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Mission Fiesta

Posted on September 24, 2010 by amydeline

Tomorrow afternoon we will celebrate my little one’s second birthday. Where in the world did two years go?? It seems like only yesterday that I was waddling around, anxiously awaiting his birth. And now he’s this tiny little man. So utterly perfect.

I really love throwing birthday parties. There’s a good possibility that I actually enjoy throwing the party more than the kids enjoy celebrating the party. And with a little bit of thoughtful planning, I find it to be a relatively stress-free and enjoyable experience. In my opinion, a stress-free party is all about planning a menu which can be mostly prepared the day before and requires minimal fuss on the day off. I like dishes served cold or at room temperature or trays of food which can be reheated in the oven, while still maintaining their fresh taste and appearance. I avoid things like burgers, which need to be cooked in batches during the party and usually result in people standing around waiting for the platter to be refilled. I think burgers are great for barbecues, but for birthday parties, I like all the food to find its way to the table at the same time. Just my personal preference.

I also like to vary our party menus so that there’s always something new for our guests to enjoy. I’ve also got a few party standards, which I make again and again, like the Dinosaur Bar B Que Macaroni Salad. For this little fiesta, I’ll be serving an assortment of sandwiches and salads. Hopefully there will be a little something to delight everyone’s tastebuds.

Sandwich and Salad Party Menu

Sandwiches

Waldorf Chicken Salad on Pain de Campagne

Egg Salad on Marble Rye

Honey-Roasted Turkey Breast with Lorraine Swiss, Thinly Sliced Pears and Honey-Mustard on Mutligrain Baguette

PB&J on White

Roast Beef, Cheddar, and Apple with Horseradish Sauce on Onion Rolls

Prosciutto and Figs with Gorgonzola Cream on French Baguette

Fresh Mozzarella and Roasted Red Tomatoes with Basil Pesto on Ciabatta

Salads

Dinosaur Bar B Que Macaroni Salad

Greek Couscous Salad

Ambrosia Salad

Napa Cabbage  Salad

Today’s mission was simple. Prepare as much of the food as possible.

I started with the Ambrosia Salad. Ambrosia is a childhood favorite of mine. Seriously, it’s hard to disappoint kids with a salad whose main ingredient is marshmallows. My Aunt Theresa is the queen of ambrosia, so I use her recipe, which couldn’t be simpler. There are no set measurements and it’s almost impossible to mess up. Simply mix a bag of mini marshmallows with a can or two of strained mandarin oranges and a can or two of strained pineapple tidbits. Then mix in about 1/2 cup of sour cream. If desired, throw in a cup of shredded coconut. Stir and refrigerate. Make a few hours or a day ahead of time. If desired, garnish with marashino cherries.

Next, I got to work on the Greek Couscous Salad, another simple and delicious side salad. Simply cook some couscous according to package directions. Allow it to cool for a few minutes. Then, I made a greek vinaigrette using lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, a bit of greek seasoning, salt and pepper. Toss the couscous in the dressing. Throw in some crumbled feta cheese, chopped kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes.

The macaroni salad is one of my recurring regulars. I use the Dinosaur Bar B Que recipe, found in their cookbook. As I’ve mentioned before, I have a bit of an aversion to mayonnaise. So, I tend to avoid salads dripping in mayo. The Dinosaur recipe is hands-down my favorite macaroni salad, since it incorporates a good amount of creole mustard into the dressing, which cuts the mayo consistency. The flavor is fantastic! The salad starts with a pound of small pasta shells. Throw in some chopped celery, tomatoes, and green peppers. For the dressing, combine a cup of mayo (Hellmans, of course) with 1/4 cup of Creole Mustard. (I tend to add a bit more mustard). Add a teaspoon of brown sugar, 4 cloves of minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss the dressing with the pasta and veggies, then refrigerate to cool.

My egg salad recipe couldn’t be simpler. Hard boil some eggs. Cool the eggs under cold running water. Remove the shells and cut the eggs in half. Remove the yolks and place in a bowl. Use a fork to crush the yolks. Combine with enough mayonnaise and mustard until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Chop the egg whites and add to the bowl. Slice a few green onions and add. Stir until well mixed.

I prepared my recipe for Waldorf Chicken Salad, which you can find here and my Basil Pesto recipe, which you can find here. To keep things simple tomorrow, I also sliced the mozzarella and the figs and prepared the honey-mustard sauce, horseradish sauce, and gorgonzola cream for the sandwiches.

For dessert, I baked my little guy a giant cupcake, using my favorite chocolate cake recipe, found here. I decorated the top with a dumptruck and candy rocks, per his request.


I made a double batch of the cake batter, so that I could bake some cupcakes. But, I way overfilled the cupcake pan, which caused the cakes to overflow. They began to fall apart when I tried to remove them from the pan. They were not in any condition for frosting. So, rather than waste the perfectly tasty cakes, I made Muddy Cups; a perfect addition to the Construction theme we’ve got going on. I stuffed the slightly mangled cupcakes into the bottom of small plastic cups. Then I covered them with a scoop of chocolate pudding and sprinkled them with crushed Oreos and candy rocks.

I’ll also be serving a Caramel Apple Cake and Peanut Butter and Jelly Baklava. Those recipes will follow at a later date.


It was a productive day and we’re in good shape for tomorrow’s party. All that remains for tomorrow is composing the actual sandwiches, baking the Caramel Apple Cake, and decorating, of course! Should be a fun, stress-free, and tasty party!

4 Comments

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Bloody Molten Lava Cakes

Posted on September 23, 2010 by amydeline

Is anyone else as excited about the Season 5 premiere of Dexter as I am?? I should be spending the day preparing for my little guy’s upcoming birthday party. Yet instead, I’m thinking of that lovable serial killer and dreaming up culinary ways to celebrate his return to TV. I found myself thinking…WWDE? What would Dexter eat?

Well, we know he’s a blood splatter analyst by profession. And I guess you could say that he’s got a thing for blood during his recreation time as well. But despite his penchant for blood, he’s got a sweet side. He’s a father, a brother, and a reliable coworker; an all-around swell guy, by outward appearances, at least. In truth, he’s hiding a horrifying secret.

Bloody, sweet, and secretive. I could only think of one thing which fits that bill. Bloody Molten Lava Cakes. Sweet white chocolate cakes, accented with rich cocoa and orange liquer and colored with a good dose of bloody red. Serve the individual cakes hot out of the oven with fresh orange supremes. As you cut into the tender cake, you’ll discover the secret which lies within; a bloody red, hot molten center.

These little cakes would be a great treat for a Dexter viewing party or even for a Halloween gathering. And aside from being a cute, kitchy TV-themed treat, they’re actually a really delicious dessert. I started with a traditional recipe for Molten Lava Cakes and adjusted from there to achieve a rich, red color and a white chocolate-orange flavor. The batter comes together in a pinch and they only take 14 minutes to bake!

White Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup White Chocolate Chips
  • 7 Tbsp Butter
  • 1/3 cup Flour
  • 3/4 cup Confectioner’s Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder*
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 Egg Yolks
  • 1 Tbsp Orange Liquer
  • 1 Orange, supremed**
  • Red Gel Food Coloring***
  • Confectioner’s Sugar, for garnish
  • Butter or Vegetable Shortening, for greasing ramekins

* For an even redder result, you can skip the cocoa powder

** To see my photo guide on How to Supreme an Orange, click here.

***If your supermarket doesn’t carry gel food coloring, check the baking section of your local craft store.

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease four ramekins with butter or vegetable shortening. Melt the white chocolate chips and butter over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Add the flour, sugar, and cocoa. Stir to combine. Add the eggs, egg yolks, and liquer. Stir until smooth. Add several drops of red gel food coloring and stir. Equally divide the batter amongst the four ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake on the middle oven rack for 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a minute or two. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen. Then, invert the cakes over a serving plate. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and garnish with orange supremes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4


Season 5 of Dexter premieres this Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 9:00 on Showtime. Don’t miss it!

We'll start cooking for his birthday party tomorrow.

15 Comments

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Shaved Apple-Fennel Salad

Posted on September 22, 2010 by amydeline

This past weekend, we took the boys apple-picking. As I’ve mentioned after our berry picking excursions, the boys are highly skilled fruit pickers. The looks of concentration on their faces, as they go about their work, is priceless. And we always end up with far more fruit than we needed.

Such was the case this past weekend. The boys moved through the aisles of apple trees with focused eyes and hands, proudly filling their bags with ripe McIntosh and Cortland apples, until the bags were too heavy to be carried. We brought home at least a peck per picker. In layman’s terms, that’s a boat-load of apples. **Author’s note: The more accurate descriptor of our quantity of apples is a poop-load, but it struck me as unappealing to use the word poop in a blog about food. Oh drats, it seems that I wrote it anyway.

Well, when you’ve got a poop-load of freshly-picked apples sitting around, you need to start thinking creatively. Of course, I could bake more apple crisp, but since I gorged myself with it again last night (after consuming a massive BLT) I think it’s better for my waistline that I refrain from baking any more. Apple pie would, of course, be delicious. But, then I’d face the same self-control problem I’m having with the apple crisp in my fridge. So, thinking on the lighter side, I decided to incorporate some of the fresh, crisp apples into a salad with a bit of thinly shaved fennel and a white balsamic vinaigrette.

Fennel conjures up strong images of Thanksgiving at my Italian Grammy’s house. Thanksgiving at my Grammy’s house is a marathon of eating, which challenges even my expert ability to overeat. It starts with an antipasto platter; layers of rolled meats and cheese, adorned with spicy peppers, marinated mushrooms and artichokes, and black olives, dressed in a spicy, tangy vinaigrette. Following the antipasto, we sit down at the table for fruit salad. Then, the pasta course comes out; typically a lasagna, baked ziti, or stuffed shells with garlic bread. And then, after all of that meat and cheese and fruit and pasta and the occasional stolen dessert cookie; then we sit down for a traditional Thanksgiving meal; turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, creamed onions, green beans, cranberry sauce, and rolls. After which, there is dessert, of course; usually a selection of pies, cookies, cheesecakes, and trifle. It’s quite the feast.

So, where’s the fennel come in? Well, before the feast begins, there are nuts, olives, and fennel. As a child, the presence of this strange, celery-looking, licorice-tasting vegetable alongside the olives always confused me. Even more confusing was that my Italian family members pronounced it in a way which sounded like FUH-nook. But then again, I was also taught to pronounce ricotta like Rrrr-GOAT (don’t forget to roll your r’s) and mozzarella like Mootz-a-REL.

In my mind, fennel equals Thanksgiving at Grammy’s. I’ve never actually used fennel in any of my own recipes, but I was inspired recently by a salad which was featured in my grocery store’s seasonal magazine. Their salad blended fennel with oranges and onions over spinach in a vinaigrette. I’m taking inspiration from the apples in making my own twist on a fennel salad, using a light, crisp white balsamic vinegar in my dressing. If you can’t find white balsamic, you can easily substitute regular balsamic. The tastes are similar. The addition of walnuts and applewood smoked bacon to the salad add a wonderful complement in flavors and a perfect bit of crunch.

Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 Apples
  • 1 Fennel Bulb
  • 6 cups Spinach
  • 1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
  • 6 Slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled*

For the Dressing

  • 1/4 cup White Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/3 cup Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Mustard
  • Salt and Pepper

*Use applewood smoked bacon, if available.

Directions

Cut the apples in half and remove the core. Cut the fennel bulb in half. Using a mandoline slicer, very thinly slice the apples and fennel bulb. If you don’t have a mandoline, use a knife to slice the apples and fennel as paper-thin as possible. Make the dressing by whisking together all ingredients. Toss the spinach in a small amount of dressing. Divide the spinach onto four plates. Toss the apples and fennel in a small amount of dressing. Place a mound of the dressed apples and fennel on top of the spinach. Top with walnuts and crumbled bacon.

Serves 4


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Apple Walnut Crisp

Posted on September 21, 2010 by amydeline

I ate apple crisp and ice cream for dinner last night. There, I said it. We might as well be honest with each other. I had dessert for dinner. It wasn’t an accident or the result of poor self-control. It was a conscious decision, well thought out and carefully calculated.

You see, I subscribe to my own personal balance theory of healthy living. I love food and I’m almost always hungry. Whereas my husband can easily go for six hours or more between meals, I’m hungry again two hours after a big meal. Every two hours or so, my belly sounds the alarm and if the response isn’t immediate, hunger anger ensues. Ask my husband what I’m like during a hunger anger attack. It’s not pretty.

The Face of Hunger Anger

Anyway, back to balance. I like to eat and I eat a lot. So, in order to counter the effects of my endless appetite on my waistline, I seek balance. I usually find it through a healthy breakfast and a light lunch. Healthy snack selections, staying active with the kids, and a few runs every week help too. The combination of these behaviors allows me a little leeway with a few indulgent cheesy, delicious dinners and the occasional gooey, sweet treat.

But recently, my neat little healthy-living balance equation has been thrown off by the early sunset. I’d had a good routine going for a while. Put the kids to bed at seven, then hit the pavement for while. But, lately it’s nearly dark by the time the kids are in bed. I’ve lost my run time. I need to rework my running routine.

In the mean time, I’ve got this little gap in my balance equation, which means I need to be a little more careful on the indulgent side. So, this afternoon, when I pulled the apple crisp out of the oven and gave it a little taste test, I knew I needed a plan. The problem was that the moment that first bite hit my mouth, I knew that a small, reasonably sized portion wasn’t going to satisfy me. No. I know myself all too well. Only a heaping bowl of the hot, cinnamon-doused apples, mounded with crispy nuts and oats, and a huge scoop of vanilla bean ice cream would fit the bill.  It wouldn’t matter how much or how little I ate at dinner. I’d eat a heaping bowl of that apple crisp for dessert, even if it hurt me to do so.

A heaping bowl of apple crisp and ice cream, tacked on to the end of an already full day of eating, would most definitely throw off the balance. So, I did the only thing I could think of and substituted the apple crisp for dinner. Balance maintained. Well, sort of.

Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

Apple Walnut Crisp

Ingredients

For the Apples

  • 6 cups Apples; cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • Dash of Nutmeg

For the Walnut Streusel Topping

  • 1 cup Flour
  • 2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 2/3 cup Walnuts, chopped
  • 2/3 cup Oats
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 stick Butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 13×9 baking dish. Toss the apples with the sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, vanilla, and nutmeg. Pour the apples into the prepared baking dish. For the topping, mix together the flour, sugar, walnuts, oats, and cinnamon. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir until combined. The mixture should appear slightly moist and crumbly. Generously sprinkle the topping over the apples. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream.


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Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Pie

Posted on September 20, 2010 by amydeline

You may be starting to suspect that I’ve got a little problem with Chocolate and Peanut Butter. First, the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie, then the Funny Bone Cupcakes, and now this; Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Pie. The first step towards recovery is admitting you have a problem, right? So, yeah. Maybe I’ve got a little thing for chocolate and peanut butter. But, cancel the intervention. It’s a lost cause. You’ll never get me to stop combining the two.

For today’s version of this fantastic flavor combination, I’ve made a peanut butter cheesecake, sprinkled with chocolate chips and baked in a chocolate cookie crust. It’s super simple to make and incredibly satisfying.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 Chocolate Cookie Pie Crust, homemade or store-bought
  • 1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
  • 2 (8-ounce) bars Cream Cheese, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup Peanut Butter, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 tsp Vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scatter most of the chocolate chips in the bottom of the pie crust, reserving some for the top. Beat together the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla until well combined. Add the eggs and blend for another minute or two until well combined. Spread the batter over the chocolate chips. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the center appears set. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for about an hour. Then, refrigerate until completely cool.

I should warn you, we took the kids apple picking yesterday. I foresee quite a few apple recipes in the near future.

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Asian Chicken Salad in Phyllo Bowl

Posted on September 18, 2010 by amydeline

Syracuse, New York was recently given the distinction by Farmer’s Almanac as being the #1 Worst Winter Weather city in the United States. Speaking for all Syracusians, I’d like to express our sincerest gratitude for this special honor. We’re all truly humbled by this special recognition. We’d like to thank Mother Nature, Queen Frostine, and Madam Lake-Effect-Snow. We couldn’t have done it without you all.

A Lion on the Clearwater Beach Dunes...moments before he charged at me and bit my thigh

Winters are a truly cold and snowy mess up here. So, you may understand why my family ran away to Florida last year. We hopped in the car and drove ourselves down for a month-long winter reprieve. While there, my husband worked as he would work up here. And I tended to the family, as I would tend to the family up here. We just did it all in the Florida warmth. The modern luxury of telecommuting is a priceless gem.

Playing in the sand, while waiting for a table at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill

We retreated to an area called Clearwater Beach, where we rented a townhouse, which was situated a block from the Gulf of Mexico. Most nights, I cooked, as I would at home. But, we also enjoyed some of the local beachfront dining options. The place that became our favorite was called Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill. The menu featured a predictable selection of salads, sandwiches, burgers, and seafood. But the sunsets were always beautiful, the pitchers of Sangria were oversized, and the food never failed to hit the spot.

During our stay in Clearwater Beach, I became somewhat addicted to the Rockaway Grill’s Asian Chicken Salad; crisp lettuce and tender chicken tossed in a slightly sweet and spicy sesame dressing, topped with crunchy nuts and noodles and served in a phyllo dough bowl. It was a perfect blend of sweet, spicy, savory, tender bites, and crunch. It was, by far, the most satisfying Asian Chicken Salad I’ve ever tasted. So, now whenever I think of Asian Chicken Salads, I think of Clearwater Beach.

With Clearwater Beach on my mind, I’m making up my own version of Asian Chicken Salad, served in a phyllo bowl, Rockaway Grill style!

Asian Chicken Salad in Phyllo Bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Chicken, cooked and chopped
  • 8-10 cups Lettuce (Iceberg/Romaine blend)
  • 1 cup Chow Mein Noodles
  • 1/2 cup Cashews
  • 1/2 cup Green Onions, chopped
  • 4 sheets Phyllo/Filo Dough, defrosted according to package directions**

For the Sesame Dressing

  • 1/2 cup Sesame Oil
  • 1/2 cup Rice Vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 4 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 2 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
  • 2 tsp Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp Black Sesame Seeds
  • Cayenne Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a medium sized bowl with cooking spray or lightly coat with vegetable oil. Gently arrange one sheet of phyllo dough inside the bowl, so that it takes the shape of the bowl. Hang the tips of the phyllo dough corners over the edge of the bowl to hold it in place. Place the bowl in the oven and bake for about 4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove the phyllo shell and repeat with the remaining three sheets, to form four phyllo dough bowls.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together all dressing ingredients. Season with cayenne pepper, as desired.

To arrange the salad, toss the lettuce and chicken in the dressing. Place the phyllo bowls onto plates. Distribute the dressed salad into the four phyllo bowls. Top each salad with chow mein noodles, cashews, and green onions.

Serves 4

**It took me a few tries before I got the phyllo bowls just right. Once I got it, they were a cinch to make. Just to be safe, you may want to have a few extra phyllo sheets on hand!

To keep the phyllo bowl light, I chose to use one single phyllo sheet for each bowl. But, for a thicker, puffier bowl, simply brush one sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter. Lay another sheet of phyllo on top. Brush the second sheet with butter. Lay a third sheet on top and brush with butter. Arrange the three stacked layers into the bowl and bake until golden brown and crisp.

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Honey-Balsamic Salmon over Gingered Sweet Potato and Apple Hash

Posted on September 16, 2010 by amydeline

I must be dreaming about fall lately. Perhaps it’s the cool evening breeze coming through the barely opened windows, just enough to adjust the temperature in the room to perfect down-comforter weather. Whatever it may be, I’ve been waking up with fully formed fall dishes on my mind. Well, almost fully formed. The details take a moment to come to me, almost in the way you have to strain to put together the pieces of a dream.

Most recently, I awoke thinking of honey-glazed salmon. Yes, that sounds good. With pureed sweet potatoes. Correction; pureed gingered sweet potatoes. Wait, that’s still not right. It should be a sweet potato hash with apple. Yes, that’s it… Honey-Glazed Salmon with Gingered Sweet Potato and Apple Hash. I didn’t decide to add the balsamic until I actually got cooking. And it was a wise addition, indeed.

There’s not much else to say about this dish. It’s simple, delicious, and perfectly fall-icious.

Honey-Balsamic Salmon over Gingered Sweet Potato and Apple Hash

Ingredients

For the Salmon

  • 4 4oz. Salmon Fillets
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1/8 cup Honey
  • 1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar

For the Hash

  • 2 Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Apple
  • 2-3 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 3 Tbsp Butter
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the honey and vinegar. Stir until well combined. Pour the mixture over the salmon fillets. Place the baking dish in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Periodically spoon some of the honey-balsamic mixture over the fillets as they cook.

For the hash, peel the potatoes and apple. Use a box grater to shred the potatoes and apple. Combine with the grated ginger. Toss with a bit of lemon juice to prevent the apples from browning. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sweet potato mixture and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring and flipping often to prevent burning. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

To serve, place a mound of the sweet potato-apple hash in the center of the plate. Place a cooked salmon fillet on top. Drizzle with a bit of the honey-balsamic sauce from the baking dish. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Serves 4


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Eggplant Parmigiana

Posted on September 15, 2010 by amydeline

Winter comes on fast here in Syracuse. It seems like one week you’re sweating in 90 degrees weather at the fair and the next week you’re rummaging through the house trying to figure out where you stashed your scarf when winter finally ended in June. It’s a long, cold, snowy winter ’round here, predominated by gloomy, gray skies and frostbitten noses.

But, there’s a short period of time between the summer and winter, where the sun is still shining, but the air carries just a touch of chill; sweater weather. The leaves turn a beautiful rainbow of rusty reds, burnt oranges, and golden yellows. Apples are ripe for picking. It’s perfectly autumn.

And though I don’t particularly care for the long periods of Syracuse winter gloom, I feel a buzz of excitement on the day I wake up to that perfectly autumn weather. To me, the first cool day in September is shouting one thing, loud and clear… Welcome to Comfort Food Season!

Comfort food season. It’s the time for spending a little longer in the kitchen. Time for heating up the oven and letting the warm aromas permeate the house. Time for hot, cheesy dishes, casseroles, and slow-cooked meats with roasted potatoes. Time for forgiving stretchy pants and bulky sweaters. Comfort food season makes this Gourmand Mom a very happy girl.

So, in honor of comfort food season, I’m making one of my childhood comfort food favorites. You see, I’m Irish, Scottish, and Armenian by heritage, but a good part of my family is Italian. I was raised on Italian food. There may not be a drop of Italian blood in me, but there’s the heart of an Italian cook hiding in there. And, as far as I’m concerned, when it comes to comfort food, it doesn’t get much better than Eggplant Parmigiana. Breaded and fried eggplant, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked until perfectly hot and delicious.

My recipe is based on the recipe I was raised with. The secret comes from the combination of three different cheeses between each layer of eggplant; parmigiano-reggiano, mozzarella, and ricotta. The ricotta’s the real key, if you ask me. You can use any kind of tomato sauce in the dish. Homemade marinara or a high-quality store-bought sauce would be fine. I’m using a jar of Bertolli’s spicy Arrabbiata Sauce, which I received in the welcome gift bag over the weekend.

My process for making eggplant parmigiana begins with salting the eggplants. If you’re using freshly picked or baby eggplants, you can probably skip this step. For larger eggplants, which have been off the plant for a few days, salting serves a dual purpose. The salt draws out the bitter liquids which can accumulate in older eggplants, leaving you with a better flavor. Also, as a result of removing some of the liquid, you’ll have a firmer eggplant which will absorb less oil during the frying process.

The entire process of composing the eggplant parmigiana is a little time-consuming, but not complicated. The great part is that is can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to eat. If baking from refrigerated or frozen, be sure to add some additional cooking time to ensure that the dish gets thoroughly heated through.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients*

  • 2 medium/large Eggplants, sliced into approximately 1/3″ slices
  • Salt
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 3 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups Bread Crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil
  • 2 cups Tomato Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups Ricotta Cheese

* All measurements are approximate. Adjust according to the size of your eggplants and your preferences.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the slices with salt. Allow the salted eggplant to rest for 15-20 minutes. You will begin to see droplets of liquid forming on the eggplant. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry.

Then, set up a dish of flour, bowl of the beaten eggs, and a dish of bread crumbs. Press both sides of each slice into the flour, dip in the beaten eggs, then press into the bread crumbs to thoroughly coat. Repeat this process with all eggplant slices.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Places slices of eggplant in a single layer in the pan. Cook for about two minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for two minutes. Both sides should be a golden brown. Place the slices on layers of paper towels to drain. Continue this process, adding more oil as necessary, until all of the eggplant has been cooked. If the bread crumbs remaining  in the pan between batches begin to burn, wipe out the pan and replace with fresh oil before beginning the next batch.

Pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. To compose the eggplant parmigiana, spread a spoonful of ricotta onto a slice of eggplant. Place the slice on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano and mozzarella. Then drizzle a small spoonful of tomato sauce on top. Repeat with additional eggplant, cheese, and sauce to create layered towers of eggplant, cheese, and sauce, each without about four eggplant slices. After placing the final slice of eggplant on the tower, top with sauce, then parmigiano-reggiano and a generous amount of mozzarella.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes. For a firmer cheese crust, leave the baking dish uncovered. For a meltier, gooey cheese topping, cover the baking dish with foil for the first 25 minutes or so.

Serve over spaghetti with extra sauce and cheese.


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Surf and Turf – Anniversary Style

Posted on September 10, 2010 by amydeline

Five years ago, on a sunny early-September afternoon, I married my best friend. And what a beautiful five years it has been. As I sit here reflecting on the past five years, I am eternally thankful for all we have. Love, trust, respect, humor, empathy. We are acutely aware of how fortunate we are.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

After a long dating relationship, begun during our college days, we decided to formally tie the knot, which we’d informally tied long before. We carefully crafted all of the details of our wedding to represent our tastes and the result was a memorable wedding day, which our friends and family continue to remark on.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

We married at the Thomas Birkby House in Leesburg, Virginia; a lovely property, circa 1770. We said our vows in front of the carriage house, where 130 or so of our closest friends and family had gathered. The bridesmaids wore warm autumn brown and carried rust colored Leonides roses. I carried a bouquet of ivory roses with moss green hydrangeas.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

Immediately following the ceremony, our guests enjoyed a cocktail hour in the courtyard to the sounds of a harpist. Hors d’oeuvres were passed and guests mingled while enjoying the assortment of wines and specialty beers we’d hand-selected.

Passed Hors d’oeuvres Menu

Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with Tangy Cocktail Sauce

Little Washington Tartlette ~ Melange of Virginia Country Ham, D’Anjou Pear, Baby
Arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano,

Dried Figs with Gorgonzola garnished with a Poached Cranberry

Smoked Salmon on Sweet Potato and Apple Pancakes

Crispy Tomato Toast with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

Following the cocktail hour,we moved into a large white tent with a ceiling of soft, gathered fabric and a brass chandelier, where the pièce de résistance of our wedding awaited; the food. Of all the details we’d carefully planned, the food was our highest priority. Well, at the very least, it was my highest priority. And when it came down to planning the meal for our wedding, our plan was certain. Skip the traditional multi-course dinner in exchange for a wider assortment of unique, carefully-crafted, decadent hors d’ouevres; arranged on tables scattered throughout the tent. Casual but elegant. Enough food to fill everyone’s bellies, all in bite-sized portions. My favorite way to dine.

Stationary Hors d’oeuvres Menu

Domestic and Imported Cheeses

Savory Cheese Torte with Sun-Dried Tomato

Creamy Brie with Apricot Preserves

Saga Bleu Polenta Rounds with Beef Tenderloin

Smoked Duck on Pecan Crackers with Red Currant Chutney

Bouchees with Brie, Chutney, and Almonds

Miniature Maryland Crab Cakes on a Bed of Creole Slaw with Red Remoulade Sauce

Sate Station – Grilled Beef, Chicken, and Pork with Hot Mustard, Indonesian Barbecue and Peanut Sauces

Scallop Tostada – Seared Sea Scallop on a Salpicon of Lump Crabmeat and Sweet Yello Corn with Poblano Pepper Aioli

Baby Vegetable Crudite with Yellow Pepper Thyme and Black Olive Feta Dips

Butternut Squash Bisque with California Fruit Chutney and Crunchy Cheese Straws

The surprise standout of the menu was the bisque, which we added to the menu at the last minute after enjoying an amuse bouche of pumpkin bisque at a local restaurant sometime during the months preceding our wedding.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

We used a wonderful Washington DC area caterer, Ridgewells, who made our vision become reality. Ridgewells is well known in the DC area and they more than fulfilled our expectations. They even worked with us to design custom hors d’ouevres, including a special Little Washington Tartlette, based on one of the courses we enjoyed at The Inn at Little Washington on the evening we got engaged.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

Oh, and the cake! The cake, the cake, the cake! Honestly, while planning the our wedding, the cake was not incredibly high on my list of priorities. I had an idea for the design and, of course, I wanted it to taste good, but I felt no need to run around to various bakeries looking for the perfect wedding cake. We’d tasted a few of the cake selections which Ridgewells offered and it was enough for us to feel comfortable having them provide the cake. We requested a Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse and Raspberry Filling. I remember the moment the first bite of that cake entered my mouth. It was a complete surprise. I had expected wedding cake. Know what I mean? Doesn’t it seem like wedding cake always tastes like wedding cake? Well, not this wedding cake. I was floored by how rich and moist and utterly delicious our cake was. Seriously the best wedding cake I’ve ever tasted.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

In honor of our 5th anniversary, I decided to prepare two of the items from our wedding menu, entrée style. An anniversary surf and turf duo of Beef Tenderloin on Sage Blue Polenta garnished with Julienned Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Jumbo Lump Crab Cake on a bed of Spicy Creole Slaw.

I seasoned the tenderloins with salt and pepper and seared them in a hot pan with a bit of olive oil. Then, I placed them several inches under the broiler and cooked in the oven until they reached our desired doneness. After allowing the beef to rest for a few minutes, I sliced the steak, which I served over warm polenta. To the polenta, I added some Saga bleu cheese. Any other bleu cheese would be delicious as well. I garnished the steak with thin slices of sun-dried tomatoes.

For the crabcakes, I used my recipe for broiled jump lump crab cakes, which you can find here. I served the crab cakes on a bed of creole slaw, which added the perfect amount of crunch and spice to the dish. Leftover crabcakes and slaw make to-die-for sandwiches the next day.

Creole Slaw

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Cole Salw Mix (Shredded Cabbage and Carrots)
  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Creole Mustard
  • 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp Garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Directions

Combine the mayo, vinegar, worchestershire, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, cayenne and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. Toss with the cole slaw mix. Make several hours or a day ahead if possible.

Photograph courtesy of Tamela Kemp Photography ~ http://www.tamelakemp.com

Later this morning, we take off to New York City for our 3-night getaway, courtesy of Bertolli. Tonight we’ll be attending a welcome dinner at Aureole, which is certain to be a treat! We’ll have a chance to meet the winners of the other categories and the Bertolli team. Tomorrow evening we’ll get dolled up to attend the Zac Posen show, followed by the afterparty, where my winning Braised Lamb Shanks will be served in passed hors d’oeuvres form. Should be a very exciting weekend! Stay tuned for more details.

In totally unrelated news, my little man started nursery school yesterday. Unbelievable.

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Coconut-Macadamia Nut Biscotti

Posted on September 9, 2010 by amydeline

It took me a long time to appreciate the flavor of vanilla. As a child, and most of my adulthood, I equated anything vanilla flavored as being plain flavored. You might have just asked me if I wanted chocolate or plain flavored ice cream. Of course I’d choose chocolate. I couldn’t fathom why anyone would pick plain.

And then there was the scent of vanilla. Vanilla candles, vanilla body washes, vanilla room spray. I just didn’t get it. What was so darn intriguing about the scent of vanilla?? At one point during my early teenage years, I joined my mom at a gathering with her girlfriends. They would meet at one or another’s house each week to watch the show Thirty-Something. They’d ooh and aah over the leading males characters and talk girl-talk. I felt shy. Then, at one point, someone took out a bottle of vanilla extract, unscrewed the top, and passed it around the room for all to smell. I’m pretty sure they told me I wouldn’t understand, when I questioned this odd ritual. I wanted to go home. From then on, vanilla was not only plain to me; it was weird too.

I avoided vanilla for most of my life. Given the choice, I’d always pick the chocolate option. And then my life was changed at the Starbucks inside my local Target. I’d stopped by to pick up a Grande Nonfat Iced Peppermint Mocha for myself, my drink of choice. For the kids, I grabbed a couple biscotti, a considerably less messy option than the giant chocolate chip cookies. I picked up one double chocolate biscotti for my oldest and a vanilla-almond for the younger. I broke off a piece of the vanilla almond for myself, since I knew the baby wouldn’t give me any slack about it.

And that’s when my world was forever changed. It was in that bite of Starbucks Vanilla Almond Biscotti that my perception of vanilla was altered. It was no longer the plain flavor. It was good. It was amazing. I must have eaten 10 of those biscotti in the first week after my earth-shattering discovery. Vanilla tastes good. Only took me 30 or so years to figure it out.

I owe many thanks to my mother-in-law for a multitude of generosity, including traveling out from Ohio yet again to watch our little men while we head down to NYC for our weekend of food and fashion fun, courtesy of Bertolli. I wanted to bake a little something as a welcome and thank you gift. After a bit of brainstorming, I decided this was as good a time as any to try my hand at vanilla biscotti. For good measure, I decided to throw in a few macadamia nuts and a handful of shredded coconut. The result was quite good. Quite cook indeed. Sweet, crunchy, and perfectly dip-worthy.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Biscotti

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 1/4 cups Flour
  • 1/2 cup Macadamia Nut, slightly chopped
  • 1/2 cup Shredded, Sweetened Coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Add in the flour, nuts and coconut. Stir to combine. The batter will be soft and sticky. Coat your hands with flour, then gather the dough from the bowl. On a well-floured surface, knead the dough a few times. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a log with a diameter of about 2 inches. Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Use a serrated knife to cut 1/2 inch slices. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes more.

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