Good Old-Fashioned Pancakes

Nothing tastes better on a rainy Saturday morning than warm pancakes with delicious syrup. Growing up, I never tasted anything different than Bisquick pancakes. Don't get me wrong, I think Bisquick pancakes are great, but in my effort to learn to make more things from scratch, I discovered this amazing pancake recipe and I don't think I'll ever go back. These pancakes are simply perfect.

*From allrecipes.com

Yield 9 pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 Tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center and add milk, egg, and melted butter. Mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Shrimp with Basil and Mint Pesto

Cooking with Mint. I've always loved mint in my desserts and candy, but I've never thought about trying it in an actual meal until I spotted this recipe. My goodness. Scrumdiddlyumptious. And I have another equally delicious mint chicken dish coming later this week. Mint adds an element of cool freshness that perfectly balances a savory, warm meal. This will make you feel fancy, even though the dish is quite easy.

*From Giada De Laurentiis

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and de-veined

1/2 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Blend the mint, basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine still running, gradually add 2 Tablespoons olive oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl. Add parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with EVOO, salt, and pepper to coat. 

Heat a heavy, large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Toss the shrimp with pesto to coat and serve. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve with couscous: Cook one box of plain couscous according to package instructions. Add 3 Tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese to cooked couscous and mix until fully incorporated. Serve shrimp over couscous. 

Apple Crisp

What says fall more than apples and apple desserts? The sweet, crumbly goodness of a crisp combined with the tart crispness of apples is a no-fail combination. With the weather looking a bit dreary this weekend, this is a surefire way to warm things up.

*Recipe and photo from Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups butter, cut into small cubes

2 quarts peeled, cored, and sliced apples (I ended up using about six large apples)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly. (I use my fingers for this...a pastry blender would probably be helpful if you have one.)

Take half of the mixture and pat it into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover crumb mixture with apple slices, then sprinkle apple slices with remaining crumb mixture. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until apples are tender.

De-lish and welcome fall!!

Adobo Chicken Tacos

With so many Latin-Asian fusion eateries popping up (think Kogi Korean Tacos and the recently-opened Zengo restaurant at Santa Monica Place), it's no wonder my mind drifted to tacos after figuring out what to do with the leftovers from my shredded chicken adobo. 

Maybe I just have a special place in my heart for tacos, maybe I just really love the caramelized onions in this chicken. Whatever it is, this dish melts my heart.

Adobo Chicken Tacos

Serves 2 (6 tacos)

INGREDIENTS:

Shredded Chicken Adobo

12 small corn tortillas

1 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 handful of cilantro, chopped

1 avocado, sliced (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Place three sets of two tortillas each of a microwave-safe plate. Sprinkle each tortilla set with cheese and heat in the microwave for 50 seconds, or until cheese is melted. Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup (or more) chicken, a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado (if desired) and top with cilantro. 

Serve and enjoy. 

Shredded Chicken Adobo

There is something amazingly delicious about savory, slow-cooked meats. Pork, beef, or chicken and more. No matter the meat, you can tell when it's been cooked with love for hours and hours. The way it tenderly falls off the bone and into a watering mouth is succulent. This chicken is one of those meals. It is the national dish of the Philippines, and it is simple yet delicious.

*Adapted (slightly) from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast: Slow Cooker Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

2 yellow onions, halved and sliced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

1.5 lbs. chicken (I used three large chicken breasts, with bones and skin still attached; might be a good idea to remove the bones first so as to make the shredding step a bit easier) -- may also substitute for 1.5 lbs. pork or 1.5 lbs. beef

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Spread half of the sliced onions in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add one of the garlic cloves, peppercorns, and the bay leaf. Arrange chicken in a single layer on top of the onions. Top with the remaining onions and garlic. Drizzle the vinegar and soy sauce over the ingredients and sprinkle with sugar. 

Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours or low setting for 8 hours. When finished, discard the bay leaf. Using two forks, shred the chicken, being careful to remove all bones first. 

Serve with rice.

**Stay tuned for Adobo Chicken Tacos.

Simple Orzotto

Sometimes the best part of a meal is the side dishes. One of my favorite BBQ restaurants has an option on their menu called the "sidecar". It is basically four of their sides (choose whatever you want, from mac and cheese to okra to blues on the cob to sweet potatoes and more) as your main course meal. Genius. 

Thanks to Kelsey Egan, I have recently discovered orzo as a quick, simple, and versatile side dish that can complement just about any meal. The recipe below offers orzotto in its simplest form, but it can also be dressed up and added to to match the style of your main course. Variations on this recipe (including one with bacon...yum) can be found at the bottom of this post. 

*from Kelsey's Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 cups orzo (or pearl barley)

1/2 cup dry white wine or red wine

3 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup grated cheese (I use parmesan)

salt and pepper to taste

herbs or fresh aromatics as desired

DIRECTIONS:

In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant and translucent. Add the orzo or barley and toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and cook until absorbed. 

Gradually add the stock, stirring frequently. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 8-10 minutes until liquid is almost absorbed and orzo or barley is tender. Remove from heat.

Stir in heavy cream and cheese. Season with salt and pepper or any other desired seasonings and serve. 

VARIATIONS:

Lemon Asparagus Orzotto: add 1/2 cup steamed diced fresh asparagus, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and zest from 1/2 lemon.

Mushroom Orzotto: add 1 cup wild or cultivated mushrooms. Substitute chicken or beef stock with mushroom stock. Add 3/4 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme leaves and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. 

Sweet Corn with Bacon Orzotto: Add 1/2 cup sweet corn, 1 Tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon. 

Shortbread Cheesecake with Strawberry Syrup

The idea of making cheesecake scared me, until I actually made it and realized it was not difficult at all. Especially with this recipe. The shortbread crust means you don't have to spend time crushing graham crackers or make a special purchase of graham cracker crumbs. And I just love shortbread. And strawberries.

*Adapted from Kristin Ann

INGREDIENTS: 

Shortbread Cookie Crust:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup flour

Cheesecake Filling:

24 ounces cream cheese (3 boxes), at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup sour cream

Strawberry Syrup:

2 cups ripe (or very ripe) strawberries

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups sugar

DIRECTIONS:

For the crust, cream butter and sugar in a mixer until completely combined. Add flour, and mix until combined. In a buttered spring form pan, press dough on the bottom until completely even. Make sure the depth is consistent all-around. 

Wrap the outside of the pan with heavy-duty foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Edges should be slightly golden-brown.

For the filling, cream the sugar and cream cheese together in a large bowl. Add one egg at a time, scraping the bottom of the bowl after each egg is added. When completely combined, add vanilla, salt, and sour cream. Mix until smooth. Pour filling into crust and smooth out the top. 

Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes at 330 degrees. The cake is done when the top loses its luster and has a dull look to it, or when it starts to brown on the top. Check in at the hour mark to make sure it doesn't burn. 

Let the cake cool and then place in the fridge for at least 48 hours before serving. (I know!! Patience is not my strong point, but this is worth it.)

For the strawberry syrup, puree strawberries and water using a blender or food processor. When smooth, transfer to a saucepan and add sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Reduce heat and let simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a serving spout and serve over cheesecake. De-lish!

Chicken Vesuvio

I really, really, really, really, really need to find my camera charger so that the pictures of my food don't look completely yellow-colored or unappetizing. My philosophy is any picture is better than no picture so the show must go on. 

The sauce in this dish. Oh, my, goodness, The sauce. That's all I have to say.

*Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken thighs with skin and bones (I used chicken breasts, but I think thighs would be more tender)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, halved

4 large garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup dry white wine (I recently bought cooking wine and it has been a great investment)

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces artichoke hearts

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof pot over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, cook the chicken in the pot until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl. Carefully add the potatoes to the same pot and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, oregano, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot and stir all ingredients to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 

Cover and bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and arrange potatoes around the chicken. Add the artichoke hearts to the sauce in the pot. Cover and simmer over high heat until the artichokes are tender, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Turn heat to low and stir in the butter. Pour the sauce over chicken and potatoes, and serve. 

Be generous with the sauce, it's the best part. 

Berry Blender Sorbet

Given the record-breaking heat yesterday, it turns out I was correct in wishing for more summer days. A cool, summer, refreshing treat seems in order. Also, my sister is doing this 8-weeks-to-a-better-you challenge, so I thought I'd give her something that is sweet, but completely natural and healthy.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, boysenberries are all great)

1 cup plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth (or slightly chunky, if you prefer). Given the absence of liquid, this will likely require the use of a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and multiple pulses of the blender, but be patient, it will pay off. 

If you're really having a hard time getting your ingredients to blend, add a little bit of water or milk. 

Enjoy!

Peach Cobbler

(Since we got back from Hawaii, I haven't been able to find my camera charger, thus iPhone pictures have replaced Canon Powershot pictures for the last three months. Please excuse the fuzzy blurriness...hopefully the charger will show up soon.) 

I have searched for a couple peach cobbler recipes, but nothing struck me as "the one" until I found this. Cornmeal biscuit topping? Yes, please. What else but cornmeal could be better with peaches? While I love the light, fresh, shortbread taste of my blueberry cobbler, I equally love the comfortable, home-y, and savory cornmeal taste of this peach cobbler.

Oh, and yes, I'm aware that today is the first day of autumn and peaches are a summer fruit. But you can always hope for some summer roll-over. The weather forecast for this weekend is in the 80s!

*Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

(for the fruit):

6-8 peaches, pitted and cut into slices*

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

(for the biscuit topping):

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup ground cornmeal (yellow or white)

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup buttermilk**

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss peached with sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt in the bottom of a 2-quart ovenproof dish.

Make the biscuit dough. Stir together the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into the dry mixture with your fingertips (or a pastry blender, if you have one--I don't). Stir in buttermilk with a rubber spatula until a wet, tacky dough comes together. 

Plop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough over the filling. Bake until the cobbler's syrup is bubbly and the biscuit tops are browned, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly and scoop into bowls. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

*Here is an easy way to peel peaches: Cut a small "x" in the bottom of each peach. Dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon. The skins will slide off.

**Don't have buttermilk in your house? Me neither. As a substitute, place one Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a one-cup measuring cup. Fill to the one cup line with milk and let stand for five minutes. Apparently this creates the "tang" that is found in buttermilk. 

Blue Ribbon Lasagna

While I am not Italian, this recipe is a family-favorite dish. It has been shared, devoured, and enjoyed by many a visitor in my childhood home. The sauce. is. amazing. It would be great served with any type of pasta, in my opinion, but also combines perfectly with the cheesy, saucy, pasta-y layered perfection that is lasagna. This dish isn't labeled Blue Ribbon for nothing!

INGREDIENTS:

1-1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons oregano

2 Tablespoons parsley flakes

2 Tablespoons basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

pepper

9 lasagna noodles, cooked

1 pint (2 cups) cottage cheese

2 eggs

2 cups monterey jack cheese, grated

2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:

Brown beef. Add onions and cook until they are transparent. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, oregano, parsley, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1-2 hours, until sauce is thickened. 

While sauce is simmering, cook noodles. Drain and let dry. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. When sauce is ready, begin assembly of the dish. Mix cottage cheese and eggs together. In a 9x13 inch pan layer cooked noodles, meat sauce, cottage cheese mixture, jack and mozzarella cheeses. Repeat layers three times. 

Bake for 45 minutes and enjoy!  

Gnocchi!

As the second installment of Jersey Shore-inspired Italian meals, I present Gnocchi (pronounced "nyocki"). The first time I ever tasted and heard of gnocchi was at a dinner that was used to get me out of the house for a surprise 17th birthday party. The location was Italy's Little Kitchen and I remember thinking, "Oh, Gnocchi! Where have you been all my life?" Having grown up with an express love for mashed potatoes and fettuccine alfredo, I thought, "You mean to tell me that I can have potatoes and pasta in one dish?!" Haha.. Now that I am more well-versed in nutrition, I realize this seems a little carb-crazy, but all things are good in moderation. And some things, like this, are really good.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke potatoes all over with a fork and bake on a baking sheet for 45 minutes to one hour, until potatoes are fork-tender. For best results, turn potatoes over halfway through baking. Let potatoes cool slightly. (It helps to let cool in the freezer for a few minutes if you're impatient, like me.)

Peel the potatoes, then grate them using the large holes of a grater into a large bowl. Add lightly beaten egg and salt to the grated potatoes and mix well with a wooden spoon.

Add the flour to the potatoes, a little at a time, using only enough so that the dough will not stick to your hands. Once the flour has been incorporated, bring the dough together and dump onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough, as you would bread dough, for about 3-4 minutes. 

Form the dough into a ball, and then portion it out into six smaller balls. On a floured surface, use your fingers to roll one of the six dough balls into a 3/4-inch wide rope. Cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. 

You can cook the gnocchi as it is now, but traditional gnocchi has ridges. You can create these by pressing each piece of dough on the tines of a fork and then rolling it off and forming a cylinder shape. It helps to dip the fork into flour in between each formation to avoid sticking.  

To cook the gnocchi, place each dough piece into a pot of boiling and well-salted water. After a few minutes, the gnocchi will float to the top. Let cook one more minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

Serve with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese and enjoy. 

Chicken Parmesan with Marinara

Call me crazy, but I've been receiving a lot of cooking inspiration lately from Jersey Shore. Ronnie, Pauly D, Mike, Snookie, JWoww, they are hilarious and have an amazing talent for memorable one-liners, but they're also young and immature. In spite of this, their mothers seem to have succeeded in instilling a sense of family togetherness that is seen vividly at the kitchen table. They seem to just knock out these five-entree dinners complete with garlic knots, homemade sauces, and (haha) Gatorade! 

While, I don't have secret family recipes for amazing sauces or (always) the appetite to chow down such weighty, heavy meals, I do share a love of food as a way to bring people together. My next couple posts will include some efforts to become more Italian with some hearty, delicious, tomato and mozzarella-filled dishes.

*Recipe from Jill Parker, as told to me by Suzette

INGREDIENTS:

3 thinly sliced chicken breasts (about 1/2 inch thick)

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup bread crumbs

2 cups marinara sauce (I used Prego, but you could also use this)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or 3 big slices)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

8 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Dip chicken in melted butter, then generously coat both sides with bread crumbs. Lay chicken flat in baking dish. Cover with marinara sauce, followed by mozzarella cheese, and then parmesan cheese. 

Bake in oven for 45 min. to an hour, until chicken is fully cooked. 

Serve with spaghetti noodles and garlic bread. 

Enjoy!

Guacamole and Homemade Tortilla Chips

Happy Labor Day weekend!

(and the start of college football season)

Is there any better snack than fresh guacamole and chips? I submit that there is not. After stocking up on avocados on our bi-weekly grocery trip, I purposely made a point to buy tortilla chips, knowing I would be making guacamole. By Tuesday, the chips were gone, having been devoured with their other lovely friend, salsa. I still had six avocados, but no chips. Thus, my creative mind got to work and I decided to make my own baked tortilla chips--super delicious!

GUACAMOLE -- this isn't really a recipe, just a guideline. Guacamole should be made however you like it. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 avocados, pitted and peeled

1/4 onion, finely chopped

juice of 1/2 lime

handful of cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Using a large bowl and fork (or pastry blender, if you have it--I don't but wish I did) mash the avocados. Don't worry about leaving some chunks. Add onion, lime juice, cilantro and salt & pepper to taste. Feel free to adjust ingredient amounts to however your mouth desires. 

HOMEMADE TORTILLA CHIPS

INGREDIENTS:

5 tortillas

cooking spray

salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

Cover two baking sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray. Using a pizza cutter, cut the tortillas into several "chip-shaped" sections. Arrange cut tortillas on two baking sheets so that none of them overlap. Spray with more cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, until chips are browned and crispy.

Enjoy!

Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs, Tomatoes, and Carrots

(photo by Bradford Fishback)

I seem to come up with my favorite creations when I only have about five minutes to plan and thirty minutes to cook. This mediterranean-inspired dish is light, but filling at the same time. Also, it's a great use of fresh herbs! (Something I've been aiming to use more of lately.)

UPDATE (09.08.10): When I first made this, I was in a very garlicky mood apparently so I threw in five cloves of garlic. After eating this again as leftovers, I have realized that five cloves is far too much and I've changed the amount to two cloves of garlic.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can chick peas, drained

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in half and then quartered

2 carrots, peeled, quartered, and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 onion, chopped

1 big handful parsley, finely chopped

1 big handful cilantro, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pan, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When oil is glossy, add onions and garlic and cook until onions are transparent, about 2-3 minutes. 

Add carrots, cover with a lid and cook for about five minutes until carrots are just tender (but still with a bit of crunch). 

Add chick peas and cook for another five minutes. 

Next, stir in tomatoes, parsley and cilantro. Let all ingredients meld together for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with a lemon wedge, or sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Cheese Toast and Yogurt with Cucumbers: Place a piece of gouda cheese on slices of bread and toast in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Serve salad on top of the toast and use the toast to help scoop up juices from the salad. 

You may also include a side of plain yogurt with diced and skinned cucumbers...a true Mediterranean staple. Maybe someday, I'll make tzatziki.