How-To-Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a great addition to almost any recipe. However, they yield so much liquid when cooked the juice can take over the flavor of a dish. We learned a nifty trick from a Cook's Magazine to microwave the mushrooms until cooked to get all the liquid out before adding them to your favorite recipe. You get all the mushroom flavor and versatility without all the juice!

Just put the desired amount of mushrooms in a microwave-safe container with a tight fitting lid. Microwave on high until cooked through - about four to five minutes, depending on the amount. Drain the liquid and cook as normal! This is a great way to start out mushrooms in wine sauce, as pizza toppings or to pasta sauces!

OMG Shrimp

I LOVE shrimp. I mean LOVE them. They are so juicy and delicious and suck in whatever flavor you cook them with. My mom buys them from fishermen on the side of the road where she lives at the beach, but I prefer a pre-peeled and deveined version. They are delicious fresh, but I find the $5 frozen bag from Wal-Mart does the trick just fine. 

Roasting the shrimp makes them extra tender and juicy!

Baby girl and I have had a nasty cold all week, and John has been amazing taking care of both of us. I finally started to feel better yesterday and finally felt like cooking again! I cam across a recipe for roasted shrimp with lemon, garlic and herbs from Cinnamon Girl Recipes that I had to try. The original recipe calls for thyme, which I had none of so I improvised and changed things up just a little. I had some leftover spice blend from a Christmas leg of lamb that I pulled from Epicurious. This spice blend is so versatile, and has a smokey, lemoney smell to it, so I thought it would go nicely with the lemon in this recipe. I was right! I also added mushrooms and served this over orecchiette pasta. 

You will need:

1/4 cup Olive Oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 lemon, zested and sliced thin

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon Tabil Spice Blend

prepared mushrooms - as many as you want!

salt & pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large roasting pan or baking dish, add the olive oil, zest of the lemon and spice blend. Whisk together to blend well. Let this cook together in the oven for about 10 minutes, until fragrant and hot. Once done, add the butter, stirring it in until it melts. Then add the lemon slices, mushrooms and shrimp. Stir all ingredients until well coated. Put back in the oven for 10-12 more minutes until the shrimp are pink and starting to curl. Do not over cook!!! Serve over your favorite pasta, rice, vegetable, or just eat it right out of the pan if you can't make it to the table! It is that good. Enjoy!

We need a new camera something fierce.

Trader Joe's Reserva Chilean Cabernet

Let me just preface this - this wine costs $3.99. It is not going to drink like a 2005 Howell Mountain cab, so we aren't even going to place it in the same bracket. We are going to look at this objectively, and take this wine for what it is - which happens to be NTDB... Not Too Dang Bad!

We have actually bought this wine a few other times before doing this post, and each time we've have enjoyed it. There's not a whole heck of a lot going on, but it is rich, it's jammy, the dark red and purple fruit are right there for you to taste and it's incredibly drinkable. The flavors blend nicely into a ripe and supple mouthfeel while giving a decent, although short, finish. It is very smooth, and isn't going to offend. This would be a great introductory cab for those people who tend to shy away from a heavier wine.

It's a perfect party wine - you won't feel bad pouring it for anyone, but you may want to put it in a decanter if you don't want to brag about your thriftiness.

Mimi's Mexican Rice

Our bestest buddy from California, Mimi, shared this delicious recipe for Mexican rice when we were all living together in Sonoma. I had tried for years to perfect this fluffy, savory and slightly spicy rice, but my results always ended up a lump of starchy, sticky, flavorless mess. Mimi's recipe is so easy to make, and can be easily modified with other ingredients to make it a meal. Serve this with any kind of Mexican dish or just add some black beans, roasted corn, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream for an easy meal! Now if only I had a freezer full of her mama's tamales...

1 cup of white rice
1 can of spicy V8 juice
1 medium onion grated or very finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
1 chicken flavored bullion cube
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter

In a medium pot or dutch oven (my preference), put in the butter and rice over medium heat. As the butter melts, stir the rice around so it's well coated. Add the onion and jalapeno. The rice will start to sizzle and a few pieces will start to brown. When the browning starts, add the water, bouillon cube and V8, and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, cover, reduce to a simmer and let it cook down until all the liquid is absorbed. If the rice is soft but there is still liquid left, just take the top of the pan off and let it reduce.

We added kale to make it a meal!

Stuffed Peppers with Quin-What?

Ohhhhh these peppers! I had a hankering for stuffed peppers a few weeks ago and hopped on the internet to find a good vegetarian recipe. I found this one and it is a keeper! For such a simple recipe, the flavors are layered throughout the dish and each bite is more delicious than the last. The peppers get nice and soft while the filling stays light and fluffy. We of course mixed and matched ingredients to make it our own, and I think we've got a new favorite. Here's the (non) beef:

4-6 Peppers (your kitchen, your choice of color)
1 Cup cooked Quinoa
2 Cups JJ's Tomato Sauce
1 Cup Corn off the cob or the can
1 Cup Diced Tomato
1 Can Black Beans (drained)
1 Small Can Black Olives, chopped fine
1Tbsp Crushed Garlic
1/2 med chopped Onion
1/4 Cup grated Fontina Cheese
1/2 Cup cubed Fontina Cheese
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Prep
-Wash peppers, in a downword angle cut in to the tops and remove center core and seeds.
-Cook Quinoa in a rice cooker or on the stove top.
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix
-In a large bowl mix in Quinoa, Corn, Diced Tomato, Black Beans, Onions, Olives and Fontina Cheese (save four pinches for the tops of the peppers)
-Take the Mix and "Stuff the Peppers", top with a little of sauce and remaining cheese.
-Put the peppers in a dutch oven or casserole dish with sides high enough to hold the peppers and other goodness in. Pour the remaining tomato sauce around the peppers. 

Bake
-Turn the oven down to 200 and bake for four hours. These are yummy with some Mexican Rice!

JJ's Tomato Sauce

This versatile tomato sauce is super easy, and much fresher than buying a jar! You can customize this sauce to just about anything you are making. One can of tomatoes makes about 3 cups of sauce. Here's the base recipe:

1 Can of Non-Salted Peeled Tomatoes
3-4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed or minced
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion chopped
1 Tablespoon Salt
1/2 Tablespoon Pepper
A few dashes of oregano
Blend all together in a food processor or with an immersion blender until no large chunks remain.

If you are making Italian, add olive oil and fresh basil or a little thyme and extra oregano; if you want something spicy add a chopped jalepeno and few dashes of hot sauce or cajun seasoning. Adding rosemary and nutmeg gives it a yummy earthy flavor that is delicious over polenta and greens.

Pizza! Pizza!

Had to give a few props to John's old days slinging pizza at the Little Caesar's. His pizza tossing technique definitely comes in handy when we are making our own (and a bit more sophisticated) pizza at home. We discovered Trader Joe's pizza dough a few months ago and have certainly been having fun with our creations. The dough is delicious, and so much easier than making it yourself... not to mention it's only $1.99 per bag. It bakes up thin and crispy but stays soft and perfectly chewy... Yum! They make a white and a whole wheat dough, and both are equally as good. The white is a little easier to roll out, but the wheat gives that yeasty, slightly sweet taste that goes perfect with a spicy red tomato sauce. We get most of our ingredients from the farmers market, and those we can't find at the market we try to find as local and fresh as we can get. I really think this makes a huge difference in any food you make, and even more so on these pizzas, where the veggies are at the forefront of this meal.

These pizzas take about 20 minutes to bake, so it is a very quick, easy and fun dinner to make. The really great thing is you can cut the dough to make anywhere from two to four smaller pizzas, or you can cut them in half, fill with yumminess and fold over to make calzones! Our daughter is still a little small to chow down on a slice, but older kids will love making their own pizzas... And you don't have to eat their creative ideas! It is always best to roll the dough as thin as possible and place on a pizza stone or baking sheet before adding the toppings. Makes it much easier to transport to the oven!

Here are a few of our favorite combos:

"The Buena Vida Court"
1 medium sweet onion caramelized in butter and olive oil
6-8 figs, cut in half lengthwise
Blue cheese, crumbled (buy a wedge and crumble yourself if possible)
Fresh mozzarella
Olive oil
Fresh garlic, minced
Fresh arugula

Brush the dough with olive oil and minced garlic. Add thin slices of mozzarella, then the figs and onions. Sprinkle the blue cheese on top and bake according to directions on the dough package. After it's out of the oven, sprinkle arugula over top and enjoy!

"The Cecilia"
1 cup loosely packed fresh spinach
1 medium yellow onion, caramelized
1 container mushrooms, cooked with onions
5 fresh garlic cloves, roasted
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes. Heirlooms are delicious if they are in season!
Slices of fresh mozzarella
Goat cheese

Brush the dough with olive oil. Spread tomatoes around and cover with onions, mushrooms and garlic cloves. Layer the cheeses, drizzle with extra olive oil, sprinke with extra sea salt, and bake till done! This is a go-to favorite.

"The After-Party"

2 or 3 packages of mushrooms, depending on your love for mushrooms... I use 3! Slice them thin, microwave covered for 5 minutes to get the juice out, and do a quick saute with a little butter and salt and for some extra flavor.
Fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
Parmesan, shaved thin, not shredded
Fontina, thinly sliced
Fresh feta, packed in water if you can find it (Trader Joe's has a great one)
JJ's tomato sauce
                                         Chopped Parsley to sprinkle on after cooking

Spread a layer of the sauce over the dough, top with the cheese and add the mushrooms. Layer it on thick! The pictures are of this pizza, but made by pre-vegetarian us. There is some yummy pancetta in there too if you are into that!

Farmer's Market Calzone

Calzone: A calzone is an Italian dish that is based off of the pizza pie. Instead of it being flat and topped with sauce, cheese, meats and vegetables, they stuff everything inside. Like a sophisticated hot pocket! Calzone actually means ‘pant leg’ in Italian, and this dish was inspired by the kind of pants some people wore during the 18th century. It is said to have originated in Naples, Italy. Use the freshest ingredients you can find to really make the flavors pop. We only used things we found at the Farmer's Market, and it was delicious! The fennel gives a earthy richness to this calzone you won't find in a delivery box.

1 Bag of Trader Joe's  Pizza Dough

Fillings (lightly steamed broccoli, fennel sauteed in olive oil, tomatoes, *fontina, fresh spinach, garlic etc.)

Olive Oil


*Fontina is our new favorite melting cheese! It is so creamy and has a nice savory flavor that goes great with winter vegetables.

Take the dough out of the package. Roll the dough out thin into a circle about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Cut the dough in half add filling and cheese to each. Be creative with your fillings! Fold dough over the filling and close by sealing edges folding and pinching. Brush the top of the calzone with olive oil and sprinkle with ground sea salt.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Share one calzone for dinner tonight and save the other for tomorrow's lunch! Dip it in JJ's Tomato Sauce if you want!

Our pairing of wine was a straightforward, medium-bodied Petite Sirah a pleasantly black fruit forward contrast to the dish. Mildly spicy, yummy black fruit... held up nicely to the rich veggies and cheese in the calzone. Trader Joe's brand wines are our new fav - VERY affordable and not too shabby for such a bargain.

Because we are true wine nerds, we read up on the history of Petite Sirah here. 

Not My Mama's Brussels Sprouts

My mother HATED Brussels Sprouts, so I never got to experience their deliciousness until much too late in life. Although, I don't think I would have enjoyed them near as much when I was younger as I do now. We have tried quite a few recipes over the years, and this one, swiped from the Foodinista blog, and modified to our own tastes. It is SO delicious... the sprouts stay crisp but get unbelievably tender and the fennel just sends it over the top. One tip - don't leave out the sugar (Splenda makes a fine substitute if you're watching calories). It seriously makes a huge difference!

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, julienned
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts cut in half
2 tablespoons sugar or 1 packet Splenda
1 cup chicken stock
2 shallots or 1 yellow onion (shallots are better but onion works just fine)
salt/pepper to taste

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large sauce pan. Add onions/shallots, fennel and sugar, saute until translucent. Add the sprouts and the stock, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer until the sprouts are tender and the stock has reduced. Sprinkle with some of the leftover fennel greens to dress and enjoy!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

I first made this soup in early fall 2011 when we were still eating meat. I used bacon and bacon fat which added a lot of depth, so I had to figure out how to cut the meat but keep the intense, rich flavor. Adding curry powder and nutmeg did the trick. We had two medium sized butternut squashes and a few sweet potatoes from our visit to the farmer's market last weekend. I actually got the curry powder there too! We adore the Farmer's market for the fresh, seasonal vegetables and the great prices! Support your local farmers and make this soup! This recipe makes a lot of soup, but it freezes well and is perfect for thawing out a quick dinner.

2 medium butternut squashes
2 sweet potatoes
Olive oil
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups half and half
2 cups water
1 chicken flavored bouillon cube
Salt and pepper to taste

Skin the squash and sweet potato and cut into chunks. Drizzle with olive oil and toss in a pan until all pieces are lightly coated. Don't use too much or the soup will be oily. Roast the veggies at 400 degrees, tossing every 10 minutes, for about 40 minutes or until tender. If using an immersion blender, add veggies, half and half, bouillon and water to a large stock pot on medium-low heat. Otherwise, use a food processor. In both cases, blend until smooth. Then add curry powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

This soup is always better on the second day, so I like to make it ahead and have it for lunch/dinner the next day. And I freeze a big batch to thaw and serve for company or just for a yummy treat since this is an impressive dish. Enjoy with Trader Joe's Chilean Chardonnay for $4.99. Rich, creamy, a little fruity all for a great bargain!

Wine is to food as Pedro is to Napoleon

One just isn't as dynamite without the other.

We were having a hard time filling an entire blog with wine reviews for a few reasons. One, wine costs money and with a one year old in daycare and a husband back in school full time, money is not something we have an overabundance of. Two, I am determined to get healthy this year and I do tend to have an overabundance of weight, so the goal is no school night drinking. We recently became loose vegetarians (can't give up seafood and love cheese to much) so we are trying all kinds of new recipes. So, we are going to combine our two passions and go at this from another angle. We'll be reviewing lots of food recipes and throwing some wines we love in there too.

Our passion is food. Now, we love to drink while making and eating it, but creating something unique and delicious is the most gratifying thing. I personally take pride in the fact I can open the refrigerator or pantry and whip up something pretty dang yummy from whatever we have on hand. I'll be sharing some of those off the cuff dinners we enjoy and some recipes we've found that turn out particularly well. We usually tailor things to our tastes and very rarely follow a recipe to the tee, so we'll make note of any additions or deletions.

Well, that's the scoop for 2012, hope you enjoy!