yum! cookies

I've got a bit of a friend-crush on Clotilde. The more I read her blog, the more I want to be her friend! I imagine how great it would be to pop over at her little flat on a quiet afternoon to talk about our fabulous French lives (in my imagination I'm French) and sip champagne as she whips up delicious nibbles and teaches me how to do the same.

I read Chocolate & Zucchini from cover to cover and have marked nearly every recipe to try. (Perhaps it would have been better to mark the recipes I didn't want.) A few of her recipes have made their way into our regular dinner rotation, and I have yet to meet a simpler, tastier cake than the yogurt cake.

So, knowing how great the others have been, I've simply got to bake these...


(Crisp Hazelnut and Pepper Cookies)


PS -- today is my first day back at work!

sweet treats: tell tale preserve company

If only there were a way to actually crawl right into my computer so I could have just a taste...


Toffee has never looked so good.


(Treats from Tell Tale Preserve Company, which I first heard about here.)

yum! the jme pantry collection

Cool packaging + gourmet toppers...



Like I didn't already {heart} Jamie Oliver enough!


(Jme Pantry Collection available at Williams-Sonoma)

what's cooking: menus!

Here's what we ate the last couple weeks:

Monday - leftovers both weeks!
Last Tuesday - Linguini with Pesto & Grape Tomatoes
Week before - Penne with Pesto Alla Trapanese (apparently I have a thing for pesto on Tuesdays!)
Last Wednesday - Grilled Chicken with Peppers over Rice Noodles
Week before - Roasted Tomato Tabbouleh
Last Thursday - Black Bean Tacos
Week before - Balsamic Portobello Burgers with Garlicky White Beans
Last Friday - Hot Dog Roll-ups (I know I'm not 10 years old, but they were samples at Trader Joe's -- kosher beef dogs wrapped in pizza dough baked until golden brown and with yellow mustard to dip -- and they were so good, I had to have more!)
Week before - Gnocchi with Sausage & Spinach

Favorite? Definitely loved all the pestos, and the Tabbouleh is a fabulous summer dinner, but the Hot Dog Roll-Ups were just that good.
Least? Not a fan of the Gnocchi. It was a little bland. I thought it was missing something... tomatoes maybe? And it was a little heavy on the onions.

Some pictures (not mine!)...



(Roasted Tomato Tabboueleh and Portobello Burgers via Martha Stewart)

what's cooking: last week's menu

It was a very lazy week in the kitchen for me. Must be the warm weather, but I just did not feel like cooking. Lots of grilling and simple salads for us...

Monday - Cheddar Burgers with Roasted Corn & Tomato Salad and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for dessert (I wish I remembered to take a picture!!)
Tuesday - Hawaiian Pizza with Radish Salad
Wednesday - Grilled Chicken Salad with Apples
Thursday - fend for yourself night
Friday - Fig & Prosciutto Crostini

Favorite? The Hawaiian Pizza! Caramelized onions, though not a typical ingredient, were a really good idea. We could have eaten the whole pizza but managed to show a bit of restraint. (Which made me very happy as I enjoyed leftovers the next day!)
Runner up? The chicken salad was quite fantastic. And SO simple to make. I'll be eating this again and again and again this summer. It was cool and refreshing... and it's just as good without the chicken as with it. And I should add that I normally wouldn't go near chicken salad because I don't like mayo, but this salad has a nice tart lime dressing, perfect for mayo-haters like me.
Least favorite? Ugh. I learned I do not like radishes. Who knew they were so spicy?! I felt very guilty throwing out the rest of the bunch I bought from the farmer's market but there was just no way we were going to finish them.

PS - I love how Wade and I have the exact same tastes, which includes an extreme dislike of mayonnaise (and now apparently radishes, too). We were meant for each other! ;)

(Photo via Real Simple)

One more thing... I should quickly mention that the pie was awesome. It was the perfect mix of sweet and tart with both the strawberries and rhubarb. I forgot how much I like the combo of the two. And how much I like pie...

That's all.
Let me know if you want any of the recipes.
xo, Kristin

what's cooking: last week's menu

Monday - Pasta Ponza (I used a combination of red grape tomatoes and heirloom cherry tomatoes. the dish was super pretty with the mix of reds, yellows and greens. And tasty, too!)
Tuesday - Mushroom Risotto with Peas
Wednesday - Spinach & Feta Quiche
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - Herb Roasted Chicken with Three Pepper Couscous

Fave? It's really hard to top quiche in my book. Though the pasta did come close.
No least. yippee!

Oops! I forgot to take pictures. Don't worry, though, Martha's got it covered...


(Risotto)

what's cooking: last week's menu

Another week in the books.
Do we all agree that time is moving just a bit too quickly?

Monday - Black Bean Cakes with Roasted Corn Salad and (Trader Joe's) Cornbread
Tuesday - Lemon Spaghetti with Grilled Chicken
Wednesday - Grilled Chicken Tacos with Guacamole
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Favorite? Kind of hard to say... hmm... I really liked everything and nothing was such a knock-out that it stands out to me. I have to say it was a four-way tie. (I know... how very boring of me!)

A photo of the bean cakes...



Hope you have a wonderful week, Dears!

what's cooking: last week's menu - the recipes!

Per a few requests...

Vegetable Pad Thai
(adapted from Everyday Food Mag - May 2010)

Boil 8 oz dry, wide rice noodles and set aside. (I got mine from Trader Joe's.)

Whisk together 3 tbsps brown sugar, 3 tbsp fresh lime juice and 4 tbsp soy sauce.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tsps canola oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 julienned red bell pepper and 1 julienned yellow bell pepper and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add 3 thinly sliced scallions and 1 minced garlic clove and cook an additional 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat, add noodles and sauce and toss it all together. Top with 1/2 cup rough chopped cilantro and 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts.


Prosciutto & Mushroom Quesadillas
(also from Everyday Food Mag - I think the April or March 2010 issue)

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 medium red onion, diced and 2 garlic cloves, minced. Season with salt & pepper. Cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 package sliced button mushrooms and cook until browned and soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Wipe skillet clean.

Divide 1/4 pound each thinly sliced prosciutto and grated gruyere cheese, mushroom mixture, and 6 cups baby arugula among bottom halves of 4 10-inch flour tortillas. Fold top halves over filling to close. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in skillet over medium high and cook each quesadilla until cheese melts and tortilla is crisp and browned.



Hope you enjoy these dishes as much as we did. Let me know how they go!

what's cooking: last week's menu

A little taste of everywhere last week: Asia, Italy and Mexico!

Monday - Vegetable Pad Thai
Tuesday - Prosciutto & Mushroom Quesadillas
Wednesday - Arugula Salad with Roasted Turkey & Strawberries
Thursday - Flank Steak on Garlic Bread
Friday - Steak Tacos with Guacamole

Favorite? The Veggie Pad Thai. Quick + Easy + Tasty = One happy Mama.
No least... though, the salad was a bit thrown together last minute. I'm glad it worked out!



The Pad Thai...

I baked up some Triple Chipper Cookies, too...

That's dark, milk AND white chocolate chips. YUM!

I don't have time to post the recipes now, but if you want any of the above, let me know. Thanks!

what's cooking: last week's menu

May already, and I have managed to make dinner every weeknight since the big ball dropped. I'm pretty proud of myself! Hardly a resolution anymore -- it's just the way we do things now.

Here's the recap:

Monday - leftovers (my parents were in for the weekend, and we had a ton of food in the fridge, so leftovers it was!)
Tuesday - Potato Pizza with Side Salad
Wednesday - Chicken Curry over Coconut Rice
Thursday - Mushroom Bowties
Friday - Turkey Burgers with Avocado & Pepperjack on Pretzel Rolls

Favorite? A two-way tie: loved the pizza and really loved the burger, too.

Well, the streak is over... there is a least favorite this week. I was not a big fan of the curry. The sauce had plain yogurt and milk, and despite adding 3 tablespoons of curry powder and some sauteed onions, I still just tasted all that dairy. The coconut rice was pretty tasty, though, so at least there's that.

(Potato Pizza, Chicken Curry & Mushroom Bowties)

Potato Pizza
(I made up my own version after tasting this at one of my favorite pizzerias here in Chicago, Frasca.)
Roll out 1 lb of pizza dough and place in a large, cornmeal-dusted sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet. Add 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced and 1 clove minced garlic. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice 1 large potato and arrange slices on top of shallots and garlic in pan. Saute until browned, flip and saute other side, about 4 minutes each side. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle dough with 2 cups lite mozzarella cheese and spread potato mixture evenly over cheese. Top with a dash of red pepper flakes. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until edges of crust and cheese are golden brown.

Mushroom Bowties
Cook 3/4 lb bowtie pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsps olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet. Add 1 diced shallot and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms and saute until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat and add reserved pasta, 1/2 cup rough chopped parsley, and 1 cup grated parmesan cheese. Toss it all together (adding pasta water as neeeded) and serve.

Bon appetit!

what's cooking: last week's menu

In a word: yum.

Monday - Chicken & Avocado on Croissants
Tuesday - Spaghetti & Meatballs (with homemade sauce)
Wednesday - Bean Chili
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - Cheesy Rigatoni with Chicken & Rosemary, a Side Salad and Yogurt Cake for dessert
Saturday - BBQ Chicken and Scalloped Tomatoes with Super Chocolately Rice Krispie Treats for dessert

Favorite? ohmigosh They were all so good! But if I had to pick only one it would be the Scalloped Tomatoes. Picture this: chunks of sauteed crusty bread mixed with plump tomatoes, garlic and basil and topped with parmesan cheese. After a short time in the oven, out comes a dish of bubbling tomato-y goodness underneath a layer of browned cheese. Believe me when I say I could have eaten the whole thing. It's a good thing we had guests so I didn't try. Are you drooling yet?

Sorry I don't have a picture of the Star Dish of the week. I will most definitely be making this again - and soon! - and so I'll be sure to take a picture then.

No least this week. Again! We're on a roll. ;)

Here's a picture of the spaghetti...




I just had to make something of Jamie's after watching his show. He inspired me so much! (If you haven't seen it, check it out online -- it's a major eye opener about the sad state of affairs going on in our schools.) My only modification was to add one diced onion, a minced clove of garlic and about 8 ounces of wilted spinach. It was so tasty and easy. So much so that I'm not sure I'd go back to buying jarred sauce again.

what's cooking: last week's menu + the week before

Oh dear. It seems I'm behind on this again.

It's not that I'm not eating - believe me, that would NEVER be a problem! - I just keep forgetting to tell you about it.

Here's what we ate:

Monday - Salad with Chickpeas & Dried Cherries
Week before last - Tortellini Salad with Spinach & Salami
Tuesday - Margherita Pizza
Week before last - Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Wednesday - Chicken Tacos with Guacamole & Roasted Corn
Week before last - Lemon Risotto with Roasted Shrimp
Thursday - Spinach Lasagna
Week before last - leftovers
Friday - we were out of town at a wedding... our first overnight without the Twinkies!
Week before last - Croque Monsieur... yes, again.

Faves? Hmm... it's been a while. Well, the lemon risotto was AWESOME. A perfect springtime dinner. The lasagna was also delish. And so were the salads.
Least fave? The margherita pizza. This is usually a favorite of mine! But I think the tomatoes were too juicy, so the crust didn't get very crispy, and well, I've had better.

A picture of the lemon risotto with shrimp...



Ooh, and we had friends over for dinner a couple weeks ago, and I made these. Totally chocolately. Totally decadent. Chocolate brownies studded with chips...


It's really obvious that the seasons are changing around here. Slowly moving off the menus are all the heavy casseroles and baked pastas, and instead we're serving up salads and lighter fare.

What are you all eating now? Does the change of season bring about a change of menu for you?

what's cooking: last week's menu

It was a good week...

Monday - Arugula & Tomato Pizza
Tuesday - White Bean & Rosemary Bruschetta
Wednesday - Parmesan Trofie* with Chicken & Rosemary
Thursday - Spinach Salad with Strawberries & Toasted Almonds and Chicken Sausage Sandwiches on Toasted Ciabatta
Friday - Black Bean Burgers** with Provolone and Roasted Corn

I liked them all. No favorite this week.

Some pics:




(bruschetta and trofie)


*If you haven't heard of trofie, it's one of my most favorite pastas. I first had it when we were in Italy for our honeymoon, up on the northern Ligurian Coast. It's a hand-rolled pasta that's cut about 2-3 inches long. They kind of look like little worms, actually. It's best topped with fresh basil pesto. I've never seen trofie in the supermarket, but it is in a few gourmet shops here in Chicago. I'm sure you could buy it online as well. Mmm... now I'm daydreaming of Italy.

**I've been a big fan of frozen veggie burgers, but wow! now that Mark Bittman has shown me the way with homemade burgers, I don't think I'll need to go back to the frozen kind again. You should try these -- they're delish! From his "How to Cook Everything" book. If you don't have it, run out and get yourself a copy. It's wonderful. Really.

spotlight: nikole from forty-sixth at grace

You know what they say about April...

The showers arrived last night. It was quite a storm, actually, with booms of thunder and bright, zingy lightening. We now have our first official thunderstorm with the Twinkies under our belt. And yikes. We were up a LOT. This morning I'm a bit of a zombie and am really beginning to think I might need to start drinking coffee. But I digress...

On to the point of my post -- COOKIES!

Baking is the perfect way to pass the time if you're stuck inside on a rainy day, and aren't these the perfect cut-outs?





Nikole's cookie-making photo tutorials are fabulous. (And they make me incredibly hungry for sweets!) I am loving her cookie clouds.

Cutter available here.

what's cooking: last week's menu

Here it is!

Monday - BLT Pizza
Tuesday - Sausage & Cheddar Quiche
Wednesday - Panko-Crusted Chicken Strips with Glazed Carrots and Baked Banana Custard for dessert
Thursday - Chickpea & Pea Curry over Couscous
Friday - Breakfast for Dinner - Wade's Choice: Blueberry Pancakes!


Favorite? The BLT Pizza. It was delish.


And a photo of the baked banana custard...

what's cooking: last week's menu (and the week before that!)

I've got some tasty suppers to tell you about. Two weeks worth!

Last Monday: White Bean and Chicken Chili (I used both white and dark meat from a rotisserie chicken instead of ground chicken like the recipe calls)
Week before last: Portabello and Pea Pesto Sandwiches

Last Tuesday: Mango and Pine Nut Salad (from Everyday Food Mag - April 2010)
Week before last: Baked Tortellini

Last Wednesday AND the week before last: leftovers

Last Thursday: Fish Tacos with Mango Relish (from Everyday Food Mag - April 2010)
Week before last: Orzo with Scallops and Parsley

Last Friday: Oat Risotto with Pine Nuts
Week before last: Mushroom and Pecorino Pizza

Last Saturday: Best Ever Meatballs* and Mashed Potatoes


Favorites? fish tacos, meatballs, and mushroom pizza
Least? I wasn't really a fan of the orzo with scallops and parsley. I've decided that I'll stick to scallops at restaurants. They never seem to come out for me at home.

Some photos...




(From top: fish tacos, meatballs and mashed potatoes, oat risotto)

*Seriously. The best ever. This girl knows what she's talking about. Just a slight modification for me, though. I used ground turkey in lieu of the beef.

Sorry I don't have more photos. I completely forgot to take a single picture one week, and well, the following week I was just too hungry and didn't want to wait. Forgive.

what's cooking: last last week's menu

Sorry that I'm a little behind! But better late than never, right?

Here's what we ate a couple weeks ago:

Monday - Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese*
Tuesday - Ham and Gruyere Quiche
Wednesday - Veggie Enchiladas (from frozen)
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - In the morning, we headed out of town to my parents' house for the weekend. It was so fantastic to sit down to my mom's tuna casserole for dinner. It's a super simple dish, really, but to sit down at her table, surrounded by my family... it was, well... it was just perfect. I miss them so much and having a whole weekend together just filled me up again.

Favorite? Mom's tuna casserole. You just can't beat a home-cooked meal. (And we had a Dairy Queen cake for dessert to celebrate my Dad's birthday. You really can't beat that!)

Runner-up? the Quiche. It was my first so I was a little nervous about it turning out, and I'm happy to say that it was really great! Here's a shot...


That little spinach stem sticking out of the top is driving me crazy! I wish I noticed it when I was taking the picture, but I think I was too hungry to see it. If I was Karey, I might be able to write something clever about the little guy.

*This recipe was clipped from a Chicago Tribune article a few years back. I can't find it online, but if you are interested, leave a comment and I'll post the recipe.

And Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!
Now I'm off to write the menu from last week.

what's cooking: last week's menu

Here's how we feasted:

Monday - Turkey Tacos (Wade had been begging for an old stand-by... tacos it is!)
Tuesday - Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Wednesday - leftovers
Thursday - Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans
Friday - Potato, Leek & Feta Tart

Favorite? Ina's soup. I watched her make this on her "Back to Basics" show and just knew I had to try it. Thank goodness I did! The curry flavor is a bit unconventional but oh so good. And it is quite healthy to boot. If you make it be sure to do the condiments. The layering of sweet, spicy and salty flavors are absolutely delicious.

Least? Chicken with green beans. It tasted good... it was garlicky and lemony (great flavors, right?), but I've decided that I only like uber-fresh green beans. Like just from the farmer's market. Any other way and they're too flimsy. The crunch of fresh can't be beat and so a casserole dish full of flimsies wasn't very appetizing. To me, at least.

(Roasted Butternut Squash Soup)

in my recipe box: homemade granola

Crunchy bites of oats and almonds with just the right amount of sweet.

A perfect bowl of granola is a great way to start the day.
(Or end it, if you're anything like your's truly)...




Homemade Granola
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup raw almonds, chopped
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp turbinado sugar
Good pinch of salt
6 tbsp mild honey
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300°F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, sugar, and salt. Stir well to blend.
In a small saucepan, warm the honey and oil over low heat, whisking occasionally until the honey is loose. Pour over the dry ingredients, and stir until well combined.
Spread the mixture evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden, stirring halfway through. Let cool on pan and stir well to keep it from forming into a solid mass. (You can still break it up with your hands if this happens.)
Store in an airtight container.

(Original recipe via Orangette. Slightly modified. And yes, I realize that I didn't include the bittersweet chocolate (what? who AM i??)... I plan to! Just not this week.)

what's cooking: last week's menu

What a tasty week!

Monday - leftovers from our Valentine's Day feast
Tuesday - Creamy Rigatoni "K" (I actually made up my own recipe! It's below.)
Wednesday - Butternut Squash Flatbread
Thursday - Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Fries (see below) and Wilted Arugula
Friday - Vegetarian Chili* with Rosemary Biscuits (see below)

Favorite? It's a toss up: either the rigatoni or the flatbread. Both were so good. And they heated up just as well the next day for lunch. Mmm... I'm hungry just thinking about them!
Worst? Wilted arugula. I forgot that I hate steamed greens. I managed to choke down 4 bites before I had to throw it out. blech blech blech

*I omitted the turkey because it was a Friday during Lent (no meat!) and instead added a third can of beans plus 1 canful of frozen corn.

(From top: Rigatoni, Flatbread, Chili)

Creamy Rigatoni "K"
It seems like there's a lot going on at once, but this dish really is simple to put together.

Start by boiling a large pot of salted water and cooking 1 lb of rigatoni until just before al dente. Return pasta to pot and set aside.

Meanwhile, make Mario Batali's bechamel sauce. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Slice into bite-size pieces and set aside.

While chicken is cooking, saute one package of sliced white button mushrooms in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and saute until soft and fragrant. Set aside on a papertowel lined plate.

Grate 2 cups of asiago cheese, reserving 1/2 cup. In a large bowl, combine asiago, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1-1/2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary.

Now it's time to put it all together...

To the pasta pot add: the cooled bechamel sauce, the chopped chicken, the mushrooms and the cheeses and rosemary. Toss together so everything is combined and pasta is evenly coated. Pour into a greased 13x9" casserole dish. Top with the 1/2 cup of grated asiago. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is golden. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know if you try it!

Roasted Sweet-Potato Fries
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub 2-3 medium sweet potatoes and pat dry. Halve lengthwise; quarter each half lengthwise. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes with 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp coarse salt, 1/4 tsp ground pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil until coated. Arrange, cut sides down, in a single layer. Roast; turning potatoes halfway through until tender and browned about 30 minutes.

Rosemary Biscuits
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1-1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in center, and add 4 tbsp melted butter and 1/2 cup milk. Stir just until dough comes together. Divide dough into 6 mounds on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.

(Both recipes are adapted from Everyday Food magazine)