Knits and caboodles

Another way I've been distracting myself from the waiting to get on the wait list....Knitting!!! Just finished a beret for my beautiful sister Sara, and I've started a sock for Daniel. My life would be so very bleak without yarn.

Sweets, sardines and kitties

My sweet tooth has taken over lately and forced me to make french toast from my homemade challah bread, my grandmother's old date&nut pinwheel cookies, etc. I also love sardines and could eat them like popcorn, and my kitty comes out to see where the fish smell is coming from when I pop the can. I'm just trying to find ways to detract my attention from the fact that we have STILL not received our final home study to submit with our dossier. How much longer must we wait to get on the wait list? Only more waiting will tell....

Rustic Bosc Pear Tart

I found this recipe on The Food Network's website. I bought Bosc pears at the Farmer's Market for Thanksgiving and wanted to make some type of tart with them. I brought it to my family's house for Thanksgiving dinner, and I was very pleased with the results. The only thing I changed is the type of flour. I didn't have wheat flour, so I just used regular white flour. It still looked rustic enough, though!

Crust:
1/2 cup whole-grain pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons lowfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
3 medium pears
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon boiling water

Directions:
To prepare the crust, in a medium bowl whisk together the whole-wheat pastry flour, all- purpose flour, granulated sugar and salt. Add the butter and using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until you get a pebbly, course texture. In a small bowl combine the buttermilk and ice water. Using a fork, gradually mix the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Pat the dough into a 4-inch round and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.


In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and prepare the filling. Peel the pears, core them and cut into 1/4-inch slices. In a large bowl toss the pear slices with the lemon juice. Sprinkle in the cornstarch, brown sugar and cinnamon and toss until the pears are evenly coated. Set aside.


On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large circle about 9 inches in diameter. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and draping the dough over the rolling pin, transfer to the prepared baking sheet. If the dough breaks at all patch it up with your fingers.


Arrange the pears in a mound in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the border over the filling. It will only cover the pears partially and does not need to be even.


Bake the tart for 15 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, keeping the tart in the oven all the while, and bake for another 40 minutes, until the pears are tender and the crust is golden brown.


In a small bowl stir together the honey and boiling water to make a glaze. When the tart is done remove it from the oven and brush the honey glaze all over the top of the fruit and crust. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Cut into 6 wedges and serve warm or a room temperature.

Almond biscotti

I got this recipe off the Interweb, and it worked just fine. Thanks to myrecipes.com! I never knew that biscotti means twice cooked in Italian until my husband told me, and I felt very silly and embarrassed. But then I made the biscotti and they were delicious, so I didn't feel so silly anymore. These go well with a hot cup of coffee or tea and are also perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges since they don't really go stale!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup almonds, chopped and toasted
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon anise extract
2 eggs
1 egg white
Vegetable cooking spray

Preparation
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine vanilla and next 3 ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring until well-blended (dough will be dry).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 7 or 8 times. Shape dough into a 16-inch-long roll. Place roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and flatten roll to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove roll from baking sheet to a wire rack, and let cool 10 minutes. Cut roll diagonally into 30 (1/2-inch) slices, and place, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325°, and bake 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, and bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; let cool completely on wire rack.

Tilapia "en papillote" with couscous and steamed vegetables

Here is another recipe I made up and is so easy to make; it literally takes five minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook. Take that, Rachel Ray!

"En papillote" means wrapped in paper in French, and that is how the fish is baked. You take squares of parchment paper (make sure it's parchment paper!) and place a fillet of fish and vegetables julienne (French word for ribbon cut) and create a cute little pouch so that the fish and veggies are steamed inside the pouch in the oven. This is a marvelous way to retain the moisture in the fish, and the juices flavor the veggies, too.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

4 small fillets of tilapia
1 zucchini cut into very thin ribbon slices - julienne
1/2 yellow onion cut julienne
1/2 red bell pepper cut julienne
4 thin slices of a lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Place four parchment sheets on your counter and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil in the center of each sheet. Next place your fillets over the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Evenly divide all the cut vegetables amongst the four fillets and lay them over the fish. Top each pile with a slice of lemon and then drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over each. Then fold into pouches as best you can, making sure they are tightly wrapped. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes on a cookie sheet. While the pouches are baking, make some couscous over the stovetop, and you've got a light and nutritious meal in 20 minutes!

Curried vegetable soup with Challah bread

Last week, on a rainy wintery day, Daniel and I were doing our Christmas shopping downtown after Farmer's Market. We walked by Nonni's, a European bistro on Main Street, and the chef was outside serving little cups of soup to passersby. This soup was amazing with creamy, tangy, rich flavors. I asked the chef what the ingredients were, and he foolishly told me. So now I'm improvising this recipe, trying to chase the dream of recreating those heavenly aromas of curry and butternut. I also made three loaves of Challah bread, and they were divine. Here goes:

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I steamed the squash first, then scooped out the softened meat)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 leeks, washed and chopped
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, mashed and coarsely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
6 cups of chicken broth
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1/2 cup of coconut milk
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Sautee the onion, leeks and garlic with the olive oil for a few minutes. Next add the broth, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and bring to a very soft boil over medium-high heat for about 20 to 25 minutes. When all the vegetables are soft and can be broken up with a fork, add the coconut milk and curry powder. In batches, puree the soup until smooth in texture. Let simmer for another 20 minutes. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with a spinach salad and warm bread. Delicious!

Greek orzo salad

Bring this quick and easy pasta salad to your next potluck holiday party, and you will be on everyone's Christmas list this year! It's from Bon Appetit, October 1997

Ingredients:

12 ounces orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups crumbled seasoned feta cheese (such as basil and tomato; about 6 ounces)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (my dad can't eat bell pepper, so sometimes I substitute with cherry tomatoes and cucumbers...)
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Preparation:

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add crumbled feta cheese, chopped bell peppers, Kalamata olives, green onions and capers.

Combine lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard and cumin in small bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Add dressing to orzo mixture and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Garnish salad with pine nuts; serve.

Roasted Bosc pears with pomegranate glaze

This recipe I found in a Bon Appetit from 2004. It was a gourmet-looking dessert that was very simple and delicious.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dry red wine, such as Syrah or Zinfandel
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
6 Bosc pears with stems, peeled
Vanilla ice cream
Purchased biscotti

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir wine, pomegranate juice, sugar, cinnamon stick, and orange peel in medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.

Using small melon baller, core pears from bottom of wide end. Trim bottoms flat and stand upright in 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Pour pomegranate-wine sauce over pears. Roast pears until tender when pierced with knife, basting pears with sauce every 20 minutes, about 1 hour. Using spatula, transfer roasted pears to serving platter. Transfer pan juices to small saucepan. Simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let sauce and pears stand at room temperature. Rewarm sauce before continuing.)

Spoon glaze over pears. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream and biscotti.

For the meat lovers

My stepmom keeps asking me for my meatloaf recipe, so this post is for her. I have been told by many people who don't like meatloaf that my meatloaf is the most delicious things they have ever tasted. And I do believe it's true. I could eat an entire loaf myself every day of the week forever! My secret is that I cook it in a crockpot.

Ingredients for Erin's famous MEATLOAF:

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef (on the leaner side, 97%)
1 cup of breadcrumbs
2 eggs
2 cups of steamed vegetables and finely chopped (I use carrots, broccoli, chard and/or kale)
1 yellow onion diced
3 garlic cloves run through a garlic press
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
salt & pepper
1 finely chopped tomato
1 can or bottle of tomato sauce (and don't skimp! make it the goodstuff)
1 cup of parmesan cheese

Mix all the ingredients together EXCEPT the tomato sauce. Just add 2 tablespoons of sauce to the mix and reserve the rest for later. Form your loaf after fully mixing. Take the sauce and pour some into the crockpot before you place the loaf into the crockpot. Next move the loaf into the crockpot and pour the rest of the sauce over the loaf. Cook on low heat for about 8 hours. If you are in a time pinch, you can cook it for 1 or 2 hours on high and then switch to low for 2 more hours. But trust me, the low for 8 hours is better! Whip yourself up some mashed potatoes and steam some veggies. Lift the loaf out of the crockpot carefully, trying not to break it, and place on a serving dish to slice up. You can make a gravy out of the liquid left in the crockpot by making a roux first and then adding the liquid over the stove for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

BEEF EMPANADAS CRIOLLAS:

I also get lots of compliments on my empanadas, so here goes.

Ingredients:

1 pound of 93% lean ground beef
1 cup of sliced green olives
1 cup of chopped boiled eggs
1 cup of chopped boiled potatoes
1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cube of butter (this recipe is not for the weak-vesseled)
1 yellow onion diced
salt and pepper
1 package of 20 empanada dough for baking, NOT for frying (you can get these at Mexican markets, especially in the Mission in S.F., or you can make your own masa. If you want the recipe for that, just ask me!)

Heat up 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over the stove. Add your diced onion and the ground beef. Stir until the onion and beef are cooked. Slice up the rest of the butter and add to the mix in slices. Once melted, add the sugar. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Preheat oven to 375. Take the slices of dough and fill one at a time with about 2 tablespoons of filling and seal the dough.

(With each kind of empanada filling, you are supposed to seal the empanada with a different design so that you can tell them apart when throwing a party and serving several different kinds. So Empanadas Criollas are folded like in my photo. Empanadas Arabes are folded in a triangle. Empanadas Pachamama are folded in yet another way.)

Place the empanadas on oiled cookie sheets and bake for about 20 minutes or until the dough has lightly browned. Let cool, and enjoy!!

Goodbye, Facebook!

It was a difficult decision, but at the behest of my husband, I deactivated my Facebook recently. Every time I go on Facebook and see posts of a new pregnancy announcement, a new preggo belly pic and some newborn of a wife of a friend of Daniel (there have been several this month), I cry. I want to stop crying. I'm tired of it. Losing Facebook is a step towards stopping the crying, I think.

So hurray to not being pregnant! Ugh. Instead I need to check on Daniel's two clearances from Illinois and Pennsylvania that have STILL not come back after a month of waiting. I also needed to get an HIV test last week, after I was told repeatedly that the HIV test was optional. Well, it wasn't! I also spent some time during the home study interview explaining to the social worker some uncomfortable background history with my mom. I kept thinking, this does not mean that I will be a bad parent, and why are we even talking about this? It was so long ago!!! Shouldn't we be talking about how wonderful I am and how I want a baby more than anything in this world and will fly all the way to Ethiopia twice to get it?? Why don't they ask people before they have sex whether THEY have had any history of abuse in their families? Another funny question: Have you ever committed a crime which, at the time you committed it, you were not aware that it was a crime but now know it was a crime, and you may not have ever been convicted for it? What? My head is spinning.

So the home study went okay other than that, and our social worker is getting it written over the next two weeks. So the things we are missing from our dossier are: DANIEL'S CLEARANCES, HIV TEST RESULTS, COMPLETION OF OUR 10TH PARENTING CLASS on December 14th. As soon as those are squared away, we can turn it in, get it approved, and get on a wait list.

On another note, I finished two quilts recently: One for Kate and another for me. I've also been cooking a lot lately and will post some recipes soon.

What did I make last night? Not a baby....

Well, since nobody reads this blog, I thought I may as well make it a journal so that I can get rid of some of this emotional baggage I've been carrying around. I've been feeling so down lately. The past two years have been a tear-filled blur. Infertility treatments and drugs, two miscarriages, a diagnosis of premature ovarian failure, discovering that Daniel and I will never have our own baby...it's been rough. And watching everyone around me get pregnant, people that were married after Daniel and I were, people that already have two, three children, people who don't even want to have a baby, getting pregnant at the drop of a hat.

Nobody I talk to about my infertility seems to understand why I feel so sad. I get the most annoyingly rude and insensitive comments, like "This is all happening for a reason," or "you can always adopt" or "you can have one of my kids if you want" or "are you sure you can't get pregnant? You should try to relax!" or "just get drunk, and you'll get pregnant" (this is a comment I got from my phlebotomist when she was drawing blood the day I started miscarrying so that the doctor could check my hormone levels to see if I needed a D&C).

I'm so tired of this. I feel like I'm being punished, but I don't know what for. Adoption or an egg donor. These are our two options. And since IVF is never a sure thing and costs just as much as adoption, we are opting for adoption. I should be excited about adopting, shouldn't I? But how can I be when it takes twice as long as a pregnancy, is tens of thousands of dollars more expensive, and is ten times more invasive than buying a home, getting audited, or trying to get into the FBI. Example: Daniel and I spent $240 yesterday getting 24 signatures notarized for an adoption agency. And that was just for the contract! I have a feeling I'll be making good friends with the Iranian notary down the street from my house over the next two years.

I'm also so very tired of women saying that you never know anything about life until you've had your own child. Really? Really??? So does that mean that Mother Theresa, the Dalai Lama, Pope John Paul and possibly Jesus Christ didn't know jack-sh*t about life? Come on now, ladies. Please take your feet out of your mouths because I've had enough. That may be true for you, but when you say things like that to an infertile woman, it makes her want to blow her brains out with the closest gun in sight. Unfortunately, the closest gun in my sight is my husband's Nerf shotgun that shoots foam bullets with purple suction rings on the end. So don't say these silly things in front of me, or I will be forced to walk around with a Nerf bullet stuck to my forehead!

Anyway, for anyone who is interested, our garden is totally dead, except for tomatoes and canteloupe, since fall is here. We need to plant our winter stuff this week....

Just some garden and knitting stuff!

Hey, everybody. No recipe, just some pictures of our garden and of a little berry baby had I made for my brother and sister-in-law as they expect their first child in a few weeks.

Daniel and I have had a smashing success in our garden this year. Our green beans have been growing so strongly. So have our squashes, zucchini, tomatoes, basil, carrots and cucumbers. I've been trying to make use of all the zucchini, but it's ridiculous how fast they grow! We've given most of them away. It makes me a little sad to work in our garden, knowing that we are so good at making green things grow, but we can't seem to make a little one of us grow. It's been a rough year for me. But the beautiful weather helps, and so does cooking. Thanks to everyone who has been reading my blog. I love writing it, and I hope some of you are getting use out of the recipes.

Eggplant, zucchini, parmesan torte

This recipe comes from epicurious.com. I've made it twice now, and it's been devoured with great vigor by all guests each time! Seriously, this torte is delicious. But it's a very tedious and long process. So you might want to save this recipe for a dinner party with friends, where you know your hard work will be appreciated.

2 large onions (about 1 pound)
1 garlic clove
about 1/2 cup olive oil
a 26- to 32-ounce container chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 large eggplants (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
4 large zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds total)
4 large red bell peppers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
6 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 cups)
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Preparation:

Halve onions through root end and thinly slice. Finely chop garlic. In a large heavy skillet cook onions with salt to taste in 2 tablespoons oil, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until any liquid onions give off is evaporated. Add tomatoes with juice, sage, and thyme and simmer, stirring occasionally, until excess liquid is evaporated and mixture is very thick. Season mixture with salt and pepper and cool. Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush at least 2 shallow baking pans with some remaining oil.

Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick rounds and arrange in one layer in baking pans. Brush eggplant slices with some remaining oil and roast in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through roasting time, until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool eggplant 5 minutes and transfer with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.

Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and roast in same manner until tender and pale golden, about 25 minutes. Cool zucchini 5 minutes and transfer to paper towels to drain.

Quarter bell peppers lengthwise and discard stems, seeds, and ribs. Arrange peppers, skin sides up, in oiled baking pans and brush with some remaining oil. Roast peppers in same manner until tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool peppers 5 minutes and transfer to paper towels to drain.

In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes and whisk in milk and cream. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool sauce 5 minutes. Whisk in eggs, two thirds Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400°F. and lightly oil a 14- x 10- x 2 1/2-inch or other 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. In baking dish arrange half of eggplant, overlapping slices to form an even layer, and season with salt and pepper. Top eggplant with half of tomato mixture, spreading evenly, and pour about one third Parmigiano-Reggiano custard over it. Nestle half of zucchini in custard and season with salt and pepper. Top zucchini with half of peppers. Repeat layering, reserving half of remaining custard for topping. Pour reserved custard over final layer of peppers and sprinkle with remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Bake torte in middle of oven until custard is puffed and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let torte stand 10 minutes before serving.

Spinach Ricotta Pie

I pulled this recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook, which was a Christmas gift from my Uncle Chalo many years ago when he was at Tenspeed Press in Berkeley. I LOVE this cookbook. Thank you, Chalo!!

Crust:
6 tbs butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups flour
4 tbs cold milk

The Filling:
1 tbs of butter
1 cup minced onion
1 lb spinach, stemmed and chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh chopped basil
1 lb ricotta cheese
3 beaten eggs
3 tbs flour
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
a dash of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

To make crust:
Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut together the butter and flour until the mixture is uniformly blended and resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the milk to hold the dough together. Roll out the dough and form a crust in a 9 or 10-inch pie pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make filling:
Melt butter in skillet, add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add spinach, salt, pepper, basil, and stir over medium-high heat until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Spread into the unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 minutes. Serve hot or warm. Daniel and I like to splash a little Tapatio or Tabasco over it. Scrumptious!

Tortellini, kielbasa and white bean soup

In serious need of some comfort food? You have come to the right court reporter. Try this soup, and you will get a good night's sleep, dreaming of nothing but sweet, sweet flavors of kale, tortellini and kielbasa.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
10 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
4 cups chopped kale (1/2 bunch)
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
1 9-ounce package cheese tortellini


1 cup grated Asiago cheese or Parmesan cheese
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Preparation:
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add next 6 ingredients and sauté until vegetables are soft and kielbasa is brown, about 12 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and cannellini. Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Add tortellini to soup. Simmer until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite, about 5 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Zucchini Fritters with Black Bean and Corn Salad

I got this recipe off Martha Stewart's website...normally I wouldn't use Martha as an authority for anything because I really can't stand her smugness, but I have to admit, this recipe came out quite good! So thank you, Martha.

Ingredients:

1 pound (about 2 medium) zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (1 lemon) plus
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges (optional)
10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems removed and leaves finely chopped, plus more sprigs for garnish (optional)
1 medium clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1.Using the large holes of a box grater, grate zucchini into a medium bowl. Add the salt, lemon zest, chopped parsley, garlic, pepper, and eggs. Mix well to combine. Slowly add flour, stirring so no lumps form.
2.Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the oil sizzles when you drop a small amount of zucchini mixture into the pan. Carefully drop about 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture into pan; repeat, spacing fritters a few inches apart.
3.Cook fritters until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium. Turn fritters, and continue cooking until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer fritters to a plate; set aside in a warm place. Cook remaining zucchini mixture, adding more oil to pan if necessary. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired; serve.

BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALAD

Ingredients
1/3 cup fresh lime juice 1/2 cup olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped 6 green onions, thinly sliced 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Directions
Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.
In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lime dressing, and pour it over the salad. Stir salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing, and serve.

Zucchini Cheddar Bread

This recipe is from the Joy of Cooking. I was trying to get rid of some huge zucchinis that Daniel picked from the garden, so I made this delicious bread, and we used it for toast at dinner for a week. Enjoy!

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan. Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add and toss to separate and coat with flour:

1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini
1 1/4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 shallot, thinly sliced and tossed a bit to separate concentric rings
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried

Whisk together in another bowl:

2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) warm melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil

Add to the flour mixture and mix with a few light strokes just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; the batter should not be smooth. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

Homemade pizza for Dayana!

Okay, Dayana! Your tummy will never hurt again after following this pizza recipe. I've made it many, many times and it always turns out perfectly delicious.

DOUGH:

1 package of active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups of warm water(105 to 115 degrees) Any hotter, you will kill the yeast!
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of salt

In a large bowl, combine yeast and water and stir around until yeast is completely dissolved. Next add all the other ingredients. Mix by hand until a sticky blob. Then knead for about 10 minutes. Form into a ball in the bowl and coat with some oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour to 1 1/2 hours. It should double in size.

Preheat oven, with stone inside. For about 45 minutes to 1 hour, let the stone heat.
While it's heating, divide the ball of dough into two halves, place into two separate bowls, and let the two balls of dough rise again for another 45 minutes. You can throw one of them in the fridge once it's risen and use it for another night. For the ball of dough you are going to use, take out of bowl and place onto a floured surface and stretch/roll the dough out to the desired size.

Open oven, toss some cornmeal on the stone, and place the dough on the stone carefully. Next brush your marinara sauce onto the dough, and lastly, add your toppings. Mozzarella, olives, sliced onions, basil and anchovies are our favorites! Bake for 15 minutes, and voila!!! You have a crispy crusted, divinely scrumptious homemade pizza, and a ball of dough left over for another pizza night.

***By the way, any old bottled marinara pasta sauce will do, but if you would like to make your marinara from scratch, too, here is a quick recipe I use:

1 32 oz can of stewed tomatoes
1 chopped yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
basil, thyme and oregano (I at least try to use fresh basil)
salt and pepper

Heat a pan and sautee onion and garlic in the oil until translucent. Next add the can of stewed tomatoes and try to break up the tomatoes as best you can. Add your dry spices, plus salt and pepper. Let simmer on medium/low for about a half-hour, until nice and thick. Throw in your sliced basil leaves and let simmer for a few more minutes. This sauce is excellent for pizzas and for pasta.

Fresh Pesto

Don't buy packaged pesto at the grocery store! Make it fresh yourself. It tastes so much better, and you can impress your guests by telling them you made it from scratch. It only takes a few minutes to prepare. Do you have a food processor or a blender? Then you are all set!



1 bunch of fresh basil (I used fresh-picked basil from my garden!)
2 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup of pine nuts
1/4 cup of parmesan
1/3 cup of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Tear the basil leaves off the stems and throw all the ingredients into the food processor. Blend for a couple minutes until the basil is all broken up and the pesto is creamy and spreadable. You may have to add a tiny bit more olive oil if it looks dry. Add a couple spoonfuls to a bowl of just-boiled pasta, or dress some chicken with pesto and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, and you have a nice complement to any Italian meal. You could even spread the pesto over pizza dough instead of marinara and top with cheese for a rustic pizza. Enjoy!

Carrot cake and Cathy's Crack Bars!!!

I hope Cathy from work doesn't mind me sharing her Indoor S'more recipe with you all. She also calls them "crack bars" because they are really that addictive. I made these, along with carrot cake, for Daniel's birthday dessert. The carrot cake recipe came from Joy of Cooking. The kids were swarming!

CRACK BARS:

13 oz. box Golden Grahams (I could only find 12 oz. box, and that worked fine.)
1 ½ C. chocolate chips (semi or milk both good)
6 C. mini marshmallows, divided (reserve 1 C. to add later)
¼ C. light corn syrup
5 T. butter, cut in chunks
1 t. vanilla


Melt chocolate chips, 5 C. marshmallows, corn syrup, and butter in large bowl in microwave. (I do like 1.5 minutes, stir, and do 20 to 30 second intervals until all melted.)

Mix in 1 t. vanilla.

Pour in Golden Grahams and reserved marshmallows. (This part kinda messy, but just keep stirring until it’s all mixed together pretty good.)

Press into greased (butter or Pam) 9x13 baking dish. (Spray a little Pam or butter your fingers up a little so you can press in dish good without it sticking all over your fingers.)

Refrigerate at least one hour and cut into bars.


CARROT CAKE:

Grease two round pans and preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together in bowl:

1 1/3 cups of flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt

Add to bowl and stir together well:

2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisings
1/2 crushed pineapple, lightly drained.

Scrape batter into pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Detach from pan and let cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Recipe below:

8 oz cream cheese
5 tablespoons of unsalted soft butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups of powdered sugar

Combine in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. Yum!

Moroccan Tagine with Spicy Meatballs

I found this recipe in Bon Appetit, January 2010 issue. My parents and Daniel loved it!

Meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup coarsely grated onion
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Stew:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
2 cups beef broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup golden raisins
handful of green beans cut into bite-size pieces
1 small eggplant, peeled and cubed (I used a Chinese eggplant)
2 cups 1/2-inch-thick carrot slices (cut on diagonal)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for garnish
1 5-ounce package baby spinach leaves
Couscous with Fresh Cilantro and Lemon Juice
Lemon wedges (for garnish)
Greek yogurt to spoon on top

For meatballs:
Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet.

PREP WORK

For stew:
Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté about 15 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, and saffron; stir 2 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, and raisins.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring stew to simmer. Stir in carrots. Carefully add meatballs to stew; gently press into liquid to submerge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro over. Cover pot; place in oven. Bake until meatballs are cooked through and carrots are tender, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle spinach over stew. Cover and bake until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes longer. Gently stir to mix in spinach, being careful not to break meatballs. Remove cinnamon sticks. Season tagine with salt and pepper. Spoon couscous into bowls; top with tagine. Garnish with cilantro and lemons. Scoop a little greek yogurt on top.

In a separate saucepan, fix up some couscous with a twist of lemon and some fresh chopped cilantro. I don't need to tell you all how to make couscous. Just read the package if you bought it from a box, or add equal parts water and couscous with a little butter. One cup of couscous is enough for four people.

This recipe was so very delicious. If you want a night of exotic aromas in your kitchen, cook this tonight and serve it to your hubby (or wifey! not trying to discriminate) over candlelight. Excellent for a romantic night in.

Whole wheat sandwich and toast bread

I've been making my own bread lately, and I haven't heard the end of it from my sister Sara. Every time I cook for my family, she says something like, "You belong on a prairie" or "did you churn this butter yourself, too?" I know she's just jealous because my bread is so delicious, ha! Here's a recipe I found on allrecipes.com, and it worked out just dandy. It makes two loaves of the finest toast bread around:

Ingredients
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup vegetable oil 5 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add honey, and stir well. Mix in whole wheat flour, salt, and vegetable oil. Work all-purpose flour in gradually. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for at least 10 to 15 minutes. When dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a well oiled bowl. Turn it several times in the bowl to coat the surface of the dough, and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Punch down the dough. Shape into two loaves, and place into two well greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise until dough is 1 to 1 1/2 inches above pans.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Thank you, allrecipes.com!!!
Here's the link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Honey-Wheat-Bread-II/Detail.aspx

Strawberry & Blueberry Cobbler

I'm posting this recipe for my stepmom, Rita, because she requests my cobbler so often! I thought she might appreciate having the recipe for herself. This dessert is truly tremendous and fit for any fancy dinner party. Every time I have made it, the plates have been licked clean. This recipe came out of "The Joy of Cooking." Here goes:

for cobbler biscuit dough, whisk together in a bowl:

1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Add 5 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Toss this together with dry ingredients, using two knives, pastry blender, or do it how I do, with my hands, until resembling breadcrumbs.

Next add 2/3 cups heavy cream or 1/2 cup of milk and knead dough together

When dough feels ready to be rolled, place onto a floured surface and cut out any shape of biscuits you like. I just use a small jar and cut out circles. When you place these biscuits over the fruit filling, brush with a beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Now for the filling:

Find a large casserole dish and throw in 2 pints of blueberries and 2 pints of strawberries. Sprinkle with:

1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 tsp grated lemon zest

Toss ingredients so the fruit is well coated with the powder.

Place biscuits over the topping and remember to brush with eggs and sprinkle the sugar.

Place into an oven that has been preheated to 375 and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Whip some cream together and scoop spoonfuls of the cobbler into bowls with cream on top. If you try ANY of my recipes, please, for the love of God, let it be this one!!!!!!!! Thank you, Joy of Cooking for blessing me with this recipe.

Simple Ratatouille and polenta

This is an easy French vegetable stew that I never get tired of eating.

4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 pound of zucchini/squash, cut into cubes
1 cup of diced onions
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups chopped seeded fresh tomatoes (or canned whole stewed tomatoes)
fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
fresh basil

In a hot skillet, mix together olive oil, eggplant, zucchini/squash and sautee, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and bell peppers. Cook another 10 minutes. Next add the tomatoes and garlic. Throw in your seasoning of salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. When almost ready to serve, add 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil.

Now for the soft polenta:

Melt in a saucepan over medium heat

3 tablespoons of butter

Add 1/2 cup chopped onions.

Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil

In a separate bowl, mix together one cup of cornmeal (polenta) with one cup of water.

Gradually stir the bowl of polenta and water into the water in the saucepan. Reduce heat to low and stir regularly for about 25 minutes to prevent it from becoming lumpy.

When just about to serve, add salt and sprinkle 1/2 parmesan cheese. What I do is scoop the polenta into a bowl or plate, let form for a few seconds, then scoop the Ratatouille onto the polenta and top with some parmesan. You can serve this dinner with some grilled Italian sausages and impress any dinner guests with the hearty gourmet taste!

"Everything in your fridge" frittata

Does anybody out there love having breakfast for dinner? Every so often, my dad likes to have eggs and bacon and toast for dinner, so this recipe is dedicated to him. Love you, Dad!

So a frittata is like a quiche, except it has no crust, and you don't use cream. It's easier to make, and it has a lot less fat! It's like a loaded scramble; you just don't scramble it. Enough of my rambling. Here are the ingredients:

Medium-sized nonstick pan, no rubber handle is best because then you can put it in the oven to finish the cooking. If you only have pans with rubber handles, that's fine. We will improvise.
6 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of milk
Yellow onion
Bell pepper
mushrooms
Asparagus, spinach, broccoli, any other kind of veggies you can find in your fridge
1 potato, chopped and boiled in water for 20 minutes
1 cup shredded cheese, your choice, I like cheddar
3 tablespoons of butter
salt, pepper, dash of nutmeg
hot sauce (optional)

Boil your chopped potato first. While that's cooking, warm up your pan and add the butter. You want to sautee all your veggies until they are tender. Add salt and pepper. Beat your eggs and add the milk, nutmeg and cheese to your egg mixture. Once the potatoes are done, strain the water off. Toss the potatoes in with the veggie mix in the pan. Add a little more butter to the bottom of the pan so the eggs don't stick. Last step, pour in the egg mixture over the veggies. Take a wooden spatula and move the eggs around so they are evenly disbursed. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium/low. Let cook for about 15 minutes, or until firm. If you have a pan that is oven-safe, then finish the cooking in the oven at 350 for the same amount of time. Slice like a pie and splash hot sauce over your piece, if you're into that sort of thing. Serve with toast and some bacon or ham on the side, and you're having breakfast at night! Serves about 4.

Prize-winning Chicken Cordon Bleu

Thinly sliced chicken fillets, quantity depends on how many mouths you’ve got to feed!
1 egg, beaten
1 plate with flour, salt, pepper and paprika sprinkled and mixed
3 tablespoons of butter
Thin slices of ham and Swiss cheese

Pound out the chicken fillets to tenderize. But don’t pulverize them! Chicken breasts are very delicate. Next start an assembly line of breast fillets, placing one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on top of each fillet. Roll them each up and secure them with a toothpick. Get your pan heated up and melt butter. While pan is heating, coat the rolled fillets in your beaten egg, then roll around on the flour plate, coating generously. Place flour-coated fillets into heated pan and allow to brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets over, cooking the other sides for another 5 minutes. Cover the pan for a few minutes to fully cook. With the remaining butter, you will make a wine sauce. Add a little white wine and a teeny-tiny bit or cornstarch to the butter. If you don’t like the flavor or cornstarch, you can use some flour and more butter to create the base for your sauce. Add a very small amount of chicken broth, ¼ cup, squeeze a half lemon into the mix, and allow to thicken. Drizzle the wine sauce over the cordon bleu rolls on your serving dish.

This dish always tastes so juicy and creamy from the melted cheese. It is the perfect partner to some fresh roasted vegetables. I like to roast potatoes, mushrooms, carrots and a sliced onion with rosemary, salt and pepper in the oven while I am cooking this dish. Serve with a side salad, and you have a rather impressive gourmet meal to serve!

Incredible Lentil Soup

1 cup of dry lentils
6 cups of water or broth (I used water and then added “Better Than Bullion”)
Two carrots, chopped
Two celery stalks, chopped
1 potato, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
½ yellow onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic
Zucchini, chopped
Bunch of spinach, coarsely cut
Handful of basil, sliced into ribbons
Oregano, parsley, sage, to taste
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Place one cup of lentils into pot and add 6 cups of water (or broth). Start heating on medium/high. Add carrots, celery, tomatoes, onion, potato and garlic. Let simmer for about 30 minutes. Next add the zucchini, herbs, spinach, drizzle olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for another 30 minutes. Taste test a spoonful to make sure the lentils are tender, and if so, you are set to go! Ladle into bowls and enjoy with a fresh spinach and cubed tofu salad. I served my salad with an olive oil, lemon juice and garlic dressing. I threw in some kalamata olives, cucumbers and a sliced up mandarin. Toast up some bread to dip in the soup, and you have a light and very nutritious supper. Enjoy!

Rustic spinach and crushed bean Bruschetta

If you have leftover white cannellini beans from making the Greens and Beans soup, then let’s put those beans to use!

1 loaf of Sourdough bread, sliced
1 bag of spinach
Finely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
Leftover white beans, drained of liquid (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons of olive oil

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a hot frying pan. Then add the white beans. You are essentially making refried beans, just with white beans and olive oil instead of vegetable oil and pinto beans. Fry up the beans, and crush them with a spatula as they are cooking. Add salt and pepper. You will end up with a scrumptious bean mash. In another pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to sautee the onion and garlic. Add a little salt and pepper. Then sautee the spinach. Just a few minutes is all it needs. Toast the sliced bread and smear the bean mash onto the toasts. Scoop the sautéed spinach over the bean mash, and you have a hearty partner to a nice bowl of soup. This recipe will probably make about 8 toasts.