If you don’t know, edamame are scrumptious little devils. I usually get the privilege to eat them at sushi restaurants. They are usually steamed and sprinkled with kosher salt. I could seriously eat them all day. And as good as they are on their own, they are also wonderful in this Asian twist on traditional hummus with edamame, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and oil.

You can usually find edamame in the frozen vegetable section at the grocery store. They are sold in their pods or shelled. When I am simply eating them as a snack I prefer to eat the pods but when I want to add them to things, like this hummus, I really to recommend buying the shelled variety. It makes things a whole lot easier.

Serves 4 as an appetizer

You will need:

• 1 1/2 cup shelled edamame cooked according to package directions and cooled
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons tahnini
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt to taste

1. Combine first six ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. With food processor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Taste test for salt and consistency. If you would like it a little smoother, return lid to food processor and turn on then slowly drizzle remaining olive oil.
2. Season to taste with salt. Serve.

Enjoy!

Artichokes are another one of those things that were a big part of my childhood eating. Weird huh? But I loved loved loved them. My mom used to make them all the time. First she’d steam them, then we’d all pile around the table together and go to town, dipping the petal in mayonnaise and scrapping the deliciously tender portion of the petal with our teeth. Now that I’m all grown up, I make them at home and add my own little twist with a little lemon and white wine.

While I had plenty of experience with artichokes growing up, I can’t say the same for Ryan. When I cooked an artichoke for the first time, he wasn’t quite sure how to respond. He watched me eat a few petals before deciding to try it on his own. I immediately knew that he liked it because his eyes perked up and he reached in for another, and another and then another. Now, he asks for them on a regular basis.

Its worthwhile to note that while the lemon, adds a lovely citrus-y flavor, it also helps prevent the artichokes from turning an unappealing brown color where they were cut. Because of this it’s important to rub them with the lemon immediately after cutting them.

Serves 2 – 4

You will need:

• 2 artichokes
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/3 cup white wine

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse artichokes in cold running water. To prep the artichokes, cut the top 1 inch off of each artichoke. Then using kitchen sheers trim the points off the petals. Next cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and remove the inedible fuzzy part and any purple tipped leaves with a spoon. Rub lemon all over the artichokes.
3. In a small bowl combine salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Sprinkle over the inner and outer leaves of the artichokes.
4. Place artichokes in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil. Pour water and white wine over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 40 – 50 minutes or until you can remove leaves easily.
5. Transfer to serving platter, squeeze a little lemon over the top if desired and serve with melted butter or mayonnaise for dipping.

Enjoy!

To me mozzarella, tomatoes and basil is one of the most scrumptious flavor combinations out there. The salty mozzarella, sweet basil and acidic tomatoes compliment one another perfectly. Usually I enjoy this flavor combo when indulging myself with a pizza or keeping it light with a salad but if you take the same combo, stuff it between two wonton wrappers and fry just until golden, you’ve got a crispy pocket of cheesy, basil-y, tomato-y goodness.

If you’ve been hanging around the blog for a little while (thank you!), you have probably noticed that I have quite a few recipes for wontons and equally as many that include the deliciousness that is mozzarella. Why the thought to combine them never occurred to me before is beyond me. I should have known that the crispy light wonton wrappers would bring a perfect crunch to a melted mozzarella caprese bite.  Now that I have been enlightened, I can say with ease that I will be making these little devils every chance I get.

Makes 8 pockets

You will need:

• oil for frying
• 16 round wonton (gyoza/potsticker) wrappers
• 4 ounces of mozzarella sliced into 4 slices, then halved (8 total pieces)
• 1 – 2 roma tomatoes cut into 8 slices
• 8 basil leaves
• kosher salt
• water for sealing

1. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large pan or pot.
2. To assemble the pockets, place 1 slice of mozzarella on a wonton wrapper, top with 1 tomato slice and 1 basil leaf. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Dip your finger in the water and run it along the outer edges of the wrapper. Place another wrapper on top and gently press the edges of the wrappers together to enclose the filling completely. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3. Once oil reaches 350 degrees, fry pockets in batches until golden brown. About 2 – 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. Allow to cool for several minutes. Serve.

Enjoy!

I’ve been keeping things pretty light this first week of the new year, and I figured I’d keep it going for at least one more day with this vegetable linguine. Its light but full of flavor. There’s broccoli, carrots, garlic, red onions, zucchini, crushed red pepper and white wine. Adding all of these veggies makes me feel a little bit better about my, probably excessive, pasta consumption.

This is another one of those dishes that I remember eating frequently at the restaurant I worked at. Surprisingly it was not a big seller among the customers, but a few of us employees loved it. One of the reasons we loved it so much was because it was so easy to modify to suit our tastes. You can add just about any vegetable that you would like to it. If I remember correctly the restaurant version served it with baby corn, I’m not to big of that so I simply omitted it from my recipe.  If you’re not keen on the vegetables that I’ve chosen go ahead and add some of your favorites. Just remember to cook the vegetables that take the longest first.

Serves 4

You will need:

• 1/2 pound dried linguine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup sliced red onion
• 1 cup sliced zucchini
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Strain but reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet large enough to fit the cooked pasta. Once hot add garlic cook just until its fragrant about 30 seconds. Add broccoli. Cook 3 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add carrots, red onions and zucchini. Cook 3 minutes. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and pour wine over the top and continue cooking for 5 minutes or until veggies are softened.
3. Add cooked noodles to the pan. Toss to combine. If pasta seems dry, add reserved pasta water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer to a serving platter and top with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

If mashed potatoes are my favorite comfort food side dish, it is safe to say that macaroni and cheese runs a close second. I’m not talking about the stuff in the blue box either, which in a pinch is okay but really doesn’t hold a candle to the real stuff.  You know what I’m talking about, the stuff that your mama used to make. The down home cookin’ version of homemade mac n’ cheese. This is my take on it and it requires not one, not two but three different kinds of cheese: cheddar, Gruyere and Havarti. Each bite is pure cheesy noodle bliss.

Most homemade mac n’ cheese recipes, like this one I did about a year a go, call for some oven time. This recipe is a little different in that you can do all of it on the stove top which makes the whole process go a little faster. Including noodle cooking time it should take you about 20-25 minutes to prepare. Perfect for weeknight cooking.

Serves 4

You will need:

• 2 cups dried elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Havarti cheese
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 green onions, chopped

1. Boil pasta according to package directions. Strain.
2. In the same pot that you boiled the pasta in, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour. Whisk until smooth, cook 1 minute.
3. Slowly whisk milk into flour mixture and bring to a simmer but do not boil. Add in all three cheeses and stir until they melt. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Fold in cooked noodles. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in chopped green onions. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir and adjust seasoning if necessary.
4. Serve hot.

If you want to make a meal out of it try throwing in some cooked diced chicken breast and enjoy!

Do you ever have one of those things that once you discover it, you don’t know how you ever lived without it? That just happened to me. I, believe it or not,  just discovered browned butter and I think I’m in love. It’s so nutty and delicious  that it’s absence from my recipe repertoire for so long is pure blasphemy.  What do you do with browned butter you ask? Well, when you take the deliciously nutty concoction, pour it over steaming hot pasta and toss it with mizithra cheese you have an easy, scrumptious pasta that you won’t be able to get enough of.

Of course I had heard of browned butter before but had never made it at home. With a little research I discovered that it is really not that difficult to make. All you need is some butter, a pan without a black bottom so you can see butter browning and the patience to stand in front of the stove to watch the butter melt and turn brown. That last part is particularly important. If you don’t stand there and watch it, it can go from perfectly browned butter to not-so perfect black butter in a very short time. Black butter is used for some dishes but will have an entirely different taste than the nutty browned butter that you want for this recipe.  Simply watch your butter really closely and you will have an amazingly simple, delicious dinner.

Serves 4

You will need:

• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 1 cup grated mizithra cheese
• fresh cracked black pepper and kosher salt
• chopped fresh parsley

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown your butter.
2. In a stainless steel skillet or pot, heat butter over medium heat, As butter melts, it will foam slightly. Continue to cook until you notice little brown bits forming at the bottom of the pan. Stir the butter or shake the pan and continue cooking until the butter is a tan color and has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and set it on a cool surface because it will continue to cook in the pan.
3. Strain your pasta and return it to the pasta pot. Pour browned butter over the top and sprinkle with mizithra cheese. Toss to combine. Season to taste with fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt.
4. Transfer to platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Note: The mizithra cheese doesn’t really melt. So that is something to keep in mind when you are shredding it. I prefer the the medium sized shreds but you can also do a fine grate if you’d like.

Enjoy!

After yesterday’s heavy but heavenly Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes, I thought I’d lighten things up a bit with this flavorful Thanksgiving salad. It has all kinds of goodies like spinach, peppery arugula, crunchy walnuts, sweet cranberries and tangy goat cheese. Then all of these goodies are tossed in a quick cranberry vinaigrette. It is the perfect way to get your Thanksgiving cranberries in “non-log” form.

I generally look forward to all Thanksgiving traditions, all traditions that is except cranberry sauce. I don’t have many fond memories of the “sauce” that is in the shape of a can. There is just something about the way it plops out of the can while still remaining in the can shape that does not appeal to me. When it gets passed to me at our Thanksgiving table I just keep on passing. That is not to say however that I don’t like cranberries themselves. In fact, dried sweetened cranberries are really quite delicious, especially when they are added to dishes such as this salad. The combination of the peppery arugula, salty walnuts and creamy goat cheese pairs nicely with the sweetness of the cranberries.

Serves 4

You will need:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dried sweetened cranberries
• 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
• 1 1/2 cups loosely packed baby arugula
• 1/2 cup shelled walnuts
• 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
• fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt

1. Combine olive oil, vinegar and 2 tablespoons cranberries in a food processor. Process until berries are finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Allow to set for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Pour dressing into the bottom of a salad bowl. Add in remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and coat in dressing.

This salad is quick, easy, flavorful and best of all might bring a little more pretty to your Thanksgiving table than say, a log of cranberry “sauce”. I’m just sayin’.

Enjoy!

Its been pretty dark and dreary here in Seattle the past couple of days. On days like this I just want to say in the house, curl up with a good book and eat a childhood favorite, grilled cheese and tomato soup. There is just something about that gooey cheesy sandwich being dunked into hot, steamy homemade tomato soup. To be more precise, I mean homemade tomato soup that is loaded with fire roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, white wine, garlic and a little half and half for good measure. You’ll be surprised at how easy it actually is.

I decided to use a can of crushed fire roasted tomatoes for this recipe because I like the extra background flavor that they bring to the dish. There are a few different brands that carry them such as Muir Glen and you should be able to find them at your local grocery store. If you can’t  find them, using a can of regular crushed tomatoes will work, it won’t have entirely the same flavor but it will be just as good.

This recipe produces a chunkier tomato soup than many people may be accustomed to. If you don’t like it too chunky use your immersion blender or transfer in batches to a regular blender to smooth things out a bit after you add the half and half.

Serves 2

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 (28 ounce) can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• fresh cracked black pepper and kosher salt
• 1/2 cup half and half
• chopped fresh basil

1. In a large saucepan heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted add onions and garlic, cook until onion is softened about 5 minutes. Pour in wine and allow to cook for 1 minute. Add in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth and granulated sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
2. Stir in 2 tablespoons of soup into half and half to temper it. Slowly stir tempered half and half into soup and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
3. At this point, if you would like a smoother soup, use your immersion blender and process until smooth. Or blend in batches in a regular blender.
4. Just before serving sprinkle with chopped fresh basil.
5. Serve hot.

I’ll get you the recipe for the panini I served with this next week but in the mean time check out my Yummy Cheesy Goodness Grilled Cheese Sandwich or my Grilled Three Cheese Sandwich. Both are equally perfect for dunking. Then pick out your favorite book, grab the softest blanket you can find, curl up and enjoy!

While Ryan and I were in Italy we had plenty of steaks. And trust me when I tell you they make a mean steak there. Each and every steak we had was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Why am I talking about steak on a recipe titled roasted rosemary potatoes? Well because each time we ordered one of those slice with a butter knife, melt in your mouth steaks, we would also order a side dish of roasted potatoes. Each dish of potatoes we were served was perfectly roasted and simply seasoned with fresh rosemary, salt and cracked pepper. I enjoyed these potatoes so much that even though I ate more than my fair share on our trip, they were the first thing I tried to recreate when I got home.

Much like our last trip, we noticed that simple seasonings seemed to be the key to many of our favorite dishes while we were in Italy. It is amazing that just a sprinkle of salt and pepper can bring such wonderful flavor to a dish.  These potatoes are no exception. The simple seasonings used in this recipe combined with slow roasting are what make these potatoes so delicious. They are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and just have the slightest hint of rosemary. The perfect side dish for just about anything.

Serves 4 as a side dish

You will need:

• non-stick spray
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, stems removed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds (about 3 medium) Yukon gold potatoes diced into 1 inch cubes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking dish with non-stick spray set aside.
2. In a bowl whisk together olive oil, rosemary, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.
3. Add in potatoes and stir to coat completely.
4. Transfer potatoes to prepared baking sheet. Spread into single layer.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn. Bake for 10-20 more minutes or until the edges of the potatoes are golden brown. If you like them extra crispy turn on the boiler for 2 minutes.

Oh and in case you are still thinking about those wonderfully seasoned, perfectly cooked steaks that I mentioned earlier in the post. No worries I will be working on a couple of those in the coming weeks and of course will share them with you.

Enjoy!

I am not going to be shy about it, this pasta is certainly a splurge. A deliciously scrumptious, I just might want to eat this every day for the rest of my life splurge. Not only is there heavenly heavy cream, but I also throw in some cream cheese and butter for good measure. Mixed with fresh oregano, sage and parsley, this creamy pasta has a wonderful fresh earthy flavor.

I am a planner. Especially when it comes to the kitchen. There is nothing worse than going to the cabinet and not finding a key ingredient. For this reason I plan out my grocery list before I head out. And things usually go as planned, except for yesterday.

Sunday is usually my grocery shopping day. Its a good day for me because I am not rushed and I usually go right after breakfast so I am not hungry.  But this week I had to go on Monday. Mistake 1.  Monday must be the day before they get new shipments after the weekend because yesterday my grocery store was out of everything. When I say everything I mean that not only were they out of canned pumpkin and mayo but they were even out of milk. Seriously, at least 1/2 the things on my list were sold out. Mistake 2 was going after work, apparently everyone and their brother goes at that time.

The crowds, combined with the lack of products, left me wandering around aimlessly for about an hour as I scratched what I originally planned and searched for something to make for dinner. After picking up a few bags of chips and cookies that I probably don’t need, I walked down the pasta aisle, saw a box of fettuccine and made the executive decision to make creamy fettuccine for dinner. Praying that they had what I needed, I quickly pushed my cart through the crowds of people back to the dairy aisle, found some heavy cream and then, I kid you not, grabbed the last of the fresh oregano and sage from the produce section.  Thank goodness. Who knew grocery shopping could be so difficult?

Serves 4-6

You will need:

• 1 pound dried fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt to taste
• freshly grated Romano cheese, if desired

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season liberally with salt before adding pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile start your sauce.
2. In a skillet large enough to hold the cooked pasta, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Once butter melts add shallot and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly whisk in cream. Add cream cheese and continue stirring until cheese has melted. Continue cooking until thickened, it should coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Note: Try not to let the sauce boil, but if it does it is not the end of the world, just turn the stove down a notch.
3. Strain your pasta very well.  Add strained pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat. Reduce heat to low, let stand for 5 minutes. Toss once more.
4. Transfer to serving platter. Grate some Romano cheese over the top, if desired. Serve.

So aside from the fact that I may need to find a new grocery store, I will chalk this spur of the moment dinner up as a success.

Enjoy!