17 Bean and Barley Soup

Winter makes me want to hibernate, and part of that is falling in love with soups. I love bean soups and find them to be the easiest to do, with the least amount of fuss. This recipe makes enough for at least 6 servings (if not more) but can be halved or quartered easily. I like to make the full recipe and freeze for a later dinner.

If you purchase Parmesan that's fresh you should save your rinds (once you've grated all you can!! ) and freeze them for when you make soups and stocks. Just scrape the labeling off (the part that gives you a clue if its authentic... you should see the words "Parmigiano-Reggiano" on the side of the cheese. ) and place into your soup or stock. This is an old family method, and I've seen many of the greats use this technique as well.

I found the 17 bean soup mix (which is really beans in a bag) from Trader Joe's, but you can find this in any grocery store. For this soup, like most others, I used a Mirepoix as the base. A Mirepoix is the French name for a combination of onions, celery and carrots. Mirepoix, either raw, roasted or sauteed with butter is the flavor base for a wide number of dishes such as stocks, soups, stews and sauces. Mirepoix is known as the Holy Trinity of French cuisine.

3 c 17 bean soup mix
1/3 lb of center cut bacon, diced (See Cooks Note below)
1 c each, onions, carrots and celery, or Mirepoix
1 28 oz can of diced tomato's
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp dried Italian herbs (I used a mix of oregano, basil and thyme)
2 tbsp salt and freshly ground pepper
1 leftover rind of Parmesan cheese, with the label scrapped off
2 tbsp olive oil
6 cups of quality vegetable broth or stock


Empty beans into a large pot and cover with cold water. Let beans soak over night.


The following day, drain the beans completely and give them a good rinse with cold water. In a large, heavy bottom soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Cook the bacon until crisp and remove from pan. (*** Cooks note: This can be omitted all together for my vegetarian friends... I just did it for some flavor boost!****) Add mirepoix and saute for about 7 minutes. Season with 1 tbsp salt and pepper, and add herbs and bay leaves. Saute another 2 minutes, and add beans. Cook the vegetable and bean mix for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the broth and the Parmesan cheese rind, and simmer covered for about 2 hours.


Serve immediately with a piece of warm crusty bread, or freeze and enjoy on another day.

America's Second Harvest- Free Download for a Good Cause

I never take for granted how lucky I am to live a relatively comfortable and fulfilled life. As I write about my culinary adventures, I become more aware of the increasing problem with hunger in the United States and worldwide. Hunger affects more than 35 million people in America today. It's a challenge that requires constant attention and support, and as a food company, Barilla is in a unique position to help raise awareness and money through projects like The Celebrity Italian Cookbook.

When you download a copy of The Celebrity Italian Table Cookbook, Barilla will donate $1, up to $100,000, to America's Second Harvest, a national charity that secures and distributes more than two billion pounds of food products annually.

You can learn about this amazing charity, here.

Do your part, and reap an instant reward, by going here, and downloading your cookbook!

Garlic Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb

For Valentines day we decided to have a quiet but special night at home. I decided to make something that I really love, but have never prepared myself before. I found a beautiful cut of lamb and couldn't resist this relatively easy but fancy dinner.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c Dijon mustard

1 1/2 c panko breadcrumbs

1 rack of lamb, "frenched"

(*** Cooks note: "Frenching" refers to scraping the meat off the tips of the bones. There should also be about 1/8th of an inch of fat on your lamb. ***)

Heat oven to 425*F.

Heat oil in a skillet, over med-high heat, until almost smoking. Season both sides of the lamb with salt and place fat side down onto the skillet. Sear the meat until brown. Turn the rack, rib side down and sear the other side. Continue browning all sides of the meat. Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, sauté garlic cloves with rosemary leaves for about 1 minute. Add breadcrumbs and turn heat down to low, stirring constantly to toast. Remove from heat when lightly toasted.

Distribute crumbs onto a plate for application to the rack. Spread the Dijon mustard on both sides of the lamb. Press the lamb into the crumb mixture and flip, making sure to create a crust on all sides of the meat. Place on foil covered roasting pan, rib side down, and roast in oven about 40-50 minutes, or until meat reached 160* F for medium doneness. (Cook to your desired preference).

Slice rack of lamb into individual chops and serve immediately.

Beer Bread

Bread is scary to me... I love eating it but I have little to no experience making it. I thought I'd attempt the easiest bread recipe around, and it really was the quickest baking experience I've had!
Beer bread is easy, requires very little ingredients, and can be made with whatever extras you have lying around your kitchen. I think this is best eaten right away, but the convenience of the preparation makes it an easy last minute idea.

Basic Beer Bread:
3 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 2 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt 12 oz (1 bottle) room temperature beer 1 egg plus 2 tsp water, lightly beaten (for an egg wash)

(***Cooks note: For the first loaf I made, I used the basic recipe and added 1 tbsp garlic powder, and 1tsp each dried rosemary, oregano, basil and thyme for a Garlic Herb Beer Bread. The second loaf, was basic recipe topped with freshly shredded parmesan cheese.***)

Preheat oven to 350*F. Place dry ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork. Add honey and beer and stir the mixture until the just mixed together. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Brush egg wash on top of loaf and place in oven for about 45-50 minutes. Serve warm.

Chocolate Cherry Merlot Brownies

There's something very classic about brownies and I thought they would make a great choice for Culinate's Death by Chocolate Contest. These brownies are so rich and intense, and the merlot soaked cherries surprise your every bight. Tested on friends and family, these brownies disappeared!

1 1/2 c dried cherries
1 c merlot wine
4 oz semi sweet chocolate
4 oz dark chocolate, 60% cocoa
1 1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c butter, room temperature
1 c sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350*F. Place cherries in a large bowl. Over medium high heat, warm merlot until just boiling. Pour wine over cherries, allowing them to steep, about 15 minutes. Drain cherries and discard wine.

Melting the chocolate:
Use a double boiler, or a bowl placed over a sauce pan with simmering water (what I did), to melt the chocolate. Stir chocolate as it melts, and keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't scorch. Chocolate should be smooth and creamy.

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat another minute. Add flour and salt and mix well for another minute. With the mixer running on low, add the cherries to the batter and mix until moderately incorporated. Fill a square 9 in baking dish with batter and bake in oven for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the brownies, comes out clean.

Cut into squares and prepare yourself for chocolate heaven.

Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

I love parsnips more than most of the other root vegetables. They are also the perfect plate date for carrots as they compliment each other so well. I served these with my French Chicken in a Pot and it was the perfect compliment to a french dinner.

1lb carrots, cleaned and sliced on the diagonal

1lb parsnips, cleaned and sliced on the diagonal

2 tbsp honey

1 sprig of thyme, leaves only

coarse sea salt

freshly ground pepper

olive oil to coat the vegetables

Heat oven to 400* F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add the vegetables and the oil together in a bowl and mix thoroughly making sure all the vegetables are coated in oil. Lay the carrots and parsnips out on the baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, giving them a shake and shimmy, half way through.

Meanwhile, heat over low heat, the honey and thyme leaves, just to allow the honey to melt and the flavors to come together.

Remove baking sheet from oven and drizzle the honey and thyme mixture over the veggies. Serve immediately.

Spicy Basil Chicken Stir Fry

I had about 2 cups of fresh basil lying around (and this time of year its not cheap to get that much basil, so I had to use it!) and wanted to make a simple stir fry. Luckily I keep a well stocked pantry and I had all of the ingredients lying around my kitchen. This is my version of a common Thai dish, but I've improvised when I can't get my hands on chili peppers, using chili oil.


1 lbs chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp wok oil (or vegetable oil)
2 tbsp chili oil
3 scallions, chopped white and some green parts
2 bell peppers (i used red and orange), thinly sliced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup packed, basil leaves
2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked



Heat a wok, over high heat. When the wok smokes, add wok oil and chili oil. Sprinkle in crushed pepper flakes. Add chicken and stir fry 2 minutes. Add scallions, red bell peppers, and garlic and stir-fry for 1 or 2 more minutes. Add fish sauce. Remove the pan from heat and add basil. Toss chicken dish until basil wilts. Serve over rice.

Ina and Meghan's Beef Bourguignon

This recipe is a classic dish, but since I used Ina Garten's notes and recipe on how to best prepare it, she too gets the credit she deserves. This dish was easy to make, although it does require some loving care and extra time to have it turn out just right.

The photograph doesn't do the dish justice as it was taken a few (OK, many) glasses of red wine into my holiday party, and I was just so excited to eat that I didn't apply any care to the integrity of the photo.

1 tbsp good olive oil

8 ounces center cut bacon, diced

2 1/2 lbs chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lb carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks

2 yellow onions, sliced

2 tsp chopped garlic (2 cloves)

1/2 c Cognac

1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine like Pinot Noir

2 c beef broth

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

4 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature, divided

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 lb frozen whole onions

1 lb fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:

Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.

Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

Cheater's Chicken Ravioli

This is a cheat recipe for so many reasons! Instead of using pasta sheets, I use store prepared wonton wrappers to make these ravioli. This recipe is enough to make several dozen ravioli, as I try to use the entire pack of wontons and make them all, freezing half for another meal.

These ravioli are light and delicate so they are great served with basil pesto, or dropped into a simmering chicken broth with scallions and peas. If you really want to go nuts, you could deep fry them in oil for a few minutes and serve with a dipping sauce.

1 package store prepared wonton wrappers

For the filling:

3/4 c ricotta cheese, drained

1/2 c fresh basil leaves

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 lb ground chicken

3 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Combine all of the ingredients for the filling into a food processor and pulse until well blended.

Meanwhile, lay out wonton wrappers, filling a few at the time. To fill the wonton wrappers, place a small amount of filling into the center of the wonton wrapper. With your finger, brush the edges of the wrapper with a little water to help seal the ravioli. Fold the wonton wrapper on the diagonal and seal together the seams to form a triangle. Place ravioli on a plate and cover with a damp towel until all are done. Cook in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until ravioli have risen to the top.

To freeze: Lay out ravioli on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Place sheet in the freezer until ravioli are frozen, about one hour. Transfer to a freezer bag and store up to 6 weeks.

French Chicken in a Pot

I received a subscription to Cook's Illustrated a few months ago and I absolutely love this magazine. It's a subscription issued by the same people that bring you America's Test Kitchen and is an amazing resource and reference to both beginner's and experts, in the kitchen. I read the issues from cover to cover, taking in all of the expert knowledge on recipes, techniques and product reviews.

This recipe is taken from the January/February 2008 edition. While this particular cooking method is a classic french recipe, I give credit to Cook's Illustrated because of the loving time they put into perfecting this method and particular recipe.

This recipe ditches the American way of crispy fried skin on a bird, for simplistic and powerful chicken flavor. As the magazine notes, why concentrate so much effort to make skin crisp, when you should focus on the flavor and tenderness of the meat? The method of "Dry cooking" this bird really did bring out the flavors of the meat and my chicken was to-die-for perfect. Thank you Cook's Illustrated, once again.

1 whole raosting chicken (4.5lbs), giblits removed ad discarded, wings tucked under back

2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, medium chop

1 celery stalk, medium chop

6 garlic cloves, peeled

1 bay leaf

1 medium sprig fresh rosemary

juice from 1 lemon

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250*. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and rosemary around chicken. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon inserted into the cavity of the bird, flip chicken breast side up, and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove Dutch oven from heat, place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to over and cook until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees with inserted in the thickest part of the breast and 175 in the thickest part of the thigh, about 80-110 minutes.. Transfer chicken to carving board and tent with foil, resting about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine-mesh strainer into a fat separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids. Allow liquid to settle then pour into saucepan and set over low heat. Stir in lemon juice to taste. Serve chicken, passing jus at the table.

Sara and Tyler's Winter Panzanella

I love panzanella salad, but this recipe was my first "winter" version of it. Sara found this recipe from Tyler Florence and while the inspiration was from him, she tweaked it a little to make it more of her own. This really was a great dish to bring to our holiday dinner because you can prepare all the ingredients before hand, and toss the salad together right before serving.

2 bunches mixture red and gold baby beets (***Cooks note: If you can only find regular sized beets they need to be cut in half and roasted for about an hour as opposed to 30 minutes.**)

3 shallots

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 sprigs marjoram, thyme, and oregano (**Cooks note: Dried works fine too**)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 slices pancetta, sliced into small pieces

1 log goat cheese, refrigerated

1 loaf Italian bread, cut into crouton-sized pieces

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/4 c honey

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 orange, juiced

1 large handful arugula

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Take baby beets and cut them in half. Place on a long sheet of aluminum foil. Split shallots lengthwise, leaving them unpeeled, and add to foil. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, marjoram, thyme, and oregano leaves and season with salt and pepper. Fold foil into a packet and roast in oven until fork tender and nicely caramelized, about 30 minutes.

In saute pan, cook pancetta until crisp.

Toss the bread chunks with 1⁄4 cup oil until the bread is wet with the oil. Spread the bread on a baking sheet and bake until the bread begins to brown, about 10 minutes.

For the dressing:

In a large mixing bowl, add the honey, lemon juice, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, 4 tablespoons oil, salt, pepper, and stir together.

Add all the remaining ingredients except arugula and gently stir. Taste for seasoning. Remove beets and bread from oven, peel shallots, and add to bowl. Stir together and season with salt and pepper. Add pancetta and arugula. Top with goat cheese crumbles. Serve immediately!

Maureen and Emeril's Korean-Style Pork Wraps with Chili Sauce

This is one of the many delicious dishes my friends brought over for my holiday dinner. I'm so glad Maureen found this recipe because she really hit the nail on the head with this easy and amazingly tasty dish. This can be served as an appetizer (as Maureen did) or as a fun dinner (as I did two weeks afterward, cause it's that good!). Maureen found this recipe in Emeril's catalog of thousands!

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons Sriracha hot chili sauce

4 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1 1/2 cups cooked jasmine rice

1 head Boston Bibb, or butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and patted dry

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, green onion, garlic, and ginger. Whisk together until the sugar dissolves.
Slice the pork into thin strips, about 1/4-inch thick, 1/4-inch wide, and 2 1/2 inches long. Place the pork strips in the soy marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the Sriracha hot chili sauce, the honey, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Stir to combine. Set aside.

When the pork has marinated, take the bowl out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pork from the marinade and carefully place in the skillet. (Be careful that the drippings don't splatter out of the pan.) Cook the pork, stirring constantly with tongs or a wooden spoon, 4 to 5 minutes, until the pork is cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame seeds.

To serve, spoon several tablespoons of rice into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style. Top with a few pork strips and drizzle with a few drops of the chili mixture. Roll up and eat!

One Year; New Year

Well my holiday celebrations and dinners are a thing of the past and now and I can think back as I reach one year of documenting my culinary curiosities. This has been a challenge and a great experience. This year, I've had to really focus in on what ingredients I would shop for, and from what source I was getting my food. Shopping farmer's market's in order to get fresh and organic and in-season foods, while supporting local farmers, also became a passion of mine. Trying to apply thought into the entire process, from procuring to preparing and feasting. Documenting my explorations or my memories and challenging myself to try and improve upon each recipe. I've also been exposed to so many other food blogs(gers) who impress me and inspire me to create the food I crave. It's been a huge year of change for me, buying my first house with my husband, working two jobs, taking classes, friends getting married and this food diary. I even had the honors of being nominated and placing 5th (out of 80 entries!) for a food blog competition through culinate.com .

I'm looking forward to what 2008 might hold..Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to the kitchen.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are super easy and perfectly delicious. From this recipe you can create other cookies, adding in different flavors or spices for variation. If you have a well stocked pantry like me, you can probably find all of the ingredients already in your kitchen!

This is a basic recipe and the cookies come out crisp, with just the right amount of sweet sugary goodness!

I use a Silpat which is a liner made of silicone and fiberglass which replaces the need for parchment paper. This liner makes perfectly brown cookie bottoms and keeps them crisp. Added bonus: easy clean up and no cookies stuck to the cookie sheet!

2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c white sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl ( I used my Kitchen Aid mixer ), cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto Silpat lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle a pinch (you're familiar with this measurement, right?) of sugar on top of each dough ball. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Holiday Traditions

Every year my best friends and I get together and have our annual holiday dinner together. Usually we go to Birches, one of our favorite places to dine in Baltimore but this year we've decided to do something a little different. We're going to do an "around the world" theme. Basically, each person picks a region and a dish and we all feast on foods from various regions/cultures around the world.

What are your favorite holiday foods? Are they regional/cultural in significance? I'd love to know more about the worldly gastroadventures of my blogger community and readers!

Leave your ideas/recipes/comments below!

Rosemary For Remembrance

What sparked this blog writing was being selected for the annual Baltimore Sun's holiday cookie contest last year. My first blog post is here: http://culinarynovice.blogspot.com/2006/12/rosemary-for-remembrance.html

The really cool thing about this is this year, the Baltimore Sun decided not to have a contest but to review the submissions since 2000 and pick a "best of the best" list.

You can read the article and our submission here: http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/bal-fo.cookies28nov28,0,3537041.story

Although my husband and I didn't create the recipe, it's become a part of our lives, our traditions and our memories of our wedding day. These cookies become holiday gifts each year and are loved by anyone who tries them.


This weekend I hope to make them and take some more pictures for the blog. (The cookies are in the picture on the Baltimore Sun's website (bottom tier, left hand side, light colored cookie).

Pumpkin Cupcake with Cinnamon Buttercream Icing

For the cupcakes:
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 c butter, softened
1 1/3 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten until frothy
1 c canned pumpkin
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375* F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl.

Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Blend in mashed pumpkin. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk, blending until batter is smooth after each addition. Spoon batter into well-greased and floured or paper-lined muffin pan cups. (OR... I use these whenever I make cupcakes or muffins, because they are so easy and require very little clean up. You just place them directly on a cookie sheet and bake as is.) Bake cupcakes for about 20-25 minutes.

For the Cinnamon Buttercream Icing:

1 c butter, soft and room temperature

1 tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract

1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon

1 lb confectioners sugar (10x)

3 tbsp milk

Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Add vanilla; mix until blended. Stir cinnamon into confectioners' sugar. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended after each addition, frequently scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Beat in milk until light and fluffy. If frosting is to thick to spread, gradually beat in additional milk. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Re-whip before using.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Arborio rice, a pearly white, round, Italian grain of white rice is used for risotto. For any risotto, I recommend using only Arborio rice imported from Italy (you can find this in your grocery store). What differentiates this rice from other white grain rice is the starches released from the rice while preparing the risotto, which gives the dish it's distinct creamy texture.

For this dish, I used my Sicilian influence to bring together butternut squash and sage for this warm and comforting dinner.

1 cup Arborio rice
6 cups good quality chicken stock
2 c butternut squash, diced into 1/4 in pieces
1 small onion, diced fine
1/2 c white wine
1/4 c olive oil
8 tbsp butter
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 sage leaves

In a large, heavy bottom pan, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Add onion and squash and salt and saute for about 7-10 minutes or until the squash is softened and the onion is translucent.

Meanwhile, heat the stock with 5 sage leaves added until warm. (The key to keeping the risotto cooking is to ensure your stock is warm so you maintain the temperature as you add the liquid to the pan.) In another small pan, heat 4tbsp butter over med-low heat and fry the remaining sage leaves until crisp (be careful not to burn) and remove to a paper towel for garnishing.

To the squash and onion mixture, add the Arborio rice and stir for about 2-3 minutes making sure all the rice is coated with the olive oil. Add the 1/2 c of wine and stir continually until the wine has been absorbed. Add the stock, one ladle at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before you add more. Stir continually (you might want to pull up a chair or pour a glass of wine) adding stock, until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 20 minutes. Stir in 4tbsp butter and Parmesan, nutmeg and top with the crispy sage and serve immediately.

Ceviche

The marinade used in ceviche is citrus based, with lemons and limes being the most commonly used. This being said, all citrus will work. In addition to adding flavor, the citric acid causes the proteins in the seafood to become denatured which pickles or "cooks" the fish without heat.

This seems more of a summer dish, but I attended a themed cocktail party and this fit right in with the other Mexican dishes served.

2 each of the following (juice and zest):

lime

orange

lemon

1lb bay scallops

1lb shrimp

2 jalapeno

1 small red onion

1 small red bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 tbsp coarse sea salt

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Add all ingredients to a bowl and let marinade for 4-6 hours. Serve cold with tortillas.

Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

When I first started this blog (almost one year ago!) I had a different format and this was one of the first posts I made. Since I've increased in popularity and have many blogger friends out there reading my blog, I thought I'd re-post this simple recipe to ensure you all have tried this method of cooking Brussels Sprouts.

This is the easiest and most delicious (in my opinion) way to enjoy the sprouts. My husband didn't eat these delicious veggies until this method was introduced to him!

I got this idea from Ina Garten as I saw her prepare them this way...although I love just about any vegetable that's been roasted. The flavors caramelize under the high temperature of the oven and the outsides of the sprouts get crisp.

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Serve immediately.

Did you know?

According to a survey in 2002, Brussels sprouts are Britain's most hated vegetable, and it has become a cliche there and in the United States that children dislike the vegetable. Overcooking releases sulphur compounds in the vegetables that give it a distinctive smell commonly found unpleasant. If correctly cooked, the unpleasant smell is avoided and the vegetable possesses a delicate nutty flavor.

Lost Blogger, FOUND!

Where or where have my blog posts been? I've been cooking, eating and taking pictures.... to no avail, finding the time to post a blog has been difficult.

I've got a house guest for a few weeks and a new part time job (in addition to the full time job and the house/husband/life responsibilities).

Anywhooo... please know I'm suffering from not posting as much as you are (or are you just checking out the posts on all the other wonderful bloggers out there?).

Stay tuned....

Cook For A Cause

Some of my readers know that I am on the Board of Directors for the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County. The FCC gives women and children who are victims of domestic violence housing, food, counseling and access to legal counsel.

Many months ago we decided to contact local restaurants to see if they would be willing to host cooking classes with proceeds going to benefit the FCC. We recieved word from both The Black Olive and Rumor Mill that they were interested in our first two series for the fall.

Today, The Baltimore Sun posted an article in their "Dining At Large" section online. You can find that here.

The Black Olive is FULL, but there's still room for the second class...Tuesday, Nov. 20 at the Rumor Mill in Ellicott City. The chef is Tim Daugherty.
Tickets are $30 each!
If any of my local readers are interested, please leave me a comment and I will contact you!

Vegetable Eggrolls

I was making some of this soup for dinner tonight and since I was already making dumplings, I thought I'd do some egg rolls as well. My husband loves these and I don't make them very often, so tonight, I rolled.

2 c green cabbage, sliced thin

1/2 c bean sprouts

3 cloves garlic minced

4 spring onions, sliced thin

1 carrot, shredded

1 1/2 tbsp ginger, grated

1/3 c oyster mushrooms, sliced thin

2 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp hot chili oil

1 tsp fish sauce

1 package store prepare wonton wrappers

For the filling:

In a wok, over medium high heat, add garlic and onions and saute for about 2 minutes or until soft. Add all of the remaining vegetables and cook until cabbage is soft, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, tamari, chili oil and fish sauce and mix well, cooking about 2 more minutes. Set mixture aside and allow to cool.

Egg roll Assembly:

Lay a wonton wrapper in front of you, on the diagonal. Place filling in the center and fold the corner closest to you upward, over the mixture. Roll the wrapper 1/2 of the way and fold in the corners on the left and right. Roll the wrapper once more to seal the egg roll. Seal the corner with a dab of water.

Place in a deep fryer (which I don't own) or in a heavy bottom pot (like a dutch oven) in 350*F vegetable oil and fry, flipping once to brown both sides, about 3-5 minutes.

Rub it Down

I've never done this on my blog but I wanted to share with you what I found at the farmer's market (along with my squash) last week.

If you live in Baltimore and have a chance to go to the 32nd Street Waverly Farmer's Market, you should stop by the spices and products at the stand for Whiskey Island. I purchased there espresso rub made from Zeke's Coffee (another fabulous Baltimore vendor) for my husband's birthday dinner and let some rib eye steaks sit in this incredible rub for about 14 hours.

Pure delight.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

When summer begins to turn into fall, I start craving the flavors and food of the season. I consulted my mother on the preparation of this type of squash (as I've never cooked them myself). I found these beautiful squash at the farmer's market and they were perfect and full of flavor.

For the squash:

2 small acorn squash

4 tbsp butter

2/3 c water

Pre-heat oven to 350*F. Prepare the squash by cutting in half and scooping out the seeds from the center of each half. ***Cooks note: Slice a small piece of the bottom off each half to keep squash from moving while cooking.***Place squash in a baking dish, and add water to the bottom of the dish. Add 1 tbsp of butter to each cavity of the squash. Cover pan with dish with aluminium foil and bake for about 1 hour or until squash is tender but still firm.

Meanwhile prepare the stuffing:

1/2 fennel bulb, diced

1/4 c vidalia onion, diced

2 links, sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tbsp fresh oregano

1/2 c long grain white rice, cooked

1/4 c vegetable broth

Over medium high heat, saute the sausage, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned. Add fennel and onions and cook soft and translucent. Add vegetable broth and spices and cook for about 5 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the sausage is cooked through. Combine with white rice and set aside.

Once squash is has cooked for the hour, remove from oven and drain water from the dish. Fill each cavity with the stuffing, and place back in the oven for 10 minutes. The stuffing should have a crisp feel to it and the squash should be done.

Balsamic Onions and Goat Cheese Quesadilla

This was an easy and tasty lunch last weekend in the middle of cleaning the house up. I could dive, face first into a vat of goat cheese, do a backstroke and float for hours in its lovely tangy creaminess. Can you tell I love it?

2 corn tortillas
1 small onion, sliced thin
3 tbsp (or more to your liking) soft goat cheese
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 springs thyme, leaves removed

Saute the onion slices and thyme leaves in 1 tbsp olive oil, over medium high about 7-10 minutes, or until caramelized and brown. Add the balsamic to the pan and continue to cook on medium heat, until the vinegar has reduced and the mixture is thick and glossy.

Meanwhile, shmeer (you know this method, don't you?) the goat cheese on both sides of the tortillas. Add the balsamic onion mixture to one tortilla and top with the other tortilla.

Cook on a griddle pan over medium heat, flipping once to brown both sides of the quesadilla and to melt the goat cheese.
Serve immediately.

Grilled Citrus Chicken

I got this idea from a William Sonoma cookbook and have used it several times over the summer. This is a great way to use the last of the citrus you might have lying around at the end of a week.

4 chicken breasts

1 orange

2 limes

4 tbsp fresh parsley

1 tbsp fresh oregano

1 tbsp fresh thyme

3 cloves garlic

2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 c olive oil

For the marinade:

Grate 2 tsp zest from the orange and squeeze 1/3 c juice.

Grate 1 tsp zest from the limes and squeeze 1/4 c juice.

In a shallow dish, stir together the orange and lime zests and juices, parsley, the oregano, thyme, garlic and cumin. Stir in the oil, gradually. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper and add to marinade (turn to coat). Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

I grilled this over direct heat for about 10-14 minutes, turning once. I also served it with grilled sweet potato wedges, which complimented the chicken very well.

Lime Shrimp with Coconut Rice

The flavors of this dish are mild and light. The coconut milk makes the rice creamy but is understated compared to the other flavors in the dish. It's the perfect background for the lime and garlic.

1lb large shrimp

5 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup large grain white rice

1 1/4 c water

1 1/4 c unsweetened coconut milk

1 lime (1 tsp zest, 2tbsp juice)

6 cloves of garlic, minced

8 spring onions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced

small bunch cilantro

For the rice:

Melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add the rice and stir constantly, allowing it to cook and the grains are coated in butter, about one minute. Stir in water and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.

For the shrimp (prepare about 5 minutes before rice is ready):

Melt 4tbsp butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the lime juice and zest and the garlic and stir for about1 minute. Add shrimp and green onions and saute until the shrimp are opaque about 4 minutes. Stir in half of the cilantro.

Fluff the rice and stir in remaining cilantro and serve.