Monthly Archives: January 2011
creamy fettuccine with asparagus – everyday food challenge
Is there any recipe that toasted pine nuts wouldn’t improve? I love them scattered over a creamy pasta. It’s one of the reasons that I selected this recipe for Creamy Fettuccine with Asparagus for this week’s Everyday Food Challenge. That and because I love fettuccine alfredo. This looked like a slightly healthier alternative. None of the butter and just a touch of cheese. And only six ingredients! I didn’t have any goat cheese on hand. A really tragedy, since I adore it. I swapped in 4 ounces of neufchatel that I had left over from another recipe. And yes, I realize that this is the second asparagus-centric recipe of the week. I’m an unapologetic fan of this stalky spear of goodness. The whole grain mustard and fresh dill gives the simple creamy sauce a real zip that my partner Greg loved. If you’re looking for a quick week night pasta meal, give this one a try. What’s your favorite asparagus-centric recipe? Please share it in the comments section.
asparagus, fingerling potato and goat cheese pizza
Pizza. What can I say? It’s one of my favorites. And it’s all the better when you make it home. As I wrote about a few days ago, I’m working my way through a big bag of fingerling potatoes. As a result, I’ve been pouring over recipes that include these delightful mini spuds. While surfing the Epicurious iPad app I came across a recipe for Asparagus, Fingerling Potato and Goat Cheese Pizza from the May 2009 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. There was no resisting the charm of this pizza. I’m lazy and refuse to make my own pizza dough. I hear it’s easy enough, but it takes time and I’m a pretty impatient fella. I used the frozen pizza dough that you can find in your grocer’s frozen section and thawed it the night before in the fridge. Now for the toppings. There was a lot of cheese, not just the goat cheese from the title. There was also fresh mozzarella just above the garlic-oiled crust. And to finish off the top layers of potatoes and asparagus, a generous sprinkling of parmesan. If you’re looking for a rustic and filling pizza, this is your guy.
national pie day
It’s National Pie Day in America. How both very exciting and random that it’s celebrated in the middle of winter. I though that I’d honor the day with a look back at one of my favorite pie posts. Click here to read all about the fabulously tart Lemon Pie with Pecan Crumb Crust.
So, what kind of pie are you craving today? Share your favorites in the comment section.
penne frittata with basil and ricotta & roasted fingerling potatoes with seasoned salt
Ladies and gentlemen, my longest blog title yet. Sorry about that. Well, not really because these two recipes from Martha Stewart Living magazine are pretty great.
It all started when I was at the grocery store and came across a big bag of multi-colored perfect little fingerling potatoes. There’s just something about them, that I can’t resist. Particularly the purple ones. After a bit of research, I found that Martha had a very simple recipe for Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Seasoned Salt. My partner Greg was particularly enamored with these roasted potatoes. I wanted some baked eggy-goodness to go with the fingerlings. A few moments later after searching for frittata recipes, I was sold on the Penne Frittata with Basil and Ricotta. Thankfully, our grocery store had some pretty great looking basil in the middle of January. And really, how can you go wrong with eggs, pasta, basil and cheese?
Paired, these two relatively simple recipes made for a filling comfort-food inspired dinner. They turned into great left-overs the next night too.
frozen peanut butter, chocolate and banana loaf – everyday food challenge
So it seems that I’m on a bit of chocolate kick, of late. Today, I’ve reached issue #21 of my Everyday Food Challenge and the Frozen Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Banana Loaf. And again, it’s another very simple recipe. Just five ingredients! The most complicated step was being patient as the chocolate melted and then cooled slightly. After that, it’s just mixing ingredients together one at a time. Sprinkling some roasted peanuts on top, then popping the pan in the freezer for a couple of hours. One warning though. This is a very rich dessert. They’re not kidding when they say this will make 16 servings. Slice it thin, have a slice, then put it back in the freezer for another visit with peanut butter-chocolate-banana-destiny. Something tells me that this would have been a big hit at the Bluth’s Original Frozen Banana Stand.
meet a blogger monday – Christopher from Domestic Daddy
Today we meet Christopher from Domestic Daddy. His blog showcases fine living at its best. This is one of those blogs that I just love to delve into as a little escape from everyday life in Ohio. In Christopher’s world it always seems as though the sun is shining, the temperature is around 75 degrees, and there’s a deliciously crafted drink waiting for you when you arrive home from a long day at the office. As Liz Lemon would say, “I want to go to there.”
According to his bio, Christopher has always had a strong domestic streak, but since he and his partner had their daughter Julia last year, He’s learned to keep projects simpler, faster and more fun. They may be simple, but they’re presented beautifully. And if you’re looking for a great cocktail for a party, be sure to check out his expansive collection of drink options.
Name: Christopher Nordquist
Where are you: New York City and San Francisco
Blog: Domestic Daddy
How long have you been blogging: Since July, 2009
Why do you blog: I love sharing ideas about how to live well.
What’s been your favorite post: Probably the October 29, 2010 post about making Julia’s Halloween costume. It was a fun project, and her delight in wearing it warmed my heart.
Could you share a few of your favorite blogs that you read: The Selby, Smitten Kitchen, Remodelista, Modern Tonic, Sartorialist, and, of course, made by mike.
What’s “the one” big project/recipe that you are most looking forward to: Remodeling our new loft in Manhattan.
When you’re not blogging, what are you doing: Everything I blog about –and spending as much time as possible with my two year-old daughter, my partner and our family and friends.
Guiltiest pleasure: Sleeping in.
You’ll never cook with this ingredient: Velveeta.
Favorite Drink: Manhattan made with good bourbon and Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth.
Advice to the home cook: Have fun! Keep your projects simple and focused so you have enough time and energy left to enjoy the pleasures of cooking and eating.
chewy chocolate chunk-cherry cookies
As you are reading today’s post, I am in a car with three of my favorite people (ok, I really like you too, but there wasn’t enough room in the car for anyone else) traveling through America’s heartland from Akron, Ohio to St. Louis, Missouri. No road trip is complete with out a great selection of treats. When Greg and I travel there is always a can of Pringles (original flavor, please) and after a stop at a gas station, a bag of pretzel and nacho cheese Combos. How’s that for class? For this trip I made some homemade goodies too. There were the dark chocolate and pretzel crispy treats that I wrote about earlier this week. Also, after receiving the new issue of Martha Stewart Living (the chocolate issue!), I just knew that I needed to make the chewy chocolate chunk-cherry cookies. They are insanely good. Insanely, I say! That means that I can’t stop eating them. I find excuses to go to the kitchen and walk past the container on the counter. Well it would be rude not to eat one…two…three… The tart dried cherries matched with rich chocolate chunks and sweet cookie base….You have no idea how great these are until you eat one yourself. I’m pretty sure that they’ll make for three happy friends in the car with me. Hopefully they’ll be so happy, they won’t ask me to take a turn driving. Fingers crossed!
Oh, and be sure to check out that new clear glass bowl on my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. That was my most favorite birthday gift from Greg this year. Now I’m just like all the celebri-chefs on tv.
ham and potato bake – everyday food challenge
Back to my Everyday Food Challenge. This week I delved into the March 2005 issue and food a recipe for the Ham and Potato Bake. First a note, I’m not a ham fan. In fact, some day I’ll tell you the story from my childhood about the Christmas Ham. I’m starting to come around to it. As long as the ham is sliced thin, I can normally deal with it.
This recipe takes some time. It’s definitely not a weeknight after work dinner. There’s thinly slicing the potatoes. I used the slicing blade on my food processor, that sped things up a bit. It bakes for an hour covered with foil, then another 40 minutes without. Once baked it needs to cool for 2o minutes before you can slice it. So after about 2 hours from starting the recipe, we were ready to sit down for dinner. It was pretty good that night. It was even better the next night after sitting in the fridge and being reheated. This would be a great dish to make on a Sunday, then save for dinner a few days later.
dark chocolate and pretzel crispy treats
Today was supposed to be an Everyday Food Challenge post. The one about the potato and ham bake. But you know, sometimes cravings just get in the way.
There are few sweet treats that I love more than chocolate covered pretzels and good old-fashioned Rice Crispy Treats. How’s about if I combined them into one square of chocolaty-crunchy goodness. I kind of think that I did just that on Monday night. Yes…on a Monday night. A night that is normally filled with the dread of just completing the first of many successive days at work. A night that’s all about “couch time” and longingly looking back at the just finished weekend. But this Monday I set out to create a treat worthy of sharing with you, my amazingly loyal readers. I give to you the Dark Chocolate and Pretzel Crispy Treat, a made by mike original.
Dark Chocolate and Pretzel Crispy Treats
Makes 16 delightful squares of goodness.
Ingredients
- non-stick cooking spray
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 bag mini marshmallows (10.5 ounces)
- 1/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
- 4 cups crispy rice cereal
- 2 cups of broken thin pretzel sticks
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
Directions
- Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with the cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with two crossed sheets of parchment paper with a 2-inch overhang on each side. I like to use small binder clips to keep the paper in place. Set the pan aside.
- In a large saucepan, combine the butter, marshmallows and dark cocoa. Cook over medium heat until the mixture has combined and melted. Stir in the rice cereal and broken pretzel sticks. Stir until all the rice and pretzels are coated with the chocolate and marshmallow mixture.
- Turn out the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a piece of waxed paper, press the mixture into an even layer.
- Spread melted semisweet chocolate in an even layer on top of the rice and pretzel mixture.
- Let cool until the chocolate hardens then cut into 16 squares.
