NaBloPoMo -- I DID IT!

OMG I can't believe it! I completed National Blog Posting Month. Without cheating! I can't even tell you how proud of myself I am right now.


What does this mean, you ask?

It means I committed to posting at least once a day for each day in November. And I did! Phew. The puppy is right. I'm pooped. But it was actually really satisfying.

Potato Latkes: Looking for a Good Recipe

So next Tuesday night is the first night of Channukah, and I am planning on making a special meal to celebrate, especially seeing how it's my first one as a Jew-to-be (or, as my hubby and I like to jokingly call me, as a "Jewbie" -- newbie Jew).

Potato latkes, and food cooked with oil, as well as dairy, are traditional Channukah foods. (Can I just pause for a minute and say YUM!) I would love to make my own latkes. But I don't have a family recipe. I'm scouring the internet for a good (and pretty easy, too, if possible!) potato latke recipe, but I thought I'd put the call out here too.

So please, if you have a recipe that this Jewbie could follow to celebrate her first Channukkah, please send it along. I promise to post the winning recipe with photos of my feast.

Chop Garlic First: Your Heart & Health Will Thank You

The New York Times ran a great article on unlocking garlic's health benefits through cooking. I love this -- we all know garlic is good for you, but instead of reaching for a pill, just incorporate it into what you eat!

And for any of you who've been reading this blog for any length of time, you KNOW we love our garlic around Casa Dena.

What thrilled me was to learn that "The concentration of garlic extract used in the latest study was equivalent to an adult eating about two medium-sized cloves per day." What cracked me up was that the NYTimes posited this as a "downside." As if two cloves per day per person is the most ridiculously unachievable goal ever.

Are you kidding me? When I cook, I'm at least getting two cloves per person in there. At least. And when we eat out, if there's a menu item that mentions garlic, I'm all over it. So I'm lucky, I guess.

But really -- I feel like it's an urban myth that garlic is hated because of its strong scent and flavor. But I feel like everyone I know loves it as much as I do. What's going on?

What about you: do you love it or hate it? And if you hate it, do you eat it anyway, because you know it's good for you?

One more important thing to note about cooking with garlic: "Many home chefs mistakenly cook garlic immediately after crushing or chopping it, added Dr. Kraus. To maximize the health benefits, you should crush the garlic at room temperature and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. That triggers an enzyme reaction that boosts the healthy compounds in garlic."

So now, I am chopping my garlic first, trying to give it as much time as possible to do its magical little thing. But no pre-chopped garlic for me; it loses its special oils if it sits around for days. Plus I like cooking from scratch with garlic. And then I can adjust the size of my chop. Sometimes you really do want it sliced thinly, or chopped into larger bits.

My Classic Go-To Meal: Mustard Greens & Rice

One of my standby, go-to, quick & easy meals is brown rice with sauteed greens of some sort. It's tasty, easy, very nutritional, it fills you up, and makes great leftovers.

My husband has a penchant for mustard greens, so I often use these when making this dish. Kale works deliciously too. Any dark, leafy green of your choice would work -- spinach, chard, collards, dandelion greens, and the like.

Dena's Mustard Greens & Rice

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch mustard greens, rougly chopped and rinsed
As much garlic as you like, chopped (we like a lot!)
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
Brown rice for as many people you're feeding -- for 2 people and leftovers, I use 4 cups (you could also totally substitute quinoa!)
Salt & pepper to taste

(Optional items: garbanzo beans or black beans or protein of your choice)

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil. When it's shimmery, add garlic and onion and let them get fragrant and the onion slightly translucent. I actually like to wait until the garlic is just this side of toasty.

Then add your washed greens and toss to coat and get them wilty. If you're using mustard greens, which are a particularly hardy green, cover and let it steam to soften the greens. If you're using something more tender, like spinach or chard, you likely won't even need to do that.

When your greens are a rich dark green color and as wilted as you like them (usually pretty darn wilted), add brown rice and remaining tbsp olive oil and toss to combine. Add any optional items. Then salt and pepper to taste and serve and enjoy!

A variation: at the last minute, when you've added the last tbsp of olive oil, also add a tbsp of your favorite vinegar or lemon juice. Adds a nice acidic counterpoint if you're in the mood for a different flavor.

The Elements of Cooking

Michael Ruhlman's new sideblog based on his new book, The Elements of Cooking: Translating the Chef's Craft for Every Kitchen, is a wonderful way to learn more about the basics of cooking, the foundational building blocks upon which any cook -- whether professional chef or someone like me, who just cooks at home for family and friends -- creates her own flavor and style of cooking.

I found that when I grasped the basics of how certain foods worked -- for example, the different ways garlic will cook: sauteed, toasted, roasted, etc., depending on the heat of your pan and the way you prep it -- I was a better cook and was better able to use and interpret recipes and create dishes on my own.

For me, I realized somewhere along the way that nearly every dish I cook has the same, simple beginnings: a few glugs of olive oil in a medium-hot pan, chopped garlic, and chopped onion. From there, the dish could turn into anything. Add bell pepper and cumin and it is the base for my black beans. Add thyme and rosemary and it's a more sophisticated chicken or steak dish. Now I knew how to improvise and add my own flair to my food.

Anyway, I highly recommend reading Ruhlman's blog...one of his recent posts is on water, which seems so simple, but that bit at the end is something all of us have needed to or could stand to learn at some point:

Keeping the effects of water in mind will help you sauté better. The browning of food adds flavor to the food. But food won’t brown at low temperatures/when water is present. So if you want a piece of meat to brown, make sure its surface is dry. If you want mushrooms to brown, they have to go into a pan that will brown them before they begin releasing their water. Water is fundamental to life and fundamental to cooking.

Food Stories

I love discovering more about the vast and wide world of food without even leaving my kitchen. NPR's "To The Best of Our Knowledge" had a great segment on Food Stories last night. I highly recommend listening to it when you get a chance. I actually recommend listening to it while cooking!

By the way, I am so putting Blue Hill at Stone Barns restaurant on my "To Do Before I Die" List! A restaurant situated on the farm from which all the food comes? THAT is what I'm talkin' about.

My Menu Plan for the Week

Well it's that time again. What to eat at Casa Dena? Especially after last week's Thanksgiving feast? A little of this and a little of that, some of it fond twists and repeats of last Thursday's favorite dishes.

So here's what I came up with:

1. Sunday: Artichoke-Sundried Tomato Ravioli with Chard & Roasted Hazelnuts (great idea from one of my fave food blogs, 101 Cookbooks!)


2. Monday: Balsamic Brussels Sprouts & Red Onion Quinoa


3. Tuesday: Black Beans & Rice


4. Wednesday: Hubby's Favorite Dinner (aka Cornbread, Black-eyed Peas, & Sauteed Greens)


5. Thursday: Roasted Lemon-Garlic Chicken, Roasted Root Vegetables, and French Green Beans with Crispy Shallots


6. Friday: Leftovers
   

And what are you planning to cook this week?

French Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

I got this recipe for our Thanksgiving meal from Everyday Food magazine, and I was expecting it to be pretty decent; the recipe didn't look super special or anything, just like a nice, new take on the tired old classic green bean dishes that show up at everyone's Thanksgiving table.

I was blown away -- this dish was gooooood. It was fresh, bright, very, very tasty, and so incredibly easy to make. And what's more, my husband, who does not like green beans in any way, shape, or form, loved them. In fact, we both loved them so much, I'm making them again this week, and then again for Chanukkah the week after.

Keep in mind this is meant to be served as a cold side/salad of sorts. The green beans are supposed to be cold when served, which also makes this a great dish to bring to a potluck holiday party.

I am offering here my only very slightly modified twist on the original recipe, with many thanks to the creative cooks at Everyday Food for the original!

French Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

1 lb french green beans, trimmed
1 cup vegetable oil
3 shallots, very thinly sliced into rings
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook green beans in boiling water until bright green and crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain into a colander and run cold water over the beans to cool them down and stop the cooking. Leave them in colander to drain and air dry.

In a small saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium-low and let it get good and warm. Working in three batches, fry shallots in oil until golden and crispy, 2-4 minutes per batch. Transfer shallots to paper towels, and season generously with salt.

In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, mustard, and olive oil to combine; season dressing with salt and pepper. Place green beans in serving bowl and drizzle with dressing, then top with fried shallots. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Look-back & Cranberry Relish

Our Thanksgiving was really delicious, I have to admit. Here was our menu:

1. French Green Beans with Crispy Shallots
2. Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Red Onions
3. Roasted Root Vegetables
4. Candied Yams
5. Cranberry Relish
6. Hubby's Best Friend's Family's Dressing
7. White Wine Pan Gravy
8. Roasted Heirloom Turkey
9. Pumpkin Tarte with Straus Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
10. Upper Crust Berry Supreme Pie

And there you have it! I'll post some of the recipes from our amazing Thanksgiving feast in the days to come.

To start, here's what I did for my very own take on cranberry sauce. As I had thought, I made up a combo of my mom's cranberry sauce and a recipe I saw in Everyday Food magazine. It was dee-lish. The vinegar added a tartness and acidity that is really missing from most cranberry sauce, I think, but it wasn't overpowering and just set off the cranberries perfectly.

Dena's Cranberry Relish
(I am using 'relish' as opposed to 'sauce,' not because I know the difference, just cuz it sounded fancier.)

16 ounces (1 lb) fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

In a large saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar.

Remove relish from heat. Let cool to room temperature, and serve or refrigerate.

A Thanksgiving Repast in Photos

I will post more about the recipes and cooking later, but for now, I am just enjoying the photo memories. I hope you do, too. Happy Black Friday, however you're spending it (we're taking the dog on a long walk and staying awaaaay from the shoppers!).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am in the midst of readying hearth and home for guests and our feast, but I will post pictures and more later on.

For now, I wanted to wish you and yours a happy day of gratitude and celebration of abundance.

Now on to trussing Mr. Turkey....

Tantalizing Turkey Trussing

Dude this video is worth watching for the turkey-trussing trick alone.

Look at that woman go with her twine! She could be very popular at Folsom Street Fair with those skills. That turkey looks like it's having a grand old time in her able hands. I wonder if the turkey knows the safeword?

I have bookmarked this video so I can do it myself and follow along tomorrow!

Cranberry Sauce

I heart cranberries. They are one of my very very favorite fruits. Something about their tartness just gets to me. In fact, my mouth is watering as I write this. Ha! Plus they're native to the U.S. and they are so very seasonal.

Anyway, I always look forward to cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving, and today's the day I'm making in mine in preparation for tomorrow.

I have one recipe I know I love -- my mom's -- and I found another that is enticing. I'm thinking of either making two batches or combining the two somehow into one new one. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Can someone tell me, though -- is there a difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry relish? I am assuming it has something to do with the differing amounts of water used, but I don't know for sure.

Mom's Cranberry Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
12-ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained

Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.

Makes 2 1/4 cups

My Twist on Everyday Food's Cranberry Relish

12-ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

In a large saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar.

Remove relish from heat. Let cool to room temperature, and serve (or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days).

Mediterranean Melts

God these are good. Every time my husband sees them on the menu plan for the week, he looks forward to their day. They're easy to make, too.

Mediterranean Melts

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 thick slices whole grain crusty bread
1 lb frozen artichoke hearts
5-6 cloves garlic, sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
olive tapenade
gruyere or fontina cheese (or something similarly creamy and nutty)

Toast bread slices. Meanwhile, defrost artichoke hearts and chop tomatoes and garlic.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and when it shimmers, add garlic. After about 1 minute, add defrosted artichoke hearts. Mix them to coat with olive oil and garlic, and then leave them to get golden. Stir to get them cooking on their other sides, too, but don't let the garlic get too toasty. When the artichoke hearts are sufficiently golden but the garlic's not toasted yet, remove and set aside.

Add remaining tbsp olive oil to skillet and add tomatoes. Let them simmer a bit so they become sauce-like and absorb the garlic flavors from the artichoke hearts.

Meanwhile, spread olive tapenade on each slice of bread. Then top with artichoke-garlic mixture, tomatoes, and a slice of cheese.

Put under broiler for as long as it takes to melt cheese, depending on your oven. Keep an eye on them -- you don't want them to burn!

Then take a bite of gooey heaven. Delicious.

Bacon Makes Everything Better

OMG this bacon flowchart has been cracking me up. Especially the part about making sure one is wearing pants when frying up some bacon. I am dying.

For everyone out there (ahem, including me) who never needs an excuse to add bacon to your day, this one's for you.

My Menu Plan for the Week

It's funny planning for such a big feast like Thanksgiving and still having to remember the daily, regular meals. I am so excited and focused on Thursday's meal that it was hard for me to figure what the what* I was going to make between now and then.

So here's what I was able to come up with:

1. Sunday: Pizza (delivery, from our favorite place)...it's been a long day and we're ready to just crash with some yummy food that will provide leftovers for lunch tomorrow


2. Monday: Roasted Butternut and Chestnut-filled Pumpkin Ravioli with sauteed spinach and lots of garlic and extra virgin olive oil


3. Tuesday: Mustard Greens & Rice


4. Wednesday: Quinoa Pilaf


5. Thursday: Traditional Thanksgiving Meal -- check back in for photos and a few recipes!


6. Friday: Date Night and a break from cooking


7. Saturday: Friends over; playing it by ear as to whether I feel like cooking or not.

And you? What do you have planned for this week?

* Anyone who can name that reference gets bonus points!

Thanksgiving Recipe Round-up

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the idea of a holiday in which we actually carve out and take time to be thankful. And in which we take the time to get together with family, whether it's our family of origin or the family we've created from scratch, and just cook and eat and be together. As my friend Liz says, "I love a holiday that is all about food."

So many of my favorite food blogs and websites are offering up their favorite recipes and tips so I figured rather than re-invent the wheel, I'd do a little round-up of all my favorites in case anyone is looking for a new, or a traditional, Thanksgiving recipe.

I will be posting pics of my Thanksgiving feast (I'm hosting and cooking for the first time!) as well as one of my favorite recipes, which can be made year-round, after the big day.

1. Serious Eats' Serious Thanksgiving - this is like the mother of all recipe roundups. They've got some DELICIOUS sounding recipes from one of my food heroes, Ruth Reichl, and Gourmet, and many, many others.
2. CityMama's Thanksgiving Recipes - one of my favorite food bloggers is posting some unique recipes that she always has on her table.
3. Cook's Illustrated's Thanksgiving Guide - the best of the best. Whenever I want to know how something is supposed to be done, or when I need a recipe that will tell me exactly how I am supposed to do something, I go to them. If they recommend it, it's got to be good.
4. Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Thanksgiving Recipes - I subscribe to this magazine, which is the quick & easy version of Martha's recipes. They've got some good ones that will definitely be on our Thanksgiving table!
   

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Italian Sausage

On Tuesday night, as planned, we had a delicious dish that I like to make when broccoli rabe is in season. I feel like I've seen variations on this dish a lot - in cookbooks and online. This is my take on this dish.

I love broccoli rabe's strong flavor that, to me, enhances a dish. I know a lot of people say that you have to blanch it to reduce its bitterness, but I find simply cooking it as I do below makes it taste just fine.

And as for the Italian sausage part of this dish, as I've mentioned before, I am a fan of faux meat. And often real meat squicks me out when I have to cook with it. So, my discovery of Tofurky's vegetarian Italian sausages was thrilling -- they are YUMMY! My husband, who is not so much a fan of the fake meat, even likes them. In fact, he really likes them. This is a high recommendation, believe you me. You should be able to find them in the refrigerated tofu section of your store. But if you enjoy the real thing, that would of course work very well! Just be sure to remove the casing and sautee until browned.

Dena's Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Italian Sausage

1 pound pasta (as you know, I always use whole wheat)
1 medium onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tofurky Italian sausages, sliced
1 bunch broccoli rabe, roughly chopped and washed
1/2 cup low-sodium, low-fat chicken stock
2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan, grated, to taste

Cook pasta in salted water. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tsp olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat; when it shimmers, add sausage and let it brown on each side. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add 2 tsbp olive oil to skillet and add garlic and onion. When it's fragrant, add broccoli rabe and chicken stock, letting it simmer until broccoli rabe is wilted and tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Add hot pepper flakes, sausage, and pasta to skillet. Toss to coat pasta, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated parmesan on top. Autumnal and yummy!

Dena's Black Beans & Rice

I gotta admit, I make a mean black beans and rice. I do. It's a recipe I've developed slowly but surely over the years, and my husband adores it.

We had it for dinner last night and it was de-lish as usual. It's a great cool weather recipe and it is SO EASY to make! Easy clean-up too, which is nice.

We eat brown rice whenever a recipe calls for rice, but feel free to use white rice if you prefer.

Dena's Black Beans & Rice

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, diced or chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced or chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced or chopped
3 14.5 oz cans organic black beans (I sometimes use 2 25 oz cans instead)
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
Tabasco to taste
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
5 cups cooked brown rice
Jack, provolone, or mild cheddar cheese to top
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat til it shimmers in a large pot or dutch oven. Add garlic and onion til the garlic is almost toasty and the onion is translucent, then add bell peppers and let it all cook together til the peppers are softened, about 2-3 minutes, depending on your stove.

Add 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp oregano, paprika, and Italian seasoning and let the spices bloom, about 1-2 minutes. Add black beans and bay leaf and bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to let it simmer and add remaining cumin, oregano, and Tabasco.

At this point, it's done, so you can serve it whenever you like, but make sure to add vinegar and salt and pepper about 1 minute before you take it off the heat.

I mix the rice into the pot, but you can also serve it over rice instead, making sure to top with cheese. And I always add extra Tabasco to mine, cuz that's just the kind of girl I am. Yum...enjoy!

Monday Night's Steak Dinner

As planned, Monday night the hubby and I had a delicious steak dinner. I used our dear friend Shawn's recipe, and added sides of garlic sauteed spinach and roasted sweet potatoes.

It was freaking delicious. And so easy! This one's going on the repeat playlist for sure.

When I went to the butcher for steak, I wanted a very tender, flavorful cut but didn't want to spend a fortune. While the cuts of filet mignon were calling to me from the display case, their $26.99 per pound price tag kept me away. I love a good filet, and I cook them up for birthday and holiday meals, but for a regular ol' Monday night...not so much. So I was looking for the next best thing. My eyes landed on something called baseball steak, which looked gorgeous and had a price tag of $12.99 per pound. Definitely do-able, but what the heck is baseball steak?

So I asked and my butcher told me that it's part of the whole sirloin cut. The top 4 cuts of beef are, in descending order: filet mignon (often known as tenderloin), rib eye, new york, and sirloin. And that once the sirloin is deconstructed (his word, not mine! made me laugh), it ends up in 3 pieces -- the baseball steak, sirloin, and sirloin tip, with the baseball steak as the choicest of those 3. So...in other words, the baseball steak is the choicest of the worst of the best. Very clear, no?

Anyway, I went for it and both my husband and I (and the dog, who got a few scraps) were extremely pleased with this new little discovery. Baseball steak is a new favorite. (If you google it, you'll find varying accounts of how it got its name -- some say it puffs up when it's cooked, making it round like a baseball, others say it's a cheap cut that you eat after playing baseball.... I don't care. I just call it delicious.)

To prepare the steak, I salted 60 minutes ahead of time and followed the Steak a la Shawn recipe to the letter, and let the steaks rest for 10 minutes after cooking. The pre-salting really helped it develop a nice crust and stay tender, I think.

For the spinach, so easy: chop 4-5 cloves of garlic, add them to a couple tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, let it get fragrant, and then add washed spinach. Toss and keep an eye on it and when it's cooked but still green, serve.

Roasted sweet potatoes, also very easy: Slice 2 sweet potatoes (I used the Japanese variety because I love their unique flavor) into thin-ish rounds. Toss with extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper and spread in one layer on baking sheet. (I always line with aluminum foil for easy clean up.) Pop into pre-heated 425 degree oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, depending on how well done you like them. Hubby likes them very well done.

Locavore named Oxford Word Of The Year

Yes, this is a blog for exchanging recipes. But it is also a blog about food, and in particular, a blog about food as a means towards a more healthy future for ourselves and our planet. Meaning I am all about organic, seasonal, and locally and sustainably grown food.

And so, with that said, I am very excited to learn about the New Oxford American Dictionary's word of the year for 2007: Locavore!

To quote the Oxford website:

"The 'locavore' movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel for transportation."

I first heard/saw this word when I read Barbara Kingsolver's brilliant book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which is basically a chronicle of her family's quest to be locavores for one year in their new home on a farm in Appalachia. Anyone interested in locavorism (is that a word?) would love this book, by the way.

Make Your Own Cookbook!

Oh my god why on earth didn't I come up with this idea? It's brilliant: there's a new online site called Tastebook.com where you can create your own cookbook.

As they put it: "TasteBook makes it easy to create beautiful, personal cookbooks." They're not kidding, either. You can add recipes from Epicurious, Gourmet, and Bon Appetit as well as your own personal recipes. Then they bind it in a hardcover and make it look very, very pretty.

What a great gift idea! And again, I ask: why the heck didn't I think of this???? Sheesh. Anyhow, if you make or one or receive one, I'd love to see pictures! Send 'em on in!

My Menu Plan for the Week

In this week before Thanksgiving, I am staying away from poultry. In fact, both my husband and I were very inspired (read: seduced) by what turned out to be yesterday's Steak Sunday, so we are doing red meat this week for sure!

And here's what's on the menu for this week at Casa Dena:

• Monday: Steak a la Shawn with garlic sauteed spinach and roasted sweet potatoes


• Tuesday: Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Italian Sausage


• Wednesday: Black Beans and Brown Rice


• Thursday: Dena Book Club (ie, dinner out), and Hubby frozen Amy's veggie lasagna with side salad


• Friday: Mediterranean Melts

Y tu? What's cooking at your house this week?

Steak a la Shawn

My husband's best friend Shawn, who is also a dear friend to me, has submitted a delicious and VERY quick and easy steak recipe. I am drooling already....

Shawn's Cabernet Filet Mignon

Serves 4

2 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp crushed dried rosemary
4 filets of beef/beef tenderloins, 1" thick (4–6 ounces each), properly salted 60 minutes ahead of time, of course!
2 tbsp transfat-free margarine or butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup Cabernet or dry red wine

Combine the pepper and the rosemary in a large bowl. Coat both sides of the steak with the mixture.

Heat the margarine or butter and oil in a skillet (NOT a non-stick) until hot. Add the steaks and cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes (flipping ONCE halfway so as to develop that delicious crust) for medium-rare; a minute or so shorter if you like your filet rare, a minute or so longer if you like your filet more well done.

Remove the steaks from the skillet and cover to keep them warm, letting them rest so the juices re-distribute. Add the wine to the skillet and deglaze the skillet, bringing to a boil over high heat, scraping particles from the bottom of the skillet. Boil for about 1 minute or until the liquid is reduced by half. Spoon the sauce over the steaks, serve, and enjoy.

Salting Your Steak

Mmmm...steak. There's nothing like a grass-fed juicy steak with that seared-in crust. And now we have the secret to that delicious steaky-ness: salting 60 minutes ahead of time. It sounds kinda crazy, but if Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen says to do it, I believe it.

How To Chop an Onion

One of my fave food bloggers has posted a FANTASTIC step by step photo tutorial on how to chop an onion, with special tips on how to do it with fewer tears!

She mentions my method, which is to refrigerate them; for some reason, a cold onion produces fewer tears. I've also heard that chewing gum while chopping onions helps. Go figure.

On Recipes

One of my favorite food blogs, 101 Cookbooks, posted a great entry yesterday about recipes and cooking. I encourage you to check it out and read the whole thing. I'll quote my favorite part here:

Recipes are not assembly manuals. You can’t use them the way you use instructions to put together your grill or the rec room Ping-Pong table. Recipes are guides and suggestions for a process that is infinitely nuanced. Recipes are sheet music. A Bach cello suite can be performed at a beginner’s level or given extraordinary interpretation by Yo-Yo Ma—same notes/ingredients, vastly different outcomes.

Megan's Portabello Broccoli Quiche with Tempeh

We have another recipe from Megan. Yay! This one takes about 45 minutes, but is one she makes often, as it is always a crowd (or partner) pleaser. We have Whole Foods to thank for this one. (Who knew they had recipes?)

By the way, I am personally very excited about this recipe because I heart tempeh. Seriously, I think if given a choice between tempeh and any other protein, I would choose tempeh. I know, I'm weird. If you've never cooked or eaten tempeh before, fear not. Think of it as you would tofu. It just has (in my opinion) a much better flavor, texture, and consistency and feels more substantial. (Plus I like it because it is uses the whole soybean, as opposed to tofu which does not, making tempeh a whole food with all of the accompanying health benefits.)

Megan's Portabello Broccoli Quiche with Tempeh

Serves 6

4 ounces tempeh, cut into bite-size squares
2 tablespoons shiitake mushroom sauce, or teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups Portabello mushrooms, chopped
1 cup broccoli flowers, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
4 eggs
1/2 cup yogurt or soy yogurt
1/2 cup plain soymilk
salt, to taste, if desired
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
1/2 cup grated white cheese, such as provolone, Swiss, or soy cheese
3 thinly sliced red pepper rings

Marinate the tempeh in mushroom or teriyaki sauce for 1/2 hour. Sauté in oil until browned. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sauté the onion, mushrooms, and broccoli in olive oil for 7 minutes with salt and pepper. Add this to the tempeh. In a separate bowl, whip together the eggs with the yogurt and soymilk. Add the tempeh veggie mixture, seasoning with salt, if desired. Pour into pie shell. Top with grated cheese. Lay the red pepper rings over the top and bake for 45 minutes. Allow this to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Zoe's Bachelor Dinners

One of my very best friends in the whole world, Zoe, has graciously responded to my call for quick and easy recipes with her very favorite go-to meals, which most definitely fall under the Bachelor Dinner category. And this one's a two-fer! I quote verbatim below.

(And no, she's not kidding. This is really how she's always eaten for as long as I've known her, which at this point is going on 13 years.)

Zoe's notes: honestly, it's usually popcorn! for real. mmm.

a few ways i like my popcorn:

• canola oil and kernels in pan on stove - then add sea salt


• airpopped, with lots of butter and salt


• laziest of all: microwave mmm.


• south beach alternative? edamame, sea salt...

sometimes, chicken smashed thin, dipped in egg, panko crumb things, olive oil all pan fried up. mmmm.

Leanna's Bachelor Dinner

My friend Leanna has given us this recipe to try. I have heard her call it "Burrito in a Bowl," but for today's theme, it is now Leanna's Bachelor Dinner, especially given its versatility.

Leanna's notes: I don’t work from recipes that often and I rarely cook anything the same way twice, so actually trying to share a recipe requires a little bit of thought.

Unless of course all my recipes are:

1. Open can


2. Throw whatever is in refrigerator that sounds good with can contents – providing it has not spoiled – into frying pan or microwavable bowl


3. Season to taste


4. Heat


5. Grate cheese of choice over top


6. Serve with chips

If it is hot outside, omit step 4, unless eggs or onions sounded good with contents of can.

Bachelor Dinner Thursday

I asked my friends to submit recipes that were quick & easy, their "go-to meals." I got lots of great recipes back. And two that fall into the category that I like to call "Bachelor Dinners."

We all know what these are -- back in the day when I was single, I could easily make dinner out of tortilla chips and salsa. Or peanut butter, a spoon, and a hunk of yummy bread. The two recipes I'll be sharing with you today are an homage to the Bachelor Dinner. Because even when our single days are long past, we all fall back on these old favorites every once in a blue moon or two.

And I am all about eschewing food snobbery, so Bachelor Dinner Thursday it is.

Feel free to submit your own tried and true Bachelor Dinner by posting a comment!

Zee's Vegetarian Lasagna

A reader, Zee, has submitted a recipe for what sounds like a great vegetarian lasagna. As some of you know, I myself was a vegetarian for 10 years, until I had a craving for steak 7 years ago to which I just had to give in. I've been happily giving into it ever since. (Though I am very particular about where my meat comes from, what it was fed, and how it was raised.)

But because of my vegetarian roots, I am still a huge fan of faux meat, finding it oddly fascinating and satisfying. And if you read my weekly menu plans, you already know that we eat mostly vegetarian in Casa Dena, simply because it is easier, cheaper, and generally more healthy. That and sometimes I get grossed out when I have to cook meat with my bare hands, so I try to keep it to a minimum. Cooking with meat I can trust does help with the ick factor, though.

So I thank Zee for her submission and hope to get more from readers!

Zee's notes: This recipe isn't quite a veggie lasagna, per se. It's more of a fake meat lasagna. I'm vegetarian, but I missed my mom's lasagna from when I was growing up, so my mom and I came up with this recipe! It's quick and easy and tastes like home.

It's basically your typical lasagna recipe with a few twists. Here are my ingredients:

9 lasagna noodles
Mozzarella (grated) - be sure to save a few thin slices for the top! (something I always forget)
Ricotta
Parmesan
Egg
A jar of your favorite red sauce (I tend to use one with chunks of tomatoes in it to add more texture)
A tube of Gimme Lean(tm) fake sausage (it comes just like tubed sausage - you have to brown it and everything! - can be found where you'd find tofu and other Veggie friendly options)
Parsley
Maple syrup

Cook noodles according to package directions. Brown "sausage" then add red sauce and a little maple syrup (sounds weird, but the syrup gives it a little sweet tang that I love).

Mix grated mozzarella, ricotta, egg, and parsley in a bowl.

Layer thus: smear the bottom of your casserole dish with 1/3 of your "meat" mixture, cover with three noodles, add blobs of cheese mixture on top of noodles. Rinse, repeat until your noodles are gone (three layers). Meat, noodles, cheese.

On the top, along with your little blobs of cheese, add your slices of mozzarella and some grated parmesan, covering noodles as completely as possible to avoid burning.

Cook at 350F for about 30 minutes or until your cheese is all bubbly.

Hope you enjoy!

Dena's Pasta a la Grecque

I lived in Williamstown, Massachusetts for five years, several years ago. During this time, there were few restaurants in this quaint little New England town, and I visited nearly every single one in existence there at the time.

One of Williamstown's restaurants, Michael's, is one of those funny (and, I find, distinctly unique to the East Coast) hybrids of Italian and Greek cuisines. My favorite dish there was what the menu called "Pasta a la Grecque." Where it got this fancy-schmantzy name, I do not know.

Determined to make it at home, I studied the simple ingredients and came up with my own version. I've been making it ever since. It is still yummy.

(A note: when I first started making this dish, I was still eating regular pasta at home. I have since changed my ways and eat only whole grain pasta at home. The choice of pasta you use is, of course, up to you.)

Dena's Pasta a la Grecque

Serves 4

1 lb. pasta of your choice (I use Trader Joe's organic whole wheat)
1 1/4 lbs. broccoli, both heads and stalks chopped - slice the stalks pretty thin
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
Olive oil
Feta cheese (I use light feta, which actually works perfectly fine)

Set pasta water to boil, making sure to salt it. Cook pasta to al dente and drain, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.

Set a large skillet on medium heat and add pine nuts. Stir every minute and a half or so, letting them brown and grow fragrant. When they are as brown and toasty as you would like -- for me, this is after about 4-5 minutes -- set the pine nuts aside.

Meanwhile, chop broccoli, garlic, and onion. When pine nuts are done and out of skillet, turn up heat to medium-high and add 2 tbsp olive oil; when it is shimmery, add garlic and onion. When they are fragrant and the garlic is nearly toasted and the onion is translucent, set them aside (with pine nuts is fine). Add 1 tbsp olive oil to skillet and add broccoli. Toss with olive oil to coat; add 1 tbsp water and cover to let it cook through and steam a little, for about 5 minutes.

When broccoli is cooked through, add pine nuts, onion, and garlic back into skillet, along with drained pasta and reserved pasta water. Toss it all together with another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil if you wish, add salt and pepper, and serve with plenty of feta cheese on top.

And yes, this was last night's dinner, according to plan.

New-Fangled Cooking

There's an interesting article in today's New York Times about the rise of the use of chemicals ("obscure starches and proteins usually relegated to the lower reaches of ingredient labels on products like Twinkies") by high-end chefs. Am I an unimaginative old fogey if I admit that that is just not appealing to me? That what I want in my food, high-end or otherwise, is simplicity?

I mean, on one hand, I say fine, cool, go for it. I am all for a wide and expanding universe of food and creativity, so I am glad these chefs and their restaurants exist, on some level. If someone is interested in eating that kind of food, they can go to those restaurants.

But that someone will not be me. The kind of food that thrills and entices me is the stuff being created and served at places like Chez Panisse, the French Laundry, and the Farmer's Diner -- elegant in its simplicity, full of flavor without anything added other than what nature gave the ingredients. Always organic, local, and seasonal. And if grown in the backyard, even better. That's the food I seek out and seek to make in my own kitchen.

Am I just being food-ly small-minded?

Robin's Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala

Remember my friend Robin? There is a reason she's one of my food heroes. She's a tester for America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated! Did I tell you or did I tell you.

Turns out she was inspired to make homemade Indian food last week, too, but her recipe is...well, let's just say there's no jarred simmer sauces involved. Her recipe sounds delicious, so I'm sharing it here on what has turned out to be Indian Food Monday.

Robin's Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala

Robin's note: I tested Chicken Tikka Masala for Cook's Illustrated and although it doesn't match the restaurant version, it's still damn good and 2 lbs. of chicken means you are not fighting over the 8 skimpy pieces take-out places usually serve you. Make the whole friggin batch because it makes good lunches for the next day....

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

INGREDIENTS
Chicken Tikka
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala (see note above)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

See Illustrations at Cook's Illustrated for Chicken Tikka Masala

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Homemade Indian Take-out

This is what we had for dinner last Friday night, and it was soooooo good. My husband went bonkers over it, so we're having it again this week.

It's yummy, very nutritious, and easy. What more could you ask for?

(A note: as always, the ingredients I use are organic and local whenever possible -- meaning whenever I can find them. Luckily for me, in my case, everything but the simmer sauce and canola oil was organic!)

Dena's Homemade Indian Take-out

Serves 4

2 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, diced
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
4 medium-sized red potatoes, cubed
1 block firm tofu
3 cups frozen spinach or 5 cups fresh spinach
1 jar of Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce (yes, this is the secret ingredient!)
As much brown rice as you prefer - we use 1 cup per serving

First, set the tofu to drain: shake off excess water, place it on a plate, place another plate on top, and then set a heavy book (I use my largest cookbook) on top to squeeze the water out. Leave it for 15 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, chop vegetables. Par-boil potatoes and cauliflower so they are almost done but not quite.

Drain water from tofu and then dice uniformly. Fry it up in 2 tbsp canola oil set on medium-high heat, tossing frequently in your largest skillet -- I use a fantastic non-stick 12-inch skillet instead of a wok; it has more surface space so food doesn't crowd and thus steam instead of crisp. When the tofu is as browned as you would like (for me, this is after about 10 minutes or so), set tofu aside.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to pan and add garlic and onion. When they are fragrant, add tofu back into pan. Let tofu absorb flavors for about 1-2 minutes, then add in spinach. After 1 or 2 minutes, add cauliflower and potatoes and entire jar of simmer sauce. Set heat to medium-low and let it all simmer together.

Serve over brown rice and enjoy a very hearty and healthy meal with no ordering, driving, or picking up involved. This would also be delicious with garbanzo beans added or subbed for tofu. Next time I'm going to use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes.

My Menu Plan for the Week

My goal is to post my menu plan each Sunday. Whenever I see other bloggers' weekly menu plans, I get totally inspired. So I hope that mine might offer some sort of the same inspiration, too.

And of course, my posts for the week(s) to follow, when they are not a recipe shared by someone else, will be follow-ups to this menu plan. So if you see something which sounds yummy, or by which you're intrigued, or that leaves you wondering "what the heck is that," just keep checking back in.

• Sunday: Black Bean Burgers and Side Salad


• Monday: Pasta a la Grecque


• Tuesday: Kate's Creamy Mushroom Polenta


• Wednesday: Dinner out (ie, we're not cooking at home)


• Thursday: Homemade Indian Take-out


• Friday: Tofu Stirfry

And even though it's pretty evident, Saturday is always Date Night -- aka Dinner Out or Ordered In -- in our house. If we ever plan to cook, I'll include Saturday in my menu plan.

What are you eating this week?

Hubby's Favorite Dinner

My husband's most favorite dinner in the whole world is homemade cornbread, black-eyed peas, and sauteed greens of any sort. This is what we had for dinner on Thursday, as planned. Don't be scared off by what seems like many steps -- it's actually a super simple supper to put together, as you do the peas and the greens in the 20 minutes that the cornbread is baking.

Also, if you're not a baker, don't be afraid! I'm not a baker either. Cornbread is unbelievably easy to make, and very very forgiving. It does not require the precision of regular baking. I promise.

Dena's Cornbread, Black-eyed Peas, & Greens

First, the cornbread:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

Combine 1 cup corn meal, 1 cup whole wheat flour (you can of course substitute all-purpose if you prefer), 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in medium mixing bowl.

Combine 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and 1 large egg in a small bowl; mix well until egg is distributed throughout.

Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

While bread is baking:

Mince 6-8 cloves garlic and throw half into 2 tbsp olive oil in 2-3 quart pot set on medium-high. Let it get fragrant and yellow, then add 3 cans organic black-eyed peas. Stir and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Then add salt to taste, a dash of cumin, and 1 tsp of garlic powder. Set it to medium-low to simmer.

Roughly chop greens of your choice -- I used dino kale -- and rinse. Add remaining 3-4 cloves of garlic to 2 tbsp olive oil in large saute pan set on medium-high. When garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes later, add greens and toss with tongs. Let them sit for about a minute and toss again. Repeat until greens are vibrant green color and slightly wilted. Move off heat and serve immediately alongside cornbread topped with black-eyed peas.

Garnish with plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper and enjoy extremely comforting food.

NaBloPoMo -- I'm doing it!

This is such a little baby blog, but I'm going for it and joining in the festivities of National Blog Posting Month (aka NaBloPoMo).

Which means: I am pledging to post every day for the month of November.

Yikes. But given how excited I am about my new pet blog, it might not be that hard. And given I cook nearly every night and how many of my friends are into cooking, I don't think I should be lacking for posts.

So....if you haven't submitted a recipe yet, please do! I've got 28 days of recipes to be posted stretching ahead of me!

Pigs are flying

OMG Anthony Bourdain: a) has a 6-month-old baby daughter and b) quit smoking!

I never thought I'd see the day. Good for him, though, for doing it and talking about it.

Moroccan Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew with Quinoa

As predicted in my menu plan for the week, last night I made a new recipe for the first time: taking a cue from my Everyday Food magazine, I made Moroccan Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew. They suggested putting it over cous cous, but I opted for quinoa instead.

It was delicious. I'll definitely be making this one again, with some tweaks for the future. Hubby doesn't love sweet food, so I'll be lowering the amount of cinnamon, and we both think garlic makes everything better, so I'll be adding that in next time.

This is a perfect hearty autumn meal. It seemed very Halloween-appropriate, too, given its stunning orange colors.

Dena's Twist on Moroccan Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew with Quinoa

Serves 4

1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches long), peeled
1 cinnamon stick
1 32 oz. carton reduced-sodium, low fat chicken broth
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total), cut into 1-inch chunks
2 pinches ground coriander
2 pinches ground cumin
Pinch of curry powder
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups quinoa
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional - hubby doesn't like cilantro so we skipped this, but I can see how it'd be yummy)

Place flour in a wide, shallow bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in flour, shaking off excess. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken, and cook in batches until browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.

Add onion, ginger, and cinnamon to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and pinches of seasonings, and as much broth as needed to cover sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Return chicken to pot when a few minutes are left so as to cook it all the way through and let it absorb flavors. Discard ginger and cinnamon. Stir in lemon juice, and season stew with salt and pepper.

While stew is simmering, prepare quinoa: rinse quinoa under running water. Combine 3 cups water (I use chicken stock to give it that nice rich flavor – low sodium and low fat, of course) and 2 cups rinsed quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Serve chicken stew over quinoa, garnished with cilantro, if desired.