Endangered Squash

Happy Fall! My favorite season of the year!

I discovered a new type of squash this season that I think is my favorite of all the winter squashes (and there is quite a long list)- the Boston Marrow squash.


It is actually not new at all, but a very old and rare form of winter squash native to New England. We got two of them while stopping for pumpkins at a farm stand in PA. Unfortunately, they are apparently really hard to find. They don't sell them at your local Whole Foods or any of the Farmer's Markets in my area. If I only knew this at the time I would have bought a dozen of them- not just two!


The squash has a really tough red-orange skin that requires an extra-sharp knife (and very strong husband) to crack into!


It is worth the effort! It has a smooth, buttery, sweet and nutty taste. It is sort of like a combination of pumpkin and sweet potato, but really has a unique taste all to itself.

I'm glad we didn't try to do anything fancy with it the first time around. In fact, next time I make this I am going to leave out the pasta altogether. It just gets in the way!

Boston Marrow Squash Pasta

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds (save seeds for later). Season squash with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the skin with fork.

• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1/2 lb. rigatoni and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of chopped onion. Saute until onion is translucent (about 4 minutes). Add a 1/4 cup of brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Next, add 1/2 cup of pecans and cook until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes.

• When the squash is roasted, remove from oven and cut into cubes (the skin should easily peel away with a knife). Add cubed squash to the pan along with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water if sauce is too dry. Stir until incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. Spoon on top of pasta and serve with fresh grated parm!

Fish Tacos!

For Family Dinner this past Sunday we decided to make fish tacos! We were inspired by this new restaurant near out house called Surfside, that has the most amazing fish tacos! Everything came together really well considering we didn't follow any particular recipe.


First, we marinaded fresh tilapia fillets in lime juice, orange juice, lime zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. We grilled the tilapia and then divided the fish into soft corn tortillas. Each plate was accompanied by a grilled lime (a trick we learned from Surfside!).

Then we set out two different homemade salsas: corn/black bean and pineapple/mango, plus shredded green cabbage (tossed in red wine vinegar, salt and pepper) and sour cream. Then everyone was encouraged to build their own tacos! We also made a giant bowl of coconut rice on the side (which was quite a hit!).

Mango-Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

2 large, ripe mangoes (diced)
2 cups pineapple (diced)
4-5 tomatillos (quartered)
4 scallions (finely chopped)
1 small red onion (diced)
Fresh cilantro (chopped)
Juice of two limes
Zest of one lime
1/2 cup pineapple juice
salt and pepper

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients
4 ears of corn (grilled and shaved)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 medium tomatoes (diced)
Juice of two limes
Zest of one lime
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
Salt and pepper

Coconut Rice
adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients
3 cups long-grain white rice
2tablespoons unsalted butter
2 (13- to 14-oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk
1.5 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Melt butter in a saucepan over moderately high heat. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes opaque, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, waterand salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Spring Herb Pasta

This was a pretty easy and healthy pasta dish I made based off of a recipe I saw in the March 2009 Martha Stewart Living magazine. We changed it up a bit by adding garlic and tomatoes. Definitely "spring-y" with all of the fresh green herbs! I am definitely becoming a firm believer in the idea of just using simple and fresh ingredients, as opposed to elaborate and complicated recipes. It's easier, healthier and tastes great.


Ingredients

2 cups Gemelli pasta (my new favorite pasta shape)
1 ripe tomato (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 cup (approx.) roughly chopped mixed herbs (dill, parsley and basil)
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Lemon zest
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (grated)

Directions

Cook pasta according to directions. While cooking heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a separate pan. Add garlic and simmer for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes. When pasta is done, drain and return to pot. Add herbs, tomatoes and garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice and zest. Serve with generous grating of fresh Parmesan cheese.

Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

It's SPRING! I was actually watching Giada's show and saw this and had to make it! She made it look so easy and sound so good! It's a great salad, side dish or dinner. We had it with some tomato, basil and burrata cheese (my favorite!) and italian bread. The perfect Spring meal!


Ingredients
1 cup orecchiette pasta (we used small shells because our pathetic Giant didn't have orecchiette)
2 cups Mediterranean-style mixed salad greens
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon goat cheese, crumbled (we definitely used more than 1 tablespoon!)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper

Directions

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.

In medium bowl, mix the salad greens with the sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and Parmesan. Top with warm pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and wilt the greens. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, or to taste. Garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired, and serve. So easy!

Healthy Baked Ziti

I made this a few weeks ago when it was freezing cold and Tony wanted to make something warm and preferably something we could freeze and use for leftovers- it was a lazy Sunday and we had the time. So I decided to try to make a "healthy" baked ziti. He was game. The main change was that I decided to make my own tomato sauce instead of using sauce from a jar that is full of sugar and sodium and calories. I have become a huge fan of canned tomatoes lately- I buy them every week at the grocery store and always find ways to use them. So I just created a sauce by sauteing garlic, onion and dried herbs in some olive oil, adding canned tomatoes (plain in their juices) and letting it all simmer down for about 20 minutes. I also used all low-fat cheeses. So as far as baked ziti goes- this turned out to be both yummy and healthy!


Ingredients
1 box pasta (ziti or rigatoni)
1 cup part skim ricotta
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup part skim mozzarella
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Dried or fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, etc.)
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (plain in juices)

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in pan and saute garlic and onion for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add herbs and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to instructions, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving about a cup of pasta water (to add to sauce in case its too thick). Combine ricotta, 1/4 cup parm, and half mozzarella in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

In the bottom of a casserole dish, spread half of the tomato sauce. Top with pasta, then cheese mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parm and mozzarella. Bake in the oven until cheese is slightly brown and sauce is bubbling- about 25 minutes.

Indian Stew

adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

This was really easy to make and it definitely spiced up our normal dinner! Tony has been on a curry kick lately and I saw this recipe as a good way to incorporate the spice into a weeknight dinner that we could both eat (i.e. sans meat!). And even better, we already had all of the ingredients in our kitchen. Love that! We will definitely make this again!

Ingredients
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
1 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon curry powder, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 cups tomato sauce
2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish (optional)
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

Directions
Cook rice according to package instructions; cover, and keep warm. While rice is cooking, heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add curry powder and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add tomato sauce, chickpeas, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve stew with rice and yogurt, garnished with lime wedges and a pinch of curry. Simple!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I love St. Patrick’s Day! It marks the beginning of spring and is really just a silly holiday centered around food, beer and the color green! What’s not to love? We celebrated early this year and had St. Patrick’s Day family dinner on Sunday. I am not a traditional corned beef-and-cabbage kind of girl, so dinner was another test of my culinary comprising skills! We had Irish Soda Bread, Irish Potato Soup (with corned beef) and Spring GREEN Risotto. An enjoyable feast for the meat lovers and non-meat lovers alike (I spooned out some soup before adding the corned beef)!

Irish Soda Bread

(This was the first time I made Irish Soda Bread and was thrilled it came out so good!)

Bon Appétit, October 2002

Ingredients
5 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, room temperature

2 1/2 cups raisins

3 tablespoons caraway seeds
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 large egg

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an ovenproof 10- to 12-inch-diameter skillet with 2- to 2 1/2-inch-high sides (or cake pan, which is what I used). Whisk the first five ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the butter, using your fingertips, rubbing in until it forms coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds. Whisk the buttermilk and egg in a medium bowl to blend. Then add the wet mixture to dough. Using a wooden spoon, stir just until well incorporated (dough will be very sticky!).

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Smooth the top, mounding slightly in the center. Use a small sharp knife dipped into flour to cut a 1-inch-deep X in the top center of dough. Bake until the bread is cooked through and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Irish Potato Soup
adapted from The Daily Green

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream
1 cup corned beef, chopped (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
112-ounce bottle Pale Ale

Directions

In a large saucepan sauté onion, leeks and celery in butter, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add flour and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Then slowly add milk, and the mixture will start to thicken. Add the potatoes and half of the beer and bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook 20 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir regularly to avoid scorching, and add milk as needed if soup is too thick. Add caraway, sour cream and ¾ cup of the cheddar cheese. Wisk until cheese melts and sour cream is incorporated. Add corned beef. Top with chopped parsley and remaining shredded cheddar. Serves 4-6.

Spring Green Risotto

adapted from 2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)

1 cup chopped fennel

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

5 cups simmering chicken broth

1 pound thin asparagus

10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken broth, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water (this step is easier if done right before you begin).

When the risotto has been cooking for about 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding broth, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

Happy (Valentine's) Lobster Day!

Tony told me Valentine’s Day is favorite day of the year…. aw!…. because we eat LOBSTERS! Ha ha! As usual, Tony and I made dinner at home this year. It’s just so much more our style than going out to an over-priced restaurant. We can go out to eat any night of the year!

We popped a bottle of Prosecco and started with a simple salad of Arugula, Pecans and Roquefort cheese (my favorite!). Tony thoughtfully got some Roquefort last time he was at Whole Foods so we can enjoy it while it lasts… For those living under a rock (or just not into stinky cheese) in its final days, the Bush administration imposed a 300 percent tariff on Roquefort (!!!!) in effect closing off the U.S. market. What did the cheese ever do to you George? Apparently we have until March 23 to consume as much as possible before the tax goes into effect and it disappears from stores forever. For those interested, read more here. R.I.P. Roquefort….

I drizzled the salad with a White Truffle Oil vinaigrette- just a simple combination of lemon juice, salt, pepper and white truffle oil (brought back from Italy!). I don’t know why I haven’t thought of this sooner… using the subtle oil in a dressing really brings out the truffle flavor.

We decided to forgo whole lobsters this year and just got tails. We steamed them ourselves and enjoyed with simple drawn butter. For an extra treat (and because they were on sale!), Tony threw in a Dungeness crab leg! Wow those are good!

For dessert we made chocolate dipped strawberries! Yum!

Spaghetti Squash with Pomodoro Sauce

adapted from Epicurious.com, SELF, November 2002

Nope, this is not pasta! I love spaghetti squash and this was a really easy, healthy week night dinner. You can add pretty much any vegetable to the mix, but we just happened to have all of the ingredients in our kitchen (that never happens!). The sauce is really great by itself and would definitely work with regular 'ol pasta too.


Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash (about 1 1/2 lb)
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 can (28 oz) diced plum tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay squash on sheet, flesh side down. Bake for about 45 minutes or until you can easily pierce shell with fork. In the meantime, saute the garlic and onion in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Lower heat if sauce begins to boil. Remove squash from oven. Scrape with a fork to pull strands from shell. Transfer to plates and spoon sauce over squash. Top with fresh grated parm.

Perfect Roast Chicken

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, The Food Network

I have to give Tony full credit for this meal! He really really wanted to make a whole roasted chicken- veggies, roasting pan and all. I think he originally got the idea in his head after we watched an episode of the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. Normally we don’t sit around watching the Food Network together (ok, sometimes) but we just got our new Flat Screen TV and wow! forget sports and movies, the Food Network looks amazing in HD! We were mesmerized (and then quite hungry)! So we decided to go for it last Sunday night. I helped prep the veggies, but the bird was all Tony! It was a really great dinner and supplied us with 2 nights of leftovers plus lunch! The actual recipe is so simple to prepare- it just takes a long time to roast in the oven. So just make sure you’re not starving when you start to prepare because you won’t be eating for another 2 hours or so! Our only critique was that the chicken itself seemed a little bland. Tony thinks next time we should periodically baste the chicken to make it more flavorful and juicy.

Ingredients

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges

4 red potatoes, cut into wedges
Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, fennel and potatoes in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Mushroom Bourguignon

Wow. This was AMAZING. The traditional French dish is Beef Bourguignon, so needless to say I have never had it. But I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen made with mushrooms and as my mouth watered over the pictures I knew I had to make it. It’s a vegetarian’s dream come true- a traditional meat dish translated into veggie-friendly without losing any of the delicious stewy flavor. Most people don’t even bother to try, but even my husband, the carnivore, enjoyed this recipe immensely (although I think he will definitely have it with beef next time he sees it on a menu!). It has been sooo cold here and this is the perfect stew for a cold winter night!

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 pounds portobello mushrooms, sliced thick (I also threw in some cremini)
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine (I used cabernet)
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup frozen pearl onions
Egg noodles, for serving

Directions

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a medium heavy on high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from pan.

Lower heat to medium and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add carrots, onions, thyme, salt and black pepper and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute. Add the wine, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat up to high and reduce it by half. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the mushrooms back into the pan with any juices that have collected. Add broth, tomato paste and thyme.

Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce the temperature so it simmers for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions and simmer for five minutes more. Combine remaining butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir it into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve over egg noodles and enjoy!

Meyer Lemon Risotto

Over the holidays, Tony’s cousin Fred gave us a bag of Meyer Lemons straight from his backyard in Florida. We used a few of the lemons with a salmon dish my Mom made over Christmas. When we got home, I debated over the best way to use the rest of them and finally decided to make lemon risotto. I was tempted to bake something, like a Meyer Lemon pound cake, but after all of the baking I did over the Christmas season I needed a break! This risotto turned out great and you could really taste the lemon flavor. Thanks Fred!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 cup Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
4 cups low sodium chicken broth (two 14.5 oz. cans)
4 oz. fontina cheese (grated)
2 tsp. lemon zest (finely grated)
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup fresh sage (coarsely chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium pot over medium heat, bring the stock to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a large pot melt the butter and oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for about one minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the wine is absorbed. Next, using a measuring cup, add about a half cup of the hot stock and cook, stirring constantly, until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding stock, a half cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the stock is absorbed. Continue until all of the stock is added and the rice is creamy and tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Immediately add the fontina cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice and sage. Stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside for a couple of minutes. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Holiday Brunch

We hosted a Holiday Brunch for our friends this past weekend. We had a buffet brunch, including a champagne bar (mimosas and bellinis), and then our annual cookie exchange and secret santa gift exchange. It was a perfect afternoon celebrating the holidays with friends!

Menu

Champagne Bar
Coffee
Egg Puff Casserole
French Toast Casserole
Spiral Glazed Ham
Biscuits
Citrus Fruit Salad (oranges, pineapple and pomegranate seeds)
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Assorted Donuts

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

adapted from Food Network TV, Paula Deen's Home Cooking

Ingredients
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces) (I used Challah Bread)
8 large eggs 2 cups half-and-half 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows

Maple syrup

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 or 3 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Either pour mixture over the bread slices, or dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture making sure all slices are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. I dipped each slice individually to ensure the dish wasn’t too soggy. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and in between each of the bread slices. Bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.

Butternut Squash and Sage Lasagna

adapted from Martha Stewart

We had a full house for Family Dinner the other weekend and I wanted to make something “Fall” inspired that would also feed the masses. This dish was perfect. We served it with an Arugula Salad with Pears, Gorgonzola, Pomegranate and Pecans, and Grilled Italian Sausage (to satisfy the carnivores). It was definitely not an easy dish to prepare- Tony and both felt like we were on an episode of Top Chef the way we were frantically spinning about the kitchen. But it was fun and well worth it! We also doubled the recipe to feed 10 people.

Ingredients
(Serves 8)

3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
Freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
Lasagna Noodles
4 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt on a baking sheet. Season with pepper. Bake until light gold and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Combine ricotta, cream, yolks, mozzarella, and a pinch of nutmeg in a medium bowl. Season with salt. Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to sizzle, add sage, and cook until light gold and slightly crisp at edges, 3 to 4 minutes.

Place squash in a medium bowl, and mash 1/2 of it with the back of a wooden spoon, leaving the other 1/2 in whole pieces. Gently stir in sage-butter mixture and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 3/4 cup of ricotta mixture in a 9-cup baking dish (we used a 9X13 dish). Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1/2 of the butternut squash mixture over noodles. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layering once more (noodles, squash, noodles, ricotta). Sprinkle Parmesan over ricotta mixture. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until cheese is golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Butternut Squash Risotto

I know, I know... I said I would cut back on Martha Stewart recipes- but I just couldn't help myself! Tony and I wanted risotto for dinner and I had leftover squash from the dinner I made earlier this week... so I just happened to already have a Butternut squash risotto recipe on hand from Martha- perfect solution! This was a nice alternative to basic risotto- the squash makes the dish even creamier and flavorful. Another simple and tasty Fall dinner (if you can't tell I love my autumnal vegetables!)




Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6 (I cut the recipe in half to serve two)

1 medium butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 shallots, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Steam squash for 10 to 15 minutes and then mash lightly. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat stock to a simmer. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add oil and shallots; cook for 2 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add wine to rice, and cook, stirring, until wine is nearly absorbed. Stir in a cup of stock and the squash. Cook at a steady simmer until liquid is nearly absorbed. Continue stirring in stock, a ladleful at a time, until rice is creamy and firm but not hard in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Add chopped rosemary. Stir in remaining butter and most of the Parmesan. Serve immediately in shallow bowls garnished with the remaining cheese and rosemary sprigs. Serve with crusty french bread and a fruity red wine (we opened a bottle of Sterling Vintner's Collection Cabernet Sauvignon). Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary!

Three years ago (wow! THREE!) Tony and I got married on August 5, 2005. It was a spectacular day filled with amazing family, friends, dancing and food! followed by an even better marriage :) Our anniversary fell on a Tuesday this year- not the most exciting day of the week. So we decided to have a quiet dinner at home and get LOBSTERS! This has sort of become a tradition... encouraged by the really fun lobster tools and gadgets we were smart enough to register for and received as gifts! So our delicious anniversary menu included:

Champagne (Prosseco)

Steamed Lobster

Baked Potatoes with Chives and Sour Cream

Steamed Asparagus with Lemon Juice

Molten Chocolate Babycakes

Since we had to make dinner after both coming home from work that night, we kept the menu quite simple. The only recipe I used was for the Molten Chocolate Babycakes (I made these in exchange for Tony going to pick up the lobsters on his way home from work!). I was originally just going to get some strawberries and chocolate for dessert (keeping with the low maintenance menu) but I was at my friend Stephanie's house the night before and she was planning to make these cakes for her new boyfriend. She promised me they were simple to make and delicious and she even gave me two ramekins to make them in. With Tony standing there drooling as she described them, how could I say no?

Well.... I probably should have! The actual batter was very easy to prepare. The only problem was the execution. They took longer than I thought to bake and then these bad boys did NOT want to come out of the ramekins, resulting in a heaping pile of chocolate mess on the plate instead of a cute, dainty, individual cake. They were DELICIOUS! But definitely not pretty, and we certainly did not look pretty eating them! (hence the lack of photographic evidence). Anyway, here is the recipe, dare I ever try to make these again!:

Molten Chocolate Babycakes
(adapted from Nigella Lawson: How To Be A Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking)

Ingredients

(Serves 6, but I cut the recipe in half and made only 2)

¼ cup soft, unsalted butter (plus more for greasing)
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate
½ cup sugar
4 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° putting in a baking sheet at the same time
2. Trace custard cup on baking parchment, cut out 6 disks and press them into the base of the custard cups
3. Melt chocolate and let it cool slightly
4. Cream together the butter and sugar and gradually beat in the eggs, salt and then vanilla
5. Add the flour and when all is smoothly combined, scrape in the cooled chocolate, blending it to a smooth batter
6. Divide the batter between the 6 custard cups
7. Take baking sheet out of the oven, arrange the custard cups and replace it in oven
8. Cook for 10 (if you make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate it, bake for 12 minutes) (Cooking time for 2 was more like 15-20 minutes)
9. Tip the babycake onto a small plate or shallow bowl as soon as you take them out of the oven (GOOD LUCK!)
10. Serve with whipped cream, crème fraîche, custard or ice cream

Lemon Spaghetti

(adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian)

This was a really easy weeknight dinner that looked and tasted great! Very light- perfect for a summer evening. I followed Giada's recipe but added a few ingredients I had in the fridge- steamed broccoli, artichokes and arugula. That's it!

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (I used arugula instead)

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Classic Summertime Dinner

I hosted our book club meeting this month. We read I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley. It was a fun book to read for the summer and made for some interesting discussions. The author is our age (29) and the book is a collection of humorous essays about a number of topics we could all relate to including childhood, first job, moving, college experiences and family drama. For dinner I prepared a light and summery meal:

Lemonade
Watermelon and Feta Salad
Pressed Panini Sandwiches
Strawberry Shortcake

Watermelon and Feta Salad

Ingredients

1 small seedless watermelon, cut into small cubes
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
Mixed lettuce (I used red leaf and arugula)
4 ounces feta cheese
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper

Directions

In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, oil, honey, salt, and pepper to create the dressing. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, onion, watermelon and feta. Toss with dressing to taste.

Pressed Panini Sandwiches

Using my Cuisinart Griddler, I made an assortment of pressed panini sandwiches:

Grilled eggplant, mozzarella and tomato

Grilled zucchini, yellow squash and mozzarella

Prosciutto, arugula and mozzarella

Directions

First, heat up the Griddler and prepare the vegetables for grilling. Cut the eggplant and tomato into thin rounds. Slice the zucchini and squash lengthwise into thin strips. Drizzle with olive oil and grill the vegetables until soft and tender. In the meantime, begin to slice Italian bread to make as many individual sandwiches as you need. I used a baguette for the prosciutto sandwiches (cut lengthwise and then across) and extra large Italian rolls for the grilled vegetable sandwiches (cut lengthwise and then in half).

Next, in a small bowl whisk together a generous amount of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Using a grill brush, sweep the olive oil mixture over each half of the bread, creating a base coat. Once the breads are prepared, begin to layer the assorted grilled vegetables and sliced mozzarella onto your breads (careful not to stuff them too full). Place the completed sandwiches in the Griddler and press in batches until the cheese is melted and the bread is crisp.

For the prosciutto sandwiches, I brushed the baguette with olive oil, salt and pepper and layered thin slices of prosciutto, mozzarella and arugula. I then heated the individual sandwiches in the toaster over at 350 degrees until the bread is just lightly toasted and the cheese is soft.

Artichoke Risotto with Mascarpone, Lemon, and Thyme

Our new kitchen is officially broken in! We had family dinner at our new place this past Sunday night. My friend Andrea and I teamed up and made this great dish. However, the grocery store did not have baby artichokes so we were stuck with the large, normal, scary sized ones! We made it work and pulled it off quite well! We just trimmed and cleaned the artichokes and then steamed them whole for about 45 minutes (!). We (or I should say Andrea) cleaned them out and we added the yummy artichoke meat to the risotto at the very end. Perfect solution!

We served the risotto with a Summer Salad of Tomatoes, Green Leaf Lettuce, Basil, Fennel and Mozzarella and a simple Balsamic and Oil vinegrette. We also served a Spinach Torte, which was an Andrea family recipe consisting of spinach, rice, bread crumbs and cheese. Yum!

(Picture from Martha Stewart.com)

Ingredients

Serves 6

2 Lemons
10 baby artichokes (or four large!)
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock mixed with 3 cups water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt
2 cups short-grain Italian rice, such as Arborio
1 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup mascarpone

Directions

1. Remove 3 teaspoons grated zest from 1 lemon; halve the lemon, and squeeze out 1 tablespoon juice. Set zest and juice aside. Cut remaining lemon in half, and squeeze into a medium bowl of cold water; add all rinds to water.
2. Prepare the artichokes: Working with 1 artichoke at a time, snap off tough out­er leaves until pale-green leaves are exposed. Cut off top third. Using a paring knife, peel dark-green layer from base and stem; trim stem. Quarter artichoke lengthwise. Transfer to lemon water.
3. Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low.
4. Melt butter with oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Drain artichokes, and add to pan. Cook, stirring often, un­til artichokes are just tender, about 12 minutes. Add rice, and stir until coated, about 1 minute. Pour in wine, and cook, stirring, until wine has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
5. Add enough hot stock (about 1 cup) to just cover rice. Cook, stirring, until stock is almost absorbed. Continue adding stock, 3/4 cup at a time, waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next; cook, stirring, until rice is tender but still slightly firm in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat, and discard bay leaf.
6. Stir in chopped thyme; season with salt and pepper. Add mascarpone, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and the lemon juice; stir until mascarpone is melted and rice is moist and creamy.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with thyme sprigs and remaining teaspoon lemon zest.

10

Carrot Fettuccine

In honor of Spring's long awaited arrival, we decided to make a light and "springy" meal for Family dinner. Immediately this dish came to mind. My mom made it for Easter two years ago and I've been wanting to have it again ever since. She said she got it from the Sara Moulton Cooks at Home cookbook. Since my father and I are both allergic to shrimp, she left it out when she made it. However, for Family dinner we decided to do one batch with shrimp and one batch without. We also made a few other adjustments to the recipe. For one, instead of peas we added asparagus. We also doubled the recipe. However, for eight people we definitely could have used another bag of carrots! This dish is so fun because it really looks and tastes like a pasta dish. So
grab your vegetable peeler (and a chair) and get started!














* this is a poor image (from www.sarahmoulton.com)- we were so eager to eat I forgot to take a picture myself :(

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound medium shrimp (peeled with tail intact, deveined, rinsed and patted dry)
2 large shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
one 1-inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
10 large carrots, about 1.5 lbs cut into ribbon like strands with a vegetable peeler
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups of heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup asparagus tips (or thawed frozen peas)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oil and butter in large skillet over med-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook until the shrimp turns just pink, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl. Add carrots to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, until barley tender, about 5 mins. Transfer to shrimp bowl.

Add the wine to the skillet and boil until it’s reduced by half. Add the cream and stock. Bring back to a boil and boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the shrimp, carrots and asparagus to pan and simmer until they are just heated through, about 2 mins. Season to taste, serve hot!