilizing Forbidden Rice. (Charlie Ayers is the former executive chef for Google.) I liked that it had a spicy dressing, so I used that for my salad and just changed up the ingredients to what I had on hand or preferred. The result was a tasty, eye-catching salad with a bit of a kick.  Now you could also jazz this salad up by adding some chopped sweet potatoes, mandarin slices or even some shelled edamame. Or you could top it with a protein such as a ginger-sesame salmon fillet or some sliced citrus-soy marinated flank steak to make it a full meal.

 

[* Supposedly in ancient China, black rice was reserved only for the emperor/royal family and was not available to the public; hence, the name "Forbidden Rice."]

Spicy Forbidden Rice Salad

Ingredients

1 cup Forbidden Rice

1/4 cup scallions, green & white parts thinly sliced

1/2 cup Sweet Twister pepper, diced

1/2 cup English cucumber, diced

1 cup roasted/unsalted cashews, chopped

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek

1/2 teaspoon honey

salt and ground pepper, to taste

1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds


Instructions

1. Put the rice, 2 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt  in a small pot or saucepan and bring to a quick boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes (until liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender).

2. In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, sambal oelek, honey, salt and pepper. Set aside and allow flavors to meld.

3. When the rice is ready, remove from heat. If there is any excess water, drain. Allow to cool.

4. Once cool, place the rice in a large bowl and add green onions, Twister pepper, cucumber and cashews. Mix together thoroughly.

5. Give the dressing a quick whisk then pour over the rice salad. Mix it up really well. Taste. Add more salt, pepper, lime juice, honey or sambal oelek if needed. (If you want it spicier, up the sambal oelek.) Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

 

6. Serve at room temp or chill in fridge.

Hawaiian Mac Salad

 

I hadn't planned on doing a post for the Hawaiian Mac Salad that I made on Sunday, but after I posted about the Kalua pig, I got about a dozen emails requesting the recipe for the macaroni salad I made to go with it.

Note, for those who haven't had it before-  Hawaiian Mac Salad is not your normal macaroni salad from the deli counter. It's tangier and sweeter, the mayo is thinned out by milk and its only extra ingredients are grated carrot, sliced scallions and small bits of celery. Also, you have to use real mayo to make this, not the lowfat stuff or Miracle Whip (gack!).

The recipe I use is from Cook's Country Magazine, from a printing that I clipped from a Bay Area paper a few years ago. It most closely replicates the Hawaiian macaroni salads I ate while on vacation in Hawaii.

Give it a go...Hawaiian Mac Salad is the perfect accompaniment for a plate lunch of Kalua pig, Huli Huli chicken or your favorite BBQ dish.

Hawaiian Mac Salad (from Cook's Country Magazine)

 

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk, divided
2 cups mayonnaise, divided (I like to use Best Foods Real Mayonnaise)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 pound macaroni elbows
1/2 cup cider vinegar
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 celery rib, chopped fine

Instructions

1. To make dressing, whisk together 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 cup mayonnaise, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper (or pepper to taste). Set aside.

 

2. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta and cook until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain pasta and return to pot. (You want the pasta to be fat and soft, not al dente)

3. Add vinegar and toss until absorbed. Transfer to a bowl. Cool pasta, then stir in dressing until well-coated. Cool completely. (Don't worry, the macaroni will absorb the dressing)

4. To assemble salad, add scallions, carrot, celery, remaining milk and remaining mayonnaise to pasta mixture and stir to combine. Season to taste. Refrigerate covered for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Serves 8 people.

Figs and Farro Salad with Mandarin Balsamic Vinaigrette

Don't you just love three day weekends? I do, especially when they're full of fun activities like this one. Friday night, Mr.S. and I took the kidlets to the cinema to see Fast and Furious 6...I'm not sure who was more excited, me or the kidlets. It's funny because I'm not a Vin Diesel fan at all but I've loved every F&F movie that's come out and have watched them all repeatedly. It's a (not so) secret guilty pleasure, all that super fast car racing is exciting! On Saturday night, I had Supper Club with my girlfriends and Sunday I got to indulge in a marathon session of Arrested Development over at my friend Michelle's. Has anyone else watched the made-for-Netflix Season 4 yet? I liked it but I thought it was nowhere as hilarious as the original three seasons. Where was the chicken dance, the Final Countdown and the banana stand? Maybe it would have been funnier if I had had unlimited juice while I was watching it?

 

Monday was my only real "quiet" day, I did a few things around my cottage including creating a new salad to take to Mr.S.'s for dinner. We had plans for a BBQ but the weather was so gloomy and wet, that we ended up just grilling some chicken and eating indoors. The salad I made though came out wonderfully and I think it'll be in permanent rotation in our dinner plan. Also I used farro again in this recipe...Mr.S. and Kidlet #1 seem to love it and can't get enough of it. Which is fine by me as farro is rich in antioxidants, cyanogenic glucosides, high in fiber and a good source of iron and protein. I also tossed in some dried figs, which added a nice chewy texture to the salad and are high in iron, potassium and folic acid.

Figs and Farro Salad with Mandarin Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 cup semi-pearled farro

1/2 cup chopped dried Calimyrna figs (to make the figs easier to slice, place them in the freezer for a bit beforehand)

1/2 cup candied walnuts (Trader Joe's has these at a reasonable price)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

4 oz. crumbled goat cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons of your favorite citrus balsamic vinegar (I used a mandarin balsamic vinegar by Lucero)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Dijon

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper


Instructions

1. Rinse the farro. Next, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the farro, cover and return to a boil. Then bring the heat down to medium-low and allow the farro to cook for 30-35 minutes. When it's done most of the water should be absorbed. If you have a little bit of water left, go ahead and drain it off.

2. Put the cooked farro in a bowl and place it in the fridge to cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, place the chopped dried figs, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, red onion, parsley and goat cheese.

4. In a separated smaller bowl, mix together your: mandarin balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk well.

5. Add your chopped ingredients to the chilled farro. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Toss together thoroughly. Serve.

Artichoke & Goat Cheese Tart with Parmesan-Polenta Crust

I've been dying to make this recipe ever since I read about it in Maria Speck's book, "Ancient Grains for Modern Meals." Her book had some fantastic gluten-free recipes and has a way of making you want to incorporate grains more in your life without any heavy-duty food preaching. The tart sounded wonderful and I'm a huge fan of savory tarts, especially ones that use goat cheese. Did you know that fresh goat cheese has a third of the fat and calories of cream cheese made from cow's milk? It also has half the cholesterol and twice the protein. Plus for those of us who are lactarded, goat cheese is much easier to digest...not to mention, that it tastes delicious.

I pretty much followed Maria Speck's recipe as written but I did opt to throw in some shallots and garlic. (Is there anything I won't throw garlic into?) I also was out of Greek yogurt so I used organic, plain, lowfat yogurt in it's place...it worked fine. I thought the tart came out great, but next time I might go slightly lighter on the rosemary (but that's just my personal preference). If you're looking for something a bit different from your average quiche or frittata to take to a brunch, this would be a good choice.  This recipe would also work well with asparagus.

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Tart with Parmesan-Polenta Crust
(slightly adapted, from Maria Speck's book, "Ancient Grains for Modern Meals")

Crust:
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups polenta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring the broth and water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the salt. Slowly add the polenta in a thin stream, whisking constantly, and continue whisking for 30 seconds. Decrease the heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes to keep the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring a few times. Stir in the cheese, egg and pepper.

2. Grease a 10-inch tart pan or cake pan with olive oil. Have a glass of cold water ready. Spoon the polenta into the pan and press it out, pushing it up the sides. Dip a wooden spoon or your hands in the cold water to help the polenta along. Set aside for 15 minutes and then form an even rim about 3/4 of an inch thick with moist fingers, pressing firmly. Don't worry if the crust looks rustic.

3. Put a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F.

Artichoke filling:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt or organic, plain, lowfat yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2-3 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 cloves, garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces artichoke hearts, canned or frozen
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Sauté the shallots and garlic in a small pan.

2. Whisk the yogurt, eggs, scallions, parsley, rosemary, shallots, garlic salt and pepper together until well-combined. Cut the artichoke hearts into quarters and distribute them evenly over the polenta crust. Sprinkle the goat cheese on top of the artichokes and pour the yogurt filling evenly over the artichokes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

3. Bake the tart until the top turns golden brown and the filling is set, about 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes, though 40 is better. The tart can be prepared up to one day ahead.

Pan-fried Halibut Cheeks with Asparagus-Mushroom Israeli Couscous

Last week was a great week for two reasons- I made Mr.S. and I the most wonderful dinner on Thursday night (yep, I'm tootin' my own horn) and then on Friday night we saw a fantastic play at the Sacramento Theatre Company. I'm going to take a moment to gush here a bit...if you haven't seen STC's production of Athol Fugard's "Master Harold...and the boys," get your butt off the sofa and go buy your tickets now! This is the second time I've seen this play (I saw it the first time when I was in college) and I have to say this version was amazing. Michael J. Asberry's performance as Sam was so moving that at times I forgot we were watching a play and felt transported to the St. George's Park Tea Room in South Africa. The play takes place in 1950 (during the apartheid era) and tells the story of a 17-year old white boy (Hally) and two black waiters (Sam and Willie) during a rainy afternoon. This timely story of Fugard's does a phenomenal job of discussing oppression and compassion on a large scale (universally) and also on a smaller scale (in our own lives). The content is quite poignant and thought-provoking and the ending will haunt your mind for days afterward (especially when you find out that the play is based on a personal account of Fugard's).

There's a great review in the Bee, if you're interested in finding out more : Master Harold...and the boys. (Btw, this production is not suitable for young children.)

Photo Source: Sacramento Theatre Company

Ok, now back to our regular programming...the awesome dinner I made Thursday night was: pan-fried halibut cheeks accompanied by Israeli couscous mixed with fresh asparagus and mushrooms. Mmm! Simple but super delicious. If you've never had halibut cheeks before, you should definitely try it. It's the sweetest most tender part of the halibut. The cheeks kind of remind me of scallops but flakier.

Now I had never cooked halibut cheeks at home before so I asked one of the friendly fishmongers at Sunh Fish for some direction, his call- just gently pan-fry them. I'm so glad I followed his suggestion  because this is seafood that definitely does not need any futzing. I also made some Israeli couscous to go with it but these cheeks would have been just as good on a bed of sautéed greens.

(If you're unfamiliar with Israeli couscous, it's a wheat-based pasta that's rolled into tiny balls that resemble Nerf pellets. It has a nice nutty taste when toasted.)

Pan-Fried Halibut Cheeks

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh halibut cheeks
2 tablespoons AP flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Gently pat your halibut cheeks dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Spread the 2 tablespoons of flour on a plate then very, very LIGHTLY dredge the cheeks through the flour. Set aside.

3. Place the skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Place your halibut cheeks on the skillet. Space them out a bit so that they do not touch each other. Let them cook for 2 minutes.  Then using a spatula flip them over. Allow to cook for another minute to a minute and a half.  (Be careful not to overcook the cheeks.)

4. Repeat with remaining butter and fish.

3. Plate. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (optional).



Israeli Couscous with Fresh Asparagus and Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup Israeli couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus (woody stems removed, sliced into 1-inch pieces)
1 8-oz. package of crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 small sweet onion, diced
3-4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium sized pan , heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add couscous. Over medium heat, toast the couscous until it's lightly browned.

2. Add 1 3/4 cup of boiling water to the saucepan and couscous. Stir well to combine. Bring the whole lot to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed). Remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a separate pan, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add garlic and onions. Cook until onions begin to slightly soften, then add asparagus and mushrooms. Cook 6-8 minutes (depending on how crisp you like your asparagus). Stir occasionally.

4. Remove from heat. Add veggie mixture to cooked couscous. Add grated Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss. Serve.

Ninniku Miso-Zuke (Japanese Miso-Cured Garlic)

 

I'm not sure about you all but I've been absolutely dying the last few days from allergies. DYIN', I tell ya! I haven't had allergies this bad in at least 5+ years. They were so bad that I had to spend all of yesterday in bed sleeping. I felt like I was enduring some version of 50 Shades of Allergy Hell. I'd occasionally get up to slam some Allegra-D and Sinex or snort some Flonase, but nothing was working. I spent my day sucking on hits of  Cepacol Hydra drops like they were all-day suckers and at night...oh, the nights were the  worst! I ended up resorting to taking Nyquil (the dreaded green flavor even) so that I could get some relief from the incessant and unladylike hacking, gacking and occasional phlegm-laced vomiting. I was (am) a total mess.

Source: www.nataliedee.com

 

Today's the first real day that I could taste something so I decided to have some rice and ninniku miso-zuke (aka miso-cured garlic). The saltiness of the miso and the tempered bite of the garlic (which is simultaneously sweet and savory) tasted exquisite to my tongue which had been deprived of any flavor the last few days. Ninikku miso-zuke is super easy to make, you just need three basic ingredients: miso, mirin (a sweet rice-wine) and fresh garlic cloves. The hard part is just leaving the batch alone and allowing it to ferment. This summer I might try and be ambitious and try my hand at tofu misozuke, which I've heard people rave about and compare the texture to being like "triple cream blue cheese" or "a cross between butter and foie gras." How delicious does that sound?! I'll keep you posted if I get around to it.

Ninniku Miso-Zuke

Ingredients

handful of  fresh garlic cloves
1 cup miso paste- I prefer to use aka (red) miso, but a sweet shiro (white) or barley miso could be used too
1/4 c mirin
1 clean, dry wide-mouth quart jar

Instructions

1. Separate the garlic cloves. Trim the garlic ends, remove the outer skin and also peel off the thin filmy membrane layer.

2. Blanch garlic cloves for 1-2 minutes in unsalted water. Pull them out and pat dry them with a clean paper towel.

3. In a small bowl mix together your mirin and miso thoroughly.

4. Place a thin layer of miso at the bottom of your jar then make alternating layers of miso and garlic cloves. (Note: You don't want the cloves to touch.) Continue the layering process until you run out of ingredients or reach the top. Finish the top with a miso-mirin mixture layer and make sure all the garlic cloves are covered with miso.

5. Latch your jar and place it in the fridge. Allow it to pickle for at least 1 month. The garlic gets better with age. Keeps good up to 3-4 months.

6. When you're ready to eat the garlic, just pull out the amount you want to eat, rinse off the miso and serve. Use as an accompaniment to a meal or just eat them as a snack. I like to shove a few into the middle of my onigiris or dice it up and mix it with butter when I'm sautéing.

* Tip #1: As you clear each layer of garlic, the miso is still good and can be used in your recipes that call for miso.

* Tip #2: You can buy mirin and aka miso at most Asian speciality stores. For Sacramentans: Otos' Market on Freeport Blvd. carries both.

* Tip #3: Take the time to use fresh garlic in this recipe. The pre-peeled garlic that you can buy in bags at Costco and other grocery stores isn't as fresh and you'll notice a difference in taste.

Les Radis Petit Déjeuner : French Breakfast Radishes

Recently, I've noticed I've been pulling out my "fat" jeans more and more from the closet. Upon some self-reflection, I realized that I've put on some weight from the winter holidays, stress eating and Girl Scout cookie season. The dreaded trifecta. Ugh! Anyhow, rather than ignoring the problem and opting to stock my wardrobe with more comfy yoga pants with expandable waists, I decided I'm going to lose a few pounds. Now you can imagine there's no dirtier four-letter word to a food lover like myself than "diet." I hate limiting myself as to what I can and can't eat. This time, however, I decided to be a bit realistic- so I'm cutting out soda, junk food and my incessant snacking but I'm going to allow myself some small indulgences. Like these French Breakfast radishes I made for lunch yesterday. I used a wee bit of butter but on the whole they're pretty healthy. Radishes are one of the most nutritious root vegetables. They're low in calories, rich in Vitamin C and they are also a good source of anti-oxidants, electrolytes, minerals, sulphoraphane and dietary fiber. Now French Breakfast radishes are much less spicy/peppery than other varieties so they're great for eating raw or sautéing...to be honest, I'm not sure why they're called "breakfast radishes" as they're not specifically known for being eaten at breakfast in France or anywhere else. They're easy to spot though. They're on the smaller side, shaped a bit like a slender finger; the tops of these dainty radishes are usually a pretty fuchsia-pink color which eventually fades into white towards the tips. Anyhow, sautéed in a tiny bit of butter, olive oil and garlic- these delicate radishes along with their leafy greens are delicious! A perfect afternoon lunch or dinner side dish.

By the way, a word of advice- never, ever tell your significant other you're dieting. This is what will inevitably happen:

Sautéed French Breakfast Radishes

Ingredients

1 bunch French Breakfast radishes, with greens attached

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Wash and dry your radishes. Remove the greens. Quarter the radishes. You can tear the greens into bite-sized pieces if you wish.

2. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the radishes and sauté until they become crisp-tender and slightly translucent. Add the garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add the greens. Cook until they become soft.

3. Remove from heat. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve warm.

Oven Roasted Broccoli That'll Knock Your Kidlets' Socks Off

Here's an old joke, you may or may not have heard before:

Question: What's the difference between broccoli and snot?
Answer: Kids don't eat broccoli.

Well about a year ago I would have believed it, but currently one of my favorite dishes to make Mr.S.'s kidlets is roasted broccoli. Yep, you heard me right--- BROCCOLI! Really! It's easy to cook, it's incredibly nutritious (low-cal, rich in phyto-nutrients and a great source of Vitamins A & C) and it doesn't hit the ol' wallet too hard either. Initially the kidlets pooh-poohed the roasted broccoli at dinner time, but with a few tweaks we got them on board and begging for more. The main game changer was letting the broccoli cook longer so it softened and the florets got a slight caramelized crust going. (They love those crunchy, brown, charred pieces.) That extra cooking time really makes a difference in texture and taste. The kidlets seem to like the roasted broccoli sprinkled with grated Parmesan so we eat it like that most of the time but sometimes we add some soy sauce and sesame seeds to jazz it up.

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

2 lbs. fresh broccoli, cut into florets

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 lemon

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Instructions

1. Preheat oven 425 degrees F.

2. Rinse broccoli and dry thoroughly. Cut into bite-sized florets.

3. Place aluminum foil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the florets out evenly on the foil in a single layer.

4. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic. Swish it all around with your hands. Make sure everything is lightly (and evenly) coated. Space the florets out as much as you can. They cook better if they're not crowded.

5. Pop the baking sheet in the oven and roast for approximately 18-22 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, take a spatula and flip the suckers over so they cook nicely all the way around. (Note: Keep an eye on the broccoli the first time you make this, every oven is different and some run really hot. You want the broccoli to start to get a nice brown color but not burn.)

6. When done, remove sheet from oven and squeeze some fresh lemon juice over it. You can either sprinkle some grated Parmesan on the broccoli at this point or just leave it on the table and people can put it on themselves.

7. Toss. Serve immediately.

Holiday Corn Casserole

Whenever the new year rolls around, I (like most of the world) am hasty to make a multitude of resolutions. Honestly- I always have the best of intentions but the majority of the time, my lofty resolutions (which usually have to do with exercise and eating healthier...big surprise!) end up being cast aside with that first giant bite of double chocolate cheesecake (gosh darn it!). Anyhow, I still like the idea of starting anew each year and this year in particular I'm ready for 2012 to wrap itself up. December has been a particularly rough month and I can't wait to dispose of it and start fresh. I've been feeling emotionally drained and conflicted for weeks on end and my stress eating has become reflected in some holiday pudge. I did get a tiny respite this weekend, when Mr.S. and I took a spontaneous weekend trip to SF. His kidlets were out of town and we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to have a romantic weekend getaway and just de-com-press!

 
We stayed at an adorable boutique hotel just steps from Union Square called The Orchard Hotel (super cute room and friendly staff), indulged in a delicious seafood dinner at Anchor & Hope with Mr.S.'s brother and did some fun touristy things like eating clam chowder at Pier 39 (I hadn't been in years), shopping in Japantown and taking a moonlit stroll to Union Square to see the ice skaters and holiday lights. It was a lovely trip and just what I needed.

Anyhow, my heart and soul haven't been into cooking for weeks but I was able to somehow muster myself into the cooking spirit for the big Christmas Day dinner. I made some spicy chorizo-lentil empanadas for appetizers and also a scrumptious corn casserole as my side dish. My friend Minzi had suggested a recipe by Paula Deen which gave me the idea to do a corn casserole. I liked the basics of Deen's recipe so I used that as my starting point and built from there. The dish turned out to be a big hit and almost all of it was eaten; considering how much food was out on the table, I was pretty impressed. Even the pickier eaters gave me compliments!

The recipe is listed below, give it a try in the new year and let me know what you think.

Holiday Corn Casserole

Ingredients

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (*do not substitute frozen corn, use canned)

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (8-ounce) package Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

4 ounce can diced mild green chiles, drained

1 egg

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

5 slices bacon

salt and pepper


Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

2. In a skillet, fry up your bacon. Place cooked bacon slices on a plate lined with a papertowel. Allow to cool. Then dice bacon slices. Next, in the same pan- fry up your diced onion. Then set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine: corn kernels, creamed corn, Jiffy corn muffin mix, onion, diced green chiles, 1 egg, sour cream, melted butter and 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix throughly.

4. Take a greased 8x8 glass casserole dish and pour corn mixture from bowl into dish. Spread so it's even.

5. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Then remove from oven. Sprinkle bacon pieces and 2 tablespoons of cheddar across the top. Place dish back in oven and cook for another 10-15.

6. Serve warm.

Happy Holidays!

Super Stuffed Acorn Squash -- Perfect for Thanksgiving!

Hope you all had a great weekend and were able to stay dry. Something about dreary weather just makes me want to sloth out on the couch in comfy pajamas, with a big ol' mug of hot bourbon cider and a good book (I'm currently making my way through Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened, which is seriously pee-your-pants funny).

It was raining cats and dogs Friday, so I brought Pepper pup over to my cottage for some cuddling. He sure hates riding in the car to get here but loves napping on the couch! We had a lazy afternoon listening to the rain pelt against the roof until it was time to go meet up with Mr.S.

This weekend I also saw Ovation Stage's production of Kitchen Witches with my friend Michelle. Have you seen it? It was pretty good. The acting was smooth and they had quite the funny script. I absolutely loved Deborah Shalhoub's character, Dolly Biddle.

Photo Source: Ovation Stage

I also found a little time to dabble in the kitchen. I've recently turned Mr.S. onto squash so we've been taste testing several varieties to see which ones we like the best. So far we've made our way through delicata, sweet dumpling, kabocha and acorn. The last one I prepared was the acorn squash. It had a mild, sweet, nutty flavor that both of us liked. To fancy up the squash a bit, I made a batch of my winter quinoa which we stuffed the squash with and then topped with a sprinkling of goat cheese. Fantastic! It was so good that Mr.S. asked me to make more squash the next night. Isn't it awesome when you find something that tastes great and is nutritious? Can't go wrong there!

Super Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

2 medium sized acorn squash, each cut in half

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup quinoa ( I used Trader Joe's Organic Tri-Color Quinoa)

2 cups vegetable broth

8 oz. of your favorite breakfast sausage, chopped/crumbled  (I used Farmer John's Old-Fashioned Maple Sausage Links)

3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1/2 a small yellow onion, chopped

1 small Fuji apple, cored and chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 bunch of chard, ribs removed and torn into bite sized pieces

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

3 tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese (or 3-4 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan)

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cut each squash in half crosswise; scoop out and discard seeds. Coat squash with olive oil.

3. Place squash cut-side down on a lightly oiled, rimmed baking sheet.

4. Place in oven and roast for 45 minutes.

5. While that's cooking, rinse your quinoa. Place the rinsed quinoa in a pot with the broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook for however long the product's instructions say, usually 15-30 minutes.

6. In a large skillet, cook your sausage. Drain and set aside on a paper-towel covered plate.

7. In the now empty skillet, heat up some olive oil over med-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add your chopped onions. Cook until semi-translucent.

8. Add garlic, apple and chard. Cook until the chard becomes wilted.

9. Check your quinoa. If it's done (you can tell when it's done cooking because there be a little white ring that curls around it, this is called the germ), add it to your skillet.

10. Toss in your teaspoon of thyme, cooked sausage and dried cranberries. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook the whole shebang for about 3 minutes and then set aside.

 

 

11. Now take your roasted acorn squash and flip them over. The flesh should be tender and the exposed side should be a bit caramelized. Fill the holes with several scoops of your quinoa mixture and sprinkle some lovely goat cheese (or Parmesan) on it.

12. Pop the stuffed squash back in the oven (same temp) for another 5-6 minutes.

13. Remove from oven and serve immediately with a spoon.

(Note: The flesh of the acorn squash will be nice and soft and quite yummy- almost like a warm veggie ice cream. The skin on this particular squash is edible too but a bit tougher than say the skin on a delicata. I'm not a big fan of it but if you like it, knock yourself out.)

No Bra Sundays & Mushroom-Asparagus Quinoa "Pilaf"

It's Sunday and Mr.S. is running around frantically trying to complete his weekend To Do list. Every so often he comes into the house to check the scores on the 9 million football games that are on. He winces more then he smiles at the scores and as he heads outside again to mow the lawn and rake leaves, he shoots me a version of the stinkeye that could give an old gypsy woman a run for her money. I love Mr.S. but he's one of those guys who always has to be busy with something- projects, repairs, a new exercise routine; whereas, I'm of the ilk that believes Sundays are for lazing about. Yep, buy me a one way ticket to Lazytown. Nothing makes me happier than what I affectionately call No Bra Sundays. My lady friends know what I'm talking about...those Sundays where you sleep in, drink a cup of coffee (or three) around 10 and then you just lounge on the sofa while sporting comfy yoga pants and no over-the-shoulder boulder holder. Yep, the girls are feelin' free and so am I. After munching on a lunch of a few "fun-size" candy bars and finishing Tina Fey's, "Bossypants," I'm ready for some human interaction, reluctantly...and it's only 3pm.

Anyhow, post No Bra Sunday (aka Monday), you'll need to get back with the Get Sh*t Done regime and to do that you'll need to eat something healthier than a bag of Doritos and leftover Thai takeout. Give this faux pilaf recipe a try. I know it sounds turbo healthy (which it is) but it tastes good as well. If it makes you feel better, you can eat it while wearing your yoga pants and watching an episode of "Revenge."

Mushroom-Asparagus Quinoa "Pilaf"

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (I used Trader Joe's Organic Tri-Color Quinoa)

2 cups broth (You can pretty much use any kind. Chicken or vegetable work well. I had some leftover shiitake broth from another cooking project so I used that)

1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Rinse your quinoa. (I do this even if the package is marked pre-rinsed.) It removes the quinoa's bitter tasting coating called the saponin.

2. Place rinsed quinoa in a pot with broth.

3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook for however long the product's instructions say, usually 15-30 minutes.

4. In a skillet, heat up olive oil. Once it's hot, add mushrooms, asparagus and garlic. Saute until asparagus is bright green (about 5 minutes).

5. When the quinoa is done (you can tell when it's done cooking because there be a little white ring that curls around it, this is called the germ), add it to your veggies.

6. Season with salt and pepper and you're ready to go!

Roasted Delicata Squash

Delicata squash...it's the Ryan Gosling of the winter squash family. It's hip, it's smooth and oh-so-cute! You can bake them, you can steam them, you can even stuff them...or my personal favorite- you can roast them. The best part is there's no peeling necessary, the skin's edible. Just slice the squash up into rounds, pop out the seeds and guts, season and throw the squash into the oven. In just 25 minutes, you'll have a plateful of delicious squash with a buttery texture that tastes just like a mild sweet potato (but much healthier). Packed full of dietary fiber and beta carotene, it's a great addition to your seasonal veggie line-up or as a side dish for Thanksgiving.

Roasted Delicata Squash
(Feeds 2-3 people as a side)

Ingredients

2 delicata squash, washed and scrubbed

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Slice squash. Then pop out the seeds and squash goo in the center. You'll have small rounds of squash.

3. Place squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil on. Toss with your hands and make sure pieces are evenly coated.

4. Season lightly with salt. Roast until tender (approx. 25 minutes, flipping the squash over halfway through the cooking time).

5. Remove from oven. Season with salt (to taste) and serve while it's still hot.

Rain Days & Mini Cornbread Muffins

Can you believe just Friday, I was running my air conditioning because the cottage was a tad too warm and here it is just a few days later- Monday and I had to turn on the heater to get rid of the morning chill? I'm quite pleased though. Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love how the air takes on a crisp smell, the leaves turn a rainbow of colors and you get to wear all kinds of cute scarves and boots. On top of it all, the cooler temps open up a whole other world of cooking- cold weather food! Steaming bowls of soup, savory stews and pipin' hot loaves of bread all make their way out of my kitchen. Food that warms your soul (and your tummy)!

Today's rainy day inspired me to make another batch of mini cornbread muffins. I tinkered with an old Martha Stewart recipe and made some for a party recently and they turned out great but I made the mistake of making them ahead of time so by the time guests arrived, settled in and decided to nosh, the muffins had cooled down substantially. It was a bit of a bummer but it also gave me the idea to pair these bite-sized treats with a dish that stays hot. Since it was grey and wet out today I thought it'd be a good opportunity to pull the ol' slow cooker out and make a batch of Southwest Chili. The mini cornbread muffins tasted amazing dipped in the chili sauce and made a great vessel for sopping up the last few bites. I think I may be making these muffins often this season (maybe with a some diced jalapenos thrown in?). You know what? I bet they'd be great with some Crockpot Chorizo and Lentils! What do you think would be a good match?


Mini Cornbread Muffins

makes 3 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup canola oil


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Lightly grease your mini-muffin tins. I used Pam spray. (Don't skip this step or your mini muffins will stick to the tin.)

3. In a large bowl, mix together your flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together your sour cream, egg and oil.

5. Stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until combined.

6. Fill each muffin tin about three-quarters full.

7. Pop in the oven and bake for about 10-11 minutes. Muffins are done cooking when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn out muffins from tin.

9. Serve with softened butter and your favorite dish.

Mexican Bean Salad

Several years ago, I dated a guy that had gone to cooking school. He constantly raved about how great of a cook he was especially when it came to Southern cooking. He went on and on (and on...) about how his red beans and rice was soooooo wonderful that I finally had to ask to taste it. Ugh, it tasted a lot like a cross between refried beans from a can and what I imagine Alpo to taste like. I ended up dumping it down the garbage disposal and just went on with life thinking I wasn't a fan of red beans and rice. That is until I had it at Taylor's Kitchen one night...I LOVED their red beans and rice and couldn't get enough of it! Since then I've had red beans and rice on numerous occasions- sometimes where it's been fantastic, sometimes when it's been mediocre but never as bad as that batch my date made for me. The lesson I learned from the "Red Beans Fiasco of 2008" is to always give food another chance before condemning it. It could be that you came across a bad batch, a bad recipe or just a bad cook. So in the spirit of my "Give It Another Chance" mantra I decided to give bean salad another whirl as well. I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant. My experiences with bean salad were mostly of the supermarket deli variety- a strong vinegar smell, overcooked mushy beans and lack of anything resembling flavor. Yuck! So imagine my surprise when I prepared a batch of this Mexican Bean Salad from Allrecipes.com for a party and I really liked it. It's colorful, flavorful and it works great as a salad or as a dip. I made a few adjustments in the ingredients' list to cater to my personal taste preferences but it was still simple to make. I liked how the corn kernels gave it some crunch, the hot sauce and chili powder added a bit of a spicy kick and the lemon juice offered up some fresh zing to balance the dish out. This salad can be thrown together pretty quickly after work, making it a great choice to bring to a potluck. You can make it even easier to put together by doing all your chopping the night before.


Mexican Bean Salad

Ingredients

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

1 (10oz.) package frozen corn*

1 small red onion, chopped

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon sea salt

1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1.2 tablespoon ground black pepper

1-2 dashes hot pepper sauce (I used Crystal)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder


Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the beans, peppers, corn and red onion together.

2. In another bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Whisk dressing thoroughly.

3. Pour dressing over the vegetables. Mix together well.

4. Place in refrigerator to chill, giving the flavors some time to meld.


* Stick with using frozen corn which stays crisp when it thaws,  the canned stuff is a bit on the mushy side.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Pancetta

Football...it's the one sport I just don't get. I love watching basketball. I can get into a hockey game. I can tolerate baseball, but football...not on your life. Mr.S. and the kidlets are all hyped up about the season starting (in fact they're in the other room hootin' and hollerin' right now as I type). And as if the torture of watching back to back games on Sundays and Mondays isn't enough, there's Mr.S.'s participation in fantasy football leagues to contend with. Good lord...well I guess boys will be boys (insert eye roll here). Anyhow, the boys were willing to set the game aside for a few moments to enjoy dinner tonight. I went with a pork tenderloin, teeny-tiny roasted potatoes and a new Brussels sprouts recipe. A little of this, a little of that and we ended up with one damn fine side dish. Even Kidlet #2 who loathes veggies, ate a huge serving of the Brussels sprouts. Touchdown! What was even better was that I was able to pick up everything at Trader Joe's so it was inexpensive and easy to put together. If you're a Brussels sprout hater, this recipe is sure to convert you!

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Pancetta

Ingredients

1 (10 oz.) bag of Trader Joe's shaved Brussels sprouts

4 oz. diced pancetta

1.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons chopped onions/garlic/shallots mix (TJ's sell this already made or you can make your own)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

salt and fresh ground pepper


Instructions

1. Pour olive oil into a large pan over high heat.

2. Add pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes, until the pancetta is nice and crisp.

3. Add onion/garlic/shallots mix to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high. Saute for about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add in shaved Brussels sprouts. Stir often. Cook for about 5 minutes. (The sprouts will turn a bright green.)

5. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

6. Add Parmesan cheese, give it a few good stirs. Serve immediately.

Purple Hull Peas and Bacon

Shelled purple hull peas

Have you ever bought things at the farmers' market solely because they're pretty and catch your eye? That was me this weekend, I bought these beautiful flowers:

Aren't they cute? They're called:

 

 

The blossoms feel like velvety 70's wallpaper and the deep burgundy color is so decadent looking. I can't help touching them every time I walk by the coffee table. I also bought some of these gorgeous peas. I asked the vendor what type of pea they were and she said black-eyed peas. Not these Black-Eyed Peas:

source

 

but rather the kind you eat at New Year's in Hoppin' John. Anyhow, I discovered after I shelled them that they were actually purple hull peas. I've heard they're creamier tasting than black-eyed peas so I thought I'd give them a whirl. I ended up cooking them with some bacon, garlic and onions- "Southern style." The house smelled absolutely divine while the peas were simmering. The dish itself turned out lip-smackin' good.  Mmm-mmm-mmm, I wish I had bought more peas! Next time I might try serving it over a plate of rice or with some homemade cornbread. I've heard sopping up the pot liquor with cornbread is the way to go.

 

 

Purple Hull Peas and Bacon

Ingredients

1 cup purple hull peas, shelled

3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Place the bacon pieces in a pot and cook until the fat has rendered. Add onions. Cook over medium high heat until onions become translucent. Add garlic, cook for another minute. (Do not drain bacon grease.)

2. Add shelled peas and enough water to cover the peas by 1-inch.

3. Bring to a boil. Continue to allow ingredients to boil for about a half hour.

4. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about an hour. Add more water if necessary to keep the peas covered.

5. Once the peas are soft. Remove from heat, drain off some (but not all!) of the liquid.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve while still warm.

 

 

Quick Pickled Red Onions

Did you have a nice weekend? Mine took a turn for the crazy right near the end. I spent Friday and Saturday at a friend's in Lodi, where we did an insane amount of canning- pickled red onions, marinara, spicy red pepper spread and dilly beans. Supervised by Miss Mija, tiny dog extraordinaire:

My feet ached intensely by Saturday night from standing all day, thank goodness we were able to drink a lot of wine to dull the pain. Sunday, I thought I had a little bit of time to laze about before attending a dinner party in the eve, but that plan was shot to hell when a crazy drug addict tried to break into my cottage- in the middle of the day, WHILE I WAS HOME. When I confronted her, she tried to tell me her cousin lived here...what the hell? I ended up calling the police, they came out and took a report and they think they might know who the perp is. Luckily, the dinner party was fun and took my mind off of things. Funny enough, I wasn't scared by the burglary incident, I was MAD though!

Anyhow, while in Lodi, my friend Cate and I made several jars of pickled red onions. They came out terrific and since you can eat them right away, I did! (I've had a hankering for pickled onions ever since Mr.S. and I stopped at a nearby Mexican restaurant and they threw a few on my carnitas.

Pickled Red Onions (adapted from "Put 'Em Up!" by Sherri Brooks Vinton)

Ingredients

6 lbs. small red onions
6 cups distilled white vinegar
3 cups water
9 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons salt

Instructions

1. Sliced onions. We used a food processor.

2. In a large non-reactive bowl- mix together: vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Make sure the sugar and salt dissolves thoroughly.

3. Add the sliced onions and stir well so that everything's coated.

4. Let it sit for about an hour. Once the onions get wilty, you can go ahead and put them in jars.

5. We were able to make 11 half-pint jars and 2 pint jars. Refrigerate, will stay good for at least a month.

6. Be sure to keep the leftover extra pickling juice- you can use it when making vinaigrette for your salad.

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Earlier in the week I commented about how sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go. Well, that's exactly what we did this weekend. Mr.S. and I decided to head to the Bay Area and enjoy some down time in Muir Woods. Have you ever been? This was my first time and I was amazed at how absolutely gorgeous this state park is. We were smart and got there early before the hordes of tourists showed up. This gave us time to meander about at a leisurely pace and revel in the tranquility of the woods. It was so peaceful and romantic under the canopy of the redwoods with just the sounds of the creek trickling along that I almost forgot that we were just a hop, skip and a jump from the bustle of SF. It was the perfect place to spend a Saturday morning.

In the kitchen Sunday, I wanted to stay with cooking something simple. I had some cauliflower in the crisper so I decided to throw together a batch of roasted curried cauliflower. I love roasting my vegetables, it brings out so much more of their natural flavors compared to boiling or stir-frying them. The tender little caramelized bits, a by-product of the roasting, are my favorite part. Although, I would technically classify this as a "side dish," it's so delicious that you could eat it as a main dish or a snack. Also don't forget, this recipe is low in calories and carbs, high in antioxidants and loaded with fiber- making it perfect for those of us who are trying to eat healthy.

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 head of fresh cauliflower (don't use frozen, it'll come out mushy)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

pinch of cayenne


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2. Wash cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets. Discard the stem. Pat florets dry with a papertowel.

3. In a medium-size bowl, mix the oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and all the spices together.

4. Add the florets to the mixture and swish around to make sure each piece is throughly coated.

5. Spread the cauliflower florets out on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

6. Place in the oven and cook for roughly 18 minutes.

7. Remove baking sheet from oven, drizzle cauliflower with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Brussels Sprouts & Shiitakes in Mascarpone

I have to admit some of my favorite recipes have come neither from a book or a world renown chef. Rather, I've stumbled across them by sheer happenstance while cleaning out my fridge, rooting through a cupboard late at night or just haphazardly throwing stuff in a pot. Like this Brussels sprouts recipe I made on Saturday night...it was ridiculously good and tasted oh so decadent, but it was made with just a few ingredients that I had laying about in my fridge. In fact, it was so good Mr. S. and I ate the entire bowl-- in one sitting. Yeah, we're not proud of that little fact...but damn, we couldn't help ourselves!

Brussels Sprouts and Shiitakes in Mascarpone

Ingredients

3 cups shredded fresh Brussels sprouts (be sure to remove the stems ends and any damaged/wilted leaves before shredding)

2 oz. fresh shiitakes, sliced

3 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced

4 oz. mascarpone

1.5 to 2 tablespoons garlic, minced (less if you're not a garlic slut like I am, I love the stuff)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

salt and freshly ground pepper


Instructions

1. In a large skillet or pan, heat your butter over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

2. Add the Brussels sprouts, green onions and a pinch of salt. Saute for about 4-5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

3. Mix in the sliced shiitakes and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

4. Stir in the mascarpone. Cover, lower heat to medium-low. Braise for about 20-25 minutes until the shredded sprouts get to the point where they are nice and tender. Take care though to not overcook them because, "overcooked sprouts become, yellowish, mushy and develop the flavor of stale cabbage." (Julia Child) And no one likes a mushy sprout.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir well and simmer for another minute or two, uncovered.

6. Remove from heat and serve immediately.