Week 17, Recipe 2: Baked Camembert Pasta

Phew!  Three weeks since I cooked solo!  It's been a crazy month!  Anyway, as soon as I saw this recipe in the November issue of Food Network magazine courtesy of Jamie Oliver I knew I HAD to make it!  Looks impressive but the recipe is also dumb simple!


- a box of Camembert Cheese
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, pick the leaves off the woody stalk (I used dried)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 4 oz. grated parmesan cheese
- 1 lb. dried rigatoni
- 6 oz. fresh spinach (I used one bunch but probably could've used 2 or 1 bag)

(serves 4-6)

1. Open the box of cheese and unwrap it. Place it back to the wooden container
2. Score a circle into the top of the skin, then lift it off and discard.
3. Lay the garlic slices on top of the cheese, sprinkle some pepper and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil.
4. Scatter the rosemary leaves over the top and gently pat with your fingers to coat them in the oil.
5. Bake the cheese in a preheated oven at 350 for about 25 minutes, until golden and melted.
6. When the cheese has 10 minutes left to cook, add the pasta to the pan and cook according to packet instructions.
7. When the pasta is cooked, add the spinach to the pan – it only needs cooking for 10 seconds or so.
8. Drain the pasta and spinach to the pan and let it wilt.
9. Drizzle with a couple of good lugs of extra virgin olive oil and add the grated Parmesan. If the sauce is too thick for you, add a splash of reserved cooking water to thin out a bit. Season with salt and pepper and give it a good stir.
10. Remove the cheese from the oven. Divide the pasta between your serving bowls. Either drizzle the melted Camembert on top or pop cheese on the table and let everyone help themselves to a lovely, gooey spoonful.

Results: YUM!  I definitely wanted more spinach but this was very good!  I might add meat &/or serve it with something else next time.  The cheese clumps on you after a while out of the oven so you'll want to get it to the table almost immediately.  It was less gooey than I wanted.

Week 17, Recipe 1: Lamb Burgers w/Feta Sauce

This is a recipe Stace & I teamed up on at her house in West Palm Beach!  We started with a base lamb burger, then So good!

Burgers
half of a medium onion
1 lb. ground lamb
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. ground coriander (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
2 shakes of worcestershire sauce
2 large cloves of garlic, minced

Feta Sauce 
4 oz. sour cream
3 oz. garlic & herb feta
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1 tsp. italian seasoning paste (mix of basil & parsley)

whole wheat buns
fresh spinach to top burgers

Directions:
Sauté onions until translucent and fragrant.  Let cool.  You can quick cool them in the freezer for about 5 minutes while you combine the rest of the ingredients for the burgers.  Once the onions have cooled, add them to the lamb & spices.  Mix gently to distribute spices, garlic & onions.  Score with your hand to create four even patties.  Pat down the center of each burger so it doesn't bulge when you cook.  Cook with olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side.  While cooking, combine ingredients for feta sauce, taste & adjust seasonings as desired.  Toast buns.  Create burgers with sauce on bottom, burger, then spinach, top with roll top.

Result:  DELICIOUS!!  Stace thought they needed more salt but I loved them!  Great collaboration!  I created the feta sauce based on what Stace had in her fridge plus the feta and was quite pleased!

Week 14, Recipe 2: Spaghetti w/Bread Crumbs & Anchovies

Recipe courtesy of Life's Ambrosia (I think I found via Food Gawker)

• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• 6 anchovy fillets, minced fine
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• salt to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small sauce pan. Cook bread crumbs until browned and toasted, about 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat 1/3 cup olive oil over medium heat, add anchovies and cook 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper. Cook until anchovies dissolve, about 2 more minutes. Stir frequently and do not allow the garlic to burn. Add hot pasta and reserved pasta water. Toss to coat.
4. Sprinkle toasted bread crumbs and parsley over the pasta. Toss once more. Season to taste with salt if needed.
5. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and some more crushed red pepper.

Results: I know what you're thinking-- didn't she do this 2 weeks ago with sardines?  May...be.  Okay very, very similar BUT the other one was better.  I used angel hair, skipped the parsley, subbing Italian seasoning and swapped parm for romano.  I also added frozen peas.  Not bad at all.  Still needed more bread crumbs.  The anchovies disappeared TOO much.

Week 14, Recipe 1: Strawberry Mania Smoothie

• 1/4 cup(s) cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
• 1 container(s) (8-ounce) low-fat strawberry yogurt
• 1 cup(s) frozen strawberries

---

Directions from Good Housekeeping

1. In blender, combine cranberry juice, yogurt, and strawberries and blend until mixture is smooth and frothy. Pour into 1 tall glass.

Results: MMMMM!!  I used vanilla yogurt, frozen strawberries, frozen peaches & 100% cran.  I don't do cocktails.  Very tasty.  When it was gone, I wanted more!

Week 12, Recipes 1 & 2: Baked Parmesan Chicken Legs with Cous Cous

2 c. dry bread crumbs
2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
Salt to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. melted butter
12 chicken legs or thighs

 

Combine crumbs, cheese, oregano, pepper and salt and set aside. Lightly saute garlic in 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in remaining butter. Dip each piece of chicken in butter and then in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in long shallow pan. Sprinkle remaining bread crumbs and butter over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until golden brown.   Serves 12.

 Recipe from Cooks.com

 

Results: Way more butter and bread crumbs than you need.  I used 1 stick plus a tbsp. and still had some to spare with 12 drumsticks.  You can probably half the bread crumbs.  I didn't use enough salt so it wasn't as good as it will be the next time I make this.  The cheese tasted great.  I used parm and romano.  It probably could've used even more cheese... but I'm a cheese fiend.

 

Couscous with Green peas

2 c. vegetable stock 

2 c. couscous

onion powder

garlic salt with dried parsley

cumin
turmeric 

pepper

Bring vegetable stock to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Add couscous slowly and mix well.  Add peas and dried herbs when you add couscous to hot water.   Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 7 minutes. Stir and serve.

Recipe from Robin Miller and Cooks.com with some Jameil changes

Results: I combined these recipes & added onion powder, garlic salt with dried parsley, cumin, and turmeric.  I also used veggie stock instead of chicken stock.  In the future, I will only be using veggie stock for vegetarian-prepped dishes.  It isn't any more flavorful than water to me.

Week 12, Recipe 1: Quick Pasta with Breadcrumbs, Sardines & Capers

I know I've been slacking!  My bad!  Recipe courtesy of the New York Times

Salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup bread crumbs, ideally made from stale bread
1 onion, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound long pasta, like perciatelli
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 cans sardines packed in extra virgin olive oil (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish.


1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put half the oil (2 tablespoons) in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, less than 5 minutes, and then remove. Add the remaining oil and the onion to the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just tender; drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Turn the heat under the onions to medium-high and add the lemon zest, capers and sardines; cook, stirring occasionally, until just heated through, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the pasta to the sardine mixture and toss well to combine. Add the parsley, most of the bread crumbs and some reserved water, if necessary, to moisten. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnishing with more parsley and bread crumbs.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Results: What a welcome back from my kitchen to me!!  Thank you VERY much, kitchen!!  This was DELICIOUS!!  I didn't have parsley so I just skipped that.  I also used angel hair pasta and subbed shallots for onion.  Toasting the breadcrumbs?  Very necessary.  Also very quick.  This was sooo good!  :)  If you're scared of the sardines, don't be.  Even though I like sardines, if you like fish of any kind, you should be okay.  MMMM!

Week 9, Recipe 1: Puerto Rican Spaghetti with Chicken

Recipe courtesy of Daisy Martinez in Rachael Ray's February 2010 magazine

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 large chicken drumsticks and thighs (about 2 3/4 pounds)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 spanish onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 pound spaghetti

For a change, shred the chicken before arranging on top of the pasta.

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and add to the skillet. Cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate.
2. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet and add the bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and crushed red pepper. Add the chicken and any juices; lower the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the cilantro; season with salt and black pepper.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente; drain. Top with the chicken and sauce.

Results:  Just okay.  Too tomatoey.  Probably the fault of the paste.  It needed different flavors in it.  I should've followed my instinct and put in my Italian seasonings.  I subbed parsley for cilantro.  The red peppers were really yummy.  I used angel hair because I love the taste!  I served it with fresh Italian bread topped with butter and garlic salt.  That bread was amazing.  Am I turning into a bread person?  Or just a fresh bread person?  Figures.  Me and my expensive tastes.

Week 8, Recipe 3: Middle Eastern Lamb Burgers with Roatan Rum Punch

Burger recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray via her mag in August 2007

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 1-1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander (about a palmful)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin (about 2/3 palmful)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (about 1/3 palmful)
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• 4 crusty rolls, split and lightly toasted
• 4 leaves romaine lettuce

Swap it
Use a warmed pita pocket in place of the toasted roll.

Directions:

1. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and garlic and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor along with the tahini, lemon peel and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Season the baba ghanoush with salt and pepper. Wipe out the skillet.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lamb, parsley, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Form into 4 patties.
3. In the skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO over medium heat until rippling. Add the burgers and cook, turning once, for 5 minutes each side for medium-rare.
4. Slather each roll top with the baba ghanoush. Set the burgers and lettuce leaves on each roll bottom and cover with the roll tops.
   
   Results: I had a horrid time finding tahini. I have some now but didn't when I made this recipe. The eggplant mix was still good. I won't call it baba ghanoush since I didn't have tahini. The burgers were yummy! I would've liked more of some flavor, though. I used parsley, mint and dill. Should've used more dill I think.
   
   
   
   Roatan Rum Punch recipe from Food'o del Mundo
   Dark rum (we use Bacardi O and/or Bacardi Select)
   Fresh pineapple juice
   Fresh orange juice
   Fresh grapefruit juice
   Any other fresh juices you want to add
   
   Results: I used pineapple nectar, oj & light rum but thought the color wasn't pretty enough so I added grenadine.  DELICIOUS!!
   

Week 8, Recipe 2: Balthazar Brioche French Toast

I bought this AMAZING brioche at the Dekalb Farmer's Market (aka my ATL 2nd home) and knew I had to make french toast.  Can I tell you this bread is so amazing that I ate a slice by itself driving back to Gainesville?  I don't even like bread like that.  Anyway, this recipe is from Martha Stewart's site.

Serves 4 to 6

• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 loaf day-old brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch slices
• 1/4 cup Clarified Butter
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Confectioners' sugar
• Syrup, for serving
• Fresh fruit or crisp cooked bacon, for serving (optional)

Week 8, Recipe 1: Spicy Open-Faced Egg Sandwiches

I've been wanting to try out some interesting breakfast recipes so I did that this week with some yummy results. :)  This recipe courtesy of my favorite girl, Rachael Ray's mag (October 2007).

• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
• 4 large slices crusty Italian bread
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large poblano chile, seeded and chopped
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Swap it
Use zucchini or onion in place of the chile.

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Spread one-quarter of the goat cheese on each slice of bread. Place on a baking sheet and bake until bubbly, 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the poblano and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring until the eggs are scrambled, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Top each toast with the scrambled eggs.
   
   Results: MMM!  I really liked these!  I of course halved the recipe served them with bacon.  I know it looks crazy with the eggs all of the place but scrambled eggs don't play nicely for food photography so deal with it!  Lol.