NuM NuM

Risotto Milanese
2 servings
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4-5 cups beef broth (low sodium)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or I can’t believe it's not butter
• 1/4 cup minced shallots (1 large)
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, heat the beef broth in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook until evaporated. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.

Note: When plating risotto, the rice should spread a little on the plate. Not like a soup, but not a clumpy mess either.

Did you know when you roast cauliflower it becomes a little sweet? Roasting the cauliflower imparts a sweet nutty taste to this underused vegetable turning it from "eww cauliflower," into a welcoming weeknight side dish. If you've never had roasted cauliflower or broccoli before, you are surely missing out my friend. The gremolata is a unique addition and the lemon, garlic and panko add another dimension of flavor and texture making these little white trees anything but boring. This is best served at room temperature, but I found it equally delicious straight from the fridge - with fork in hand.


Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Bread Crumbs
Recipe from The Thin Chef via Food 52 Blog
Serves 3

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 2 tbs plus 1 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Trim tough stem and core from cauliflower and discard. Using a paring knife, cut cauliflower into smaller spears. Place in a large bowl. Add 2 tbs oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to combine.
3. Spread cauliflower out on a large, rimmed baking sheets. Roast until edges start to brown, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
4. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add panko and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and stir to coat in oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are golden. Add lemon zest and garlic and toss until mixture is very fragrant and bread crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place in a medium bowl and add parsley, stirring to combine. Set aside. (I also added a fresh squeeze of lemon juice as well)
5. Remove cauliflower from oven and place on serving platter. Top with bread crumbs and serve immediately.

*if you wait until the cauliflower is cool to sprinkle the bread crumbs on top, they'll stay good and crisp

Roasted Broccoli with a Warm Caper and Garlic Dressing

Adapted from Food 52

Serves 2-4

• 1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets 1”
• 3 tablespoons butter (Can't Believe It's Not Butter-Light)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 anchovy fillets or 1 tsp drained capers (finely minced)
• a splash of white wine
• a big squeeze of lemon, preferably Meyer (I used a regular lemon)
• Parmesan cheese, for dusting
• 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425. Arrange broccoli florets on a Silpat or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes and remove. (Flip broccoli after about 12-15 minutes if they are browning too quickly on the bottom)
2. In a small skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and anchovy and saute for about three minutes. Add wine and lemon and allow to reduce for a minute or two. Season with black pepper if desired.
3. Meantime, in another small skillet over medium heat, toast almonds until they are lightly browned, taking care not to burn them.
4. Drizzle sauce and sprinkle almonds and parmesan cheese over broccoli, then serve. Or, dip the broccoli in the sauce at the table. Enjoy!

*I used capers and omitted the nuts and cheese and tossed the broccoli with all the dressing then added more salt and pepper to taste. YUM-OH!

Although it may seem as if I let out some aggression and threw tonight's dinner against a wall, in actuality, these rustic potatoes are a new and innovative spin on America's favorite side dish. Usually potatoes are baked, fried, boiled, mashed, smashed or swimming in a pool of butter and cheese. While each method yields a tasty side dish, especially the latter - have you ever tried boiling, smashing, and baking a potato? The end result is a healthy starch, crispy and chewy on the outside and soft in the middle. A new spin on your favorite spud :)


Crash Hot Potatoes
Adapted from By Cristina Ceccatelli Cook
4 servings

Ingredients

• 9 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste
• Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven on upper third or second rack from top and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Then sprinkle Parmesan right when they come out of oven. If you want to a add a good helping of your favorite cheese either add them in the last few minutes of cooking or pop them under the broiler but watch them carefully so they don't burn.

Broccoli pesto = double broccoli quinoa. Sound exciting? No. Not so much? Well I realize the photo doesn't prompt you to salivate at your computer screen, but don't let its humble appearance deceive you because this was a wonderful surprise! I'm still trying to detox from Thanksgiving so this hit the spot! Dishes like this make me believe I could become a vegetarian or a fruitarian. :) Although, I doubt my carnivorous hubby would approve. The Texan W.M. and sister-in-law would have a field day for sure - it would be the end for this little Korean blogger.

For some reason I can never get excited about describing savory foods as much as I do desserts - so I'll keep this short and sweet. Quinoa is one of my favorite grains and I absolutely heart vegetables. Those two ingredients alone had me hooked and it was a fabulous double whammy of healthiness. Zesty lemon and salty parmesan make this the quintessential side dish for any meal. Add some grilled chicken and you have a perfect meal in itself. I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I did.


Double Broccoli Quinoa
Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks
4 servings

3 cups cooked quinoa*
5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems

3 medium garlic cloves
2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 big pinches salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil***

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil (optional)**, sliced avocado
crumbled feta or goat cheese

Heat the quinoa and set aside.

Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a 2-3 minutes, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside.

To make the broccoli pesto puree two cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, 1/2 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until smooth.

Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the broccoli pesto. Taste and adjust if needed, you might want to add more of the pesto a bit at a time (I added half the pesto and seasoned more with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes) or you might want a bit more salt or an added squeeze of lemon juice. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds, a drizzle of the chile oil, and some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings.

*To cook quinoa: rinse one cup of quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa, 1.5 cups of chicken broth, and a few big pinches of salt until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 20-25 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

**To make the red chile oil: You'll need 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes. If you can, make the chile oil a day or so ahead of time by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan for a couple minutes - until it is about as hot as you would need it to saute some onions, but not so hot that it smokes or smells acrid or burned. Turn off the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside and let cool, then store in refrigerator. Bring to room temp again before using.

***I left my pesto a little chunky - if you want it more pureed add more olive oil. I would even add substitute that with more chicken broth.

Optional: This would also be delicious scrambled with eggs I think :)

Thanksgiving is like the Superbowl of cooking holidays. This year I was able to make a couple dishes the day before and this sauce was one of them. Knocking out a few dishes before the big day is always a good stress reliever. This recipe uses a few basic ingredients and has the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Once chilled the sauce thickens up and tastes great smothered with turkey, gravy and stuffing - sweet and savory all in one bite. This one's definitely a keeper and will be my "go-to" for many Thanksgivings to come.


Cranberry Fruit Conserve
Makes 4 cups
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

* 1 (12-ounce) bag of fresh cranberries, cleaned
* 1 3/4 cups sugar
* 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
* 1 orange, zest grated and juiced
* 1 lemon, zest grated and juiced

Directions

Cook the cranberries, sugar, and 1 cup of water in a saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the skins pop open. Add the apple, zests, and juices and cook for 15 more minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat. Let cool, and serve chilled.

"Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided many of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website."

I've never made a souffle before so this was a new and exciting challenge for me. I'd only heard and seen how tempermental souffles were from clips in the movies. I'm sure you've seen those scenes where someone screams and a souffle collapses in the oven - yup, that was my envision before this challenge.

I'm glad I did a bit of research on souffles before I experimented with my own. During the last few minutes of baking I eagerly stalked watched them through the oven window as they slowly rose above the ramekins. Had I not known they would deflate the second you took them out of the oven - I think I would've gone into depression watching them wilt and collapse into a pile of mush. (Yes, mush is a foodie friendly word) The end result was an egg-y like custard-ish bite as light as a cloud. It was so light and fluffy it literally dissolved in your mouth.

The souffles would make a great dish to entertain with and one your guests will truly enjoy. They'll ooh and ahh once pulled from the oven and provide entertainment as everyone watches them fall to their destined fate. Your guests will feel special having their own personal dish, you'll look like a fancy shmancy cook, and be a kitchen rockstar. It's a win-win situation for all. Bon appetit!


Spinach and Cheese Souffle
4 servings
Adapted from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen

Note: This dish can be made ahead through step 7. Egg whites must be whipped just before the souffles are baked

1 Tbsp butter plus additional for the soufflé dish
1 3/4 Tbsp plain (all purpose) flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup finely grated cheese (I used Kerrygold Aged Cheddar Cheese and Val d' Aosta Fontina)
1/2 cup finely chopped spinach (this measure is the leaves after they’ve been washed, de-stemmed, and chopped)
2 room temperature large eggs, separated
1/4 tsp prepared mustard (Dijon)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar*
Salt and pepper to taste
* If you can’t find cream of tartar, a dash (~ 1/4 tsp) of lemon juice can be substituted

Directions:
1. Butter the soufflé dish(es) thoroughly -for the sides of the ramekin I buttered them using upward and downward motions so this would help the souffle climb - do not butter top of ramekin, then grate a small amount of cheese in each dish and tap so that the sides are completely and evenly coated with the cheese. Place the dish(es) in the refrigerator until needed (according to some sites, this helps the soufflé climb).
2. Preheat the oven to moderate 350º F
3. Wash and chop the spinach if you haven’t already.
4. Finely grate the cheeses
5. In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook 1 minute, then add the milk, a little at a time, and stir until just thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the cheese and mustard and stir until it’s just melted. Remove from heat then add the watercress and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the mixture cool a bit getting it to lukewarm temperature is best.
6. In a larger pan, bring water to a gentle simmer. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl set just over this water until pale and slightly foamy – about 6 minutes. (I ended up cooking the egg yolks in my first attempt so I just whisked the egg yoks in a separate bowl instead of over water)
7. Mix the egg yolks into the spinach sauce.
8. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until they form stiff peaks yet are still glossy.
9. Fold the egg whites into the sauce in 3 additions so that it’s evenly mixed, but you don’t lose too much volume.
10. Remove the soufflé dish from the refrigerator and spoon the mix into it. Use a spatula to even the tops of the soufflés and wipe off any spills around edges and wipe around the edges of the ramekins making a little edge between the souffle and the dish as this apparently makes them rise much neater
11. Bake 25 minutes for small dishes or 40 minutes if using a large soufflé dish, tops should be golden and firm to the touch in the center. Serve immediately.

Farro is a fairly new ingredient for me, but ever since I discovered it its become a new fave. It's a grain made from wheat and has a great chewy texture similar to barley, but a bit nuttier. So not only does it taste good, but it's healthy for you too. Ummm...except I don't know how healthy it is smothered in cheese and bathed in a creamy sauce. Could it be a healthy balance?

If you're trying to imagine how this dish tastes - think mac 'n cheese but with a chewy bite. The sauce had a fabulous flavor since the recipe called for three different cheeses - which made it even more heavenly. Even though it was delicious in all its cheesy gooey goodness, we could only eat a small amount since it was so rich and dense because of the farro. But I guess this turned out to be a blessing in disguise since I don't want to imagine how much damage we would've done had it been made with pasta. So if you try this dish I would suggest substituting pasta for the farro. However you may have to change the measurements depending on how many cups the farro cooks up to be. Say cheeeese :)


Cheesy Baked Farro
Recipe from Giada at Home
8 servings

* Vegetable cooking spray

Sauce:

* 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 cups 2% milk
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Farro:

* 2 1/2 cups grated Parmesan (I used sharp white cheddar)
* 1 cup grated Gruyere
* 1/2 cup fontina cheese, grated (Val d' Aosta)
* 6 cups chicken broth
* 2 cups faro or barley, rinsed and drained
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper*
* 1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
* Olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

For the sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 8 minutes (do not allow the mixture to boil).

For the farro: In a large bowl, add the cheeses and stir to combine. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture and reserve. In a large stock pot, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the farro, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the faro is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, if necessary. Add the farro, thyme, and sauce to the bowl with the cheese. Stir until combined and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the reserved 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake until the top is golden brown and forms a crust, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

*I would season the dish after you mix the bechamel with the cheese mixture since it's already pretty salty because of the cheese.

Tonight I made my old ye faithful chicken cordon bleu, along with these sweet and sour cipolinni onions. If you've never been a fan of onions, this could be the recipe that changes your mind forever. Cipolinni onions are very different from your "regular" strong and pungent flavored onion. These seem more like a distant cousin since they are mild in flavor and sweet. Take that and drown it in a bath of butter, sugar and balsamic vinegar - the flavors harmoniously blend and taste nothing reminiscent as a member of the dreaded onion family. They were the perfect pairing with the chicken since the chicken was a bit salty from the cheese and prosciutto and the onions had a nice vinegary sweetness from the balsamic glaze. Serve this to company and they'll be in for a treat!

Balsamic Glazed Sweet and Sour Cipolinni
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, original recipe from Mario Batali

4 servings

2 pounds cipollini or small (1 1/2-inch) onions
4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup tomato sauce of your choice (I cheated and used canned. Don’t tell!)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Blanche the onions in boiling water for one minute and let them cool so that they can easily be peeled. Peel the onions, leaving and washing any root strand you may find.

In a 12 to14-inch saute pan over a medium high flame, heat virgin olive oil until just smoking. Add butter and cook until foam subsides. Add onions and saute until light golden brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. [Batali doesn't mention this but listen to me and my messily-splattered walls, floor, ceiling and arms that still hurt at the thought of it: this will splatter a lot. You either want to use a splatter screen, should you be savvy enough to have one, or a lid. Consider yourself warned.]

Add sugar, vinegar, tomato sauce, water and rosemary and bring to a boil. Cook onions uncovered covered (again, the splatter effect is such that a lid is worth using) until just al dente, about 10 minutes. If liquid dissipates too quickly, add more water, a 1/4 cup at a time, realizing that it is essential not to overcook the onions. The sauce should just adhere to the onions. Remove from saute pan to an earthenware dish and hold in a warm place, or allow to cool if you are serving them later or as an antipasto.

Remember when you were a little kid and your mom would yell at you because you were playing with your food? Well in this case: playing with your food is allowed and warranted. These cute little guys transform your ordinary mashed potatoes into a whimsical ball of crunch! This recipe is more of a method then an actual recipe and I suggest adapting it to your own preference. Since I've been told I make my mashed potatoes taste "healthy," I would use your favorite recipe when making this. If you like your puffs extra crunchy, double dunking is highly suggested. To achieve this, you roll the puffs back into the egg wash and then into the panko crumbs again after the first dredge. The outside gets really crunchy and the inside stays nice and soft. I actually enjoyed the double dipping method as well. So if you're a fan of mash da-paytoes, make this and have fun playing with your food :)


Potato Puffs
Adapted from Stonewall Kitchen Favorites via Mel’s Kitchen
Makes about 1 dozen potato puffs

*Note: the puffs need to be refrigerated for at least 1 hour before baking but they can be made up to 8 hours ahead of time.

3/4 pounds russet baking potatoes (about 2-3 large), peeled and quartered
1 tablespoons butter
2 tbs milk
1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large eggs
1 cups panko bread crumbs (found in the Asian-foods aisle)
Garlic salt and onion powder, optional

Boil the potatoes for 10-12 minutes, until they are tender but not overcooked. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash them with a potato masher until they are smooth. Over very low heat, add the butter and milk and mash until the potatoes are light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheese, salt and pepper. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. You should have a smooth, soft mixture. If it seems a bit too stiff and not creamy enough, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons milk to adjust the consistency. Keep in mind, you’ll be rolling this mixture into balls so you don’t want it so soft it will fall apart while rolling.
Let the mixture cool slightly. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk the eggs add in a tsp bread flour until blended and season them lightly with salt and pepper and garlic and onion powder. Place the panko on a large plate or pie dish.
Using cookie dough scooper form a heaping 2 tablespoons of the mashed potato mixture into a ball and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Repeat this process until all of the potato mixture is rolled. You should have 11-14 potato puffs, depending on how big or small you rolled them.
Dip a potato puff into the egg mixture, coating it lightly on all sides then dip it in the panko until it is coated. Place on an oiled cooling rack inside of a cookie sheet and repeat with remaining puffs. Cover the puffs loosely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours before baking.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Bake the potato puffs for about 10 minutes then turn up heat to 425 for an extra 5 minutes, until golden brown and heated through. They will not get that brown but will still be crunchy

Kale is a fairly new vegetable to me and one that I do not use very often. The last time I used it, I made kale "chips" and they were delicious, so I was excited to try it out in this dish. The kale tasted very hearty against the millet and the zest and juice of the lemon added a nice zing to the dish. My favorite part about this recipe is that it lends itself well to substitution. Each time you make this, you can swap out the grain, veggies, or cheese with whatever you have on hand. If you're not a fan of kale, swiss chard would be a great substitute and feel free to swap out quinoa for couscous or millet like I did. Add a protein and you have an easy, perfect one pot meal. Best of all, you feel like you're eating a big bowl of healthy goodness!


One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf
Recipe from Food 52
Serves 2-4

• 2 cups salted water or you can substitute half or all of water with chicken broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 bunch kale (6 oz) washed and chopped into 1" lengths
• 1 meyer lemon, zested and juiced*
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1 tablespoon toasted walnut oil or olive oil
• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds, chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese, feta, or cotija
• salt and pepper

1. Bring the water to a boil in a covered pot. Add the quinoa, cover, and lower the heat until it is just enough to maintain a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes, then top with the kale and re-cover. Simmer another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to steam for 5 more minutes.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, take a large serving bowl and combine half of the lemon juice (reserving the other half), all of the lemon zest, scallions, walnut oil (you can substitute olive oil if you desire), pine nuts, and goat cheese.
3. Check the quinoa and kale when the cooking time has completed -- the water should have absorbed, and the quinoa will be tender but firm, and the kale tender and bright green. If the quinoa still has a hard white center, you can steam a bit longer (adding more water if needed). When the quinoa and kale are done, fluff the quinoa, and tip it into the waiting bowl with the remaining ingredients. As the hot quinoa hits the scallions and lemon it should smell lovely. Toss to combine, seasoning with salt and pepper, and the remaining lemon juice if needed.

*If using regular lemon use only half the juice and add more to taste

These garlic knots were the perfect accompaniment to the lasagna I made the other night. Warm and fresh out of the oven, soft in the middle, every bite is full of garlicky goodness. If you thought the garlic bread at Olive Garden was good, these will knock your socks off! They were surprisingly easy to make and highly addicting.


Buttery Garlic Knots
Recipe adapted from Repressed Pastry Chef & King Arthur Flour blog & here
Makes 16 knots

Dough
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup milk (I used 2% milk)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast (Rapid Rise Highly Active Yeast)
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water (warm up water for 8 seconds in microwave)

For the filling/topping...
4 large cloves garlic
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Pizza Seasoning or Italian seasoning, to sprinkle on top of the knots

INSTRUCTIONS
To make dough—
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the dry ingredients together then add the olive oil, milk and water. Using the paddle attachment or dough hook, mix and knead to form a smooth, elastic dough, adding additional water or flour (I added about 10 more tbs of flour) as needed. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow it to rise for about 1 hour, until it’s doubled in bulk. (I heated a cup of water for 45 seconds in the microwave then put my bowl with the dough inside and closed the door to speed up the process. It doubled its size within 40 minutes)

In a small skillet, melt 2 T butter with 2 T extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the sea salt and mix well. Divide the butter mixture into two bowls. Add rosemary to one of the bowls and use it as the "filling" to glaze over the dough before you knot them. Use the other butter bowl as the glaze when the knots are done baking. Remember to scoop from the bottom of the bowl so the garlic pieces are on top of the knots along with the butter. Finish with a sprinkling of pizza seasoning.

Shape the dough into a rectangle 16" long and 8" wide and flatten dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Divide the dough into 3/4 to 1 inch intervals using a pizza cutter or sharp knife and then divide dough evenly in half vertically. Take each piece and taking the palm of your hand flatten dough to about a 1/4 inch in thickness and spread rosemary butter over dough. Fold dough in half lengthwise and press edges together (taking top part and folding it over bottom half like you would a sheet of paper) then roll into a rope about 10 inches long like this website. If dough is sticking to board or is too wet then add a sprinkling of more flour so it will be easier to work with. Tie each rope into a knot, tucking the loose ends into the center. Place the knots on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and let rise for 45 minutes to about an hour, until very puffy looking. (After tying the dough into knots I put them in the fridge over night. An hour before I was ready to serve I removed them from the fridge so they could come to room temperature and then put them in the oven. They did not puff up but stayed the same size)

Before the end of the last rise, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the knots for about 14-18 minutes, until golden. You do not want them to get too crisp since they should stay soft in the middle. Remove from oven and brush with remaining garlic butter mixture and sprinkle tops with pizza seasoning. Serve rest of sauce as dip.

If you're lookin' for a change to your boring weeknight meal then this is a wonderful dish to try - especially if you're a fan of Indian food. Pomegranate molasses is a new ingredient I've been cooking with recently and I find it gives a tremendous boost of flavor to any dish. In my latest creation I drizzled it over sweet vanilla ice cream and it was divine!! If you like the taste of POM juice then you'll enjoy using this ingredient.

The pomegranate molasses was an innovative addition to tonight's meal and made the kebabs very unique from the other kefta/kebabs on this site, which can be found here and here. The glaze smelled sooooo good the second it hit the grilled meat. The aroma was coming through the window and perfumed the entire house. The pomegranate added an interesting tartness to the savory meat and made for a wild sensation of flavors. In fact, the flavor of the pomegranate was so intense against the savory meat that it was a taste I'd never experienced before. Are you intrigued? Makes ya wanna go out and buy some doesn't it?! If you're skeptical to try it with savory foods, buy it for the mere fact of using it as an ice cream topping alone. YUM!

I served this with roasted okra (I am a new believer in okra), baked falafel (which I will post about soon) and store bought tzatziki sauce. I would first try the meat with the yogurt sauce just in case it's too "funky" for your liking. The cool yogurt balances out the tartness of the pomegranate and adds a great contrast against the hot meat. This was a welcomed change for a weeknight meal and a yummy new recipe to try.


Ground Turkey Kefta Kebabs with Pomegranate Glaze
Recipe from Food Network
Serves three

* 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves picked (about 2 cups)
* 4 sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked (about 1 cup)
* 1 shallot, roughly chopped
* Zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon**
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1 pound ground lamb
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 tsp garam masala
* 1 egg white, lightly beaten
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Olive oil, for greasing and drizzling
* 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses*
* 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
* Can be found at specialty Asian and Indian markets
* Special Equipment: 12 (10-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

In a food processor, combine the parsley, mint, shallot, and garlic and pulse until finely minced. Add the mixture to a bowl with the ground turkey, (I only added 3/4 amount of the herb mixture to the turkey) baking soda, lemon zest, egg, garam masala and lots of salt and pepper, to taste. Knead until just combined. Make a tester patty in a pan and adjust with salt and pepper. Pull off a small ball of meat and shape into a fat cylinder. Thread a skewer through the middle lengthwise, and smooth the meat down the skewer until it's even all the way down. Repeat with rest of the meat mixture. Put the kebabs on an oiled baking sheet and drizzle with a little more oil. Combine the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.

Light a grill or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Arrange the kebabs on the hot grill, turning once and generously brushing with the pomegranate mixture in the last few minutes of cooking. Cook the kebabs until browned and cooked through.

**If you are using a regular lemon that you find at the store, add a pinch of sugar to balance out a bit of the tartness from the pomegranate molasses.




Oven Roasted Okra
Adapted from Yamuna Devi's Yamuna's Table
Serves 2

20 Okra (the smaller the size the better)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon water
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt or herb salt (Lawry’s Seasoned Salt)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Lime, cut into wedges

Oven preheated to 500F. Rinse and pat okra dry. Combine all of the ingredients except the okra and lime in a bowl. Mix to form a grainy paste. Toss the okra in the mixture, then spread out on a baking sheet. Lightly spray the okra with cooking spray, and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Turn okra over every 5 minutes to brown evenly. The Okra is done when it's nice and tender and you can easily pierce it with a fork. Serve with lime wedges (I just mixed the spices together minus the olive oil and water and sprinkled over the okra and drizzled with EVOO)

**Roasting the okra at high temperature gets rid of most of the "slime" factor.

These are a great alternative to the deep-fried appetizers you stuff your face with during happy hour. They're guilt-free and you're gettin' your veggies in for the day. Eat them with ketchup or ranch dressing and even zucchini haters will love them. Enjoy!


Zucchini Sticks
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated
2 servings

3 medium zucchini sliced into 3" x 1/2" sticks
3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces (should equal 1 ¾ cup)
1/2 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1/2 tablespoon)
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
Ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/8 cup plus 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 large egg whites
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about eight 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 ¾ cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with thyme, and parsley.

2. Place 1/8 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 3 tablespoons flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.

3. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Dredge 1 zucchini stick; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of zucchini with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres. Transfer breaded zucchini to wire rack. After you are done breading all the zucchini let them rest for 15 minutes so breading can adhere to zucchini.

4. Spray zucchini sticks with PAM and sprinkle more salt over top.
Pre-heat oven to 400F and bake for 20-25 minutes until brown and cooked through. If zucchini sticks are browning too quickly, drop the heat to 375F.

Tonight was a throw everything in your fridge and stuff it into a bell pepper kind of night. However, all the different ingredients made for a delicious and healthy dinner. This meal came together fast, had great flavor and was easy on the wallet. It seems like every where you go red bell peppers are on sale right now - yes, these are apparently the things I notice in my life now - anyway, they're the perfect vessels to stuff things in and make for an elegant presentation.

I love these kinds of recipes. It's so versatile and you can swap out the veggies for whatever you have on hand and add a different spice if you're not a fan of cumin. But the cumin does add a nice smokey taste and the ingenious addition of cayenne - made by moi - added some additional lingering heat as well. I love spicy food so this dish was no exception.

The roasted cauliflower was fantastic as well. When you roast the cauliflower this way, the bottom gets brown and caramelized and it becomes crunchy and chewy. I finished the dish with my new fancy "Fleur de Sel" salt and it added a nice salty bite to the veggies. Aren't the cauliflowers cute! They look like little trees. If that reason alone doesn't motivate you to make the dish, I don't know what will :)


Red Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa, Zucchini and Feta
Adapted from Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
2 servings

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well several times
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 scallion thinly sliced into rounds
1 jalapeño chile, finely diced, seeded if desired
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cups, more or less, fresh or frozen corn kernels (substituted grated zucchini-drained on paper towels)
1/2 bunch of spinach, leaves only, or substitute 1 handful of arugula, torn into pieces
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup feta cheese, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup Riesling or other aromatic white wine
2 yellow and/or orange bell peppers
Cayenne pepper and onion powder to taste

1. Bring 1 cups of water to a boil. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, then the quinoa. Give it a stir, then cover and simmer over low heat until the grains are tender and reveal their spiraled germ, about 15 minutes.
2. Warm half the oil in a wide skillet. Add the scallions and chiles, cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, grated zucchini and spinach, along with 2 tablespoons water. When the spinach is wilted, add the cilantro, quinoa and feta. Toss everything together, taste for salt, and season with pepper, cayenne, and onion powder.
3. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise without removing the tops or stems, then cut out the membranes and seeds. Simmer them in water until tender to the touch of a knife but not overly soft, 4 to 5 minutes, and remove. Fill a baking dish with the wine, fill peppers with the quinoa mixture and set them in the baking dish.
4. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Drizzle the rest of the oil over the peppers and bake the peppers until heated through, 20 to 30 minutes, then switch the heat to broil and brown the tops until nice an crispy. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Serves 2.

Notes: If you make this recipe be careful of how much salt you use because depending on what kind of feta you get, it will add additional salt to your dish. Also, you may be tempted to swap out water for the wine since the recipe calls for such a small amount, but the wine really does add a lovely aroma to the end result.


Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
2 servings
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

1/2 of a medium head of cauliflower, washed
extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
*Fleur de Sel to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place racks in the middle.

Trim the cauliflower. Get rid of the big stalks and stems and strive for uniform, bite-sized little florets. Little trees.

In a big bowl toss the cauliflower with olive oil and the rest of the ingredients. Toss until the cauliflower is well coated and then place it in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. You are going to bake for about 25-30 minutes total.

After the cauliflower has been baking for about 15-20 minutes anything in contact with the pan should be nicely browned. Pull the pan out of the oven, rotate each piece of cauliflower so that another side will get some color. Return the pan to the oven and finish with another 7-10 minutes or so. The cauliflower should be tender throughout. Finish with a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel. Serve immediately.

Despite all the chaos on the plate, the burger was scrumptious. These teriyaki burgers were healthy and lean and since I combined the white and dark meat, they stayed nice and moist. The chicken burgers actually tasted very similar to my salmon burgers but they had more of a sweet and savory umami taste due to the savory chicken and sweet teriyaki sauce. I served these with fries and onion rings that I baked in the oven and battered with crushed potato chips. The coating was a bit overwhelming since you couldn't really taste the onion but they were still yummy dipped in ketchup. But next time I think I'll try and find another recipe with a lighter coating. But if you're a lover of all things breaded and crunchy, then this recipe is for you. Mmm....love me some burger and fries! Love me anything squished between two slices of bread.


Teriyaki Sauce
Adapted from White on Rice Couple
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

For the sauce:
• 1 cup of fresh, minced pineapple or 1 20 oz. can of quality minced pineapple
• 1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce
• 1” knob of minced ginger (about 20 grams)
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp of vinegar (apple cider or rice vinegar)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbs cornstarch
• 1 Tbs cold water
• Add more sugar or honey to taste
1. For the sauce: In a blender, combine: soy sauce, 1 can of minced pineapple (or 1 full cup of the minced fresh pineapple), ginger, garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, sesame oil. Blend all liquefy all ingredients until well combined or until pineapple and ginger are crushed very well. At this stage, you can decide if you want a finer sauce by straining the pulp out. If you like the sauce a little thicker with chunks of pineapple, then do not strain.
2. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water. With fork, break apart all the cornstarch clumps until liquid is smooth (cornstarch slurry).
3. Transer teriyaki liquid to sauce pan. Heat up for about 1 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove sauce pan from heat and immediately stir in cornstarch water mixture. Stir rapidly till sauce thickens. Allow to cool.
4. Add extra sugar for sweetness or extra vinegar for tang. Customize the teriyaki sauce to your taste!


Chicken Teriyaki Burgers
Adapted from here
8 servings

• 1 lbs each of chicken breast and thighs
• 2 green onions
• 1 1/4 tsp sambal oelek (I would use more next time)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tbs cilantro, minced
• 1 tsp salt and pinch of pepper
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup panko or bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce
• 8 sesame buns, split and toasted
• 8 leaves red lettuce
• 8 1/4-inch slices of pineapple
• Thin slices of tomato

Directions
In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, panko, egg, green onions, chopped cilantro, garlic, sam bal, and salt. With oiled hands form mixture into 8 patties. To make patties uniform in size I used the lid of a jar which was a little bigger then my palm. Cover lid with plastic wrap and form patties inside the lid to to make them all uniform in size.
Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken patties and cook on both sides, brushing each side with the teriyaki mixture, about 10 minutes, or until fully cooked through. Grill pineapples on grill until heated through and grill marks form. Place burgers on toasted buns and top with lettuce, pineapple and Ginger Mayonnaise.

Ginger Mayonnaise:
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise & 1/4 cup fat free greek yogurt (Fage brand)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tsp dill pickles

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.



Oven Baked Onion Rings – 6 servings
Recipe based on Ellie Krieger
Adapted by Sara at Imafoodblog.com
Yields about 40 Onion Rings

• 3 Sweet Vidalia Onions (any sweet onion will do)
• 1 large bag Kettle Potato Chips (about 4 Cups)
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 Cup plus 1/4 cup Bread Flour or all purpose
• 1 Cup Low Fat Buttermilk
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 450F

Cut the onions into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Be sure to make them thick because it will affect the taste and texture of your final product. If you overcook these or cut them too thin they are still good, but you lose that great texture contrast and the sweetness of the onion.

1. In a food processor, crush up the baked potato chips until they are finely ground. Place the ground up chips in a shallow bowl for dredging.
2. Separate the onion slices into rings and discard some of the smaller inner rings as well as any that break. Place the remaining rings into a large resealable plastic bag with 1 cup of flour. Close the bag and give it a good shake so all the onions are coated with flour.
3. Measure out the buttermilk and whisk in the remaining ¼ cup of flour, egg and all the spices.
4. Dip the floured rings into the buttermilk mixture, then coat it with the potato chip mixture, then place it on a cooling rack that’s set on baking sheet.
5. You can spray the rings with some canola oil at this point. Let onion rings sit for at least 15 minutes so coating will stick to onions. If using two baking sheets rotate halfway through top and third rack – nestle little onions inside big ones.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes until they are golden brown. What you should have is a nicely browned crunchy outside with a sweet soft onion on the inside. Sprinkle with extra salt to taste

Surprise! NuM NuM got a face lift! This layout feels like a better reflection of myself...gives me warm fuzzies just lookin' at it. Anyway enough about the re-vamp, on to the nummmmm...the fancy piggy in a blanket or pig/corn dog if you will. Call it what you want...you'll be callin' it delicious!! The picture has you intrigued doesn't it? What is it...what could it be....ooooh the anticipation! It's a roasted pork tenderloin held prisoner inside of a french baguette...it's the world's largest fancy hot dog :)

This entire meal was full of flavors and a party in my mouth! I love it when you make something new and you don't know what to expect and you're pleasantly surprised with a new FAV! I can't wait to make this again. The pork tasted really clean and healthy from the fresh herbs and since the pork actually cooks inside the bread, it releases its juices and gets trapped inside. It's basically the same concept as eating a french dip sandwich and dunking the sandwich in the au jus - but with the pork, it's all wrapped up in a nice little package. Just imagine you get the juicy crunch from the bread, the tangyness from the dijon mustard and the fresh taste of the pork...YUM-OH! It's like eating a mini sammie on a fork. (and you know me and sandwiches)

The red cabbage was also an explosion of flavor. It's so fun eating a dish full of different textures and flavors - crunchy, tangy, salty and sweet all in one bit - oh my gashee. This dish will definitely keep you coming back for more and more.

Both recipes would be great to take on a picnic or serve at your next dinner party. The pork looks so fancy when you present it whole at the table - you'll get lots of oooh's and ahhhh's. The entire meal is 4-star without all the fuss and comes together quickly. You can make the salad while the pork cooks and dinner will be on the table in no time. Try it, you'll look like a rock star - just remember to send me lots of chocolate as a thank you :)


Pork Roasted the Way the Tuscan Do
Adapted from Joanne Weir's Cookbook and Once Upon A Plate
Serves 2-3

2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage
2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fennel pollen* (I omitted)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs Dijon Mustard
1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and sinewy tissue
1 loaf crusty baguette*

On a work surface, mince the sage, rosemary, pepper, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and fennel pollen and dijon together.  Brush pork with mixture

Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook the pork, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Then coat the pork again with the dijon mixture.  Cut the baguette in half the long way and scoop out the soft insides. Brush the inside of the baguette with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil (optional). (OR do what I did and spray the inside with olive oil PAM spray) Place the pork on the inside of the baguette so that the pork is completely enclosed. Trim off the excess ends of the bread. Tie the baguette, at 1-to 2-inch intervals, with kitchen string.

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Place the pork on a baking sheet and roast until done, 148°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let rest 10 minutes. Remove the strings and cut into slices. Serve.

* I used a Trader Joe’s Artisan Bread French Baguette. You want to get one that pretty round all around and not too flat in the middle b/c the bread has to "hug" the pork as much as possible. Next time I would also try to scoop out as little bread as possible since that was the best part. (Maybe try leaving a 1/2-inch of bread all along the inside - if this isn't possible it won't matter b/c it'll be delicious even with only a little bit of bread)
* I would also use a 1/2 tsp more of sage and rosemary next time I make this.

**Feel free to swap different herbs for the pork - maybe try thyme for the sage. My next attempt will be with the herb mixture from this recipe.


Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks and The Complete Tassajara Cookbook
Serves 2 to 3


1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon natural cane sugar (or brown sugar)
fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion or white onion, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound head of red cabbage, quartered and cut into thin ribbons
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 ounces (1/4 cup) golden raisins (or other plump, chopped dried fruit)
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 ounces (1/4 cup) feta cheese, crumbled

Roast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Sprinkle on the sugar, and a couple pinches of salt. Stir until the sugar melts and coats the seeds (you pan will need to be hot enough). Transfer the almonds to a plate so they don't stick to the pan. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion for a minutes or two with a couple pinches of salt. Stir in the garlic, and the cabbage, and a few more pinches of salt. Stir and cook for just a minute or so, or until the cabbage softens up just a touch. Then stir in the rosemary, most of the raisins, and the vinegar. The cabbage will continue to get more and more tender even after you remove it from the heat, so keep that in mind, and do your best to avoid overcooking it - where it collapses entirely. Fold in the feta cheese, most of the almods, then taste. Season with more salt if needed. Serve garnished with the remaining raisins, more feta, and almonds.

Anytime I tell my brother I'm making fish burgers he always seems less then excited.....hater!! Yet when he finally sits down to eat one he ends up thoroughly enjoying them. These were moist and flavorful and had a nice spicy kick from the jalapeno and red pepper flakes. The coleslaw added a nice crunch to the burgers and also served as a nice refreshing side with the addition of the apples. What I enjoyed most about these recipes was that I had almost all the ingredients in my pantry so dinner came together fast. I also made these fries to go along with the burgers and was finally able to take a picture before they were all consumed. Healthy, quick and light - minus the glutinous fries. You must have balance in your diet I say :) Now, if you'll excuse me I must tend to some brownies that are calling my name from the fridge. If you're wondering which ones they are, they're my: "Holy sh*t these are GOOD brownies!"


Thai Tilapia Burgers with Hoisin Mayo
Adapted from here
3 servings

Tilapia Burgers
3/4 pounds tilapia fillets
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons ginger, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced, use a smaller amount for less heat
2 tbs minced cilantro
2 tbs panko
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tsp peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoons lime juice, divided

Hoisin Mayo
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons hoisin sauce
dash of sesame oil

mixed greens
tomato
Burger buns

Directions:
Place 1/3 of the fish in a food processor and process until almost a paste, about 30 seconds. Add remaining fish and pulse until chopped but chunks are still visible.

Place the fish into a bowl. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeno, cilantro, panko, 1/2 tablespoon lime juice and salt.

In a small bowl mix together peanut butter, soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon lime juice, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Add to bowl with fish mixture and combine.

Divide into e portions and shape into burgers. Place on plate; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour. If you are starving, you can skip the hour in the frig.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Grill burgers about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes per side. When burgers are done squirt with extra lime juice all over.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine mayonnaise, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.

To serve:
Toast buns and slather one side with mayo. Place fish, mixed greens, slaw and tomato on other bun. Combine the two and shove in your mouth :) OR these can also be carb friendly and simply served on a plate topped with a dollop of mayo.

Note: They can also be made in mini size for bite-sized appetizers


Asian apple ginger slaw
2 servings
Adapted from Dinner Impossible

• 1 tbs rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoons peeled, finely minced fresh ginger root (about 1/2-inch piece)
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• tiny bit of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbs mayonnaise
• 2 tbs olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Granny Smith apples , peeled, cored, cut julienne and tossed with lemon juice to prevent discoloring
• 1/4 head cabbage, core removed and sliced chiffonnade or shredded
• 1/4 medium red onion, finely sliced
• 1/2 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges (or small bite size pieces), or grape tomatoes, halved

Directions
With a mortar and pestle put all ingredients in: the vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic, parsley and mash until you get smooth paste then add mayonnaise and mix then slowly pour the olive oil and mix and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper,
Toss together apples, cabbage and onion, and stir in enough of the dressing to coat. Gently fold in most of tomato wedges, reserving some for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) if necessary. Serve chilled, garnished with reserved tomato wedges, and with the remaining dressing on the side

Note: If you are making the slaw ahead of time add the apples just before you are ready to serve since they will turn purple b/c of the cabbage.

**I used red cabbage, a Gala apple and omitted the tomatoes and red onion only b/c I didn't have them

These fries were NUM! When I cook I'm not a big fan of drowning anything in oil, but these fries were an exception since they were baked instead of deep fried. Apparently in my mind, I can justify anything being baked as healhty, even if it were a big ball of cheese...mmm cheeeese. Anyway, back to the fries.

These were really tasty and had a nice spicy kick to them since there's some cayenne pepper in the mix. The secret ingredient to these fries is the cornstarch. It makes them nice and crispy on the outside but soft in the middle. The first time I tried making these I roasted the minced garlic with the fries and they ended up burning and leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. The next day (yes, I made them two days in a row) I reserved the garlic and sprinkled them on top after the fries were done baking and it was an added yummy bonus. Both lobster and I had KICKIN' breath but they were yummy in the tummy.


Garlicky Oven Fries
Adapted from: Lottie + Doof
4 servings

6 garlic cloves, minced
5 tbsp canola oil
3 russet potatoes (about 8oz each), peeled and each cut into 10-12 wedges
2 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 475° F. Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Combine the garlic and oil in a large bowl and microwave until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove garlic and set aside and transfer 4 tablespoons of the oil to a rimmed baking sheet, tilting the sheet to coat.
2. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the remaining oil mixture and toss to coat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the potatoes are translucent around the edges, 3 to 6 minutes, shaking the bowl to redistribute the potatoes halfway through cooking.
3. Combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot potatoes and toss well to coat.
4. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake until bottoms of potatoes are spotty golden brown, 11 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using metal spatula and tongs, scrape to loosen potatoes from pan, then flip each wedge, keeping potatoes in single layer. Continue baking until fries are golden and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes longer, rotating pan as needed if fries are browning unevenly.
5. Transfer fries to second baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Taste the potatoes and season with the reserved garlic from earlier and additional coarse kosher salt and pepper to taste and serve.

**Sweet potatoes are a good substitute since they're sweet and they mellow out the flavor of the spicy cayenne.