Monday

Tortellini with Italian Sausage, Fennel, Spinach and Mushrooms

When Seth was stuck in traffic on the way home one evening, I was pleased to see how well this faired keeping it warm on the stovetop. Makes plenty for lunches the next day.

Ingredients:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, halved through core and thinly sliced (reserve some fronds and chop as garnish)
1 lb spicy Italian sausage (bulk or casings removed)
8 oz mushrooms (I used shitake)
4 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 Tbs fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
1/2c heavy whipping cream
1 cup chicken broth
16 or 20oz package tortellini, cheese or pesto filled
5oz package of baby spinach
1/2c shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large, fairly deep frying pan. Add fennel, sausage and mushrooms and saute until sausage is browned and fennel is almost tender, 12-15 minutes. Add garlic and fennel seeds; stir for 1 minute. Stir in cream and broth, boil until liquid is reduced and very slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile cook tortellini in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain tortellini and return to same pot.

Add sausage mixture to tortellini in pot. Toss over medium heat until blended. Add spinach; toss gently until spinach wilts. Stir in 1/2c cheese; add more broth if too dry. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds and serve with additional cheese.


Bon Appetit 12/2010

Sunday

Chicken Cutlets with White Wine and Garlic

This is a great thing to keep in the fridge/freezer for a quick dinner when you need it.

Ingredients:
8 chicken cutlets (about 1.25#)
3 Tb olive oil
1/2c dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
coarse salt and ground pepper

In a small bowl, combine oil, wine, garlic and thyme and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pour marinade into a gallon freezer bag with chicken cutlets. Keep in fridge overnight, or freeze.

When you're ready, remove chicken from liquid and season as needed. Heat oil and butter in pan and cook until browned, 4 minutes total. Serve chicken sprinkled with parsley.


from Everyday Food

Moroccan-style Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is even better the second day, but it does look a little like dog food. Parsley helps, but go for taste instead.

Ingredients:
2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4# ground chuck
ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg
2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4c bulgur wheat
2c water
1/4c golden raisins
1/4c flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbs toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400*. Place squashes, cut side down, in a 9x13 inch dish. Bake until tender, 35-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a 4 quart pot with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add ground beef, a pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, 5-7min. Transfer beef to a bowl using a slotted spoon, keeping as much cooking liquid in the pot as possible.

Add onion, and cook until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining teaspoon salt and the bulgar, and stir to combine. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, and add reserved beef, the raisins, parsley, and pine nuts.

Scrape out baked squashes, forming 1/4 inche thick bowls, and fold flesh into bulgar mixture. Divide among squash halves, and return to oven. Bake until warmed through and tops are browned, 12-14 minutes.


from Martha Stewart

Sour Cream-Thyme Rolls

Ingredients:
1/2c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 envelope (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
1 c warm water (105-110*)
2 Tbs sugar
2c cake flour
2c all purpose flour
1.5 ts salt
1.5c sour crea
2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves

Butter a standard 12-c muffin tin and set aside.

Stir yeast, water and sugar together in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes until mixture gets a little foamy. Stir until yeast dissolves.

Whisk flours and salt together. Cut in butter with pastry blender (or cuisinart, if you're lazy) until it looks like coarse meal. Stir in yeast mixture. Stir in sour cream and thyme until combined.

Divide mixture between 12 muffin cups - aproximately a heaping 1/3c. Cover with buttered plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place about 1hr or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400* and bake about 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from muffin pan immediately and serve warm.


From Martha Stewart

Tuesday

Pasta with Corn Pesto

This pasta recipe tastes like summer to me. And it's a bit reminiscent of pasta carbonara with that great rich creaminess.

Ingredients:
4 bacon slices, chopped
4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 6 large ears)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces tagliatelle, fettuccine or pasta of your choice
3/4 cup coarsely torn fresh basil leaves, divided

Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and brown, stirring often. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Add corn, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper to drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat until corn is just tender but not brown, about 4 minutes.

Transfer 1 1/2 cups corn kernels to small bowl and reserve. Scrape remaining corn mixture into processor. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and pine nuts. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set pesto aside.

Cook pasta until just tender. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, and 1/2 cup basil leaves. Toss pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil leaves and reserved bacon. Serve pasta, passing additional grated Parmesan alongside.

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Monday

Shrimp and Corn Chowder with Fennel

A new one pot wonder. About 30 minutes, with minimal prep makes this a great weeknight dinner. Am I really making chowders in August? I can't believe it feels like fall.

Ingredients:
6 pieces of bacon (or use 2 Tbs butter)
1-2 leeks, white and light green parts, chopped
1 fennel bulb
salt and pepper
2 Tbs flour
1 8oz bottle of clam juice/stock
3c whole milk
1# potatoes, diced (I used Yukon golds and left the skins on)
3/4# cooked peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 - 10oz package frozen corn (I actually used a 16oz bag, which works fine if you like a really thick, not brothy, chowder - which I do)
2+ Tbs chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 Tbs lemon juice

Heat a stockpot or dutch oven. Chop bacon and fry til crispy. (You should have about 2 Tbs fat, or add butter as needed.) Remove from pan. Cook leeks and fennel in bacon drippings with 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper, each, until veggies are tender - about 4-5min. Stir in flour and cook, while stirring 1-2 minutes.

Add clam juice, milk and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occassionally, for 12 minutes. Add corn and shrimp and cook until potato pieces are tender and corn and shrimp are heated through - 3-5min. Adjust seasoning to taste - I needed significantly more salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and lemon juice.



Adapted from Real Simple 2/2010

Sunday

Chicken and Corn Pot Pie

A great short cut recipe - buy a rotisserie chicken and the best quality corn chowder you can find - and you're ready to go!

Ingredients:
1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
2 - 14.5oz cans of corn chowder
1c frozen peas
1c frozen corn kernels
2 tsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1 sheet frozen puff pastry

Heat oven to 400*. In large bowl, combine chicken, corn chowder, frozen veggies, thyme and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a shallow 2 quart (or 8in square) baking dish. Lay the puff pastry on top, trim to fit and cut vents for steam. Bake until filling is bubbling and pastry crust is golden brown, about 25-30 min.

Cheesy Baked Rigatoni with Spinach and Artichokes

The original recipe (adapted from Real Simple) called for mozzarella and frozen creamed spinach. I couldn't find creamed spinach to save my life, so used regular frozen spinach. And the mozzarella melted wonderfully, but next time I'll substitute some Gruyere or white cheddar, for at least part of the total mozzarella.

Ingredients:
8 oz rigatoni (1/2 box)
1-14oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered
1-9oz package frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2c grated mozzarella or other cheese
black pepper

Cook the pasta according to package, drain and return to pot. Heat broiler.
Add artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesean, half the other cheese and 1/4 tsp pepper to the pasta and toss to combine.

Transfer the miz to a shallow 2 quart or 8-inch square broiler=proof baking dish and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Broil until browned in spots, 2-3 min.

Chicken Cutlets with Asparagus, Capers and Shallots

A reasonably fast, limited number of bowls dish. The only trick, use the largest rimmed baking sheet you can find. In about a half hour you've got a tasty dinner.

Ingredients:
1 Tbs lemon juice
1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp drained capers
1.5 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
1.25 tsp fennel seeds, ground in spice mill or mortar and pestle
1# asparagus, trimmed
2c sliced shallots (about 12 oz)
1.25# chicken cutlets

Whisk lemon juice and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in 2 Tbs oil. Stir in capers and tarragon. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat broiler. Place remaining 2 Tbs oil in large bowl. Stir in ground fennel seeds. Add asparagus spears to bowl and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus in single layer at 1 end of a large rimmed baking sheet. Add shallots to same bowl, toss with oil mixture. Arrange in center of same rimmed sheet. Add chicken to bowl, toss to coat. Using tongs, transfer chicken to same rimmed sheet arranging in single layer at opposite end of sheet. Sprinkle veggies and chicken with salt and pepper.

Broil chicken and veggies 4 minutes. Turn chicken and asparagus over and toss shallots. Broil until chicken is cooked through and asparagus and shallots are starting to brown, about 4 minutes more. Divide among plates and drizzle mustard dressing over.

Tuesday

Asian Green Beans

This was a great find, adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food. The original recipe called for wax beans, which were lovely but over $4.50 a pound. I substituted in season and wonderfully crisp green beans and they were delicious.

Ingredients:
1 pound clean, trimmed green beans
bit of olive oil, salt and pepper
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger
3/4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp light brown sugar
1/4c unsalted peanuts
1/4c cilantro leaves

Toss your beans with a little olive oil and salt and pepper then roast either on the BBQ or in an oven at 450* on a cookie sheet for about 15 minutes. While your beans are cooking, mix soy sauce, ginger, lemon juice and sugar in a small bowl. Toss beans with dressing, peanuts and cilantro. Yum.

Monday

Thai Style Mussels

If you're feeling exotic, and maybe a little decadent, this recipe for Penn Cove mussels is divine paired with a light salad and some crusty bread for dipping. I bet it would also be good over rice. The sauce is too good to miss. Plus it takes all of 15 minutes start to finish. What's not to love?

Ingredients:
1.5-2lbs Penn Cove Mussels
2 Tbs Fish Sauce
2 cans lite coconut milk
2 Tbs finely chopped fresh ginger
1-2 Tbs Thai chili paste, depending on how spicy you like it
2 Tbs chopped cilantro

Bring the coconut milk, ginger, fish sauce and chili paste to a simmer on medium high until sauce thickens slightly. Add mussles and cover. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the shells open. Remove from heat. Add cilantro and stir to baste mussels in sauce. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe is from the Penn Cove Shellfish Recipes online.

Friday

Chicken Spinach Alfredo Ziti Bake

In the quest for recipes that make delicious leftovers for lunch, this is a new front runner. The other good thing is that you can make this all ahead, refrigerate and bake off the next day - just add a couple minutes to your baking time.

Ingredients:
1# ziti, slightly undercooked and drained
4 Tbs butter
2 large shallots, diced
1.5 # boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 cup flour
1 cup grated parmesean cheese
2.5 cups whole milk
2 Tbs olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1# fresh spinach
1/4c water
1 tsp salt
pinch-o-nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375*
Cook the ziti, drain and set aside in a large bowl.
In a large skillet, heat butter and saute shallts for 3 minutes on low. Add chicken, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5-6 minutes, stirring to brown evenly on all sides. Stir in the flour and cook on low for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the cheese and milk and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add to bowl with pasta.
(Now I'm lazy and use the same skillet, but purists may want a clean one.)
Heat olive oil, saute the garlic for 30 seconds and the add spinach water, salt and nutmeg. Cook, tossing gently, until spinach has wilted and is bright green. Add to bowl with pasta and chicken and toss.
Spray a 9x13x2 pan with olive oil spray and pour pasta mixture in. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly

Recipe from Small Parties by Marguerite Marceau Henderson.

Wednesday

Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Gremolata

This upscale slow cooker recipe worked out very well and I'd feel comfortable planning to serve it to guests on a weeknight. Adapted from The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone, I added additional beans to stretch the leftovers. Served with a little broccoli on the side, you've got a very nice meal.

Ingredients:
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
fresh rosemary sprig ~3inches
4lbs of lamb shanks (smaller approx 1# shanks will probably fit better, if you can get them)
1 cup beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
2 Tbs tomato paste
6 cups cooked white beans
1/4c chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp lemon zest

Scatter chopped carrot, onion, celery, garlic and rosemary in your slow cooker.

Trim the shanks, if needed, and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on top of veggies in as close to a single layer as you can manage.

Stir together broth, wine and tomato paste. Pour the mixture over the lamb. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the lamb is very tender and falls off the bone.

Remove shanks to a serving platter, cover and keep warm. Skim the fat off the liquid in the slow cooker. Add the beans and turn heat to high. Meanwhile, make gremolata by chopping parsley, garlic and lemon zest together. Add half this mixture to slow cooker beans and stir. Spoon bean mixture over lamb shanks and sprinkle with remaining gremolata.

French Chicken in a Pot

Continuing on the roasted chicken theme, given our fall-like weather in June here in Seattle, I'm adding the tried and true French Chicken in a Pot recipe from Cook's Illustrated. If you've got a le creuset or equivalent dutch oven, this is the perfect recipe.

Ingredients:
1 whole roasting chicken (4-5lbs)
salt and pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and trimmed but whole
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of rosemary
lemon juice to flavor jus


Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary around chicken. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon inserted into cavity of bird, flip chicken breast-side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove Dutch oven from heat; place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 80 to 110 minutes.

Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil, and rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids (you should have about 3/4 cup juices). Allow liquid to settle 5 minutes, then pour into saucepan and set over low heat. Carve chicken, adding any accumulated juices to saucepan. Stir lemon juice into jus to taste. Serve chicken, passing jus at table.

Saturday

Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts

Patterned after our favorite dish at The Stumbling Goat, we love this with roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes as a super comfort food. Of course, it's Memorial Day weekend and it should be sunny BBQ weather - but it's not. It's cold, rainy but at least we have roast chicken with mashed potatoes as a silver lining.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skin on chicken breasts - you can butcher up a split fryer breast that has bones, if you need
vegetable oil
salt and pepper
cast iron skillet

Preheat oven to 450*
Season your chicken, both sides, with salt and pepper.
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in the cast iron skillet and heat over high heat just to smoking point. Sear flesh side of breasts for a few (2?) minutes, flip and sear skin side for another couple minutes (2-3).
Transfer skillet to oven and check after 7-10 minutes. Timing will depend on thickness of breasts. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Thursday

Chicken, Spinach and Potato Hash

A good comfort food meal!

Ingredients:
olive oil
4oz pancetta, diced
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
bag of baby spinach
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 shallots, diced
coarse salt and pepper

Start boiling water for your potatoes. Once the water comes to a boil, cook the potatoes for 10 minutes or until they're tender when pierced with a fork.

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan and start frying the pancetta. Season the chicken and add it to the frying pan. Once cooked, transfer to bowl/plate and set aside. Heat some oil in the same frying pan and cook the shallots until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add cooked potatoes and cook for 7-11 minutes, adding more water if the pan get too brown. Add chicken/pancetta mixture back into skillet and add spinach and cook until wilted.

Beef, Snap Pea and Asparagus Stir Fry

Now that I'm back in the working world, I'm seeking fast dinner recipes and this one fits the bill. We made it with beefalo, instead of NY strip, which was delish.

Ingredients:
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbs ginger in a jar (or use fresh and toss it in with the veggies)
1 lb NY strip steak, thinly sliced
coarse salt
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
6 oz snap peas
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs torn basil leaves
Cooked rice

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and ginger. Season steak with salt. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Cook steak, undisturbed for 2 minutes, until brown on one side. Flip and cook until cooked through, just about 30 seconds. This works much better if you don't crowd the pan, so you can do it in batches. Transfer cooked meat to a bowl.

Add asparagus, snap peas and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly until veggies are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. If the bottom of the pan gets too dark, add a little water. Add soy mixture and cook until fragrant about 10 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and stir in lemon juice and basil. Toss steak with veggies and serve over rice with a lemon wedge.

Monday

Pork Souvlaki with Greek Salad

My fabulous husband had dinner all ready for me tonight when I got home after my board meeting and it was delish!

Ingredients:
for the skewers--
1.25 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 3/4inch cubes
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs minced fresh oregano
coarse salt and pepper

for the salad--
pitted kalamata olives
feta chunks
cucumber
cherry tomatoes
marinated artichoke hearts
red onion slivers
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 tsp olive oil
scant 1/4 tsp dijon

In medium bowl, combine pork, oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Meanwhile chop salad ingredients and mix vinagrette.

Heat grill to high. Thread pork cubes onto skewers. Grill until brown on all sides and cooked through, about 12 minutes total. Serve with a lemon wedge.

Chewy Gingersnaps

I got this recipe off the back of a tin of crystallized ginger chips.

Ingregidents:
2.25c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4c unsalted butter
1c sugar
1/4c dark molasses
1 egg
3.5oz crystallized ginger chips

Preheat oven to 375*
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in molasses and egg. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in ginger chips. FYI - Dough is very sticky and easier to handle after being in the fridge for an hour.

Roll into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes - removing from oven while still soft. Let cookies cool on the sheet.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

A great new cookie discovery. There weren't spicy at all. If you like a little heat, add more chili powder at the end.

Ingredients:
2.25c all purpose flour
1/2c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1c (2sticks) unsalted butter
1.75c sugar
2 egg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp chili powder

Preheat oven to 400*. In medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. In large bowl cream butter and 1.5c sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add dry mixture and beat until combined.

IN small bowl combine 1/4c sugar, cinnamon and chili powder. Form balls (heaping tablespoon) and roll in sugar mixture. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake until set in center and beginning to crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.

Baked Artichokes

No room on your stove top for steaming an artichoke for 45 minutes? This baked version is a snap, allows you to do a bundle at once and may even been more flavorful. This preparation makes it easy to scoop out the choke after baking while leaving the leaves in tact, which makes a fun dip bowl.

Ingredients:
Prepared artichoke(s) = pointy tips of leaves trimmed, stem trimmed top 1/4 cut off
olive oil - about 1 Tbs per artichoke
lemon juice - about 2 tsp per artichoke
garlic clove, coarsely diced - 1 per artichoke
salt

Preheat oven to 425*
Prepare your artichoke and pull the leaves apart a bit. Stick garlic pieces in between some of the center leaves and drizzle oil and lemon juice into leaves as well. Wrap tightly in foil. Bake directly on rack for 60 minutes for an average/medium artichoke and more like 90 minutes for a really big one.

Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze

A delicious spring entree excellent with sauteed snap peas or wilted greens. Cut back on the ginger if you don't like things too spicy.

Ingredients:
(This makes enough marinade for four 6oz fillets)
Salmon fillets
1/3c Asian sweet chili sauce
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Mix marinade ingredients together and pour over salmon. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the broiler. Spoon marinade over salmon one last time. Broil 6-10 minutes (depending on thickness of fish) until browned in spots and almost opaque in center of fish.

Fish Meuniere with Capers

We wanted a light pan-fried fish and this fit the bill. It cooks unbelievably fast, so have everything else ready first - or scramble around like me and make a mess.

Ingredients:
4 dover sole fillets, about 5oz each, but if they're more or less just make sure they're all about the same
1/2c flour
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs unsalted butter

Sauce Ingredients:
4 Tbs unsalted butter (yes, I know, more butter)
1 Tbs parsley, chopped
1.5 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs capers, drained
lemon wedges for garnish/serving

Move the oven rack to the lower middle and place your dinner plates in there. Preheat your oven to 200*

Pat fish fillets dry with towels. Season fish with salt and pepper and let sit until glistening with moisture, about 5 minutes. Put flour in shallow pan. Dredge fillets in flour shaking off excess and place in single layer on baking sheet or dish until ready to cook.

Heat oil until shimmering in a large frying pan. Add butter and swirl in pan. Once butter stops foaming, add fish and reduce temperature to medium high. (Note: If you have a big frying pan (12") you may be able to do everything at once, but consider doing it in two batches. If you do cook in two shifts, heat only half the oil and butter, cook your fish and then wipe out the pan with a paper towel before you do the second batch.)

Cook until fillets are opaque at the edges and the bottom is golden brown. Don't move your fish around too much. Once it looks opaque at the edge, then you can peek at the bottom. Flip gently with a wide spatula (good luck) and cook the other side until golden. Transfer fillets to dishes in warm oven and start making your sauce.

Over medium high heat, melt butter and constantly swirling pan, cook butter until it browns and has a nutty aroma. Remove skillet from heat, add lemon juice and capers, adjust salt if necessary. Spoon over fillets, serve with lemon wedge and enjoy!

Thursday

Turkey Meatballs with Pasta in Cream Sauce

Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min

Ingredients:
3 Tbs olive oil
1c scallions, finely minced and divided
1.25 tsp salt, divided
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
8 oz shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbs all purpose flour
2.5c chicken broth
1/4 c fine dry bread crumbs
1/3 c milk
1c freshly grated Parmesan, divided
1 large egg
1# ground turkey
2 garlic cloves minced
3 Tbs minced fresh flat leaf parsley
2/3c heavy cream
1 # dried pasta such as rotini

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2c scallions, 1/4tsp salt, 1/4tsp pepper, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes more. Add broth, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Combine breadcrumbs and milk in small bowl, and let soak 10 minutes. Combine 1/2c Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/2c scallions, remaining 1 tsp salt, remaining 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 egg, ground turkey, garlic, and parsley in separate bowl. Stir in breadcrumb mixture and form into 1.5 inch meatballs.

Add meatballs to sauce; cover and simmer 20 minutes more. Add cream, and return to simmer. Add remaining 1/2c Parmesan and stir until sauce is slightly thickened.

Add drained cooked pasta and sauce to post and toss gently to combine. Serve with additional Parmesan.


Cottage Living Jan/Feb 2008

Friday

Life-changing Caramel Corn

Can popcorn change your life? What a silly question - of course not! Caramel corn, on the other hand, just may. This is a sticky recipe, but produces great results.

Ingredients:
approximately 10 cups popcorn
1c packed light brown sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
6 Tbs melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda (measure early and set aside)
1 Tbs vanilla extract (measure early and set aside)
This would be tasty with some chopped nuts in it as well.

Preheat your oven to 250* and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pop your popcorn and be sure to get rid of any old maids. I put my popcorn in a pyrex 13x9x2 pan for the ease of spreading the hot, sticky caramel, but a really big/wide mouth bowl would work too. It occurs to me that next time I do this, I will probably butter or nonstick spray whatever I toss my popcorn in to get the most caramel on the popcorn and not stuck to the dish.

In a medium sized saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, melted butter and salt with 2 Tbs of water and whisk together. Measure and have very close by your vanilla and baking soda. You don't want to measure them in the moment. Believe me.

Put saucepan on medium high heat and bring caramel sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook until you get to 250* on a candy thermometer. Once you're there, remove pan from heat and dump in baking soda and vanilla and immediately whisk like crazy lest your gooey sauce ooze over the sides of the pan. Again, believe me.

Pour caramel over waiting popcorn and toss gently with a spatula distributing as best you can. But don't worry - you'll have three more shots as distributing your caramel. Pour sticky popcorn goodness onto parchment lined pan and spread out as evenly as possible.

Put in the oven for a total of 1 hour, stirring/turning/tossing popcorn every 20 minutes. Let cool, gently break up and store (whatever you don't eat immediately) in an airtight container. The hour in the oven is definitely worth the wait!