Refreshingly Spring! Fresh mint, a classic pairing with peas, brightens this creamy pasta dish. This melodious and quick meal came from Fine Cooking’s Make It Tonight series by Jessica Bard. Many of our recipes tend toward the spicy side of life, but this one exudes a mellower composite of flavors without being bland.

The little mezze penne size made for a perfect mouthful without screaming pasta. And our ham was not smoked and weighed in at closer to over a half pound. No leftover ham? The recipe would work fine with one (or two) of those prepackaged slices. Or try a thick slice of pancetta to amp up the flavor.

Disappointingly the grocery stores weren’t carrying fresh peas, even though it was the height of Spring 😦 But the frozen variety worked quite nicely, just make sure to thaw them ahead of time. And I made a birdbrain move while shopping when I grabbed the feta cheese because I unknowingly picked up fat free, so to compensate, we also included some grated parm. All-in-all, we really liked this dish.

Woohoo! It is FINALLY grilling weather here in the Northeast U.S. After what seemed like an endless winter, the month of May blossomed with above average temps, low humidity, a soothing breeze, and a break from the wetness. Everywhere you look, people are smiling and I’m feeling human again…

Time to bust out the “ole barbie.” And while you can grill just about anything, we were in the mood for our tasty Deconstructed Chicken, Sausage and Veggie Kebabs. What’s nice about these puppies is you don’t have to thread every single morsel unto a skewer. The veggies all get dumped into a heated grill basket and only the meat pieces are speared. (Since the sausage cooks quicker than the chicken, they need to be on separate spikes.) Portioning the ingredients this way allows diners to eat as little or as much meat and vegetables as they prefer.

Speaking of the meat, if you’re not a dark meat fan (white meat is usually my preference), go ahead and use chicken breasts instead. And while we opted for some Iberico Buttifara Spanish sausage, go wild and crazy with whatever brand your little heart desires—just make sure to choose fat links.

And BTW, we prefer the flat metal skewers as opposed to the round wooden ones. Reasons being, you don’t have to soak them so they won’t catch fire, and because they’re flat the morsels stays in place; plus they are reusable—waste not, want not. An added grain such as couscous, rice, orzo or quinoa rounds out the meal.

NOTE: The spelling kabob is mostly used by North Americans as they try to transliterate the sound for the dish, kebab, that is made with grilled meat in Arab countries.

99.9% of the time I do not eat sweets or baked goods, especially for breakfast. But I volunteered for a Master Gardner event that took place starting early on a Saturday morning, and they requested donations of homemade breakfast items to help feed the crew.

Yeah, I could’ve bought a dozen bagels from a local bakery, but that’s just not the way I roll (pun intended). So after a bit of nosing around on the Internet, I found a tempting Glazed Apple Crumb Muffin recipe (thanks to sallysbakingaddiction) that I altered a bit. I particularly liked the fact that I had all of the ingredients on hand and didn’t have to make a special trip to the supermarket.

Well, of course I had to try one before I submitted the muffins to the event, right? Wouldn’t want to put something out there that was inedible, you follow? While still warm, I sliced one in half and took a bite… then another bite… and another, until it was all gone! It literally melted in my mouth. Nobody was more shocked than me…

A dozen of these were earmarked for the event, one I ate, and one was saved for Hubby. Knowing his abhorrence of walnuts, I left that muffin sans nuts. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t 😉 BTW, Russ ate his the next morning before heading to work, and he agreed, it was truly yummy.

How did they fare with the volunteer crew? I’m not totally sure, but several of my mates grabbed one during our lunch period and planned to nosh on it later…

Above, Chris holds one of the muffins as does Terri (can only see her arms in the lower right); while George gives us a radiant smile.

I could’ve kicked myself… Recently, we were in National Harbor just south of DC for Russ’ 5-day NATCON conference with nearly 6,000 attendees. In years past, just as we did this time, our accommodations were at the gorgeous Gaylord Convention Center directly across the river from Alexandria, VA.

During one of our previous visits we had dined at Grace’s Madarin conveniently located across Waterfront Avenue. Upon entering, the stunning impact from a three-story waterfall and 33-foot Buddha greet you as you wind your way up the stairs to the eating area with panoramic views of the Potomac River from just about every table. This time we were dining with Russ’ fellow colleague, Dr. David Greenspan.

Because of our past history with the establishment, I didn’t feel it was necessary to concern myself with taking pictures for this blog. You may or may not recall a post from four years ago, “A Purse Chair?” In it I mentioned how the food at Grace’s was not necessarily a WOW factor. Well, our collective opinions were drastically altered and soared from mediocre to a definite WOWSER this time around, especially my Chengdu Chicken dish (new executive chef maybe?) But, as I said, I didn’t take any photos, so kick me now.

Russ and David’s dishes were also phenomenal but we agreed that mine was off-the-charts incredible, therefore I was on a mission to try and replicate it. After browsing the Internet for some recipes, we felt the one by Andrew Zimmern looked like the closest to what I had at Grace’s place—and with his culinary expertise, we knew it would be good regardless.

In his chile-spiked Spicy Chengdu-Style Chicken with Peanuts, “soaking the chicken overnight in rice wine and cornstarch makes the meat soft and tender. It also helps tighten the sauce and gives the chicken a twice-cooked slippery quality that’s a sign of good Chinese wok cookery.” We had pretty much all of the ingredients on hand—yes, it’s quite a lengthy list—except we were out of fermented chile bean paste and didn’t have black vinegar.

Because you need to marinate the cubed chicken overnight, Russ made a quick trip to our local Asian mart to get them. When it’s time to begin cooking, make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped before you start, once the wok is hot, this dish comes together in mere minutes. And be sure to time your rice so that it’s ready as soon as you’re done theatrically flipping the wok spatula.

How’d it turn out? Well let’s just say I overdid the peppers to the point of bringing tears to Russ’ eyes! I did have a reason to increase the spice so it’s not like I sabotaged the dish on purpose. Because the amount of chicken was almost double what was called for, I mentally justified that it could stand for more sauce, which included an additional tablespoon of the chili sauce.

Plus, since our dried chiles hadn’t added much of a punch when last used in cooking, while at the Asian mart Russ picked up some more dried chiles, Mexican arbols to be exact. And not making the connection that these new chiles would be much more intense, I tripled, or even quadrupled the amount. Suffice it to say, our nasal passages were clear as a whistle when done eating 😉

If you negate the heat, the taste itself was quite good. So take my word for it, follow the recipe exactly—I will heed my own warning next time because I intend to master Chengdu Chicken…

BTW, the purse chairs, below, were still doing their duty at Grace’s Mandarin but I didn’t need one because our table was up against a large window and had an appropriate-sized ledge that served the purpose.

Looking for a quick, tasty meal that’s sure to appeal to the meat lovers in the family? Look no further because this Sear-Roasted Flat Iron Steak with Endive and Blue Cheese recipe will definitely win them over. Plus the side of Belgian endive is not your usual go-to veggie. Cooked until tender, peppery endive is great alongside this beefy steak slathered with blue cheese butter.

Endive is a leaf vegetable belonging to the daisy family that can be used raw in salads or cooked, as in this recipe. There are three main varieties of cultivated endive: Curly endive, or frisée; Escarole, or broad-leaved; and Belgian endive, a form of common chicory, a different species from the other two. All are a very low caloric food that help you manage cholesterol levels, promote stronger bones, and improve your vision and brain health.

Pronunciation: on-DEEVE, en-DEEVE. There is a statement by the California Endive Farms that curly and broad-leaved endive is pronounced en-DIVE, while Belgian endive has the on-DEEV pronunciation…. dahling

Now about that cut of steak. The original recipe called for skirt steak which is usually a cinch to find at the supermarket. Not so when I went shopping for this meal. However, they were carrying flat iron steak (on sale too) which I know makes for a fabulous substitute. Wish I would have purchased more…

What’s the difference? Both are value cuts that come from various parts of the cow. The skirt steak is a thin, fibrous cut separating the chest from the abdomen, the cow’s diaphragm muscle. The flat iron is a flat muscle off the shoulder blade and is considered tender for something that lives so close to a joint. Anyway, either cut will suffice, with the flat iron taking twice as long in the oven (10 minutes as opposed to five) since it’s thicker to start with—and Russ and I both agree, a more tender cut of meat compared to skirt steak.

Our piece of meat weighed a bit less than the 1 1/4 pounds indicated, so I only cut it into three pieces. We’re both partial to caramelized onions with steak, so I sliced up two whole alliums, which as you know take nearly an hour on low heat to get a good caramelization, rendering them so sweet and tender they just melt in the mouth!

I’m sure you’ve read about Russ’ aversion to walnuts, so I was the lucky recipient of any that landed on his plate!

What’s odd about this recipe is they tell you to make a certain quantity of the blue cheese butter mixture, but only use half of it—which was plenty BTW. Oh well, we just refrigerated the remainder for an upcoming meal, like a grilled steak, if and when the weather ever warms up?!

By Shelley Wiseman from Fine Cooking

A speedy “Make-It-Tonight” staple from William Stewart of Fine Cooking harkens the advent of warmer weather with visions of outdoor BBQs and picnics dancing in my head. This riff, Curried Yogurt Potato Salad, gets a fresh Indian spin with curried yogurt dressing, bright ginger, and crisp vegetables. I was pleasantly surprised how creamy tasting and good it was without the addition of mayo or eggs!

The Persian cucumber is a variety of burpless cucumber, meaning its consumption is less likely to cause gastrointestinal upset than other types. This cucumber is also small, sweet and essentially seedless. I didn’t have luck locating Persian cucumbers but the seedless English variety was a fine substitute because they are similar to Persians, only longer in length and generally come wrapped in plastic.

In contrast to the thick, bumpy skin of the common garden cucumber, the Persian version features a smooth, thin skin that doesn’t require peeling. Its flesh is largely free of bitter-tasting seeds and is firm instead of watery, attributes that lend crunch and a mild sweetness.

The potato salad is especially yummy right after it is made, but can be served room temperature or even after refrigerated.

We served ours with sautéed sugar snap peas and a seared steak.

Thai cuisine is one of my faves so when I can have it in quick fashion, I’m a happy camper. This Spicy Thai Beef Curry from the Fine Cooking’s Make It Tonight series was just the ticket for a weeknight dinner when I didn’t have a lot of time but craved a flavorful curry dish. Remember, our bodies are not just heavy machines that we tote around with us each day, and our culinary pleasure isn’t just a whim when it comes to the mechanics of eating—curry can be a joy to both eat and behold.

The “spicy” title is a bit of a misnomer. Even though it calls for 1 to 2 teaspoons of red curry paste, almost all of the reviewers commented that they had, or wished they’d had, added more than the directions called for. So, being a connoisseur of all things with a kick, I added a healthy tablespoon full of the flavorful paste, resulting in a robust pungency that was not at all overpowering. If you possess a “delicate palette,” you may want to stick with the smaller amount first time out of the gate.

The directions do not instruct you to, but for a thicker sauce that will cling nicely to the meat and rice, after you remove the meat in Step 5, reduce the liquid over medium-high heat for about 6-8 minutes to thicken, then proceed with the remaining steps.

My only other suggestions would be to use fresh sugar snap peas if you can find them; and incorporate some sweet red bell pepper strips for added color and nutrition, but that’s totally up to you.

By Joann Smart from Fine Cooking

Part of our international week of dinners, we wanted the Italian menu to be something other than pasta so this Baked Rollatini of Flounder entrée fit the bill nicely. Unlike other highly regarded cuisines, Italian cooking is usually simple to make with many dishes having only 4 to 8 ingredients. Italian cooks rely chiefly on the quality of the ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation. And so it almost is with this simple fish recipe with 10 ingredients—just be sure to have some great olive oil on hand.

“The Sicilians have a tradition of using breadcrumbs in many of their recipes, like involtini di pesce spada, or swordfish rollatini, which are dressed with dried- oregano- seasoned breadcrumbs and olive oil.”  —  Lidia Bastianich

Despite Lidia’s undisputed reputation as a great Italian chef, there were a few things we did, or will do in the future. For instance, I didn’t feel that half of a sliced lemon was enough to cover the bottom of the baking dish so I very thinly sliced the entire zested lemon to build the foundation, and used half of another lemon for the juice. Plus we found that a full cup of white wine was too much liquid, feeling a 1/2 cup would more than suffice (I noted this in the list below.)

Oops, I’m noticing a few citrus pits I should have removed first, mea culpa!

And while this has nothing to do with Lidia’s choice of fish (her original recipe is Rollatini of Sole), it’s uncommon to find sole at our local supermarkets because here in North America we have no true sole, only flounders. They are interchangeable because both sole and flounder have delicate, flaky flesh and a mild, sweet taste; and while each are oval in shape, flounder is more rounded.

Oh, and the fact that Lidia’s cookbook says this serves six, that would be pretty meager rations in just about anyone’s household. We think two fillets per person is more realistic. Otherwise this delicious, delicate dinner was ever-so-satisfying and light. And in that vein, we served it simply with a side of sautéed asparagus.

According to Liz Pearson from Fine Cooking, you don’t have to sacrifice authenticity for speed with these quick and flavorful enchiladas. And an easy, homemade salsa verde adds a tangy kick to this hearty Quick Beef Enchiladas with Salsa Verde.

A few changes we made included flour tortillas instead of corn—only because the supermarket carried ooo-gobs of the flour variety, and zero of the corn. Plus, ours were 8″ in diameter as opposed to 6,” but they actually fit perfectly in the 9×13″ baking dish. I also got a little carried away with the amount of cheese inside each tortilla, so my leftover quantity for the top wasn’t going to cut it, therefore I included some shredded cheddar which added a nice pop of color.

The salsa verde was terrific, but take a note from me. I did a disservice when selecting the very large tomatillos as opposed to 15 small ones. Not a good idea. I unfortunately quartered them before boiling with the onion and jalapeños and they lost a lot of the pulp in the process. So do yourself a favor and buy the small ones and leave them whole when boiling.

Even though we like things spicy, I did seed and devein the peppers, but next time I think I’ll omit that step to retain more of the heat. But to remedy that fact, I topped mine with a few slices of pickled jalapeños. Two is typically a serving, but one was plenty for me especially with our side dish.

The accompaniment of Mexican Tomato Rice & Beans recipe was also from Fine Cooking, but by chef Raghavan Iyer. When cooked using the absorption method, medium-grain rice yields a tender, starchy, slightly creamy kernel that’s ideal for saucy rice dishes like this one. Absolutely delicious! While neither recipe is difficult to make, they both require some prep work and use quite a few kitchen utensils/pots. Oh, but they are sooo worth it!

Mexican Tomato Rice & Beans

Stuffed peppers are a comfort food for Russ. He loved them growing up—me, not so much. However, that all changed somewhere along the line decades ago, and we both now look forward to dining on the one-pot meal. Yes, there is a bit of prep to start with, but once the mild chilies are stuffed, it’s hands off.

Since Russ received Lidia Bastianich’s latest cookbook: Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook, as a Christmas gift, we’ve been trying out quite a few of her recipes and have not been disappointed—until now. Now don’t get me wrong, the taste of the peppers was spot on, we just didn’t care for the watery sauce that accompanied them; the consistency was more like a broth. Even though you squeeze as much water out of the soaking bread as possible, there is still some residual moisture, plus the peppers themselves will release some more wetness.

So here’s what we would do to remedy our dissatisfaction with the sauce. First, we’d double the amount of canned tomatoes (we like a lot of sauce), then, and most importantly, omit adding any additional water. Next, we’d incorporate some tomato paste to thicken, the amount is up to you but start with two tablespoons and add more to satisfy your preferences. I altered the ingredients list and directions below to reflect our changes.

The whole peeled canned tomatoes are placed in a bowl and crushed by hand.

Because the bell peppers at the store were gigundo, I only used four instead of six, and selected all green ones. But you can use the red, orange and/or yellow bell peppers too, which tend to be a bit sweeter than the green.

Not noted in the directions below, I cooked ours in a 350 degree oven as opposed to heating on a stove burner. The total cooking time was lengthened by 15 minutes to address the size of our peppers. While mashed potatoes are traditionally served with stuffed peppers, we opted to omit them this time and pair them with a side salad.

A coveted Spanish cookbook, “La Cocina de Mama” by chef author Penelope Casas, has brought us many a mouth-watering meal. So when we decided to prepare week-long dinners based on an International theme, we didn’t hesitate to start with her book.

Along with Penelope’s Chicken with Ham, Olives and Sherry, we paired it with Fernando’s Sherry-Infused Baked Sliced Potatoes—and what a duo they made! She happened across the delicious spud recipe while in Restaurante Bigiote in Sanlucar de Barrameda with a group of American gourmets in tow (wish I had been one of them!)

They are simple and straightforward enough but with an extraordinary surprise ingredient: the subtle flavor of bone-dry Spanish sherry, such as Manzanilla or Fino. Since Russ likes to have a nip or two of this type of sherry while cooking on Sunday evenings, we always have some on hand. Not my cup of tea (or wine 🙂 ) for imbibing, but I do love sherry in cooking.

A mandoline makes quick work of slicing uniformly thick potato slices.

Arguably the greatest Spanish food is found not in the nation’s restaurants, but in private homes off-limits to tourists, where women still cook the recipes their mothers and grandmothers cooked before them. Penelope Casas takes us into those homes to uncover the secrets of this simple, easily reproduced, and altogether marvelous cuisine. For La Cocina de Mamá, she has collected recipes from great chefs and traditional home cooks in every region of Spain.

Having been enamored of her recipes and side stories since we bought the book a number of years ago, this Chicken with Ham, Olives and Sherry was one entrée we hadn’t tried yet. But since making it, it has risen to a top-contender spot when poultry becomes the meal of choice. The ingredients list does mention you can substitute prosciutto for the Serrano ham, but if at all possible, use the Spanish version.

About the Serrano Ham: The word Serrano means “from the mountains,” and refers to the cool dry climate necessary to cure hams in the traditional way. Today most moderately priced cured hams are produced in plants that simulate mountain conditions. Top of the line cured hams, called Jamon Iberico (not as yet imported to the United States) are in fact, naturally mountain cured and come from the extraordinary native Iberian pig.

The best cured ham sold in the United States today, according to Penelope (far superior to prosciutto), is the Redondo Iglesias Serrano ham that is imported from Spain and available from Tienda.com. We were able to order a thick slice (shown below) at our local upscale supermarket deli. Beware, the price is nearly $25 per pound, but you only need about a quarter pound.

The chicken dish paired fabulously with Penelope’s recipe of Sherry-Infused Baked Sliced Potatoes which take a similar amount of time and get cooked in the oven while the chicken simmers on the stovetop.

To complete the meal, we added a side salad for more veggies and fiber.

“Make It Tonight” is a weekly series from Fine Cooking that we subscribe to and provides quick weeknight recipes. While of course not everyone of them caters to our personal preferences, the vast majority are pretty spot on. Take this simple and satisfying easy main course, Roast Chicken with Chickpeas dinner for instance. Here, crisp-skinned, bone-in chicken thighs braise in a stew of fragrant Indian spices, onion, and chickpeas, each flavoring the other.

Because it was just the two of us, our package of poultry consisted on only five thighs, weighing in at two pounds instead of three. They all fit into one pan so there was no need to brown two batches, saving about 10 minutes.

And the “Make It Tonight” pairing of a Middle Eastern Savoy Cabbage Salad was a knock out side dish that was a perfect accompaniment to the flavors of the chicken. I mean, who doesn’t love pistachios?! I did cut the veggie ingredients in half for just the two of us, but made the full amount of dressing, and I’m glad I did. Personally, I do not like salads saturated with dressing, but in this case, after I initially added only half, we both agreed, it was so tasty and the vegetables were sturdy enough they could handle the entire amount. Yes, it was that good!

Even if you’re not overly fond of chickpeas, the treatment in this recipe adds the perfect amount of pungency from both the spices and the thighs as they impart their juices during the roasting process. The end result takes the chickpeas to another level with a subtle crispness and a boat-load of flavor. And you can’t ignore the health benefits of these legumes.

Chickpeas are sometimes known as garbanzo beans. They are particularly high in fiber. The iron, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K in chickpeas all contribute to building and maintaining bone structure and strength. Plus, research shows that including chickpeas in the diet lowers the amount of low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, in the blood. Finally, the choline in chickpeas helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory.

Middle Eastern Savoy Cabbage Salad

Middle Eastern ingredients like lemon, yogurt, cumin, and coriander flavor a creamy dressing that crinkly Savoy cabbage soaks right up. Use regular yogurt for the dressing; Greek yogurt is too thick. If you have extra dressing, (which I doubt you will) use it as a dip for vegetables or to dress another small salad. This would make a great lunch salad by itself.

In Italy, Tuscans living in rural areas were once referred to as mangiafagioli, or “bean eaters,” a reference to their consumption of economical bean dishes. The most traditional preparation is an ultrasimple wintry one in which dried cannellini beans are simmered with herbs and garlic until tender and then drizzled with olive oil for serving.

This riff on Tuscan-style beans gets a fuller seafood flavor with a quick concentrated stock from the shrimp shells used to simmer the beans. The shrimp also get cooked with the beans rather than separately, and minced anchovies meld with the sautéed aromatics. While the shrimp flavor the beans, the beans also insulate the shrimp from direct heat so that they stay plump and moist.

To season the shrimp and keep them plump and juicy, brine them briefly, and add them late in the cooking process, cooking them gently. Canned beans and canned tomatoes make this dish fast and doable at any time of year; plus, the liquid from one of the cans of beans lends the stew good body. Plenty of fresh basil and lemon juice and zest provide freshness and nice acidity.

If like us, you have some homemade seafood stock on hand, you can skip Steps 2 through 5 and shave off about 15 minutes. Now that’s a real time saver! And it isn’t yet tomato season, so use canned tomatoes instead of the fresh ones. For ease, and because they maintain their shape due to the addition of calcium chloride, use the diced variety.

We loved how simple, yet tasty this dish was. The final flourish of fresh basil not only adds a nice pop of color, but lends an initial subtle peppery flavor, then evolves into a slightly sweet, aromatic punch. An essential ingredient in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, basil pairs exquisitely with lemon, tomato and garlic, all of which are in this recipe.

Do yourself a favor and make a batch of homemade seafood stock, portioning it out into different sized containers, then freeze them until needed. You’ll thank yourself in the future…

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Cutting back on carbs? Who said Italian night has to include pasta? This quick-cooking stew has onions, garlic, and spicy Italian sausage—classic flavors you expect in an Italian meal—and it’s warming and comforting too, the perfect antidote to these frigid temperatures. Of course if you can’t tolerate spicy, use sweet Italian sausage instead.

This Spicy Sausage, Escarole and White Bean Stew recipe hits all the right buttons. Thick, spicy, rich, and delish. Plus it’s super easy to prepare. If you’re not into escarole or can’t find it, substitute spinach or kale. Just make sure that whatever greens you decide on, wash them real well and spin dry.

The jury is in, we loved it! Of course we used more sausage, escarole, and vinegar than originally called for (reflected in the directions below.) The only other change we’d make next time, is incorporating 2 cups of broth as opposed to one.

And if you don’t care about counting carbs, make some toasted bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil for a nice accompaniment. Or, make your own garlic butter to spread on Italian or rustic bread.

Adapted from a recipe by Joann Smart from Fine Cooking