Last week I received my new issue of Fine Cooking and my menu planning for this week was done within minutes. Just within the first four pages I found four recipes that I had to try out this week. Last night I tried the Fusilli with Peas and Feta recipe. I didn’t add the feta because I’m laying off cheese as much as I can but the dish was refreshing and delicious. It actually reminded me of a lighter version of a dish I grew up eating Pasta con Piselli (Pasta with Peas). My husband and I downed this dish quickly and before we were even done he said this recipe was a repeater – I couldn’t agree more! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Recipe from Fine Cooking 123 , pp. 17

Kosher salt
1-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
1 lb. fresh or frozen peas (about 3 cups) *[I used frozen peas]
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill *[I was a little heavy handed with the dill because we like dill]
Freshly ground black pepper
12 oz. dried fusilli pasta
4 oz. feta, finely crumbled (about 1 cup) *[I skipped this]
Lemon wedges for serving *[We were liberal with lemon because we love lemon and it really brightened up the sauce]

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

In a 3-quart saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add the peas and cook until crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, remove and reserve 1 cup of the peas. Transfer the broth and the remaining peas to a blender. Add the olive oil, all but 1 tsp. of the dill, 1-1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper and blend until smooth. It’s fine if the sauce looks thin at this point.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss the pasta with the sauce, the reserved peas, and 3/4 cup of the feta. Serve garnished with the remaining 1/4 cup feta and 1 tsp. dill, with lemon wedges on the side.

This was so easy to make! Monday nights are difficult for me because the tiny dancer has dance class in the evening so I don’t have a lot of time to make dinner and this came together in less than 30 minutes.

Buon Appetito!

It’s funny, as soon as I became a mom I received a mysterious free subscription to Fitness Magazine, and a year later I received a free subscription to Women’s Health. The issues just started showing up in my mailbox – I figured some mom/pregnancy site sold my info to these health magazines because they knew new moms are trying to lose weight. Whatever the case, I actually enjoyed reading the magazines. I was however a bit weary of the recipes in them. They’re fitness magazines so the recipes are healthy but I didn’t know how good they would actually taste.

In the March issue of Women’s Health there was a recipe for Baked Coconut Shrimp. I love shrimp, I love coconut but I don’t fry anything so when I saw a recipe for Baked Coconut Shrimp I had to try it! I tried it tonight and it was ridiculously easy to make and so delicious. It would be wonderful with jasmine rice but I wanted a healthier starch so I made baked sweet potato fries. I also made some teriyaki sauteed mushrooms and a kale salad with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and pineapple. I’m definitely adding this dish to my regular rotation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Adapted from Women’s Health, Baked Coconut Shrimp

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp flour (I used whole wheat flour)
1 egg white, beaten
2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 Tbsp pineapple or mango jam or preserves (I used apricot jam)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and spray with olive-oil cooking spray.

2. Rinse shrimp and set aside. In a plastic ziplock bag, combine panko, coconut, cayenne pepper, and chili powder. Shake to mix, then set aside.

3. Put flour and egg in separate small dishes. In batches of five, dredge shrimp in flour, then dip into egg. Shake gently in the bag with the coconut mixture until coated.

4. Place breaded shrimp on the baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray, then bake for 10 minutes, or until shrimp are firm to the touch and coconut begins to brown.

5. Combine chili sauce and jam in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Heat over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or on High in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then serve with shrimp.

Buon Appetito!

I like to spend Valentine’s Day at home, rather than at a restaurant with lots of other couples, and to make it festive I plan a special menu for us. This year for dessert I knew I wanted to incorporate chocolate and bananas. I was thinking of making Chocolate Pots de Créme but wasn’t sure how to bring in bananas until I came across a recipe for Chocolate Pots de Créme with Banana Caramel. I knew it was risky to try something new on a special occasion but I broke my rule and gave it a try. Luckily, my husband and I loved it! And it wasn’t difficult to make it at all. All three elements below can be made separately and used in another dessert recipe. Feel free to mix and match and experiment.

Bittersweet Chocolate Pots de Crème
Adapted from Fine Cooking

1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
Kosher salt

Heat the half-and-half and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until scalding hot. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the eggs.

Return the milk mixture to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and whisk until it thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips, sugar, and a pinch of salt; whisk until melted. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Divide the mixture between two 6-oz. ramekins or serving glasses. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.

*I took the lazy route and did not strain the chocolate mixture and it turned out fine.

Banana Caramel
Adapted from Cannelle et Vanille

1/4 pound sugar
3 tbsp corn syrup
2 oz butter
1/2 pound ripe bananas, pureed

Puree the bananas. Place the corn syrup in a small saucepan. When it starts to melt and bubble up, sprinkle a third of the sugar on top. As soon as that starts to melt and caramelize, add some more sugar. Let that caramelize and add the rest of the sugar. It’s ok to stir with a wooden spoon. If some crystalizes, it’s ok, let it melt. Add the softened butter, stir and then add the banana puree. At this point, turn the heat off but let any chunks of harden caramel melt on the stove.

Pour in a bowl and let it cool. Once cold, pipe on top of the chocolate layer.

Kahlua Whipped Cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp Kahlua

In a bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks begin forming. Add the Kahlua and continue whipping until it’s the right consistency.

Layer all the items in a glass or jar. I just used a spoon but to make a really neat presentation I think it may be better to pipe each item in. Dust the whipped cream with some cinnamon and you’re done!

Buon Appetito!

My husband’s co-worker is a hobby fisherman and he gifted my husband with some fresh-caught tuna.  His co-worker prepared the tuna in chicken broth and jalapenos and I couldn’t wait to try it.  However, I didn’t want to just make tuna salad – I wanted something different.  So instead of making a tuna melt I made a Salad Niçoise with Basil Vinaigrette.  The tuna – and the salad – was delicious.  I had left over Basil Vinaigrette left over which I then used the rest of the week on different salads.

The recipe I based this dish off is from Fine Cooking.  I’ve made the original recipe as written and it was delicious.  This time I was in a bit of a rush and as we’re in the middle of winter I wasn’t going to fire up the grill for the potatoes.  I was also on a cleanse and had to skip the mayo and the eggs.  Below you’ll find the recipe I made in the picture above.  It was delicious and I’ll make it again and again.  And save that extra salad dressing for other salads!

Salad Niçoise with Basil Vinaigrette
Adapted from Niçoise Salad with Grilled Tuna & Potatoes from Fine Cooking
Serves 2

Salad Ingredients
6 small/medium golden or red potatoes, cubed
Kosher salt
8 oz. haricots verts (thin green beans), trimmed
8 oz 1-inch-thick fresh tuna steaks or 1 or 2 cans of tuna (depending on the size and how much you want)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 oz. baby arugula, washed and spun dry
1 recipe Basil Vinaigrette
1-1/4 lb. small ripe red, yellow, and orange tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cup Nicoise olives (or other black olives)
Salt & Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450º.  In a bowl, coat the potatoes with olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt & pepper. Transfer to a roasting pan and cover with foil. Roast until tender fork tender (about 30-40 minutes) and remove foil until a bit caramelized on the edges (about another 10 minutes).

Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Add haricots verts for 2-3 minutes.  Take out bean and immediately place in an ice water bath to preserve color and stop the cooking.

Make Basil Vinaigrette below.

If using fresh tuna, rub olive oil on both sides and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.  Grill or Roast to your desired doneness.  If using canned tuna, drain the tuna and set aside.  Since it doesn’t take very long to cook tuna I would wait until the potatoes are almost ready before starting the tuna.

When all of the components are cooked assemble the salad and drizzle with basil vinaigrette.

Basil Vinaigrette Recipe
Adapted from Food & Wine

1 small garlic clove
1 cup packed basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 Tsp. Dijon mustard
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Pinch of sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, pulse the garlic until chopped. Add the basil and pulse until finely chopped. Add the oil, vinegar[, sugar, mustard] and crushed red pepper and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Buon Appetito!

Valentine’s Day is coming and rather than wait until the last minute to get some things together I thought I’d kick things off with a reminder of some fun stuff I’ve done in the past. If you’re looking to get crafty and want a pretty decoration to replace your winter wreath check out my DIY Valentine’s Day Wreath.

And, we all know the best part about Valentine’s Day are the sweets! Check out some of my ideas for making Valentine’s sweets for your sweety.

Vegetable soup has been getting me through my annual cleanse. It’s nutritious, filling and delicious – it’s true, soup is good food. Since I’ve been eating mainly soup I’ve been looking for new recipes and wanted to update my old standby Split Pea Soup. I found this version by Ina Garten that she calls Parker’s Split Pea Soup. It’s one of the easiest soups you could make and very hearty. One bowl of this soup and you will definitely be satisfied. Pair it with a light salad and dinner is served!

Ingredients

1 cup chopped yellow onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small)
1 pound dried split green peas
8 cups chicken stock or water

Over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a 4-quart stock pot. Sauté until the onions are translucent (not brown) about 10-15 minutes. Next, add the carrots, potatoes, the split peas, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. While cooking, skim off the foam that forms on the top and stir frequently to prevent any sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

Buon appetito!

It’s a new year and I’m starting it off with the Whole Living Action Plan Cleanse from 2012.  You may remember that I did it last year and kept a diary to share my thoughts, recipes and progress.  The first week consists of only eating fruit, vegetables, nuts and plant-derived fats so basically I’m eating a lot of soup.  I have my mainstays that I love like Lentil Soup and Escarole & White Bean Soup but they have beans/legumes in them so I can’t have them until next week when I can introduce beans/legumes back into my diet.

A while back I received a promo copy of Pure Vegan and I haven’t had a chance to try any recipes from the book but I thought this would be a perfect time to start.  Yesterday I made vegetable stock from scratch (because I hate the flavor of store-bought vegetable stock) and Artichoke Soup.  If you like artichokes then you will love this soup because since there are so few ingredients it has a strong artichoke flavor.  I skipped the Vegan Aioli for drizzling and opted for fresh herbs and lemon instead.

Vegan Artichoke Soup
Adapted from Confused Artichoke Soup in Pure Vegan by Joseph Shuldiner

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 pounds of frozen artichokes, thawed
5 cups of vegetable stock (if you want to un-veganize this you could use chicken stock which has more flavor)
1/2 Teaspoon of salt
A few grinds of fresh black pepper

Garnish with
Lemon juice to taste
Chopped fresh herbs like mint, chives or dill
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add the onions and sauté until translucent and soft, and then add garlic and sauté until you smell the garlic about 30 seconds. Next add the artichokes, vegetable stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil, lover the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Let the soup cool a bit then in small batches, blend the soup in a blender until smooth. (Be very careful with hot liquids in a blender. Don’t fill the blender more than 1/3 of the way full and hold the top down with a towel under your hand). Also, artichokes can be fibrous so blend well. As you go, put the puree in another pot and stir well when you’ve blended all the soup. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with salt & pepper to taste, a bit of lemon juice and some fresh chopped herbs.

It’s yummy and vegan! Buon Appetito!

It’s soup season and I love trying out new soup recipes because I make soup at least once a week in the fall/winter so I like to try and mix it up a bit. I definitely have my family stand-by recipes like my Nonna’s Lentil soup and my Mama’s chicken soup. I also love that you can make a big batch, freeze the left-overs and have a quick dinner on busy nights at the ready.

This week I tried Italian White Bean & Escarole soup. I actually made this soup in about 30 minutes on a busy week night and was so happy with the results. It’s not one of those soups that is better the next day – it was very tasty that night. The original recipe I based this off of was a bit more involved because it included homemade croutons. Instead, I just toasted some bread for dipping and for eating with cheese and olives. I also skipped the pancetta and parmigianno to make the soup a bit healthier but feel free to add them in – I’m sure they add an extra level of flavor.

Italian White Bean & Escarole Soup
Adapted from Fine Cooking – Escarole Bean Soup with Croutons

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (6 oz.), diced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 medium to large head escarole (about 14 oz.), trimmed of outer leaves, 2 inches of root end cut off, leaves sliced across into 3/4-inch wide strips (to yield about 9 to 10 cups), thoroughly washed
1 tsp. coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups low-salt chicken stock
1 cup cooked cannellini, navy beans, or other white beans (I used cannellini)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium to medium-high heat.

2. Add the onion and sauté until the onion is softened and browned, about 12 minutes.

3. Next, add the garlic, stir, and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then add the escarole and stir thoroughly to coat the leaves. Season with 1/2 tsp. of the salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Add the stock, stir well, and bring to a boil; cover the pot, lower to a simmer, and cook 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Afterward, uncover the pot, add the beans, and simmer another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and turn off the heat.

Buon Appetito!

One of the first recipes I posted on the blog back in 2008 was my mom’s recipe for NY cheesecake. I am sure I am coming across as biased but it is the best cheesecake I have ever had. I’ve made it for years now following my mom’s recipe exactly but this past year I have been making some tweaks to the recipe for my own personal taste and preferences. They are small twists on the original but they make a big difference.

First, I have the graham cracker crust come up the sides of the cheesecake rather than having crust just on the bottom of the cheesecake. Why? Because I like the crust – it’s tasty! Second, I started putting cherry pie filling on top of the cheesecake. This was originally to hide cracks but also satisfied my gigantic sweet tooth. That leads me to my third change – I baked the cheesecake in a water bath – and there were no cracks on top! I didn’t need to put the cherry topping on because the top of the cake was nice and smooth but I think cheesecake tastes better with cherry pie filling so I added it anyway.

I’ve been meaning to play with the flavor profile of the cheesecake to add different dimensions – chocolate, rose water, cinnamon – but I can never bring myself to do that. I just love this cheesecake the way it is. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Here’s the classic recipe with my changes:

Ingredients
Graham Cracker Base
 (1.5 of the basic recipe on the box)
2 cups Honey Maid Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 tbsp of sugar
7 tbsp margarine, melted

Cheesecake Mixture
1/2 cup margarine or margarine alternative
, room temperature
1 lb cream cheese
, room temperature
16 oz sour cream
1 1/2 cups of sugar
3 eggs
3 tbsp. corn starch
1 lemon – juiced
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
Comstock Cherry Pie filling (found in the baking aisle at the grocery store)

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Prepare graham cracker crumbs according to package instructions. Place graham cracker mixture in a spring-form pan. Using the back of a spoon smooth out the graham cracker base along the bottom and sides of the pan. If you have the option to bake or chill the graham cracker mixture opt for baking. After baking the graham cracker crust, set it aside to cool.

2. In a separate bowl mix the cream cheese and sour cream. Add margarine, vanilla extract, almond extract and lemon juice. Combine mixture. (It helps if you let the cream cheese and margarine come to room temperature before mixing)

3. Add 1 egg to cream cheese mixture and blend. Repeat two more times.

4. Add corn starch and sugar to cream cheese batter and mix.

5. Pour cream cheese mixture over graham cracker crust in spring-form pan. Tap on the side of the pan gently to get air bubbles out.

6. Take two pieces of foil and wrap them around the base of the spring-form pan – you want to make a barrier so water does not get into the spring-form pan. Take a deep baking tray that your spring-form pan will fit in. Fill it with water so that it reaches about 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the spring form pan. Place the spring-form pan in the tray and put the tray in the oven.*

7. Bake for an half-hour at 350 degrees. Lower temperature to 325 degrees and bake for another hour. The cheesecake is done when you test the batter with a toothpick or piece of spaghetti and it comes out clean.

8. Remove from oven, set aside and let the cheesecake cool. Once the cake is cool you can add the cherry topping. Chill before serving. Once cool, keep the cheesecake refrigerated.

*I wrapped my spring-form pan and still had a bit of water leakage but it did not affect the cheesecake – if anything it kept the crust moist and prevented it from getting too hard. I’m not sure how it leaked but I think maybe some water may have seeped in when I was walking with the tray. That said, you want to prevent leakage if possible.

When I was approached by Diamond Nuts to share some holiday recipes I jumped at the chance. One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is the food. At that time of year, I loosen my food rules about what I should be eating and as a result, I also often times have to loosen my belt! Sumptuous foods and wonderful smells are linked to memories and it’s hard to think of a holiday memory that isn’t related in some way to something delicious.

Another favorite aspect of the holidays is the sharing part. It’s a time for giving – sharing moments and gifts with friends and family. Sometimes this part can get a little tricky if the purse is a little light but we all know that it’s not the size or price of the gift, it’s the thought and love that went into a gift. That’s why I love gifting something sweet and delicious that I made to friends and family. You can create something with a lot of love that won’t break the bank.

Today I’m sharing two very simple, quick holiday recipes using Diamond Pecan Halves: Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan Butter and Holiday Spiced Pecans. You can double the recipes for larger batches and you’ll need some cute packaging to put the nuts in. These make great gift basket items – just don’t forget to save some for yourself!

Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan Butter Recipe
Inspired by Oh She Glows Dark Chocolate Pecan Butter

1/2 pound pecan halves
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (if you don’t like dark chocolate you can try milk or white chocolate)
1 tsp canola oil
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Place the nuts in a dry pan and set over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll know they are done when they start to brown and smell toasted.

While the pecans are toasting put a small pot of water on to boil. When it comes to a boil take the pot off the heat.

Put the toasted pecan halves in your food processor and process for a few minutes, it can take anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes. During that time, periodically stop the processor and scrape down the pecan mixture that built up on the side of the bowl.

While processing the pecans, add the chocolate, oil and cinnamon to a small glass bowl and put the bowl in the pot of water. (You want to use a bowl that won’t actually touch the water but will hover over the water in the pot). Stir the chocolate, oil and cinnamon together until the chocolate is melted.

When the pecan butter is almost ready add the chocolate mixture and salt to it and process to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl every so often.

Put the pecan butter in a container and store in the fridge. The pecan butter gets firm in the fridge so let it sit at room temperature before using.

Spread the Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan Butter on toast or drizzle on ice cream. Or you can be like me and just eat it by the spoonful!

Holiday Spiced Pecans Recipe
Inspired by Alton Brown’s Spiced Pecans

1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 pound pecan halves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix the salt, allspice, ground cardamom, cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger and nutmeg together in a small bowl and set aside.

Place the nuts in a dry pan and set over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll know they are done when they start to brown and smell toasted. Add the butter and stir while it melts.

Next, add the spice mixture and combine.

Once the butter and spices are mixed in, add the brown sugar, vanilla extract and water, stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture thickens and coats the nuts.

Scoop the nuts onto the prepared tray with parchment paper, making sure to separate the nuts and give them space. The nuts can be stored up to 3 weeks in an airtight container once they have cooled completely.

Happy Holidays and Happy Sharing!

100 years of holiday traditions you just don’t mess with. Classic family recipes call for a classic ingredient. Diamond of California nuts. The only nut good enough for your mom’s mom’s recipes is the only one that should be in yours. Diamond of California. Premium quality nuts since 1912.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Diamond of California via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Diamond of California.