Bacon & Leek Quiche

Now that I have kids, all the excitement of Easter has returned. The getting together with family and friends, basket decorating, egg hunting and of course, Easter brunch. One of my favorite things to make for a brunch is quiche. It's easy, elegant and darn tasty. The perfect marriage of breakfast and lunch. Here is the one I made for this year's Easter brunch.

Bacon & Leek Quiche

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks (light green and white parts only), cleaned and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
• 1 large shallot, sliced thinly crosswise
• 6 slices of thick, center cut bacon; cooked until golden brown and crispy, crumbled/diced into 1/3 inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 6 jumbo eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 tsp ground thyme
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss and/or Gruyere cheese
• 1 pie crust(homemade or store-bought frozen), fitted to a glass pie plate or 10 inch tart pan

Directions

If you are using a frozen pie crust, let the dough defrost a bit by letting it sit in room temperature.

When it has softened, place the dough into your tart pan or pie plate and spread out the dough with your fingers until it fits the pan all the way up to the edges. Then leave it the fridge until you are ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat up a medium pan over medium heat. When pan is hot add the butter, olive oil, leeks and shallots. Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened, stirring constantly. Set aside in a bowl and allow to cool.

Combine the eggs, cream, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend for about 20 seconds.

Pour a small amount of egg mixture into the pie dish, just enough to cover the bottom. Add your leeks, evenly spread them out. Then evenly scatter the crumbled bacon on top of the leek layer. Next evenly sprinkle the cheese on top of the bacon layer. Finish off by pouring the rest of the egg mixture on top until it fills it completely without overflowing. Place on a baking sheet (in case there is overflow) and into the oven for about 40 minutes or until the egg mixture is firm and the top is a golden brown. Don't overcook.

Let rest for at least ten minutes. Cut into 6-8 pieces. Serve hot or room temperature.

My girlfriends and I go to this great gourmet food sale a few times a year. The last trip we made, I came home with some dried morels. The first thing that came to my mind was The Barefoot Contessa's recipe for chicken and morels that I had seen years ago and always wanted to try.

So I finally made it and it was to-die-for. Not diet-friendly in the least but worth every calorie. I added a 10 ounce bag of sliced cremini mushrooms to my sauteeing morels; I can never have too many mushrooms in a dish. I also went easier on the salt than Ina did but man was it tasty.

Chicken With Morels

Copyright 2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved

Total Time:

1 hr 16 min

Prep

6 min

Inactive

30 min

Cook

40 min

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried morels, soaked for 30 minutes in 3 cups very hot water
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1⁄4 cup clarified butter
• 1⁄3 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 cup Madeira wine
• 1 cup (8 ounces) creme fraiche
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lift the morels carefully from the hot water in order to leave any grit behind in the liquid. Rinse a few times to be sure all the grittiness is gone. Discard the liquid and dry the morels lightly with paper towels. Set aside.
Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge them in flour and shake off the excess.

Heat half the clarified butter in a large saute pan and cook the chicken in 2 batches over medium-low heat until browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to an ovenproof casserole.

Add the rest of the clarified butter to the pan along with the shallots, drained morels, and garlic.

Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, tossing and stirring constantly. Pour the Madeira into the pan and reduce the liquid by half over high heat, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the creme fraiche, cream, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt (I used a little less to begin with and then seasoned to taste afterward), and 3⁄4 teaspoon pepper.

Boil until the mixture starts to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 12 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through.

To make ahead, refrigerate the chicken and sauce in the casserole and reheat slowly on top of the stove.

Fusilli with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper

I saw Giada De Laurentiis make this on her show and could hardly wait to try it myself. I LOVE spinach and of course cheese and pasta. How could this not be good? 

When I finally made it for dinner one night, I added way more spinach than the originally recipe calls for and a lot less black pepper. I figured for kids, less pepper and more veggies seemed better. It was a delicious vegetarian meal. Next time I'm tossing in some toasted pine nuts too.

Fusilli with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper

Adapted by Foodism Mom from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb fusilli pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, lightly smashed with the back of a knife and peeled
• 2 six ounce bags (12 oz) of prewashed, organic baby spinach leaves
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (6 ounces)
• 1 cup marscapone cheese (8 ounces), at room temperature

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard.

Add the spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and saute until the spinach has wilted, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cooked pasta. Add the Pecorino Romano cheese and toss until coated.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, one teaspoon of kosher salt and the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the remaining pasta water only if the sauce seems too thick. Pour over the pasta and toss until coated. If necessary season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and serve.

Baked Manicotti for Mom

This is a post I wrote in July but never finished writing until now. It's crazy how busy life gets when you have kids. Now I know why it was so hard to make plans with my friends that had kids. So here is a post from a while ago...

I love my mother-in-law! She is more than I could ever ask for in a second mom. Her birthday is coming up but since she will be out of town for it, we won't be able to celebrate together.

Tonight I've invited her over for an early birthday celebration. One of her favorite things is manicotti. So manicotti it is! This is what I came up with on my own after reading about eight different recipes online and not being happy with any of them.

I served the manicotti with grilled sweet Italian sausage, sauteed peppers and onions, grilled asparagus and garlic bread. Not a bad Italian meal made by an Asian gal!!!

Baked Manicotti

• 8 oz manicotti shells (12-14 count)
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup marscapone cheese
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• two 24 oz jars of good marinara sauce or make your own!
• 1 cup of Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add manicotti shells and cook for 4 minutes; drain.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a small bowl, beat eggs, garlic, basil, salt and pepper together until well blended.

In a medium bowl, add 2 cups shredded mozzarella, ricotta, and marscapone. Add egg mixture and mix everything together until well combined.  Gently stuff cooked manicotti with the mixture. Easy way to do this: Fill a Ziploc bag with the filling, and then cut a medium sized whole in one of the bottom corners of it (large enough for the filling to easy come out). Then seal the top of the bag and squeeze it into the pasta.

Spread one jar of pasta sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Arrange stuffed manicotti in the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Uncover and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Chicken Pot Pie

Whenever I make roast chicken or buy one pre-cooked, I like to get one on the larger side. That way there is plenty for dinner that night and enough leftover meat to make something out of it another night. Two dishes you'll usually find me making with the leftovers are chicken noodle soup and chicken pot pie.

One short cut I take when making the pot pie is using a frozen pie crust. If you find a really good one, it can be almost as good as making one from scratch. Big time saver too, leaving you more time to spend with your family!

Chicken Pot Pie

• 3 cups roasted chicken meat, 1/2 to 3/4 inch dice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 large carrots; peeled, medium-diced, blanched for 2 minutes
• 1 cup organic frozen peas, thawed and drained
• 1 frozen pie crust, thawed out

In a small saucepan, heat up the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cube in the stock. You want the stock hot but not boiling. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for about 7 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thickened and there are no more flour lumps. Add heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste. Start with no more than a teaspoon of salt and add on from there. Stir in the cubed chicken, carrots and peas.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put the filling into a large pie dish. Lay the defrosted pie crust on top of the filling. Pinch down the dough all around to seal.

Brush the dough with egg wash and make a couple slits into the top. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Cool Tools:

Foil Roasted Salmon

Foil roasting is a simple cooking technique. It seals in moisture, juices and flavor. My favorite part is the easy cleanup. Just toss the foil when you're done!

Foil Roasted Salmon

• 1 lb piece boneless salmon (preferably wild)about 1 inch thick, rinsed in cold water and dried well with paper towel
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tsp, minced garlic
• 1 large lemon, sliced 1/3 inch thick
• fresh herbs, I used a small branch of rosemary and some stems of lemon thyme

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place salmon in the center of a large piece of foil, flesh side up. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper.

Add the butter and garlic into a bowl and mix until blended. Evenly spread onto the salmon. Place the lemon slices on top of the now buttered fish. Put the fresh herbs directly onto the lemon.

Seal the fish in the foil by holding the ends together and rolling down towards the fish to create a nicely sealed package.

Place on a baking sheet or dish and put into the oven. Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes (depending on the thickness). Then remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes.

Artichoke and Pea Risotto

 I made dinner tonight entirely from pantry items. I was out of fresh veggies but had a bag of frozen artichoke hearts and a frozen organic peas. I also found some arborio rice. A veggie risotto would be the perfect dinner!

I let the artichokes and peas defrost in the sink during the afternoon. To kick up the flavor a bit, I decided to saute the artichokes first. When the risotto was done I stirred in some truffle butter and topped off with a healthy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. It was heavenly!

You could serve this as a side with some grilled meats or fish. It is also extremely satisfying as a meal on its own. The cheese gives you the protein you need.

Artichoke and Pea Risotto

• olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 12 oz artichoke hearts; I buy mine frozen so defrost, squeeze gently and drain of excess water
• 2 cups of arborio rice
• 7 cups of low-sodium chicken broth  (or vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian)
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted and brought to room temperature
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• shredded or grated parmesan cheese
• truffle butter (optional)

Heat a tablespoon of oil in medium-size pan over medium-high heat. When oil is glistening, add the artichokes and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Let cook undisturbed for one to two minutes a side or until golden brown.  Set aside in a bowl.

Heat the chicken broth and wine in a medium saucepan and keep hot, but not boiling, over low heat.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and butter in a large pot, dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. When oil is glistening add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, stirring occasionally.

Add the risotto and stir frequently for 2 minutes until it is well coated and starting to become translucent.

Add the hot broth, 1 cup at a time and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Continue to add the broth, 1 cup at a time, cooking and stirring each time to allow the rice to absorb most of the liquid before adding more. This will take about a half hour. You will probably use up all of the broth but if the risotto tastes done before you use it all up, then you can stop with the process. The risotto should be just cooked through, slightly firm and creamy but not mushy.

Finally, stir in the peas and artichokes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If you're really feeling fancy, stir in a couple tablespoons of truffle butter!

Transfer to a large bowl and serve with a side of good parmesan cheese.

Chicken Marbella

Last week I did a meal delivery for a fellow mom who recently gave birth to her third child. She is as gorgeous inside as she is out and really makes motherhood look good and somehow easy. As easy as she makes it look though, I know that a mother of three could always use a hand with the cooking.

I struggled for a few weeks with what I was going to make for them. I figured they probably had their share of pasta and casseroles. I wanted to bring them something more exotic, something they might not think to make on their own.

I settled on Chicken Marbella. I made it a couple months back but strayed a little from the original recipe. This time, I made it closer to the Silver Palate version. I brought it over to their house with some jasmine rice and steamed broccoli. Hopefully it was a hit!

Chicken Marbella 

Revised by Foodism Mom from The Silver Palate Cookbook 25th Anniversary Edition 

Although the original recipe calls for 2 small chickens to be quartered, I am trying it out with 4 chicken breasts.

Ingredients

• 4 medium to large boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp of garlic, peeled and finely puréed
• 2 Tbsp dried oregano
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup pitted prunes, cut in half
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives,
• 1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Method

1 In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, several hours or overnight.

2 Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a large baking dish and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

3 Bake for about 45-50 minutes. Chicken is done when pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yields clear yellow juice (not pink).

4 With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices (season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary) and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Serve remaining juice in a gravy boat.
Yield: Serves 4-6.

Southwestern Couscous Salad

Today I wanted to bring my Israeli couscous salad over to a girlfriend's house for lunch. I have several versions of it that make but thought of doing yet another twist on it.

It was a little Mexican, a little Southwestern. A whole lotta yum! The Cotija cheese and black beans really made it a complete meal.

Southwestern Couscous Salad

Dressing

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Salad

• 8oz. of dried Israeli couscous; cooked according to package directions; set aside to cool; orzo could work                                                             
• 2 large organic Roma tomatoes; large dice
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
• 8 oz can whole corn kernels, drained well
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained well
• 1/3 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro (optional), chopped fine

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk it all together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the cooked couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, corn and black beans (and cilantro if you like). Pour the dressing on top and use a large spoon to gently fold everything together. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed. When you are ready to serve, sprinkle the Cotija cheese on top.

We inherited a couple chicken breasts from a friend who was going out of town. He had bought them to cook up the other night but never did so we did what any good friends would do and took them off his hands.

Problem was, I was out of chicken ideas! I searched through my cookbooks and finally found something that sounded tasty yet fairly easy in Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller. I altered it a bunch and came up with a very delicious dinner.

Spiced Chicken Breasts with White Wine Sauce

Inspired by Thomas Keller's Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Tarragon, Ad Hoc at Home

• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp Madras curry powder or Yellow curry power
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• Canola oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp minced shallot
• 3 tbsp white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:
Mix together the paprika and curry in a small bowl.  Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Lay the pieces of chicken on a large piece of plastic wrap, cover with a second piece of plastic wrap, and, using a meat pounder, pound to about 1/3 inch thick.

Preheat the oven to 200°F.  Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.

Season the chicken on both sides with salt.  Heat some canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Without crowding, add the chicken to the pan, presentation (smooth) side down, and cook, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the bottom is golden brown, 2 1/2 minutes.  Turn to the second side and cook until golden, another 2 1/2 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.

Remove the chicken and place on the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.

Pour any remaining oil from the pan and wipe off any burned bits.  Melt one tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.  Add the shallot to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for one minute, swirling the pan to coat the shallot with butter.  Pour in the wine, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until the wine has been reduced by half, about 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and cook until slightly reduced and thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped parsley and remaining tablespoon of butter, and any juices that have accumulated on the baking sheet and swirl to melt the butter.  Season to taste with salt.

Arrange the chicken pieces on plates or a platter and pour the sauce over it.

Serve immediately.


Cool Tools:

Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Kale and Cannellini Beans

This pasta dish I made for dinner tonight was inspired by a Portuguese Kale Soup that my hubby makes. The ingredients are similar to the ones in the kale soup and go just beautifully together.

It's healthy and absolutely delicious.

My son even told me that he would like me to make a batch of it to bring to his preschool so that everyone there could try it. Now that's a pretty big compliment!

Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Kale and Cannellini Beans

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced medium
• 1 lb sweet Italian chicken sausage, remove and discard casings
• 2 tsp chopped garlic 
• 15 oz canned white beans (cannellini or great white northern), drained but not rinsed
• large bunch of kale; washed well, hard stems removed, leaves cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 2 cups of canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lb of pasta, preferably a shaped pasta like gemelli, cavatappi or penne

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove. When water is boiling add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside when done.

While you are waiting for the pasta water to boil you can make the sauce.

Heat oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat. When oil is glistening hot, add the onion and cook for 4 minutes. Stirring often. Add sausage and cook for 5 minutes or until starting to brown, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and the beans. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the kale, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and wine. When it comes to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, stirring often and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

Many of the beans will be dissolved at this point and the sauce will have thickened a bit. If not, you may want to smash 1/4 of them with the back of your wooden spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Finally add the cooked pasta and toss with the sauce until well coated. Serve immediately with a side of good Parmesan cheese.

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Whitefish in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

I whipped up some Pea Pesto Crostini the other night. I made WAY too much of the pea pesto; it was sort of on purpose though. Giada De Laurentiis makes another dish called "Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree" that incorporates this green goodness. So I knew that I would already have half the work done for this meal with the pea pesto leftovers. I usually use salmon when making this but thought I'd switch things up and try a white fish instead. Red snapper, halibut, swai or talapia would all work (reduce the cooking time for the fish depending on the thickness of the pieces).

It's such a light but satisfying meal. The flavors are so vibrant, they really do scream "Spring is here!"

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

Lemon Brodetto:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Pea Puree:

• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed (about 10 ounces)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (I don't always add these)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Salmon:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To make the Lemon Brodetto, warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth. Bring to a simmer, and keep warm, covered, over low heat.

To make the Pea Puree, combine the peas, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady drizzle. Transfer the pea puree to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.

To make the Salmon, warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish.

To assemble the dish, add the tablespoon chopped mint to the Lemon Brodetto and divide between 4 shallow dishes.

Place a large spoonful of Pea Puree into the center of each bowl. Place a salmon piece atop each mound of Pea Puree. Serve immediately.
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Pan-Seared Salmon

Sometimes when you have a nice piece of fish, all it needs is a little salt and pepper and a good pan-searing. The simpler the better. You want the fish to take center stage and not be covered up by sauces or too many other flavors.

My hubby bought us a couple gorgeous pieces of salmon for tonight's dinner. They were  about 1 1/2 inches thick and had the skin on the bottom still.

I gently rinsed them off in cold water and dried them well with paper towels. Fish and meat brown better when they are very dry. I then generously sprinkle the flesh side with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Tonight I used a cast iron pan to cook with. I heated the pan over medium heat. After several minutes, when it was extremely hot, I added a small splash of canola oil and swirled it around the pan. I then placed the salmon on flesh side down and let it cook for about five minutes. Then I cooked the other side for about the same amount of time.

Depending on the thickness of your fish, you will want to adjust the cooking time. Obviously less time for thinner pieces. In order to get a nice golden crust, you can also use a higher heat for thinner pieces. Salmon tastes best when it is JUST cooked through. You want it to be a little pink in the middle still. You can see how much of it is cooked through just by looking at the sides. Also, the fish will be almost firm to the touch when done with the slightest bit of give.

Our fish tonight was perfect. Crispy, salty crust on the outside; soft and moist on the inside. It is much easier to eat healthy when it's delicious!

Cool Tools:

Chicken Marbella

My dear friend Kathryn told me about this recipe a while back. I guess she had seen it on the Today Show when Matt Lauer shared his favorite recipe. Kathryn has wonderful taste, both in fashion and food. So when she raved about how delicious this dish was, I knew it was something I had to try out and hopefully share with my readers.  

Boy did it turn out good! Easy to prepare and very elegant. I served it with rice but it would go equally as well with couscous. I'm definitely making it again soon. Next time I'll prepare it for my in-laws and I'll even try to follow the original recipe. 

Thanks, Kath! Love you!!!

Chicken Marbella 

Adapted by Foodism Mom from The Silver Palate Cookbook 25th Anniversary Edition 

Although the original recipe calls for 2 small chickens to be quartered, I am trying it out with 4 chicken breasts.

Ingredients

• 4 medium to large boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp of garlic, peeled and finely puréed
• 2 Tbsp dried oregano
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup pitted prunes, cut in half
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives,
• 1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 cup red wine or white wine
• 2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

Method

1 In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, several hours or overnight.

2 Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a large baking dish and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
3 Bake for about 45-50 minutes. Chicken is done when pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yields clear yellow juice (not pink).
4 With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices (season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary) and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Serve remaining juice in a gravy boat.
Yield: Serves 5-8.

Cool Tools:

Shrimp and Shells In Vodka Sauce

I had a request from my son for my Spaghetti Rosé With Sausage & Peas. The problem was I didn't have most of those ingredients on hand. So I made some substitutions. Shrimp took the place of sausage, leftover grilled asparagus replaced peas and whole wheat shells stood in for the spaghetti.

The results were good enough to please my five-year-old prince. OMG, I can't believe he's already five!!!

Shrimp and Shells In Vodka Sauce

• 1 lb of shrimp (20 to 25 shrimp per pound), shells removed and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped small
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes (crushed tomatoes would work if you want a smoother sauce)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1 1/2 cups grilled or roasted asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 lb pasta (I used whole wheat shells tonight but a penne would work as well)

Start a large pot of water boiling for the pasta.

In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Lightly sprinkle some salt and pepper over the shrimp and when the oil is glistening, add them to pan. Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes per side until just cooked through (don't overcook!). Set the shrimp aside in a bowl.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Turn down the heat to medium. When the oil is glistening, add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.

Now add the vodka to deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits off the bottom for about one minute. Add the canned tomatoes and when it comes back to a simmer, cook for 10 more minutes. Stirring occasionally. Now add the cream and when it is back to a simmer, cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. Stirring occasionally.

Add the cooked shrimp and asparagus. Gently stir everything to combine and heat through for another minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and set aside until the pasta is done.

Cook your pasta according to package directions for al dente.

Toss the sauce and drained pasta together in a large serving bowl and serve with grated parmesan cheese on the side.

1770 House Meatloaf

My parents are our house guests for a few weeks so I've had to increase the portions in my cooking. Meatloaf is one of those dishes I'll make when I have some extra mouths to feed but not a lot of time to make anything elaborate.

My usual recipe is the glazed meatloaf I've been making for years. It's close to perfect but I am always curious to try other ones. 

I was watching The Barefoot Contessa one afternoon. She had a guest chef on who made her favorite meatloaf from one of his restaurants. It looked too good not to try. 

The results were pretty yummy. Very moist and meaty. Not sure about the sauce though, it was more like a broth than a gravy. But my folks were happy and the kids ate it. You can't ask for much more than that!

1770 House Meatloaf

2011, Kevin Penner, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground veal (preferably naturally raised)
• 1 pound ground pork (preferably naturally raised Berkshire)
• 1 pound ground beef (preferably naturally raised)
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh chives, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh thyme leaves, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh Italian parsley, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 3 large eggs (preferably organic)
• 1 1/3 cups finely ground Panko
• 2/3 cup whole milk (preferably hormone and antibiotic free)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
• 2 cups chicken or beef stock
• 8 to 10 cloves roasted garlic
• 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the veal, pork, beef, chives, thyme, parsley, eggs, Panko, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat and film it with extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the celery and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened. Remove the celery and onion from the pan and let cool. When the mixture is cool, add it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.

Using clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined and everything is evenly distributed. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan (it should have sides at least 1 1/2 inches high to prevent grease runoff from the pan).

Place the meat on the sheet pan and pat it and punch it down to remove any air pockets. Shape the meat into a loaf (about 14 1/2 inches long by 5 inches wide by 2 inches high). Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer indicates an internal temperature of 155 to 160 degrees. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, combine the broth, roasted garlic and butter over medium-high heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly thickened. Add 1 teaspoon of each of the chopped thyme, chives and parsley. Slice the meatloaf into serving portions and spoon the hot sauce over the meatloaf and serve.

Nicoise Salad

I've been eating a lot of carbs lately. It never fails to happen whenever the temperature drops. Tonight I decided to cut down on the carb intake and make a nice hearty salad for dinner. Nicoise salad is such a great, classic salad that has enough heavy-hitting ingredients to make it a complete meal.

The ingredients come together beautifully. It's really quite genius...and hardly a sacrifice. Yum!!!

Nicoise Salad

Dressing
 

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small shallot, minced (about 1 to 2 tbsp)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Salad

• 1 medium red potato; peeled or unpeeled, cooked and diced large
• 1/4 lb haricot verts (or regular green beans), blanched
• 1/4 lb cherry or grape tomatoes
• small head of butter lettuce (7 oz bag of ready to use); washed, dried and  cut into bite size pieces
• 2 jumbo eggs, hard-boiled and sliced 
• 2 x 5 oz cans of solid tuna in oil, drained of oil

Directions

Add all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until everything emulsifies and thickens. Set aside.

Place all the salad ingredients into a large serving bowl. I like to keep everything separated. It gives it a nice presentation and you can really see what is in the salad. Start with the lettuce on the bottom and layer the rest of the ingredients on top, in sections.

Serve with the dressing on the side.