Recipe Mayhem

I would like to think that August is going to disappear into a happy blur of friends, and meals, and walks around San Francisco. We're smack in the middle of a parade of house guests, and it's pretty great. One of my best friends from high school visited first - all the way from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Then, a few days later, this amazing lady dropped into San Francisco to sell her beautiful letterpress stationary. I connected with Lynn a couple years back (through her site) - I loved her clean, understated designs, and I found her writing about her work (and adventures with this little guy) inspiring.

We did a bunch of stuff while she was here. And(!) her visit happened to coincide with the Alameda Flea market. So, we crossed the bridge (not long after sunrise) last Sunday morning, to beat the crowds. Conversations so early in the morning are always a bit hazy in my memory, but I know we talked about lots of things, including eggs. A subject, it turns out, we have similar opinions on. For example - poached eggs are good, but jiggly whites are just gross. Lynn mentioned she does a scramble where she adds a couple dollops of special, super-herby cream cheese to finish the eggs. Now, this was an idea that had never occurred to me. In fact, I can't actually remember the last time I bought cream cheese. They sounded incredible - the sort of thing I think of as simple-special - simple technique with a special twist. Lynn was a good sport, and let me shoot her while she showed me the ropes. Here's how you make them...

One thing before we get to the recipe - you're going have plenty of leftover cream cheese, and it'll last a good week or so in your refrigerator. Other ways you can use it - slathered on toast and crackers. Lynn suggested layering it throughout a breakfast strata, or adding dollops to the top of a frittata. You can toss some into a bowl of hot pasta along with some chopped spinach. Or top a bowl of roasted tomato soup with a dollop. Or smeared on one of these quesadillas? You get the idea - it's great on/in/over a whole host of things.

Thanks for being a most excellent houseguest Lynn - come back soon :)! xoxo

As far as cream cheese goes - we used Organic Valley cream cheese, but Lynn also mentioned Nancy's cream cheese is cultured, nice, and spreadable.

Also, feel free to play around with the herbs you use. Mainly, just keep in mind that you want tons of herbs and green onions in the cream cheese. Think herbs with cream cheese rather than cream cheese with herbs.

8 oz / 225 g cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons chopped herbs - equal parts thyme, tarragon, oregano
6 green onions, with greens, chopped
1/3 cup (big handful) chopped chives
fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 eggs, well whisked
plenty of toast, for serving

Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl, add the herbs and mash with a fork until the herbs are evenly distributed. Add the green onions, most of the chives, a generous pinch of salt, and mash until those are incorporated as well. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-heat. Add the eggs and let them set a bit. Use a spatula to fold them over themselves, let them set a bit again, and repeat until they are nearly cooked to your liking. Remove from heat, add 2 dollops of the cream cheese (roughly a tablespoon each) to the skillet, count to ten, then stir a bit more to work the cream cheese into the eggs. Serve sprinkled with the remaining chives, salt and pepper to taste, and toast on the side.

Serves 2, feel free to scale up with more eggs if you have more people to feed.

Prep time: 5 min - Cook time: 5 min

Print Recipe

View the original article here

I’ve been all about simple this summer. Simple salads. Simple dinners. Simple appetizers. And simple desserts. When life is busy and family time is in demand, simple is best. This is one of those simple desserts… one with a simple crust and a simple topping, but also simply one of the most delicious desserts I’ve had in a long time: Blackberry Jam Shortbread Bars.

I brought these to a family barbecue last weekend, and it’s a good thing I did. They were the hands-down favorite of all the desserts at the barbecue. Completely addicting, I must say.

The buttery shortbread bakes up so crisp and crumbly.

The blackberry jam is sweet and smooth and the perfect accompaniment. You don’t even miss the fact that you’re not actually eating any fresh blackberries. I could seriously dive into that ribbon of blackberry right there.

A very light dusting of powdered sugar tops it all off.  Just a little bit more sweet on top of all that buttery goodness.

Most importantly, these are incredibly delicious little dessert bars. And even more important than that- they are simple to make… which is nice for the folks who don’t want to cook… or don’t like to cook… or don’t have time to cook. You can put these together rather quickly and you’ll end up with something so nice and impressive to share. Simply good.

Print Recipe
Save Recipe

Yield: 15 large or 30 small bars

Prep Time: 25 min + chill time

Cook Time: 50 min

Talk about a surprise dessert... I brought these to a family barbecue and they were a major hit. We all loved them.

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup almond flour or very finely ground almonds
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups seedless Blackberry Jam
powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray.

2. Prepare shortbread: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter and sugars; beat until creamy. Add vanilla and salt and beat until well combined. Beat the almond flour and the all-purpose flour into the butter mixture on low speed, just until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough in half. Wrap one half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so. Press the other half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the bottom crust.

3. Bake the crust until it is just beginning to turn light brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Place jam into a bowl and stir very well until it is nice and smooth. Spread the jam evenly over the partially baked crust. Crumble the refrigerated shortbread dough over the jam to form a crumbled topping. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking until the topping is firm and crisp and golden in color, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar before cutting into bars.

*Almond flour is sold in a bag (I always buy Bob's Red Mill brand). Ask your market if they carry it.
*If you can find a jar of Smucker's brand seedless Blackberry Jam- 18 ounces- it is the perfect size for this recipe.
*Substitute raspberry or apricot jam if you wish to change up the flavors.
*The bars will keep in a covered container at room temperature for about 1 week. Or keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Source: RecipeGirl.com (adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey)

Posted by Lori Lange on August 11, 2011

View the original article here

One thing we're never short of each summer is zucchini. And summer isn't truly over until all that zucchini has been put to good use. This, of course, can take a while, and a little imagination. So, to get you started, here are 10 ways to use zucchini.

More Ways to Use Zucchini

Zucchini and Quinoa Salad Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com

View the original article here

Hi everyone, it's going to be a quick post today. I wanted to share this pasta salad with you. It's the sort of off-beat thing I'd argue is worth a minute or two of your time. It made a stand-up lunch - filling, plenty of vegetables, and so on. Also, the flavors in the turmeric-tinted sauce are brilliantly unexpected - garlic, tahini, yogurt, cumin, cayenne, and coriander. Sealing the deal? The fact that you can prep everything a day or two ahead of time, making it easy to throw the whole thing together on whatever timeline you fancy. This quirky combination of ingredients is one of the reasons I still love cooking and finding inspiration from other cooks - their cookbooks, websites, articles.

In this case I have Peter Berley to thank. I pulled his book from the shelf and tweaked one of the pasta salads ever so slightly. In this version you toss stuffed pasta and a medley of in-season vegetables with the (previously mentioned) spiced sesame yogurt sauce. It's oh so perfect for summer. One of those all-in-one meals that work beautifully with all the brightly colored vegetables available this time of year. Serve it at room temperature, or just slightly chilled. Too cold, and textures change, pasta hardens, and the flavors shut down.

I used a ricotta-stuffed pasta here, but you can substitute if you like. Just try to stick with a pasta that will go along with the spices in the sauce. You can make the sauce a day or two ahead of time. You can cook the vegetables and pasta head of time as well. Just keep the pasta separate and toss with a bit of oil before storing in the refrigerator. Combine all the components just before serving. You can use raw tomatoes here, although I prefer roasted - like the ones in the back of Super Natural Every Day.

Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup / 120 ml warm water
1/2 cup / 120 ml tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup / 120 ml plain or Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fine grain sea salt

Salad:
a big handful of broccoli florets
a big handful of cauliflower florets
a big handful of green beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch segments
1/2 pound / 8 oz / 225 g stuffed pasta (ravioli, etc)
a big handful/scoop of cherry tomatoes, raw or roasted
a small handful torn basil and/or cilantro

Get a big pot of water started - you are going to want to bring it to a boil.

While the water is heating, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and turmeric. Stir well, and saute for just 15-30 seconds, or until the spices are toasted and fragrant. Transfer this mixture to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the water, tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Taste and adjust to your liking - you most likely will need a bit more salt. Set aside.

Salt the pot of water generously, and boil the broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans. Boil just 30 seconds, and quickly fish out with a slotted spoon. Run the vegetables under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Return the water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente, then drain and run under cold water. Really try to shake off any extra water, then add to the vegetables. Add the tomatoes, and toss gently. You can toss with half of the sauce at this point, or serve the salad with dollops of the sauce on top - to be tossed at the table. It's prettier this way. Sprinkle with the basil/cilantro (and basil flowers if you have them) and serve. Serve the extra sauce on the side - any leftover makes a good dip later in the week.

Adapted from the Pasta Salad with Tangy Sesame-Yogurt Sauce in Peter Berley's The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 10 min

Print Recipe

View the original article here

This heart-healthy zucchini salad makes a great side dish for grilled chicken or fish. For extra color, slice some yellow summer squash in place of some of the zucchini. It'll be equally delicious. A food processor or mandoline makes short work of the slicing, especially if you want your slices extra thin. Top this easy and delicious zucchini salad with fresh basil and freshly ground black pepper.

Zucchini Salad Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com

View the original article here

Cargill is recalling 36 million pounds of ground turkey produced since February 20th at its Springdale, Arkansas facility after a nationwide outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg, a strain that is resistant to several antibiotics. Salmonella causes fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and can be life-threatening in those with weakened immune systems. So far, one person has died and 76 people have become sick. This number is expected to rise. Twenty-five different types of ground turkey are affected by the recall. For a complete list, see here.

While salmonella is killed by cooking ground meat to 165 degrees, people may be infected through cross-contamination in the kitchen. To avoid salmonella poisoning, be sure to wash hands with warm, soapy before and after handling raw meat, use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat, and wash those cutting boards and utensils in hot soapy water. Find out more about the basic rules of food safety here.

View the original article here

Potato salad is a classic summer picnic dish, but it's loaded with fat and calories. Here's a lightened version that's equally delicious. The secret is to substitute fat-laden mayonnaise with creamy nonfat-Greek yogurt, which also adds a pleasing tang. Add some mustard, lemon and some dill, and you have a great alternative to regular potato salad, with a fraction of the calories, and almost no fat.

Potato Salad with Yogurt and Dill Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com

View the original article here